Product category:
R&D, Test and Evaluation Services
News Release from: BHR Group | Subject: TimberTherm
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 29 March 2004
Kiln optimising software reduces pests
and carbon
BHR Group Limited and Forestry Research are developing TimberTherm, a software based method of predicting optimum heating conditions for kilns and their loads
The economic effects of the spread of such devastating pests as Dutch Elm disease can be massive Therefore, new international legislation has been enacted concerning the requirement for heat treatment of timber products for export to ensure the eradication of pests and pathogens
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 15 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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This has the potential to add an extra financial burden to the industry as many timber heat treatment kilns use more energy than necessary because the heat transfer properties of individual loads are ignored.
BHR Group Limited and Forestry Research are developing TimberTherm, a software based method of predicting optimum heating conditions for kilns and their loads.
Based on a thorough understanding of the thermal diffusivities of various timbers (a function of tree species, dimensions, moisture content, densities, initial timber temperatures, etc) gained from extensive laboratory and industrial experiments the system will calculate the rate of heat transfer through timbers of different sizes.
The result will be a tool to optimise the operation of industrial kilns in real time which has been validated by trials on industrial kilns.
Once installed, timber exporters will be provided with the means to undertake innovative energy efficient kiln-based treatments, without which energy use (and CO2 emissions) in the industry would increase - or, even worse, the market would have switched to cheaper, yet more energy intensive, alternatives such as plastics.
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