The Comparative Analysis of Drying-Conditions, -Rates, -Defects and Yield, and Heat-Efficiency in Solar-Dehumidification-Drying of Oaks With Those in Conventional Air-, Semi-Greenhouse Type solar-, and Kiln- Drying

Seasonal semi-greenhouse type solar-drying of 2.5cm-and 5.0cm-thick lumber of Quercus aliena Blume and Quercus variailis Blume was carried out to investigate the possibility of solar-drying of wood and to decide the active solar-drying period in Korea. In the active solar-drying period obtained solar-dehumidification, semi-greenhouse type solar-, air- and kiln-drying of 2.5cm -thick lumber of oaks were carried out to analyze drying-rates. -defects, and -yield in each drying-method and to calculate daily total absorbed solar-radiation the solar dryers. The energy balance equations were set up, considering all the energy requirements, to analyze the heat efficiencies of semi-greenhouse type solar and solar-dehumidification-dryer. In a seasonal drying the drying rate of semi-greenhouse type solar-dryer was highest in summer, and greater in fall, spring, and winter in order. Solar-drying time was 45% in summer to 50% in winter of the air-drying rime, and more serious drying-defects occurred in air-drying than in solar-drying. In the active solar-drying period. April, May, and June, the average drying rate in solar-dehumidification-drying was 1.0%/day and greater than 0.8%/day in semi-greenhouse type solar-drying. In solar-dehumidification-drying the time required to dry lumber to 10% moisture content was less than 60 days, and solar-dehumidification-drying showed the highest drying-yield, 65.01%, than the other drying methods. The daily total absorbed solar radiations were 8.51MJ on the roof collector and 6.22 MJ on the south wall collector. In the energy blance 69.48% of total energy input was lost by heat conduction through walls, roof. and floor 11.68% by heat leakage, 0.33% by heating the internal structures of the solar-dryer and 5.38% by air-venting. Therefore the heat efficiency of semi-greenhouse type solar-dryer 13.13%, was lower than that of solar-dehumidification-dryer, 14.04%. Solar-drying of lumber in Korea showed the possibility to reduce the air-drying-time in every season and the efficiency of solar-dehumidification drying was higher than that of semi-greenhouse type solar-drying.