Resolução numérica e análise do transporte simultâneo de calor e massa durante o processo de secagem da madeira de Pinus elliottii

Abstract

The present work aims to analyze the influence of operational parameters in the simultaneous transport of heat and mass during the drying process of the wood using computer simulation. For this purpose, it used a mathematical model that approaches the phenomenon as being intrinsically diffusive, being constituted of a system coupled partial differential equations. Its resolution was numerically achieved through the application of the method of lines. The simulations considered a Pinus elliottii wood plate submitted to typical drying conditions in a conventional convective kiln. The validation of the theoretical results was performed by comparing them with experimental data from the literature. The simulations show the formation of an expressive moisture gradient at the beginning of the process. It was also observed the occurrence of a gradual reduction in the drying rate and the significant influence of the thickness of the piece on the drying speed. The interferences associated with thermal diffusion and the Soret effect proved to be insignificant. The agreement of the observations inferred from the theoretical results with the experimental data maintains that the model has relative efficiency in the prediction of the material’s behavior when subjected to specific operational conditions.