Coupled electromagnetic and heat transfer model for microwave heating in domestic ovens

Investigation of microwave application time with constant pulse ratio on drying of zucchini

Since nonuniform drying in the continuous microwave harms the safety and quality of dried food materials, a significant quality improvement can be achieved by controlling the application time of the microwave. This study aimed to investigate the influence of microwave application time and power at a constant pulse ratio during the drying of zucchini on different product characteristics. The samples were first exposed to microwaves with powers of 360, 600, and 900 W alternately for 10, 30, and 50 s. After drying with intermittent microwaves, the process was continued using the hot-air drying. Increasing the microwave application time and power caused a significant reduction in the total process time. The minimum drying time was obtained at 900 W and 50 s (259.44 min). Deff increased significantly by 24.4% and 34.1% with increasing application time and power, respectively. The highest shrinkage and bulk density were observed in the samples dried at 360 W and 10 s due to a longer total process time than the other treatments. Rehydration increased by 10.3% and 14.7% with increasing application time and power, respectively. A 33% decrease in energy consumption was noticed in the 900 W-50 s treatment compared to the 360 W-10 s treatment. Moreover, with increasing microwave application time and power, the lightness of the dried product decreased, and the total color difference increased. In summary, the 900 W power and 50 s application time produced a better-dried product than the other treatments considering different quantitative and qualitative properties. The results of this research can be used in the food industry to dry products using microwave and hot air to control and improve their quality.

Method for Solving the Microwave Heating Temperature Distribution of the TE10 Mode

Microwave heating is a process in which the electric, magnetic, and temperature fields are coupled with each other and are characterised by strong non-linearity, high time variability, and infinite dimensionality. This paper proposes a method for predicting the microwave heating temperature distribution of the TE10 mode, because the traditional numerical calculation method is not conducive to designing microwave controllers. First, the spatial distribution of the main electromagnetic mode TE10 waves in a rectangular waveguide was analysed using the principal mode analysis method. An expression for the transient dissipated power and a heat balance equation with infinite-dimensional characteristics were constructed. Then, the microwave heating model was decomposed into electromagnetic and temperature field submodels. A time discretization approach was used to approximate the transient constant dielectric constant. The heating medium was meshed to solve the electric field strength and transient dissipated power in discrete domains, and the temperature distribution was obtained by substituting this value into the finite-dimensional temperature field submodel. Finally, the validity of the proposed numerical model was verified by comparing the results with the numerical results obtained with the conventional finite element method. The methodology presented in this paper provides a solid basis for designing microwave heating controllers.

Effects of the sludge physical-chemical properties on its microwave drying performance

Thermal drying is an effective sludge treatment method for dealing with large volumes of sludge. Microwave (MW) technology has been proposed as an effective and efficient technology for sludge drying. The physical-chemical properties of the sludge depend both on the origin of the sludge, as well as on the treatment process at which the sludge has been exposed. The physical-chemical properties of the sludge affect the performance and the subsequent valorisation and management of the sludge. This study evaluated the effect of certain physical-chemical properties of the sludge (moisture content, organic content, calorific value, porosity, hydrophobicity, and water-sludge molecular interaction, among others) on the MW sludge drying and energy performance. Four different types of sludge were evaluated collected from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. The performance of the MW system was assessed by evaluating the sludge drying rates, exposure times, energy efficiencies and power input consumed by the MW system and linking the MW drying performance to the sludge physical-chemical properties. The results confirmed that MW drying substantially extends the constant drying period associated with unbound water evaporation, irrespective of the sludge sample evaluated. However, the duration and intensity were determined to depend on the dielectric properties of the sludge, particularly on the distribution of bound and free water. Sludge samples with a higher amount of free and loosely bound water absorbed and converted MW energy into heat more efficiently than sludge samples with a lower amount of free water. As a result, the sludge drying rates increased and the constant drying rate period prolonged; hence, leading to an increase in MW drying energy efficiency. The availability of free and loosely bound water molecules was favoured when hydrophobic compounds, e.g., oils and fats, were present in the sludge.

