INFLUENCE OF MOISTURE DIFFUSION RATE OF BOUND WATER UPON THE DRYING TIME OF STEAMED AND UNSTEAMED BEECH WOOD

Abstract

The paper aims at establishing the drying time of beech wood below fiber saturation point, by taking into consideration the influence of thickness, drying temperature, pre-treatment by steaming and wood type (white wood compared to red heart). In order to achieve relevant results, an experimental study concerning the water vapor transmission rate of bound water in steamed and unsteamed beech wood samples, containing either only white wood or only red heart, was performed. Based on these results, the diffusion coefficients, the drying speed and the drying time were established for each wood grade. Important findings regarding the influence of drying time and wood type were reported

Keywords

• beech wood
• moisture diffusion
• water vapor transmission
• drying time
• drying speed
• steamed beech
• red heart wood