The heart of any kiln is in the control system. While standards and techniques differ,
it is the ability to manipulate the kiln's interior environment that
remains essential to the proper drying of wood. As kilns have become more
powerful by increasing the vent, fan, and heat capacity, we have also seen the
necessary improvements in kiln controls by utilizing new technologies, more
accurate sensors, and even computer added processes.
With conventional kiln designs, the ability to dictate the kiln environment has reached its natural limit by utilizing very accurate sensors, modulated venting and heating, variable fan controls, etc. As wood is a natural product, no two packs or boards for that matter are exactly alike, a drying schedule without interactive feedback can only perform as well as a rigid schedule allows. With drying schedules indiscriminate and lumber highly variable, the natural consequence of dictated drying rates to lumber shows itself by way of degrade. As profit margins decrease, kiln operations are forced to reduce costs while attempting to improve quality and lower degrade. Increasing the drying time per load arbitrarily increases overall drying costs. In most cases, increased drying cost is unacceptable.
As opposed to building a control system designed to dictate drying schedules to lumber, Wooddryer System has returned the emphasis of kiln temperature schedules back to the lumber. With conventional kiln control technology, a load of lumber is monitored via several wood samples. According to the moisture content of the samples, the kiln temperature is adjusted as per the pre-set limits of someone's suggested schedule. Without fail, each schedule requires continued supervision and modification. This type of "guessing game" has annoyed generations of kiln operators and cost mill owners untold losses in degrade. Wooddryer System has returned the direction of kiln schedules to the lumber itself by creating an interactive control system.
As a load of lumber is placed into a sealed kiln chamber, the process of removing moisture from the wood begins with the manipulation of air flow and the increase of temperature. As air passes over the lumber, moisture is "wicked" away at a rate which is determined, not by the load moisture as a whole but by a few samples chosen at random. The conventional wet/dry bulb controls exist simply to maintain demanded temperature levels, not interact and adjust. Their collective role can only be described as passive. Ultimately, damaged lumber results from conditions which standard wet/dry bulb controls cannot counter due to non-interactive simplicity. By designing a method which observes the kiln conditions, maintains optimum drying conditions per load and reduces kiln degrade, Wooddryer System offers the lumber industry the means to increase the quality of their kiln dried lumber without prolonged or additional drying time.
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