The efficient thermal processing of cylindrical multiphase meat: a study on the selection of microwave heating strategy

The two-dimensional cylindrically shaped multiphase meat sample was modelled for microwave processing for two different interaction techniques i.e., lateral and radial during mono-mode operation of waveguide. The study was aimed to analyze the effect of volume fraction and sample size along with the duration of the procedure on the heat distribution corresponding to specified frequency and intensity of microwave. Procedure exhibiting higher heating rate and lower thermal non-homogeneity was set as the deciding factor for an optimal heating scheme. In order to achieve optimal processing at both 915 and 2450 MHz frequency, rotation of smaller samples and non-rotation of larger samples were recommended in most of the case studies; however, few exceptions were also observed and reported. In addition, reciprocity between volume fraction, intensity of the microwave radiation and procedure duration was also discussed. Overall, the present study would guide the studies on the microwave processing of two-dimensional multiphase meat.

Critical assessment of methods for measurement of temperature profiles and heat load history in microwave heating processes-A review

Limitations of microwave processing due to inhomogeneities of power input and energy absorption have been widely described. Over- and underheated product areas influence reproducibility, product quality, and possibly safety. Although a broad range of methods is available for temperature measurement and evaluation of time/temperature effects, none of them is sufficiently able to detect temperature differences and thermally induced effects within the product caused by inhomogeneous heating. The purpose of this review is to critically assess different methods of temperature measurement for their suitability for different microwave applications, namely metallic temperature sensors, thermal imaging, pyrometer measurement, fiber optic sensors, microwave radiometry, magnetic resonance imaging, liquid crystal thermography, thermal paper, and biological and chemical time-temperature indicators. These methods are evaluated according to their advantages and limitations, method characteristics, and potential interference with the electric field. Special attention is given to spatial resolution, accuracy, handling, and purpose of measurement, that is, development work or online production control. Differences of methods and examples of practical application and failure in microwave-assisted food processing are discussed with a special focus on microwave pasteurization and microwave-assisted drying. Based on this assessment, it is suggested that infrared cameras for measuring temperature distribution at the product surface and partially inside the product in combination with a chemical time/temperature indicator (e.g., Maillard reaction, generating heat-induced color variations, depending on local energy absorption) appear to be the most appropriate system for future practical application in microwave food process control, microwave system development, and product design. Reliable detection of inhomogeneous heating is a prerequisite to counteracte inhomogeneity by a targeted adjustment of process and product parameters in microwave applications.

Loss factor and moisture diffusivity property estimation of lentil crop during microwave processing

Characterization of loss factor and moisture diffusivity are required to understand materials' precise behavior during microwave processing. However, providing the processing facilities to measure these properties in a real or simulated situation directly can be complicated or unachievable. Hence, this study proposes an alternative procedure for modeling these properties according to their affecting factors including temperature, and moisture content. The basis of this method is to use an algorithm that combines the optimization approach and the numerical solution of the heat and mass transfer governing equations, including boundary conditions. For this aim, the coefficients of estimated models for loss factor and moisture diffusivity were obtained by minimizing the sum square error of the experimentally measured mean surface temperature and moisture content and the predicted values by solving the system of partial differential equations. The suggested models illustrated that during the microwave process, the moisture diffusivity grows arithmetically, and the loss factor generally raises, but transition points were observed in the trend for the samples tempered up to the 50% moisture content. These points have been attributed to the starch gelatinization and confirm how the bio-chemical reaction would have a noticeable effect on this property, determining the microwave energy absorbance. The results of differential scanning calorimetry thermograms and the Fourier transform mid-infrared spectra of flours obtained from microwave processed lentil seeds also confirmed the greatest intensity of starch structure alteration happened for the samples tempered to 50% moisture content by showing the highest shifts in the endothermic peak and lowest degree of order.

Transient analysis of power loss density with time-harmonic electromagnetic waves in Debye media

Due to the complex permittivity, it is difficult to directly clarify the transient mechanism between electromagnetic waves and Debye media. To overcome the above problem, the temporal relationship between the electromagnetic waves and permittivity is explicitly derived by applying the Fourier inversion and introducing the remnant displacement. With the help of the Poynting theorem and energy conservation equation, the transient power loss density is derived to describe the transient dissipation of electromagnetic field and the mechanism on phase displacement has been explicitly revealed. Besides, the unique solution can be obtained by applying the time-domain analysis method rather than involving the frequency-domain characteristics. The effectiveness of transient analysis is demonstrated by giving a comparison simulation on one-dimensional example.

