Microwave Assisted Processing (MAP™)
Radient's patented, proprietary Microwave Assisted Processing or MAP™ technology is based on the selective and localized heating of the moisture present in all natural materials using microwaves as the energy source.
In general, microwaves interact with materials in three ways:
- Reflective materials such as metals do not heat (i.e. they do not absorb energy, but rather reflect the energy).
- Transparent materials such as most liquids other than water do not heat or reflect. Microwaves pass right through them and are only absorbed to a small extent.
- Absorptive materials such as water absorb microwaves and are heated.
Microwaves do not heat by conduction or convection but rather dielectrically, which in simple terms means microwaves create heat when a material stops or slows the radiation causing it to deposit some of its energy, which is subsequently dissipated as heat. Because microwaves interact directly with the object being heated and because this interaction is related to both the chemical and dielectric properties of the object, it is possible to apply heat (or more precisely, energy) in ways that are not achievable by any other means. Furthermore, every material will absorb microwave energy to a different extent, with individual parts of that material will absorbing the energy differently.
Radient's technological advantage and expertise in selectively depositing microwave energy into different parts of a biomass' complicated chemical system form the core of our extraction advantage.