Effect of EMC and air in wood on the new in-process moisture content monitoring concept under radiofrequency/vacuum (RF/V) drying

To improve the accuracy of the new in-process moisture content (MC) monitoring concept under radiofrequency/vacuum (RF/V) drying, equilibrium moisture content (EMC) tests were carried out under various ambient pressures, and pressure curves in wood were analyzed during chamber evacuation and heating phases. The results showed that EMC increased with a decrease in ambient pressure regardless of temperature, relative humidity (RH), and species. The accuracy of MC estimation for Hinoki under RF/V drying was improved from 1.5% maximum absolute errors to 0.6% after EMC modification. The pressure curves for Hinoki and Sugi under RF/V drying showed similar tendencies to an idealized process. Russian larch showed different curves, indicating that the pressure in the wood did not reach the ambient pressure because of its low permeability. Therefore, MC could not be estimated using this monitoring concept because of the presence of much air in the wood of Russian larch.     

Effect of steam pretreatment on wood moisture content and characteristics of vacuum drying

The effects of high temperature steam pretreatment on the change in wood moisture content (MC) and characteristics of vacuum drying were investigated in this study. Poplar and manchurian walnut woods were pretreated with high temperature steam at 100°C and 140°C, prior to vacuum drying. A comparison of the characteristics of vacuum drying between steam pretreated wood and untreated wood was carried out. The results show that during steam pretreatment, the MC of wood decreased within a few hours. The reduction of MC varied with the temperature; the higher the temperature, the faster the MC dropped. During the vacuum drying stage, the rates of drying of pretreated samples were higher than those of untreated samples when MC was below the fiber saturation point. Furthermore, the total drying time of samples treated at a steam temperature of 140°C was lower than that of untreated samples. Therefore, a vacuum procedure after steam pretreatment can effectively shorten the drying time when drying wood.     

Microwave vacuum drying characteristics of Pinus massoniana wood

Microwave-vacuum (MV) drying characteristics of plantation Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) were studied experimen-tally for various levels of microwave radiation time, initial moisture content (MC), vacuum level and wood thickness. The results show that the process of MV drying for wood can be significantly divided into a short accelerating rate drying period, a long constant rate drying period and falling rate drying period, and the second drying period can extend to levels of mean MC below the fiber satu-r...     

Effects of moisture content and temperature on acoustic velocity and dynamic MOE of radiata pine sapwood boards

The effects of moisture content from 17 to 159% MC and temperatures from −71°C to +58°C on resonance-based acoustic velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity (DMOE) were investigated using 36 boards of radiata pine sapwood. Acoustic velocity decreased with increasing moisture content and temperature, although effects differed noticeably below and above fibre saturation point (FSP). Below FSP, acoustic velocity decreased rapidly and linearly with increasing moisture; whereas above FSP changes in velocity were rather gradual and curvilinear with marked differences in velocity patterns between temperatures below and above freezing. Acoustic velocity decreased linearly with increasing temperature but there was an abrupt discontinuity at the freezing point for wood above FSP. Changes in moisture content and temperature affecting wood density and acoustic velocity led to changes in DMOE, although this relationship was not straightforward because changes of velocity with moisture were linear or curvilinear and depended on whether wood was frozen or unfrozen, whereas changes of density with moisture content were invariably linear. For practical work, it is important to estimate the relative effect of changing moisture content or temperature with respect to standard conditions on DMOE, thus general guidelines were devised to account for significant changes.     

Determination of wood moisture properties using a CT-scanner in a controlled low-temperature environment

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to examine an advanced image-processing algorithm for moisture content (mc) calculation and also to use this algorithm to analyse moisture loss data for low temperature drying. Since wood starts to shrink below the fibre saturation point during drying, the geometrical shape of the wood piece will change. The dry wood image was thoroughly transformed to the shape of the wet wood image prior to calculating the dry weight mc. The results show that the algorithm for the dry weight mc on density data from the CT-scanning during low-temperature drying in the climate chamber is a powerful tool for analysing the moisture loss inside the wood piece. This method can make it possible to get a higher quality on the product.     

Studies on pre-treatment by compression for wood drying III: the reduction of moisture content,the recovery rate,and mechanical properties of wood compressed at different moisture content conditions

As a follow-up report, the pre-treatment by compression for wood drying was systematically studied in terms of the reduction of moisture content (MC), the recovery rate (RR), and mechanical properties of wood compressed at different MC conditions. The results showed that MC after compression on water-saturated wood determined the critical value of MC before compression which were about 84 and 105% at a compression ratio of 60 and 40% for Poplar and Chinese fir, respectively. Beyond the critical value, MC after compression remained constantly at about 84% and decreased slightly from 105% for Poplar and Chinese fir, respectively. The MC reduction decreased with the decrease of MC before compression. The MC reduction was rather effective when the MC before compression was higher than the critical value and was recommended to pre-treat for the effectiveness of MC reduction. In addition, after the recovery, the wood volume and mechanical properties were well retained for the wood compressed at all MC conditions which were above fiber saturation point (FSP) before and after compression. Therefore, the pre-treatment by compression is viable in terms of the RR and mechanical properties at rather broad MC conditions above FSP. Moreover, the compression force needed for treatment was almost same at these MC conditions.     