Research on Dry Microwave Heating Infectious Aerosols or Droplets on Respirators

Dramatic shortages of filtering facepiece respirator supplies generally occur following the outbreak of a pandemic such as COVID-19. Here, the decontamination and reuse of respirators are considered. Among decontamination methods, microwave irradiation has great potential because of easy access of microwave ovens. However, can a respirator be heated in a microwave oven for a certain time and then be reused? Herein, we demonstrate that dry microwave irradiation cannot heat infectious aerosols or droplets up to their deactivation temperature. The microwave absorption performance of a single aerosol or droplet was analyzed theoretically. The multiphysics simulation results indicate that a single aerosol or droplet can be barely heated under dry microwave irradiation. Experiments were carried out using a traveling wave system to verify the simulation. Following this, we simulated multiple aerosols and droplets on a respirator material, with the results indicating that the aerosols and droplets were at the same temperature as that of the respirator. Experimental measurements using a microwave oven demonstrated that the temperature increase of an N95 respirator under dry heating is less than 10 °C, which is far less than the temperature required to deactivate the COVID-19 virus. Although dry microwave heating cannot be used to heat the aerosols or droplets, microwave-generated steam has proved effective in deactivating infectious biological organisms. Therefore, to successfully decontaminate a used respirator in a microwave oven, a reservoir with a small amount of water beneath the respirator (or a steam bag to accommodate it) is essential to the decontamination process.

Mechanistic and Machine Learning Modeling of Microwave Heating Process in Domestic Ovens: A Review

The domestic microwave oven has been popularly used at home in heating foods for its rapid heating rate and high power efficiency. However, non-uniform heating by microwave is the major drawback that can lead to severe food safety and quality issues. In order to alleviate this problem, modeling of microwave heating process in domestic ovens has been employed to simulate and understand the complicated interactions between microwaves and food products. This paper extensively reviews the mechanistic models with different geometric dimensions and physics/kinetics that simulated the microwave heating process. The model implementation and validation strategies related to the model accuracy and efficiency are also discussed. With the emergence of the machine learning technique, this paper also discusses the recent development of hybrid models that integrate machine learning with mechanistic models in improving microwave heating performance. Besides, pure machine learning models using only experimental data as input are also covered. Further research is needed to improve the model accuracy, efficiency, and ease of use to enable the industrial application of the models in the development of microwave systems and food products.

Simulation of Thermal and Electric Field Distribution in Packaged Sausages Heated in a Stationary Versus a Rotating Microwave Oven

The microwave oven has become a standard appliance to reheat or cook meals in households and convenience stores. However, the main problem of microwave heating is the non-uniform temperature distribution, which may affect food quality and health safety. A three-dimensional mathematical model was developed to simulate the temperature distribution of four ready-to-eat sausages in a plastic package in a stationary versus a rotating microwave oven, and the model was validated experimentally. COMSOL software was applied to predict sausage temperatures at different orientations for the stationary microwave model, whereas COMSOL and COMSOL in combination with MATLAB software were used for a rotating microwave model. A sausage orientation at 135° with the waveguide was similar to that using the rotating microwave model regarding uniform thermal and electric field distributions. Both rotating models provided good agreement between the predicted and actual values and had greater precision than the stationary model. In addition, the computational time using COMSOL in combination with MATLAB was reduced by 60% compared to COMSOL alone. Consequently, the models could assist food producers and associations in designing packaging materials to prevent leakage of the packaging compound, developing new products and applications to improve product heating uniformity, and reducing the cost and time of the research and development stage.

Electromagnetic properties of crayfish and its responses of temperature and moisture under microwave field

To reveal the application potential of microwave heating in the thermal processing of crayfish, this work explored the electromagnetic properties of different parts of crayfish and the patterns of temperature and moisture responses in crayfish during microwave heating. The results of electromagnetic analysis demonstrated that the electromagnetic properties of different parts of crayfish were different, and the tail had higher dielectric properties and reflective loss than other parts, but the maximum thickness of each part of crayfish was almost within their heating depth of microwave. The visual imaging and numerical simulation of temperature and moisture responses showed there were nonuniform temperature and moisture distributions in crayfish during microwave heating. The crayfish tail was selectively heated and rapidly cooked, but its moisture loss was far less than the mass loss of whole crayfish. Furthermore, the immobilized water in crayfish tail meat was continuously converted to free water, while the bound water was relatively stable during microwave heating. This work provided the theoretical references for the assumption that cooking the crayfish by microwave to overcome the shortcomings of boiling. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this work, we innovatively applied microwave heating to the heat processing of crayfish, and analyzed the electromagnetic properties of different parts in crayfish and explored its temperature and moisture responses under microwave field. Although this is a basic research, which provided some theoretical references for the assumption that microwave heating of crayfish (Procambarus clarkia) may be a clean and efficient means of overcoming the shortcomings associated with boiling. In particular, the simulation model of crayfish was established according to its real size and shape, which provided an option for the prediction of temperature response of crayfish in the microwave field.

