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Corresponding Author

Elmetwally, M.

Subject Area

Mechanical Power Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Wood drying kiln is essentially an enclosed space where air velocity, temperature and humidity are controlled. An experimental study is performed to describe the heat and mass transfer process in drying of wood using kiln. Experiments are conducted in a kiln dryer using rectangular shaped of wood for drying air temperatures of 50, 60, 70 and 75 oC, drying air velocities 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 m/s and wood thickness of 1, 2, 4 and 6 mm. In addition to, effect of sample types [hardwood (red oak) and softwood (beech pine and poplar)] are used. The test rig of the present work has been examined and the obtained results are in a good agreement with available data in the previous works. The obtained experimental results of the present study are found in good trends with the corresponding previous results. Experimental results show that the drying rate increase with the increasing of drying air temperature and drying air velocity but it decrease with the increasing of thickness. Also, it is found that the softwood is dry faster than the hardwood.

Keywords

convective drying; wood drying kiln; hardwood; softwood; heat transfer; mass transfer

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