Study of Thermo-Physical Characteristics and Drying of Araucaria Wood from the City of El Jadida, Morocco

Abstract

The aim of this study is, on the one hand learn about this type of wood, and on the other hand, is to study the processes the thermophysical characterization of araucaria wood from the city of el Jadida, Morocco, and on the other hand, will study the processes related to evaporation. Wood is defined industrially as an anisotropic and heterogeneous material formed over many years of a tree's life. The anatomical study of wood generally involves the examination of three directions of reference, the axial, radial and tangential directions. And a study of the constituent elements of wood being oriented in several directions, it follows from experience that its thermal properties differ in the longitudinal, radial or tangential direction, where thermophysical tests are carried out at wood moisture contents between 10 and 11%. Concerning the thermal properties, study highlighted, the determination of thermal conductivity, specific heat, thermal diffusivity and then the thermal effusivity of araucaria wood at different temperatures: 25°C, 35°C, 50°C and 60°C. The results are obtained experimentally by a device called ''CT-Metre''. He illustrated that this kind of wood is more conductive of heat in the longitudinal direction than the radial and tangential directions. Also, have determined the evaporation rate under well determined conditions, chose an enclosure to keep the set temperature, and then add NaCl to keep humidity at 75%, which also gives important results.