Processing method for wood and bamboo material

Abstract

To open a way of effective utilization of moisture contained in raw wood and a bamboo material.SOLUTION: This invention includes forced drying steps (ST11, ST13) for forcedly drying felled raw wood or a bamboo material in a process for manufacturing a product, and moisture recovery steps (ST12, ST14) for recovering moisture extracted from the raw wood or the bamboo material in the forced drying steps. Forced drying means heating drying or freeze-drying.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for treating wood and bamboo materials. [Background technology]

[0002] Considering that forests and bamboo forests are important resources and contribute to environmental conservation, various approaches to the increasingly serious problem of abandoned forests and bamboo forests are being researched and implemented. One of these is biomass power generation. Biomass power generation uses wood chips as fuel to generate steam in a boiler, which is then used to generate electricity.

[0003] Thinned wood is also used to make disposable chopsticks, for example. Furthermore, birch bark is used to make crafts, and since birch sap is rich in minerals, it is sold as drinking water or processed into lotions, soaps, and other products. There are also efforts to sell beauty serums made from grape sap. It is well known that the liquid contained in bamboo has the effect of calming heat, smoothing phlegm, and clearing phlegm from the throat. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Taking the example of sawing logs, felled logs are piled up outdoors to dry naturally, and then sawn into lumber when an order is placed. The sawing process includes a debarking process and a drying process in which the rough-sawn lumber is dried. The drying process included in this sawing process is carried out by natural drying, forced drying, or a combination of these.

[0005] Natural drying of felled logs poses the problem of susceptibility to damage by pests. Biomass power generation involves the issue of the moisture content of chips, which has a significant impact on combustion, so the moisture content of chips is managed.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a wood and bamboo processing method that focuses on the moisture contained in felled logs and bamboo and recovers the moisture contained in logs and bamboo during the lumber sawing and chipping processes in order to open up a way to effectively utilize the moisture contained in logs and bamboo. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, the above technical problem is solved as follows: A forced drying process in which harvested logs or bamboo are forced to dry during the process of making products; and a moisture recovery step of recovering moisture extracted from the logs or bamboo materials during the forced drying step. This is achieved by providing a wood and bamboo processing method characterized in that the forced drying is heat drying or freeze drying. The effects and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Principle of thermoacoustic engine [Figure 2] The overall flow of the second example, which incorporates biomass power generation and a thermoacoustic engine into the wood chip manufacturing process DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Example]

[0009] Below, we will explain the first and second examples related to wood as a typical example. Both examples include a process of forced drying of wood and a process of recovering the moisture extracted from the wood by this forced drying. The moisture obtained in this moisture recovery process is composed of the moisture contained in the wood or bamboo, so the recovered moisture can be effectively used as an ingredient in drinks, supplements, cosmetics, etc.

[0010] First example of incorporating it into a building material manufacturing process : The procedure for processing wood and bamboo materials, which is incorporated into the process of manufacturing building materials from felled logs, is as follows. ST1 (peeling process) : Once the felled logs are collected, they are stripped of their bark as quickly as possible. ST2 (heat drying process) : The logs with the bark removed are placed in a heated drying chamber for primary forced drying and are heated and dried. ST3 (primary moisture recovery process) : The atmosphere is removed from the heating and drying chamber, and moisture is recovered from the atmosphere. This moisture comes from the moisture contained in the logs, and is in fact moisture extracted from the logs. To make effective use of this recovered moisture, it is adjusted to be used as an ingredient for drinks, supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.

[0011] ST4 (lumbering process) : The logs are dried through a heating and drying process and then sawn into lumber.

[0012] Second example of incorporating it into a wood chip manufacturing process : The second example is a wood and bamboo processing method incorporated into a wood chip manufacturing process, and the procedure is as follows: Since wood chips are often made from thinned wood, the following will explain the typical example of manufacturing chips from thinned wood.

[0013] ST10 (peeling process) : Once the harvested thinnings are collected, the bark is removed from the logs as quickly as possible. ST11 (Primary forced drying process (freeze drying)) : The stripped logs are then placed in a freeze-drying chamber for primary forced drying and freeze-dried. ST12 (primary moisture recovery process) : In the freeze-drying process (ST11) described above, the moisture in the logs turns into frost and is exposed on the surface of the logs. This frost is derived from the moisture contained in the logs and is essentially composed of moisture extracted from the logs. Therefore, by collecting and thawing this frost, the moisture contained in the logs can be recovered. To make effective use of the recovered moisture, it is adjusted to be used as an ingredient for drinks, supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.

[0014] ST13 (Secondary forced drying process (heat drying)) : The logs that have been primarily dried in ST11 are sent to a heating and drying chamber where secondary drying is carried out. ST14 (Secondary moisture recovery) : The atmosphere is removed from the heating and drying chamber, and a process is carried out to recover moisture from the atmosphere. Since this moisture is essentially moisture extracted from the logs, in order to make effective use of the recovered moisture, it is adjusted to be used as an ingredient for drinks, supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. ST15 (chip) : After the logs have been heated and dried, they are then sent to the chipping process, where they are cut into small pieces of wood chips.

[0015] The moisture content of the wood pieces, or chips, produced by chipping is measured, and if it is necessary to reduce the moisture content to the required level, the above-mentioned freeze-drying process (ST11) and heat-drying process (ST13) are repeated to adjust the moisture content of the wood chips. In these additional freeze-drying and heat-drying processes, moisture recovery is carried out in the same way as the above-mentioned moisture recovery (ST12, ST14).

