초록 ▼

A lumber conditioning kiln comprising an enclosure defining a closed chamber for receiving a stack of lumber so positioned as to provide space at the top and at the ends, a dehumidifier in said chamber containing an evaporator, said dehumidifier defining a flow path through the evaporator and a bypa

A lumber conditioning kiln comprising an enclosure defining a closed chamber for receiving a stack of lumber so positioned as to provide space at the top and at the ends, a dehumidifier in said chamber containing an evaporator, said dehumidifier defining a flow path through the evaporator and a bypass passage around the evaporator, a blower for inducing air flow into the flow path of the dehumidifier for dehumidifying air and discharging dry air therefrom, fans for effecting a circulation of air within the chamber in a direction such that dry air from the dehumidifier is conducted across the top of the stack to the far end and from there reversely through the stack to the one end where the moisture-laden air from the stack is induced into the flow path of the dehumidifier and wherein there are dampers for reducing the air flow over the evaporator and increasing the air flow through the bypass.

대표청구항 ▼

The method of conditioning lumber comprising within a closed chamber within which is a stack of lumber, circulating air in a predetermined path which commences at one end of the chamber, passes across the top of the stack to the other end and returns through the stack to the one end, at the one end

The method of conditioning lumber comprising within a closed chamber within which is a stack of lumber, circulating air in a predetermined path which commences at one end of the chamber, passes across the top of the stack to the other end and returns through the stack to the one end, at the one end inducing a portion of the air returning through the stack into a dehumidifier in a flow path over the evaporator coil and controlling the flow of air entering the dehumidifier in the event that the refrigerant flowing from the evaporator to the compressor exceeds a predetermined level to bypass the air and the evaporator.