DETERMINATION OF INTERNAL MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND SURFACE EMISSION COEFFICIENTS FOR EASTERN WHITE PINE

Abstract

Moisture movement in eastern white pine wood specimens was evaluated during drying at specific temperature and RH conditions. The objective of this work was to build an appropriate numeric analysis model for predicting moisture profile changes in wood and apply this to the kiln-drying of large cross-section eastern white pine timbers. The internal moisture transport coefficients were dependent on the temperature and average moisture content, and the surface emission coefficients on the water vapor pressure in air adjacent to the surface. The internal moisture transport coefficients decreased with decreasing temperature and internal moisture content. Surface emission coefficients increased with increasing temperature and decreasing surface moisture content.