A wood monitoring system and method is disclosed for monitoring lumber characteristics (e.g., lumber moisture) in environments of extremely high and prolonged temperature and moisture, e.g., a kiln. The monitoring system and method includes: (a) Sensors (provided within lumber stacks), wherein such sensors are battery powered and wirelessly communicate measurements indicative of moisture content of the wood adjacent to and/or between metal plates provided in an electrical circuit with the sensors and the wood between the plates; (b) Computer implemented methods and systems for wireless communication that conserve sensor battery power such that the sensors can operate for, e.g., six months within extremely adverse temperature and moisture environmental variations; and (c) Computer implemented methods and systems for estimating moisture content with a wood/lumber stack, and for predicting such moisture content (e.g., as a substantially steady state within the wood) after drying completion.

An integrated boiler-dryer consisting in a sealable vessel capable of sustaining high humidity and variable gas pressures and into which is placed a lignocellulosic material, and a compound in mist form. The sealable vessel provides dry heat so as to dry the lignocellulosic material while the compound is impregnated within the lignocellulosic material.

A device and process for heating wood for the purpose of eradicating burrowed pests such as gypsy moths and emerald ash borer beetles are disclosed. The device is used for treating firewood and pallets made of wood to insure that burrowed pests are killed before transporting the wood across state lines in following of state regulations. The device comprises a conveyor adapted for transporting firewood or pallets an insulated and heated chamber. The wood core temperature of the wood is monitored using wireless temperature sensors. Conveyor speed is adjusted according to temperature readings in order to achieve a threshold wood core temperature and in order to maintain the threshold wood core temperature for the minimum required period of time.

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.

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.

Lumber drying kilns are provided that can include a ceiling member supported by opposing wall members and a pair of complimentary baffles extending vertically from about a junction of the wall and ceiling. Drying kilns are also provided that can include a junction between a wall and a ceiling above material to be dried within the drying kiln and at least one baffle extending vertically along the side of the material to be dried. Methods for retrofitting existing drying kilns are provided that can include extending vertical baffles from about a junction of a wall and ceiling of the drying kiln. Methods for drying material within a drying kiln are also provided that can include placing material to be dried within a drying kiln and drying the material within the kiln while a pair of vertical extending baffles hang along opposing walls of the kiln.

A method of drying sticks, a related apparatus, resultant product and its uses where the method involves presenting a plurality of sticks in parallel as a single layer, pressing each stick with a bank of pressing members on and/or into at least one face of the sticks, each with plurality of protuberances, thereby to constrain the sticks against crook, and drying the sticks when so constrained. Preferably each bank of pressing members is an underside of a frame or lattice of a stack of such frames or lattices able to receive such a single layer of sticks between adjacent overlying/underlying frames or lattices, the protuberances preferably being only downwardly directed.

A kiln moisture measurement method and system is provided for measuring the moisture level of a charge of timber in a timber drying kiln. The method includes steps of: transmitting electromagnetic radiation from a transmitter; receiving the electromagnetic radiation at a receiver; wherein the transmitter and receiver are configured such that the electromagnetic radiation passes through at least part of the charge of timber. An electronic data processor determines the gain of the electromagnetic radiation by comparing the intensities of the transmitted and received electromagnetic radiation; and subsequently determines a moisture level of the charge based on the gain of the electromagnetic radiation.

Systems and processes for curing a wet coating of a coated substrate are disclosed. The system includes a ventilation system and a curing room configured to receive the coated substrate being displaced along a displacement axis and includes at least an upstream curing section and a downstream curing section. The upstream curing section includes an upstream catalytic infrared heating system for producing an upstream infrared radiation at an upstream radiation intensity to heat and partially cure the wet coating while the coated substrate is being displaced through the upstream curing section. On the other hand, the downstream curing section includes a downstream catalytic infrared heating system for producing a downstream infrared radiation at a downstream radiation intensity, being lower than the upstream radiation intensity, to further cure the wet coating while the coated substrate is being displaced through the downstream curing section for producing a cured coating.

A wood heating system comprises an electric power source, a first electrode assembly, a second electrode assembly, and a control system. The first electrode assembly is connected to the electric power source and is adapted to make electrical contact with a first end of a wood length to apply electric power to the wood length. The first electrode assembly comprises at least two electrode segments. The second electrode assembly is adapted to make electrical contact with a second end of the wood length. The control system is adapted to selectively connect/disconnect electric power flow between the electric power source and at least one electrode segment of the first electrode assembly.