[0016] Dried wood chips can be used as fuel for biomass boilers, eliminating the need for companies that use biomass boilers to manage the moisture content of the chips. Furthermore, if dried chips are sold as soil conditioners, they can reduce logistics costs because they are lighter than chips that contain moisture and have an unknown moisture content.

[0017] In the case of harvested bamboo, if the process involves drying the bamboo, or if a drying step is added to recover the moisture contained in the harvested bamboo, the bamboo material or bamboo chips are subjected to the industrial forced drying described above, such as heat drying and / or freeze drying, and the moisture contained in the bamboo is recovered during this process. Because this moisture comes from the moisture contained in the harvested bamboo, it can be effectively used as a raw material for drinks, supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc., just like in step ST15 (Figure 2).

[0018] As can be seen from the two examples above, the wood and bamboo processing method of the present invention includes an industrial forced drying process, which is characterized by recovering the moisture contained in the wood and bamboo. The recovered moisture can be effectively used as a raw material for drinks, supplements, cosmetics, medicines, etc.

[0019] In the present invention, an acoustic engine developed by the Tokai University Institute of Science and Technology can be used as an effective device for forced drying, particularly freeze-drying, to perform freeze-drying using waste heat. The acoustic engine developed by the Tokai University Institute of Science and Technology is a thermoacoustic engine. Referring to FIG. 1, the thermoacoustic engine 2 is characterized by using the sound generated by introducing a high-temperature atmosphere into one side of the core 4 and a low-temperature atmosphere into the other side as an energy source. The thermoacoustic engine 2 includes a high-temperature side heat exchanger 6 disposed on one side of the core 4 and a low-temperature side heat exchanger 8 disposed on the other side. For example, when forced drying wood and bamboo in the above-mentioned boiler-based heating and drying chamber, a high-temperature atmosphere can be created on one side of the core 4 by typically supplying waste heat from a biomass power generation boiler to the high-temperature side heat exchanger 6. On the other hand, a low-temperature atmosphere can be created on the other side of the core 4 by supplying cooling water to the low-temperature side heat exchanger 8.

[0020] The Tokai University Institute of Science and Technology has developed a power generation system and a refrigeration system using a thermoacoustic engine 2, and these systems are already in the practical application stage. This thermoacoustic engine 2 can be used as an energy source for forced drying, which is included in the examples.

[0021] 2 is a diagram showing an example of factory equipment incorporating biomass power generation and a thermoacoustic engine 2 according to the second embodiment. The thermoacoustic engine 2 is driven by using waste heat from a boiler 20 for biomass power generation. Using the thermoacoustic engine 2 that utilizes the waste heat from the boiler 20, freeze-drying in step ST11 can be performed in a freeze-drying chamber 22 using sound waves generated by the thermoacoustic engine 2 as an energy source. Utilizing the waste heat from the boiler 20 enables energy-saving factory operation.

[0022] On the other hand, the steam generated in the boiler 20 is used as a heat source for the heating and drying chamber 24. That is, the heating and drying in step ST13 is performed using the steam generated in the boiler 20 as a heat source. The wood pieces, i.e., wood chips produced through the process of the second embodiment have an adjusted moisture content, and therefore can be used as fuel for the boiler 20 as is.

[0023] In the first and second embodiments, the stage at which freeze-drying or heat-drying is performed to recover moisture during forced drying is optional. The bark generated in the bark-removing step ST1 in the first embodiment and in the bark-removing step ST10 in the second embodiment may be used as a craft material, or may be used as part of the chipped material in the chipping step ST15 in the second embodiment. Wood offcuts generated in the sawing step ST4 in the first embodiment may also be used as part of the chipped material in the chipping step ST15. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 2 Thermoacoustic Engine 20 Boiler 22 Freeze drying room 24 Heated drying room Step ST11 Primary forced drying process (freeze drying) Step ST12 Primary water recovery process Step ST13 Secondary forced drying process (heat drying) Step ST14 Secondary water recovery Step ST15 Chip

Claims

1. A forced drying process in which harvested logs or bamboo are forced to dry during the process of making products; and a moisture recovery step of recovering moisture extracted from the logs or bamboo materials during the forced drying step. A method for processing wood and bamboo materials, characterized in that the forced drying is heat drying or freeze drying.

2. The forced drying process is carried out after the bark removal process of the felled logs, 2. The method for processing wood and bamboo materials according to claim 1, wherein the forced drying is carried out by heating and drying the logs from which the bark has been removed in a heating and drying chamber.

3. The forced drying process is carried out after the bark removal process of the felled logs, 2. The method for processing wood and bamboo materials according to claim 1, wherein the forced drying is carried out by freeze-drying the logs from which the bark has been removed in a freeze-drying chamber.

4. A forced drying process in which the harvested logs or bamboo materials are forcedly dried in the process of making products from the logs or bamboo materials is A heating and drying process carried out in a heating and drying chamber; The wood and bamboo processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a freeze-drying step carried out in a freeze-drying chamber.

5. 5. The method for processing wood and bamboo material according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the refrigeration source of the freeze-drying chamber includes a thermoacoustic engine.

6. 5. The wood and bamboo processing method according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the heat source in the heating and drying chamber is steam generated by a biomass boiler.

Images