The invention involves an apparatus and a method for drying and/or curing impregnated wood. The apparatus includes a chamber comprising a stack containing space for containing a plurality of elongated wood planks arranged in a stack of a height H.sub.s, width W.sub.s and length L.sub.s, a heating element arranged within or adjacent to the space, a flow generating device arranged outside the space and configured to generate a circulating flow (F) of curing fluid within the chamber and a fluid flow restrictor arranged between the space and the flow generating device. The flow generating device and the fluid flow restrictor are further configured such that the circulating flow (F) of curing fluid is guided through the heating element generating a homogeneously heated and distributed flow (F) of curing fluid in the space. At least one motor is arranged outside the chamber, the at least one motor being configured to operate the flow generating device via a connecting shaft.

A hybrid kiln system and method for drying material, such as lumber, logs, and timber. A solar air heater uses solar radiation to heat air. The heated air is pushed into a kiln using one or more solar air heater fans. A dehumidifier is also provided to dehumidify and heat the air within the kiln. A method for determining when the solar air heater fans and the dehumidifier should be activated is also provided, and is based upon the temperature difference between the solar air heater's interior and exterior, as well as the relative humidity within the kiln.

A kiln sticker has an elongated body with the top surface, a bottom surface and a pair of side surfaces extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The top surface has a first cut-out formed therein which extends for the entire length of the elongated body. The bottom surface has a second cut-out formed therein which extends for the entire length of the elongated body. The first cut-out opens at the top surface. The second cut-out opens at the bottom surface. Each of the pair of side surfaces has a generally V-shaped configuration.

The invention relates to a process for the thermal drying of wood using a drying plant comprising: a drying chamber (1); means for supplying CO2 (3) at a selected pressure and temperature; circulation means (307, 203) for forcing the circulation of the gaseous fluid; heating means (2) for heating the gaseous heat transfer fluid; extraction means (4) for extracting the air inside the drying chamber 1; metrology means (5) for measuring variations in the physical measurements of the drying plant during heating; and operating means (6) for controlling the means used according to programs, adapted to the quality of the dried wood sought, and processing means for readjusting the operating parameters.

A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.

The present disclosure relates to a facility for forming a wood plastic composite by mixing and extruding wood powder and a polymer resin. According to a facility of the present disclosure, in a process of forming a wood plastic composite, gas and water vapor contained in wood powder and polymer resin are efficiently removed, and thus, a coupling force between wood powder and polymer resin increases, and also, wood powder is uniformly dispersed inside polymer resin, and thus, physical properties of a wood plastic composite to be formed is not degraded, and in addition, since there is no stagnant section while molten liquid of wood powder and polymer resin passes through each apparatus in the facility, wood powder is prevented from carbonizing or polymer resin is prevented from solidifying, and thus, physical properties of the wood plastic composite to be formed are maintained constant.

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.

Embodiments provide a unidirectional multi-path kiln with two or more chambers and generally parallel flow paths extending through the kiln, on opposite sides, from charge entry portals at a first end of the kiln to charge exit portals at a second end of the kiln. Moist heated air flowing from the second heated chamber is received in the first chamber and circulated around the lumber charges with one or more fans. The lumber charges proceed in the same direction on the flow paths through the heated second chamber, which may be an existing kiln. Charge exit portals at the distal end of the kiln and/or intermediate charge portals between the second chamber and a third chamber may be provided with insulating members configured to reduce airflow from the second chamber through the charge exit portals.

The present invention relates to an improved method for impregnating a porous material, such as wood, more specifically a method in which an active ingredient to be deposited within the porous material is dissolved in condensed carbon dioxide and impregnated in the material.

The invention relates to a wood conditioning system comprising: a first chamber; a second chamber; at least one air conveyor device for circulating air between the first chamber and the second chamber; the second chamber comprising at least one device for spraying water substantially against a direction of the circulated air. Some aspects of the invention relate to a method for wood conditioning.