Transpirational drying of wood: A review

Marcin Jakubowski

Abstract


This paper presents the basic assumptions and state of the research pertaining to the drying of wood in a forest. A clear distinction needs to be made between wood drying in the form of logs and whole trees that have been felled and left in a leafy state. The drying of whole trees has been known for many years as transpirational drying. This method is based on using the leaves to speed up the drying process. It is useful for both deciduous and coniferous trees, the difference being that, for deciduous trees, felling is limited to the growing season. This method is not used on a larger scale because of the lack of standardised technical solutions based on scientific research. There is growing interest in this type of method, however, mainly because of the economic benefits that can be obtained relatively simply. Solutions based on transpirational drying are being taken more and more seriously by the wood industry, and this is also being reflected in current scientific works. The aim of this paper is to present the benefits and limitations of transpirational drying.


Keywords


wood drying, natural drying, caloric value, logging operations

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References


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Forestry Letters  eISSN 2450-4920

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