What is the difference between microwave sterilization and light wave sterilization

Sterilization is very common in our lives. The presence of various bacteria poses a great threat to our health. We need to use various methods to sterilize tableware and clothing. The more common sterilization method is micro-wave sterilization. Later, light wave sterilization appeared. Its various publicity for its efficacy made it difficult for ordinary people to understand the situation. So, what is the difference between microwave sterilization and light wave sterilization?

The microwave oven is said to be able to sterilize 100%, but it is several hundred yuan more expensive than an ordinary microwave oven. In fact, it just adds two halogen lamps, which is no different from sterilizing with boiling water.

The light wave oven is actually very simple, it is a microwave oven plus an oven. Most of the so-called light wave ovens on the market are "light wave microwave combination ovens", which means adding two "light wave tubes" to an ordinary microwave oven to burn the germs to death at high temperature, and the cost does not exceed 10 yuan.

The official name of this "light wave tube" is halogen tube, a lamp tube filled with halogen gas (usually iodine or bromine) that, like ordinary incandescent bulbs, can emit visible light and infrared rays. However, the temperature and brightness of halogen tubes are higher because the halogen in the tube can prevent the filament from evaporating and losing. Ordinary light bulbs will turn black after being used for a long time. This is because the tungsten in the filament evaporates and condenses on the glass shell of the bulb. However, the halogen in the halogen tube can combine with tungsten vapor to form tungsten halide (tungsten iodide or tungsten bromide), which returns to the filament and decomposes into halogen vapor and tungsten when heated, making up for the evaporated part of the filament. This recycling process makes the life of halogen tubes four times longer than that of ordinary light bulbs, while the structure is still relatively simple. When the halogen tube starts to glow, the infrared light emitted will heat the food. This process is closer to grilling in an oven.

Light wave oven can refer to three different kinds of home appliances

1. Light wave microwave combined furnace

English name: Convection microwave oven

Working Principle: The function of a convection oven is added to a regular microwave oven, which is the microwave oven analyzed in this article. This is also the most common light wave oven on the market.

Common misconception: Halogen ovens can retain more nutrients in food.

Answer: Any heating will destroy the nutrients. In comparison, microwaves heat the water in food through penetration, and the heat is more evenly distributed; while light waves "cook" food from the outside to the inside. On the contrary, the light wave function is more likely to burn food and cause nutrient loss. Moreover, the halogen tube of this type of light wave oven has too small a power, and it is difficult to complete barbecue cooking.

2. Table Light Wave Oven

English name: Glass-ceramic cooktop

Working Principle: It is also called a glass-ceramic furnace and also uses halogen tubes to generate heat. The infrared rays generated by the halogen tube are gathered together through the reflector, and the heat energy is conducted to the bottom of the pot through the heat-resistant micro-ceramic glass panel to achieve the purpose of cooking food. It looks like an induction cooker, but it is actually an old product with a history of more than 30 years.

Common misunderstanding: Desktop microwave ovens are “environmentally friendly and radiation-free”.

Answer: In fact, the light wave oven uses infrared heating. Infrared rays are also a type of electromagnetic wave, so desktop light wave ovens also produce radiation. Moreover, the wavelength of infrared light is shorter than the radio waves of microwave ovens. According to the principles of quantum mechanics, the shorter the wavelength, the greater the energy of the photon. If radiation is harmful, infrared is more dangerous than microwaves.

3. Convection Oven

English name: Convection oven

How it works: It is an improved version of a toaster oven. The oven uses heated copper tubes to generate infrared rays to grill bread, meat and pizza, which sometimes causes local overheating and burns the protruding parts of the food. The convection oven adds a convection fan to heat the food evenly, making it more efficient than an ordinary oven. Small household convection ovens also use halogen tubes and are capable of real barbecue cooking.

Common misconception: Convection ovens use 60% less energy.

Answer: It is indeed more energy-efficient than an oven, but still not as good as a microwave oven because a microwave oven does not need to heat the container but directly transfers the heat to the food.