Title: Researching of airflow circulation system in wood drying kiln based on array fans

Authors: Yaqiu Liu, Liang Chang, Liangkuan Zhu, Weipeng Jing

Addresses: Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China. ' Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, 154007, China. ' Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China. ' Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China

Abstract: This paper investigates the airflow circulation system based on array fans for wood drying kiln process incorporating the simulation of airflow patterns, velocity and pressure distributions. A description of the array-based airflow circulation system is presented, furthermore, by setting the mesh size, grid unit and boundary conditions appropriately with fluid tools and using the renormalisation group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model theory, simulation experiments are established. The results are evaluated to demonstrate that the designed system can improve working efficiency and wood drying rate; in addition, it can also avoid the defects and energy wasting. The system developed in this study may be applied in industrial wood-drying kilns, with a clear potential for improved quality and increased speed of drying.

Keywords: wood drying kilns; air flow circulation; array fans; modelling; simulation; air flow patterns; air flow velocity; pressure distribution; turbulence modelling; computational fluid dynamics; CFD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2011.040497

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2011 Vol.13 No.1/2, pp.126 - 133

Published online: 21 Mar 2015 *

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