Study on drying rate in contact drying with flexible screen

IntroductionA new type contact dryer with non-metal flexibleplaten was patented in 1998 in China, which specialstructure and material solved the problem of low productivity in platen drying. The machine was similar tohot press. Direct contact betWeen wood and heatedplaten allows rapid heat transfer by conduction (Sandoe 1983). Though the flexible screen conducts heatslower than metal platen does, it transfers massmuch fast6r. So water removing rate decides veneerdrying rate in the new machin…     

Climate control in vacuum dryers for convective heat transfer

The European Drying Group (EDG) proposal on a wood drying quality standard defines demands on final moisture content variation of the dried wood. The final moisture content variation will depend on material parameters as well as the production process and the wood will always show a “natural” moisture content variation after drying. Thus the drying process has to be defined well enough to allow for the natural moisture content variation in order to fulfil the demands of the drying standards. As the average equilibrium moisture content of the wood in a vacuum drying kiln with pure steam atmosphere is determined by the pressure and the temperature, the demands on the climate control system to fulfil the demands of the drying standard can be calculated with regard to the natural moisture content variation of the wood. In the first part of this contribution the demands on climate control in vacuum dryers are calculated based on the EDG-standard and the natural moisture content variation. In the second part of the contribution the demands on climate control are compared with climate and moisture content measurements from industrial production in vacuum kilns. Critical factors in kiln design and climate control system design necessary to maintain a controlled drying climate are listed.     

Study on Wood Drying Properties under Vacuum-floating Pressure

Using Masson pine as specimens, when drying mediums are overheated steam and hot-air respectively, preheating characteristics of wood under vacuum-floating pressure drying are discussed by measurement of internal temperature field and variation of moisture content during period of preheating. The relationship between drying medium conditions and drying rate of wood reveals that, firstly, compared with process of air-drying, time needed to be preheated under vacuum-floating decreased dramatically, meanwhile, the magnitude of condensation on the surface is relatively larger. Secondly, drying rate of wood under vacuum-floating pressure increases coupled with temperature of medium, reduction of absolute pressure, and raise of fluctuation rate of pressure. The sequence of factors contribution to drying rate is listed as following: temperature of medium (t) > fluctuation rate of pressure (f)> absolute pressure (p).     

Vibrational properties of heat-treated green wood

To investigate the influence of water on heat treatment, green wood was heat-treated. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.) with about 60% moisture content (MC) was used. Young's modulus and loss tangent were measured by the free-free flexural vibration test. The specimens were heated in nitrogen at 160°C for 0.5h. The results were as follows. (1) Recognizing that the effects of heat treatment are mild and that the same specimens cannot be used for both heat treatment and as controls, it was necessary to investigate the effects of the heat treatment based on the variations of properties in the whole of the test lumber. (2) Young's modulus increased and the loss tangent decreased due to heat treatment. When the vibrational properties were measured at various MCs, the MCs at the maximum value of Young's modulus and the minimum value of the loss tangent were lower in heat-treated specimens than in controls. The effects of heat treatment in green wood were similar to those in air-dried wood. (3) The loss tangents of heat-treated specimens were smaller than those of controls at about 0% MC but were larger than those of controls at about 10% MC. We thought that this resulted from the decreased MC at the minimum loss tangent after the heat treatment mentioned above. (4) The properties measured at several MCs were more useful than those at only one moisture content for investigating the effects of heat treatment.This study was presented in part at the 46th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kumamoto, April 3–5, 1996; and at the 47th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kochi, April 3–5, 1997     

Modeling moisture absorption process of wood-based composites under over-saturated moisture conditions using two-part equations

The objective of this study was to investigate the moisture absorption process for wood-based composites subjected to over-saturated moisture conditions. Two stages are comprised in the moisture transfer process at the over-saturated moisture conditions, an initial stage which is the moisture transfer process mainly under fiber saturation point (FSP), and a second stage which is the moisture transfer process beyond the FSP. A model was developed based on two-part equations to describe the process, from which three coefficients (k ₁ , k ₂₁ , and k ₂₂) can be used to quantitatively describe the moisture transfer process under the conditions. Two different wood-based composites, wood fiberboard and wood fiber/polymer composites (polymer content: 30%), were used to test the model at four different ambient temperatures (30, 45, 62, and 80°C). It was shown that the two-part equation can accurately describe the moisture absorption process under over-saturated moisture conditions. The moisture absorption rate in the initial stage was about 30–60% greater than that in the second stage for most of the cases evaluated in this study. The higher the temperature, the greater moisture absorption parameters were obtained. At both moisture absorption stages (below FSP and above FSP), the calculated activation energy for the moisture absorption rate of wood fiberboard was very close to that of wood fiber/polymer composites.     

