Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer during High-Temperature Drying of Pinus radiata

Abstract

This article describes the analysis of heat and mass transfer coefficients for a single board of Pinus radiata (D. Don) timber over a range of high temperature and superheated steam drying conditions. The calculated heat transfer coefficients were in the range 20 to 60 W m−2 K−1. The mass transfer coefficients were of the order of 2 × 10−8 to 3 × 10−7 kg m−2 s−1, based on the vapor pressure difference, and of the order of 0.002 to 0.04 m s−1 (expressed in terms of mass transfer velocity) based on vapor concentration difference between the surface of the board and the bulk drying medium.