CO2 Thermal Wood Drying Installation With Reversible Flow for Uniform Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wood drying systems face issues with non-uniform temperature distribution, high water content, prolonged drying times, low CO2 sequestration capacity, and inefficient energy use, leading to poor quality and high material waste during industrial wood drying.
Innovation Solution
A thermal drying installation with a CO2 atmosphere system that includes a drying chamber with CO2 circulation and recycling, flow reversal modules, and a computer control system to manage temperature and humidity, ensuring uniform drying and efficient CO2 sequestration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional wood drying systems are used, then drying can be performed, but uniform temperature distribution cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The drying chamber is divided into multiple zones with independent heating and gas circulation control. Each zone can be adjusted to achieve uniform temperature distribution across the entire drying chamber, preventing hot spots and cold zones that plague conventional single-zone systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the drying chamber are provided with tailored heating rates and gas circulation patterns based on local requirements. The system adjusts temperature and humidity conditions in specific areas to match the drying needs of wood stacks in those regions, ensuring uniform drying quality throughout.
2Productivity
If conventional drying systems are used, then drying can be performed, but drying time is excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The drying system operates continuously with constant circulation of heated CO2 gas through the wood stacks. The closed-loop gas circulation system maintains continuous heat and mass transfer without interruption, significantly reducing drying time compared to batch systems that require periodic adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts temperature, humidity, and gas circulation rate parameters throughout the drying process. By optimizing these parameters at different drying stages, the system achieves high drying speeds while preventing defects, reducing overall drying duration from weeks to days.
3Productivity
If conventional drying systems are used, then drying can be performed, but energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers heat from the exhaust gas by cooling it in a heat exchanger, condensing moisture, and then reheating the dried CO2 gas for recirculation. This heat recovery process captures otherwise wasted thermal energy, reducing the energy input required for continuous drying operation by more than half.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of water vapor to liquid during gas cooling and condensation in the heat exchanger. This phase change process efficiently removes moisture from the circulation gas while recovering latent heat, reducing the energy needed for subsequent reheating and maintaining high drying efficiency with lower energy consumption.
4Quantity of substance
If conventional drying systems are used, then drying can be performed, but CO2 sequestration capacity is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses CO2 as the drying atmosphere instead of conventional air. The CO2 gas circulates through the wood stacks, creating an inert atmosphere that prevents oxidation and fungal growth while facilitating efficient moisture transfer. The CO2 is then sequestered in the wood structure, achieving both drying and carbon storage functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying system performs multiple functions simultaneously: drying the wood, heating the structure, and sequestering CO2. The CO2 gas serves as both the drying medium and the carbon source for sequestration, while the heating system provides both process heat and building heating, maximizing resource utilization and productivity.
5Manufacturing precision
If conventional drying systems are used, then drying can be performed, but wood shrinkage and deformation are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains uniform temperature and humidity conditions throughout the drying chamber, creating equipotential conditions that prevent differential shrinkage and deformation. All wood stacks experience the same drying environment simultaneously, ensuring uniform moisture removal and minimizing dimensional changes and warping.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic flow reversal of the CO2 gas circulation, alternating the flow direction through different zones of the drying chamber. This periodic action ensures uniform exposure of all wood surfaces to the drying gas, preventing localized over-drying or under-drying that could cause deformation, while maintaining overall dimensional stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves uniform drying with minimal shrinkage and deformation, reduces energy consumption, and enhances CO2 sequestration, resulting in high-quality dried wood with improved mechanical properties and reduced material waste.
Implementation Method 1
CO2 sequestration here means any substitution, CO2 trapping, chemical reaction between CO2/wood polymers/water or complexation, or stable accumulation of CO2 or carbonation of wood or water contained in wood with compounds such as wood to be dried or similar receiving material.
Implementation Method 2
heating means for heating the circulating CO2
Implementation Method 3
gas circulation means for forcing the circulation of CO2 from one end to the other of the drying chamber in a closed circuit
Implementation Method 4
CO2 recycling means configured to allow the separation of water vapor and gaseous CO2 present in the atmosphere extracted from the chamber during drying
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a thermal wood drying installation by CO2 sequestration having at least one CO2 atmosphere drying module (C1) which comprises: a drying chamber (1), CO2 supply means (3), heating means (2), gas circulation means (4), CO2 recycling means (600), metrological means (5), CO2 supply means (3), and a computer control system (6), characterized in that the gas circulation means (4) comprise a flow reversal module configured to allow CO2 to circulate in a first direction forming a closed loop circulation duct of the CO2 gas mixture, and in a second direction of circulation opposite to the first direction, capable of uniformizing the thermal distribution in said drying chamber (1).