Solar drying of pine lumber: Verification of a mathematical model

Abstract

This work presents verification of a mathematical model for drying of a wood stack in a greenhouse type solar dryer. A simplified heat and mass transfer numerical model has been developed with input parameters based on the actual metrological data of a Moroccan climate. For its validation, a comparative study is performed in this work; the present model is solved to simulate the solar drying of pine wood using experimental data of previous wood drying experiments. The average relative discrepancies between the model predicted and experimental data are 1,2% for wood moisture content, 1% for drying air temperature and 5% for the air relative humidity. The close agreement between the predicted and experimental results shows the ability of the model to reproduce experimental drying data for wood.

Using a parametric study to analyse the performance of wood solar dryers with glazed walls

“…In this model, each element of the dryer is assigned a corresponding temperature, while taking into account the variation in the wood moisture content in equilibrium with the moisture content of the surrounding air. For the mass balance of water in the solid phase (wood), the first approach given by Bekkioui et al (2011) was adopted to evaluate the mass transfer coefficient:…”

“…Using a parametric study to analyse..: Bekkioui et al To calculate theoretically either the global mass transfer coefficient or the moisture movement coefficient related to thuya during the drying cycle, while solving the model equations, we have also utilized the second approach given by Bekkioui et al (2011). The rate of water movement in wood suggested in the second approach is described by the following equation:…”

“…In our previous works, we have developed a mathematical model using two approaches for the mass transfer coefficient of water in wood and the surrounding air , Bekkioui et al 2011). The developed model was subsequently subjected to a comparative study, whereby it was applied to the data pertaining to two drying cycles performed on two wood species in two different Moroccan climates.…”

Modeling and simulation of an industrial indirect solar dryer for Iroko wood (Chlorophora excelsa) in a tropical environment

“…We have used a purely diffusive mass transfer model such as Ananías et al (2009Ananías et al ( , 2011, Bekkioui (2009), Bekkioui et al (2009Bekkioui et al ( , 2011 and Bentayeb et al (2008aBentayeb et al ( , 2008b .…”

“…In the literature, we have solar dryers with the wall in glass or with energy storage (Awadalla et al 2004, Bauer 2003, Bekkioui 2009, Bekkioui et al 2011, Bentayeb et al 2008a, Bentayeb et al 2008b, Luna 2008, Luna et al 2010. These dryers are very expensive for the level of development of many people coming in tropical region.…”