Microwave treatment of municipal sewage sludge: Evaluation of the drying performance and energy demand of a pilot-scale microwave drying system

Sewage sludge management and treatment can represent up to approximately 30% of the overall operational costs of a wastewater treatment plant. Microwave (MW) drying has been recognized as a feasible technology for sludge treatment. However, MW drying systems exhibit high energy expenditures due to: (i) unnecessary heating of the cavity and other components of the system, (ii) ineffective extraction of the condensate from the irradiation cavity, and (iii) an inefficient use of the microwave energy, among others issues. This study investigated the performance of a novel pilot-scale MW system for sludge drying, specifically designed addressing the shortcomings previously described. The performance of the system was assessed drying municipal centrifuged wasted activated sludge at MW output powers from 1 to 6 kW and evaluating the system's drying rates and exposure times, specific energy outputs, MW generation efficiencies, overall energy efficiencies, and specific energy consumption. The results indicated that MW drying significantly extends the duration of the constant rate drying period associated with the evaporation of the unbound sludge water, a phase associated with low energy input requirement for evaporating water. Moreover, the higher the MW output power, the higher the sludge power absorption density, and the MW generation efficiency. MW generation efficiencies of up to 70% were reported. The higher the power absorption density, the lower the chances for energy losses in the form of reflected power and/or energy dissipated into the MW system. Specific energy consumptions as low as 2.6 MJ L^-1 (0.74 kWh L^-1) could be achieved, well in the range of conventional thermal dryers. The results obtained in this research provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the modifications introduced to the novel pilot-scale MW system mitigated the shortcomings of existing MW systems, and that the technology has great potential to effectively and efficiently drying municipal sewage sludge.

A Fast and Accurate Method for Computing the Microwave Heating of Moving Objects

In this paper, we show a fast and accurate numerical method for simulating the microwave heating of moving objects, which is still a challenge because of its complicated mathematical model simultaneously coupling electromagnetic field, thermal field, and temperature-dependent moving objects. By contrast with most discrete methods whose dielectric parameters of the heated samples are updated only when they move to a new position or even turn a circle, in our simulations a real-time procedure is added to renew the parameters during the whole heating process. Furthermore, to avoid the mesh-mismatch induced by remeshing the moving objects, we move the cavity instead of samples. To verify the efficiency and accuracy, we compared our method with the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method, one of the most accurate methods for computing this process until now. For the same computation model, our method helps in decreasing the computing time by about 90% with almost the same accuracy. Moreover, the influence of the rotational speed on the microwave heating is systematically investigated by using this method. The results show the widely used speed in domestic microwave ovens, 5 rpm, is indeed a good choice for improving the temperature uniformity with high energy efficiency.

Computer modeling and in vitro experimental study of water-cooled microwave ablation array

INTRODUCTION

Microwaves (MWs) quickly deliver relatively high temperatures into tumors and cover a large ablation zone. We present a research protocol for using water-cooled double-needle MW ablation arrays for tumor ablation here.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Our research program includes computer modeling, tissue-mimicking phantom experiments, and in vitro swine liver experiments. The computer modeling is based on the finite element method (FEM) to evaluate ablation temperature distributions. In tissue-mimicking phantom and in vitro swine liver ablation experiments, the performances of the new device and the single-needle MW device currently used in clinical practice are compared.

RESULTS

FEM shows that the maximum transverse ablation diameter (MTAD) is 4.2 cm at 100 W output and 300 s (assessed at the 50 °C isotherm). In the tissue-mimicking phantom, the MTDA is 2.6 cm at 50 W and 300 s in single-needle MW ablation, and 4 cm in double needle MW ablation array. In in vitro swine liver experiments, the MTAD is 2.820 ± 0.127 cm at 100 W and 300 s in single-needle MW ablation, and 3.847 ± 0.103 cm in MW ablation array.

CONCLUSION

A new type of water-cooled MW ablation array is designed and tested, and has potential advantages over currently used devices.

