A method for drying materials is disclosed. The method comprises introducing a material into a dryer chamber, creating steam from vaporizing moisture in the material by maintaining the chamber at a temperature, conditioning the material using the steam created from vaporing moisture in the material by conveying the material along a length of the chamber from an inlet end to an outlet end, exhausting steam near the inlet end of the chamber, exhausting steam near a dry-end exit end of the chamber, controlling a migration of moisture between the inlet and outlet ends by adjusting an exhaust flow rate near the inlet end of the chamber and/or an exhaust flow rate near the dry-end exit end of the chamber, and withdrawing the material from the chamber.

Systems and methods for treating wood products are provided. The methods comprise preconditioning the wood product by irradiating one or more surfaces of the wood product with infrared (IR) and/or ultraviolet (UV) radiation and subsequently treating the wood product. The systems comprise one or more fixtures positioned to irradiate one or more surfaces of the wood product with IR and/or UV radiation, wherein each fixture comprises a reflector and a radiation source.

Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, and machine learning methods and systems, including one or more Machine Learning (ML) based moisture level detection models, are used to accurately identify moisture content and the specific locations of the moisture on an entire surface of a veneer sheet or other wood product and provide moisture level prediction data for the veneer sheet or other wood product. Based on the moisture level prediction data for a given wood product, one or more actions are taken with respect to wood product to ensure the wood product is put to the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, and one or more visual cameras are used to generate superimposed image data representing a visual/NIR composite image of wood product and correlating moisture levels with physical features of the surfaces of the wood product. By analyzing the visual/NIR composite image represented by superimposed image data, moisture pockets near an open physical feature that, absent the presence open physical feature would be a problem, can be identified and ignored. Based on the identified moisture levels at various locations in a given wood product, and the proximity of physical features to the identified moisture locations, one or more actions are taken with respect to wood product to ensure the wood product is put to the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

A method for reducing moisture of a material includes applying microwave radiation combined with RF to the material to heat and evacuate moisture from the material during a heating cycle and optionally alternating heating cycles with drying/cooling cycles. In particular, a method is disclosed to reduce a moisture content level of a material that comprises introducing the material or plant vertically into a drying enclosure using a vertical feed mechanism. The method further includes irradiating a portion of the material or plant with microwave to heat and vaporize moisture within the material or plant during a heating cycle; combining or alternating the microwave with RF heating for a time interval during the heating cycle to reduce the moisture content level of the material or plant; and alternating the heating cycle with a cooling cycle. In certain aspects or embodiments, the system comprises at least an enclosure, a vertical track mechanism, a microwave delivery device, a radio-frequency emitter and power supply.

A method for reducing moisture of a material includes applying microwave radiation combined with RF to the material to heat and evacuate moisture from the material during a heating cycle and optionally alternating heating cycles with drying/cooling cycles. In particular, a method is disclosed to reduce a moisture content level of a material that comprises irradiating a portion of the material with microwave to heat and vaporize moisture therewithin during a heating cycle; combining or alternating the microwave with RF heating for a time interval during the heating cycle to reduce the moisture content level of the material; and alternating the heating cycle with a cooling cycle. In certain aspects or embodiments, the system comprises at least an enclosure, a microwave delivery device, a radio-frequency emitter and power supply.

A horizontal multistage press apparatus 1 (multistage drying apparatus) includes conveyance paths R1 to R4 (first to fourth conveyance paths) in which the veneer sheet W1 (sheet material to be treated) is carried out in a standing state. The conveyance path R1 is positioned over between the loader device 10 and the hot press device 20, the conveyance path R2 is positioned over between the hot press device 20 and the open transpiration device 40, the conveyance path R3 is positioned over between the open transpiration device 40 and the temperature control press device 50, and the conveyance path R4 is positioned over between the temperature control press device 50 and the unloader device 60. The conveyance paths R1 to R4 are arranged in a straight line in plan view.

An apparatus for drying materials is disclosed. The apparatus has a chamber which is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the water in the material into steam. The dryer is configured to utilize the steam produced from the material to condition the material. The dryer has two exhaust stacks positioned at opposing ends of the dryer. The removal of exhaust steam at the two opposing ends of the dryer facilitates the migration of moisture within the chamber along a length of the dryer between the two ends. The exhaust stacks can be controlled and adjusted based on feedback from a plurality of pressure differential transmitters installed within the chamber. Methods for drying materials are also disclosed.

In a veneer dewatering apparatus, a clutch 30 is arranged on a power transmission path between upper and lower rolls 4, 6 and rotating shafts 20. When a veneer portion without a part such as a knot having extremely high compressive strength compared to the other parts passes between the upper roll 4 and the lower roll 6, or when a veneer passes between the upper roll 4 and the lower roll 6 with no foreign matter such as dust interposed between the upper and lower rolls 4, 6 and the veneer, the clutch 30 connects the upper and lower rolls 4, 6 to the rotating shafts 20. When a veneer passes between the upper and lower rolls 4, 6 with a knot and other foreign matters intervening, the connection between the upper and lower rolls 4, 6 and the rotating shafts 20 by the clutch 30 is released.

A method for reducing moisture of a material includes applying microwave radiation combined with RF to the material to heat and evacuate moisture from the material during a heating cycle and optionally alternating heating cycles with drying/cooling cycles. In particular, a method is disclosed to reduce a moisture content level of a material that comprises introducing the material or plant vertically into a drying enclosure using a vertical feed mechanism. The method further includes irradiating a portion of the material or plant with microwave to heat and vaporize moisture within the material or plant during a heating cycle; combining or alternating the microwave with RF heating for a time interval during the heating cycle to reduce the moisture content level of the material or plant; and alternating the heating cycle with a cooling cycle. In certain aspects or embodiments, the system comprises at least an enclosure, a vertical track mechanism, a microwave delivery device, a radio-frequency emitter and power supply.