College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 3
College of Engineering
Department - Author 3
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 3
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
6-2026
Primary Advisor
Taufik, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Additional Advisors
Mohammad Sadek, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
The agricultural sector of the United States is notable portion of the economy and is vital to food security. Of the various crops produced, strawberries are an important commodity, of which in the United States is primarily produced in California. Strawberries are a difficult crop to grow organically due to heightened vulnerability to pathogens such as Macrophomina phaselina. Conventional methods of controlling diseases utilize unsafe pesticides that affect human health. Recent research has pointed towards heat treatment as a method of pathogen neutralization. Researchers have requested a robust, safe, and effective heating solution to continue exploration of alternative methods of disease neutralization. The Microwave Power and Control Unit has been proposed as such a system to implement microwave radiation at the resonance of water to effectively explore this new alternative. The system implements a safe power control scheme of six magnetron heating units. It is intended to be powered by any source with a NEMA14-50 receptacle, which is an output of 240VAC across the two phases, capable of delivering 50 amps of current. The design primarily focuses on simulation and modeling of the system for further investigation and implementation in hardware. A model for the magnetron is developed, along with the full system integration and simulation. A relay driver board was also prototyped with a schematic and layout for future hardware implementation. The simulation produced accurate simulation results of the magnetron in comparison to literature. The system level simulation produced a desirable transient response and steady state response of the high-power voltage and current. The design in simulation was successful while hardware implementation was set for further development and testing.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/718
Included in
Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons, Electrical and Electronics Commons, Power and Energy Commons