Liquid penetration in different cells of two hardwood species

Two experimental techniques were used to test the water permeability of two Korean hardwood species: diffuse porous Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee (eunsasi poplar) and ring porous white oak, Quercus serrata Thunb (konara oak). The first technique measured the void volume filled at different moisture content (MC) levels. Samples were treated with water via a schedule of full-cell impregnation. A significant relation between MC and permeability (the fractional void volume) was found. A reduction in liquid permeability was observed at MC above the fiber saturation point (FSP), whereas the opposite result was observed at MC below FSP due to the effect of the voids available in the wood. However, the differences of increased permeability from MC level 20% to 0% were found satistically the same in either wood species. The second technique measured the speed of liquid penetration in vessels, fibers, and rays with no application of external pressure. In this method, liquid flow was captured via video and the penetration speed was measured. Vessels, fibers, and rays in poplar were found to be more permeable than those in oak. Different anatomical factors such as cell diameter, cell length, pit number, pit aperture area, and thickness of the pit membrane seemed to be responsible for the variation of liquid flow rate in different cells of the two hardwood species.     

Moisture flow characteristics during radio frequency vacuum drying of thick lumber

Summary Thick specimens of two softwoods were dried in a laboratory radio frequency/vacuum (RF/V) kiln in order to investigate the internal moisture flow patterns. The spatial moisture distributions in the longitudinal arid transverse directions were monitored as a function of time in a number of runs. The results indicated that both longitudinal and transverse moisture transfer modes contribute on the overall moisture flow occurring within wood, but there was no distinction as to the percentage contribution of each to the overall flux. There were no abrupt drying front changes and no moisture discontinuities observed during drying. A second group of runs was also carried out using end-matched specimens to study its length effects on drying characteristics, such as drying rate, and internal vapor pressure and temperature profiles. The results demonstrated that short specimens dried faster than long ones at moisture contents above the fiber saturation point.The financial support for this work from NSERC/Canada through a Strategic Grant (STR0167393) and the lumber contribution from MacMillan-Bloedel are greatfully acknowledged.     

Kiln drying behavior of lumber from ten fast-growth plantation species in Costa Rica

Abstract

Plantation wood from tropical climate has been introduced rapidly in the national market; however, there is lack of knowledge about the process. The main objective of this study was to investigate the kiln drying behavior of 10 plantation-grown wood species from natural forest in Costa Rica using the recommended drying schedule. Initial moisture content (MCi), final moisture content (MCf), drying rate, drying time, and drying defects were evaluated. The drying schedule applied produced the following results: (1) high MCi (over 110%) in four species and lower values in two species. (2) The largest drying time was found in species with high MCi, and the shortest drying time in species with lower MCi. (3) Significant variations of target MCf were found in some species, despite equalization and conditioning. (4) Exponential relationship MC=a*?^?t*b was used to establish a moisture content (MC) decrease model, which is not a good indicator of drying time for fives species. (5) High incidence of drying defects was found in Alnus acuminata and Vochysia guatemalensis. According to the above results, it is necessary to test other drying schedule oriented to improve lumber quality and to decrease variability of MC in wood from plantation trees.     

Physical and mechanical properties of wood after moisture conditioning

Some properties of wood (hinoki:Chamaecyparis obtusa) moisture-conditioned by an adsorption process from a dry state and by two desorption processes (from a water-saturated state and from a state with a moisture content slightly below the fiber saturation point) were investigated. The moisture contents of wood conditioned by the adsorption process and by the desorption process continued to approach to one another for the moisture-conditioning period of over 50 weeks. Accordingly, sorption hysteresis should be regarded as a transitional phenomenon that occurs during the process of approaching the true equilibrium, which requires a long time. The wood conditioned by the desorption process beginning from a water-saturated state showed slightly smaller dimensions than those conditioned by the adsorption process with the same moisture content; however, the wood conditioned by the desorption process from a moisture content below the fiber saturation point showed slightly larger dimensions than those conditioned by the adsorption process. The wood conditioned by the adsorption process from a dry state showed a higher modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture than did the wood conditioned from a water-saturated state with the same moisture content. The mechanical properties of the wood also varied based on the states at which the desorption process was started. This is a notable characteristic of the relation between the drying condition and the mechanical properties of wood.     

