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Abstract
This study investigated the effect of pretreatment with high temperature and low humidity (HT-LH) on characteristics of radio-frequency/vacuum (RF/V) drying of boxed heart timber of Japanese cedar (150 × 150 mm in cross section, 3600 mm long). From green to approximately 15% moisture content, the drying times including HT-LH treatment were 170 h for the nonkerfed control, 190 h for the kerfed control, and 150 h for both the kerfed and nonkerfed HT-LH specimens. Surface checks were effectively prevented by the HT-LH treatment while the kerfed HT-LH specimens were free from surface checks. In order to prevent the formation of internal checking during RF/V drying, it is suggested that HT-LH treatment should finish around the fiber saturation point.
Details
1 Department of Wood Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, Chonbuk, Republic of Korea
2 Department of Wood Science and Technology Beihua University, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
3 Division of Wood Engineering, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea