Comparison of Moisture Content Variation in Red Oak Lumber Dried By a Radio Frequency/Vacuum Process and a Conventional Kiln

Three thousand board feet of 4/4 red oak lumber was dried in a radio-frequency/vacuum (RFV) kiln and a conventional kiln to determine the effects of board position in the kiln and initial moisture content (MC) on the final MC of individual boards. The target final MC was 8 percent ? 2 percent for all kiln charges. MC variations among boards ranged from 2 to 26 percent in the first charge of RFV-dried lumber and from 2 to 28 percent in the second charge. Conventionally dried lumber ranged from 7 to 11 percent among boards. No correlation was found between initial and final MC’s. However, calculated ovendry weights (used as an indicator of specific gravity, SG) and final MC’s were negatively correlated, i.e. high values of SG’s tended to result in low final MC’s. As the lumber falls below 10 percent MC, the areas furthest from the positive electrode tend to develop lower MCs.

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