Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Re: Microwave experimentation safety precautions
Date: Jul 30, 2:02 pm
Poster: Mark Sloan

On Jul 30, 2:02 pm, Mark Sloan wrote:

I have heard that in addition to just causing simple burns, microwaves may also induce cataracts and might have other more subtle effects. (And some not so subtle, like interfering with implanted medical devices like pacemakers.)

I think that for safety reasons it would be sensible to put any such apparatus in a closed wire cage (something called a Faraday cage which can be made out of any good conductor - copper wire mesh is traditional) to block any microwave leaking from the apparatus. The grid on the wire cage should have holes about the same size as those on some microwave oven windows. In addition to the cage, I would think it is a requirement to have a couple of cheap microwave detector devices like the kind used to check for microwave oven door leakage to make sure levels are safe. Also I would put power interlocks on any openings into the cage and make sure the doors all sealed well.