Process and apparatus for drying wood

Claim 1

A process for drying cut wood arranged in a stack with a plane of admission in a drying chamber and with interposed stack strips, comprising the steps of: generating an air flow, directing the air flow onto the plane of admission of the stack where channels formed between the cut wood layers begin, directing the air flow in a sequence to produce a concentration of air flow at different parts of the plane of admission producing a higher velocity air flow in the channels beginning in a part of the plane of admission experiencing a concentrated air flow, than in the other channels, measuring at least one of wood moisture, wood moisture gradient and flow velocity in the stack on different levels, adjusting the concentration of air flow dependent upon measured values of at least one of wood moisture, wood moisture gradient and flow velocity so that the flow velocity in the channels with the higher velocity avoids moisture equalization of air and wood within such channels, and changing the concentration of air flow to a next part of the plane of admission after a period dependent upon measured values at least of one of wood moisture gradient and wood moisture.

Claim 10

An apparatus for drying cut wood arranged in a stack with a plane of admission and with interposed stack strips, comprising: a drying chamber; at least one fan means for producing air flows mounted in said drying chamber; at least two sensor means, mounted in said drying chamber, for measuring at least one of wood moisture, wood moisture gradients and air flow velocity at two measuring points spaced from each other in said drying chamber; adjustable air flow regulating means for directing the air flows in the chamber onto the plane of admission of the stack where channels formed between the cut wood begin and for modifying the air flows to produce a concentration of air flow at different parts of the plane of admission producing a higher velocity air flow in the channels beginning in a part of the plane of admission experiencing a concentration of air flow, than in the other channels; and control means, coupled to said sensor means and said regulating means, for adjusting said regulating means in sequence dependent on measurements obtained by said sensor means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for drying cut wood arranged in a stack with a plane of admission and with interposed stack strips, comprising: a drying chamber; at least one fan means for producing air flows mounted in said drying chamber; at least two sensor means, mounted in said drying chamber, for measuring at least one of wood moisture, wood moisture gradients and air flow velocity at two measuring points spaced from each other in said drying chamber; adjustable air flow regulating means for directing the air flows in the chamber onto the plane of admission of the stack where channels formed between the cut wood begin and for modifying the air flows to produce a concentration of air flow at different parts of the plane of admission producing a higher velocity air flow in the channels beginning in a part of the plane of admission experiencing a concentration of air flow, than in the other channels; and control means, coupled to said sensor means and said regulating means, for adjusting said regulating means in sequence dependent on measurements obtained by said sensor means.