An Overview of Temperature Issues in Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is a promising thermochemical technique to convert waste polymers and biomass into raw chemicals and fuels. However, this process involves several issues related to the interactions between materials and microwaves. Consequently, the control of temperature during microwave-assisted pyrolysis is a hard task both for measurement and uniformity during the overall pyrolytic run. In this review, we introduce some of the main theoretical aspects of the microwaves–materials interactions alongside the issues related to microwave pyrolytic processability of materials.

Impact of Filled Materials on the Heating Uniformity and Safety of Microwave Heating Solid Stack Materials

Microwave heating of solid stack materials is common but bothered by problems of uneven heating and electric discharge phenomena. In this paper, a method introducing fluid materials with different relative permittivity is proposed to improve the heating uniformity and safety of solid stack materials. Simulations have been computed based on the finite element method (FEM) and validated by experiments. Simulation results show that the introducing of fluid materials with proper relative permittivity does improve the heating uniformity and safety. Fluid materials with the larger real part of relative permittivity could obviously lower the maximum modulus value of the electric field for about 23 times, and will lower the coefficient of variation (COV) in general, although in small ranges that it has fluctuated. Fluid materials with the larger imaginary part of relative permittivity, in a range from 0 to 0.3, can make a more efficient heating and it could lower the maximum modulus value of the electric field by 34 to 55% on the whole studied range. However, the larger imaginary part of relative permittivity will cause worse heating uniformity as the COV rises by 246.9% in the same process. The computed results are discussed and methods to reach uniform and safe heating through introducing fluid materials with proper relative permittivity are proposed.

Simulation and Analysis of Oleic Acid Pretreatment for Microwave-Assisted Biodiesel Production

Oleic acid needs to be heated when it is utilized for biodiesel production, but, as a low-loss solution, oleic acid is difficult to heat by microwave. An efficient heating method for oleic acid is designed. A high loss material porous media is placed in a quartz tube, and a microwave directly heats the porous medium of the high loss material. The oleic acid flows through the pores of porous media so that the oleic acid exchanges heat during this process and rapid heating of oleic acid is achieved. A coupling model, based on the finite element method, is used to analyze the microwave heating process. The multiphysics model is based on a single mode cavity operating at 2450 MHz. An elaborate experimental system is developed to validate the multiphysics model through temperature measurements carried out for different flow velocities of oleic acid and different microwave power levels. The computational results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Based on the validated model, the effects of different sizes, porosities, and materials on microwave heating efficiency are analyzed.

Receding horizon H∞ guaranteed cost tracking control for microwave heating medium with temperature-dependent permittivity

This paper considers the temperature spectrum tracking control of microwave heating model, in the presence of asymmetrical input saturation, nonhomogeneous Neumann boundary condition and temperature-dependent permittivity. The sufficient condition for the existence of receding horizon H_∞ guaranteed cost control is proposed based on the derived finite-dimensional ordinary differential equation (ODE) error model. Furthermore, by on-line updating and solving linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) optimization problem, the constrained tracking controller can be obtained in the sense of minimizing H_∞ norm and satisfying the quadratic cost performance. The proposed control strategy is implemented on a one-dimensional cavity heating model and its performance is evaluated through the simulation.

Effects of Microwave Power on Extraction Kinetic of Anthocyanin from Blueberry Powder considering Absorption of Microwave Energy

Microwave power as directly controlled parameter determines the absorption of microwave energy inside extraction vial and the yield of objective component in microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of microwave powers on the yield of anthocyanin from blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) powder based on the absorption of microwave energy in extracts under MAE. Rising microwave powers have little effect on the distribution of microwave energy in extraction vial, but increase its temperature. The simulation results indicated that strength of electrical field tends to decay trend along with microwave irradiation; however, temperatures have the highest level in center location in an extraction vial. High microwave power strongly breaks cell wall of blueberry to open diffusion route of interior anthocyanin toward extraction solvent. A critical extraction temperature of 50.75±0.88°C is obtained with the highest anthocyanin yield under MAE. Three monomers of anthocyanin including pelargonidin, cyanidin, and delphinidin are, respectively, of the highest content of 1.02 μg/mL, 0.66 μg/mL, and 0.31 μg/mL. The research results contribute to the improvement of efficiency of microwave energy and yield of anthocyanin.

