Heat and Mass Transfer Characteristics during Vacuum Drying of Wood

Authors

mohamed salah Elmetwaly, Mechanical engineering,Mansoura UniversityFollow
Lotfy Hassan Rabie Saker, Mechanical Power department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University
Mohamed Sameh Salem, Mechanical power department, Faculty of engineering, Mansoura universityFollow

Abstract

The properties affecting the characteristics of heat and mass transfer during vacuum drying of wood are studied in this paper. The experimental work is carried out in 0.0365 m³ test rig vacuum dryer. The drying chamber dimensions are 0.5 m long and 0.305 m diameter carbon steel cylinder. This drying chamber is internally coated with epoxy paint, also this chamber is detachable closing caps at both ends meaning welded at one end and bolted at the other end to facilitate loading and unloading of the specimen. Two stainless steel heat exchanger plates with dimensions 0.3 m length, 0.15 m width and 0.01 m in thickness are located horizontally in the centre of the cylinder. Flexible joints are supported on the side of the carbon steel cylinder to feed heat exchanger plates with hot fluid. This hot fluid is heated by using solar heater which is supported above the carbon steel cylinder. The experimental studies show the effect of vacuum pressure, Temperature and thickness on the wood drying by changing each parameter. The results of these experiments show that the moisture content and the drying time are reduced by increasing vacuum pressure. The drying rate increases by increasing the drying temperature and its effectiveness is higher at low thickness (between 0.0125 and 0.03125 m) than at higher thickness (up 0.03125 m). Few studies have been carried out about the economics of vacuum drying so; a modified vacuum dryer model is designed to improve the performance of vacuum dryers in terms of energy consumption in industrial applications using renewable energy (solar energy).

Recommended Citation

Elmetwaly, mohamed salah; Saker, Lotfy Hassan Rabie; and Salem, Mohamed Sameh (2024) "Heat and Mass Transfer Characteristics during Vacuum Drying of Wood," Journal of Engineering Research: Vol. 8: Iss. 3, Article 17.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/erjeng/vol8/iss3/17