Oil-Based Timber Treatment with Intermediate Surface Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating wood products with oil-based preservatives result in surface moisture issues, such as 'sweaty' or 'sticky' surfaces, which require prolonged storage or additional drying steps, especially with modern Cu-organic systems, leading to inefficiencies and regulatory challenges.
Innovation Solution
A method involving injecting an oil-based preservative into a treatment chamber, pressurizing, releasing pressure, performing an intermediate drying phase, draining excess preservative, and applying a vacuum to achieve a touch-dry surface on wood products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If lower application temperatures are used for modern Cu-organic type oil-based wood preservative systems, then chemical stability is improved, but surface appearance deteriorates with 'sweaty' or 'sticky' surface
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate drying phase is performed after pressure impregnation and before final removal of the wood product. This preliminary drying action removes excess preservative from the surface, preventing the 'sweaty' or 'sticky' appearance while maintaining the benefits of lower temperature treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment process is divided into distinct phases: pressure impregnation phase, intermediate drying phase, and final removal phase. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently - lower temperatures during impregnation for chemical stability, and controlled drying for surface appearance
2Ease of manufacture
If timber is stored on-site at the treatment facility for prolonged periods, then surface appearance improves by becoming touch-dry, but productivity decreases due to extended processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate drying phase performs the drying action during the treatment process itself, rather than requiring prolonged post-treatment storage. This preliminary drying achieves touch-dry surface appearance within minutes rather than months
Solution Approach 2:
The controlled intermediate drying phase rapidly removes excess preservative from the surface in a matter of minutes, skipping the prolonged storage period that would otherwise be required for natural drying
3Productivity
If timber contains 20-40% moisture prior to treatment, then impregnation efficiency is improved, but harmful effects increase including destabilization of preservative, excessive corrosion, and oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate drying phase is performed as a preliminary action before the treated timber is removed from the treatment facility. This preliminary drying removes excess preservative and moisture from the surface, preventing subsequent destabilization, corrosion, and oxidation that would occur during storage or transport
Solution Approach 2:
The moisture in the timber, which initially causes harmful effects, is managed through the intermediate drying phase that converts the excess moisture and preservative mixture into a controlled drying process, achieving both good impregnation and prevention of harmful effects
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
The method ensures a touch-dry, non-bleeding surface immediately after treatment, reducing storage needs and avoiding regulatory issues, while maintaining efficient impregnation of the preservative into the wood.
Implementation Method 1
pressurizing the treatment chamber with the wood product and the oil-based preservative in order to impregnate the wood product with the oil-based preservative
Implementation Method 2
applying a vacuum within the treatment chamber in order to remove excess preservative from a surface of the impregnated wood product
Data Source
AI summary
In general, the present disclosure is directed to a method for treating a wood product. The method disclosed herein includes: i) injecting an oil-based preservative into a treatment chamber with the wood product; ii) pressurizing the treatment chamber with the wood product and the oil-based preservative in order to impregnate the wood product with the oil-based preservative; iii) releasing the pressure of the treatment chamber to atmospheric pressure; iv) performing an intermediate drying phase; v) after performing the intermediate drying phase, draining the oil-based preservative from the treatment chamber; and vi) applying a vacuum within the treatment chamber in order to remove excess preservative from surface of the impregnated wood product.