Magnetic Induction Heating for Pest Control – Technology Demonstrator

对于不断升级的园艺和农业病虫害防治问题，迫切需要一种负担得起的、可持续的解决方案，而磁感应加热可以提供解决方案。无脊椎动物是体积小、导电性差的导体，但由于它们的导电性比植物高数百倍，感应加热率相应更高，从而在不损害寄主植物的情况下有效地杀死无脊椎动物害虫。没有毒素，最大的好处将是它的特异性；感应加热在其狭隘的治疗区域之外是安全的，所以我们预计它的使用将几乎没有监管，使该技术适合于无人驾驶车辆。我们的团队已经使用我们自己的高功率兆赫频率感应加热技术证明了磁感应加热用于虫害防治的概念。然而，这项工作仅在实验室规模进行，将这种应用商业化所需的频率和机动性远远超出了目前认为的传统感应加热器的正常范围。这项为期18个月的研究将测试扩大电力电子设备的可行性，并为园艺部门建造一个高频磁场发生器技术演示器，为观赏种植者瞄准藤条象甲和其他害虫。该项目伙伴关系由三家微型中小企业组成。它将努力突破磁学技术的边界，产生有价值的全球知识产权。

There is an acute need for an affordable, sustainable solution to the escalating problems of pest control in horticulture and agriculture, and magnetic induction heating can provide a resolution. Invertebrates are small-sized poor electrical conductors, but because they are hundreds of times more electrically conductive than plants, induction heating rates are proportionately higher, allowing invertebrate pests to be efficiently killed while leaving host plants unharmed. With no toxins, the big gains will be its specificity; induction heating is safe outside its narrowly-focused treatment-zone so we would anticipate that there will be little regulation on its use, making the technology appropriate for unmanned vehicles.Our team has proven the concept of magnetic induction heating for pest control using our own high-powered megahertz-frequency induction heating technology. However, the work has only been conducted at bench-scale, and the frequencies and mobility required for commercialising this application extends well beyond what is currently considered normal for traditional induction heaters.This 18-month study will test the feasibility of scaling-up the power electronics and build a high-frequency magnetic field generator technology demonstrator for the horticultural sector to target vine weevil and other pests for ornamental growers. The project partnership is formed from three micro-SMEs. It will be pushing hard at the boundaries of magnetics technology and generate valuable world-wide intellectual property.