Nonisothermal moisture movement in wood

In order to analyze the effect of temperature gradient on moisture movement during highly intensive drying, such as microwave-vacuum drying, the profile of the temperature and moisture content in sealed wood whose opposite faces were subjected to temperature gradient for a short time was measured. The ratio of the moisture content (MC) gradient to the temperature gradient (dM/dT) was calculated and the factors influencing moisture movement under nonisothermal conditions were discussed. The results indicate that moisture moved in wood from the warm surface to the cold one even if opposite faces of the sealed wood assembly were exposed continuously to different but constant temperatures for a short period. The moisture content on the cold surface was higher than that on the warm surface. The moisture content gradient opposite to the temperature gradient was established, and the dM/dT was below 0.9%/°C. The temperature in the sample and the distance from the hot surface of the sample was strongly linearly correlated. With an increase in temperature, initial moisture content and experimental time, the dM/dT was significantly increased. __________ Translated from Journal of Beijing Forestry University, 2005, 27(2): 96–100 [译自: 北京林业大学学报, 2005, 27(2): 96–100]     

Moisture content measurements in wood using dual-energy CT scanning – a feasibility study

Currently computed tomography (CT) scanning provides a non-destructive method to determine moisture content in wood in three dimensions. With the current methodology two measurements are needed, one with the scanned piece of wood’s moist state and one after drying. Then the difference of the images can be calculated. The drawback and challenge is that dimensional changes due to shrinkage of wood in the drying process have to be compensated for by image processing. In this study a dual-energy CT scanning method is tested based on the consecutive scanning of wood samples at different energy levels to differentiate water from wood, without the necessity to dry the sample and thus without the need for complex image correction. Not quantified but visible differentiations due to moisture content were obtained on small cubical pine samples of different densities by quick consecutives scans at 60 and 200?kV. The results suggest that given that the pixels in the CT images are representing absorption coefficients it should be possible to directly measure moisture content in wood non-destructively in small volume elements inside solid wood in three dimensions. Further applications of this technique in industrial CT scanning of wood are discussed.     

Analysis of cyclic vacuum drying curve

The objective of this research was to analyze the cyclic vacuum drying curve within one cycle. Red oak specimens of two different groups, square in cross-section, were used. Group one was comprised of four different thicknesses (2.54, 3.81, 5.08, and 6.35 cm) with a length of 25.4 cm and group two was comprised of three different lengths (12.7, 25.4, and 38.1 cm) with the thickness of 2.54 cm. The specimens were heated to 60°C in the heating oven and then dried in the vacuum oven at 18 mm Hg. The vacuum oven was at room temperature (20°C). The vacuum pump was kept running for 140 min. It was found that the cyclic vacuum drying curve consisted of two distinct parts. The fast drying period lasted about 10 to 15 min. The slow drying period occurred when the pressure inside wood approached the ambient pressure. Most of the moisture was removed during the fast drying period.     

Effects of extraneous substances, wood density and interlocked grain on fiber saturation point of hardwoods

Samples of nine tropical hardwoods from Peru and sugar maple wood from Quebec were selected for moisture sorption and swelling tests at 25°C. These tests evaluated the fiber saturation point (FSP) by two methods: following adsorption over distilled water, and from the volumetric swelling intersection point. Cold-water and hot-water extractives, sequential cyclohexane, acetone and methanol extracts, ash content, wood density and interlocked grain were also determined on matched samples. The results indicated that adsorption tests over distilled water were not applicable for determining FSP in all wood species. Condensation of water vapor apparently occurred, even though temperature during adsorption was controlled to the nearest 0.01°C. The volumetric swelling intersection point method was judged more appropriate. FSP ranged from 15 to 25% for tropical hardwoods and was 30% for sugar maple wood. FSP was negatively correlated with wood density, acetone extracted fraction, interlocked grain and ash content. These parameters each exerted similar effects on variability in FSP.     

Effects of extraneous substances,wood density and interlocked grain on fiber saturation point of hardwoods

Abstract

Samples of nine tropical hardwoods from Peru and sugar maple wood from Quebec were selected for moisture sorption and swelling tests at 25°C. These tests evaluated the fiber saturation point (FSP) by two methods: following adsorption over distilled water, and from the volumetric swelling intersection point. Cold-water and hot-water extractives, sequential cyclohexane, acetone and methanol extracts, ash content, wood density and interlocked grain were also determined on matched samples. The results indicated that adsorption tests over distilled water were not applicable for determining FSP in all wood species. Condensation of water vapor apparently occurred, even though temperature during adsorption was controlled to the nearest 0.01°C. The volumetric swelling intersection point method was judged more appropriate. FSP ranged from 15 to 25% for tropical hardwoods and was 30% for sugar maple wood. FSP was negatively correlated with wood density, acetone extracted fraction, interlocked grain and ash content. These parameters each exerted similar effects on variability in FSP.