Efficacy of Combined Sous Vide-Microwave Cooking for Foodborne Pathogen Inactivation in Ready-to-Eat Chicory Stems

There is a variety of different food processing methods, which can be used to prepare ready-to-eat foods. However, the need to preserve the freshness and nutritional qualities leads to the application of mild technologies which may be insufficient to inactivate microbial pathogens. In this work, fresh chicory stems were packed under a vacuum in films, which were transparent to microwaves. These were then exposed to microwaves for different periods of time. The application of sous vide microwave cooking (SV-MW, 900 W, 2450 MHz), controlled naturally occurring mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeasts and molds for up to 30 d when vacuum-packed vegetables were stored at 4 °C. In addition, the process lethality of the SV-MW 90 s cooking was experimentally validated. This treatment led to 6.07 ± 0.7 and 4.92 ± 0.65 log cfu/g reduction of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated over the chicory stems (100 g), respectively. With an initial load of 9 log cfu/g for both pathogens, less than 10 cfu/g of surviving cells were found after 90 s cooking. This shows that short-time microwave cooking can be used to effectively pasteurize vacuum-packed chicory stems, achieving >5 log cfu/g reduction of E. coli and L. monocytogenes.

Model Stirrer Based on a Multi-Material Turntable for Microwave Processing Materials

Microwaves have been widely used in the treatment of materials, such as heating, drying, and sterilization. However, the heating in the commonly used microwave applicators is usually uneven. In this paper, a novel multi-material turntable structure is creatively proposed to improve the temperature uniformity in microwave ovens. Three customized turntables consisting of polyethylene (PE) and alumina, PE and aluminum, and alumina and aluminum are, respectively, utilized in a domestic microwave oven in simulation. During the heating process, the processed material is placed on a fixed Teflon bracket which covers the constantly rotating turntable. Experiments are conducted to measure the surface and point temperatures using an infrared thermal imaging camera and optical fibers. Simulated results are compared qualitatively with the measured ones, which verifies the simulated models. Compared with the turntables consisting of a single material, a 26%–47% increase in temperature uniformity from adapting the multi-material turntable can be observed for the microwave-processed materials.

Frequency Distribution in Domestic Microwave Ovens and Its Influence on Heating Pattern

In this study, snapshots of operating frequency profiles of domestic microwave ovens were collected to reveal the extent of microwave frequency variations under different operation conditions. A computer simulation model was developed based on the finite difference time domain method to analyze the influence of the shifting frequency on heating patterns of foods in a microwave oven. The results showed that the operating frequencies of empty and loaded domestic microwave ovens varied widely even among ovens of the same model purchased on the same date. Each microwave oven had its unique characteristic operating frequencies, which were also affected by the location and shape of the load. The simulated heating patterns of a gellan gel model food when heated on a rotary plate agreed well with the experimental results, which supported the reliability of the developed simulation model. Simulation indicated that the heating patterns of a stationary model food load changed with the varying operating frequency. However, the heating pattern of a rotary model food load was not sensitive to microwave frequencies due to the severe edge heating overshadowing the effects of the frequency variations.

Multiphysics Modeling of Microwave Heating of a Frozen Heterogeneous Meal Rotating on a Turntable

A 3-dimensional (3-D) multiphysics model was developed to understand the microwave heating process of a real heterogeneous food, multilayered frozen lasagna. Near-perfect 3-D geometries of food package and microwave oven were used. A multiphase porous media model combining the electromagnetic heat source with heat and mass transfer, and incorporating phase change of melting and evaporation was included in finite element model. Discrete rotation of food on the turntable was incorporated. The model simulated for 6 min of microwave cooking of a 450 g frozen lasagna kept at the center of the rotating turntable in a 1200 W domestic oven. Temperature-dependent dielectric and thermal properties of lasagna ingredients were measured and provided as inputs to the model. Simulated temperature profiles were compared with experimental temperature profiles obtained using a thermal imaging camera and fiber-optic sensors. The total moisture loss in lasagna was predicted and compared with the experimental moisture loss during cooking. The simulated spatial temperature patterns predicted at the top layer was in good agreement with the corresponding patterns observed in thermal images. Predicted point temperature profiles at 6 different locations within the meal were compared with experimental temperature profiles and root mean square error (RMSE) values ranged from 6.6 to 20.0 °C. The predicted total moisture loss matched well with an RMSE value of 0.54 g. Different layers of food components showed considerably different heating performance. Food product developers can use this model for designing food products by understanding the effect of thickness and order of each layer, and material properties of each layer, and packaging shape on cooking performance.