Abstract

A one-dimensional phenomenological wood drying model is used to describe the conventional drying kinetic of Chilean coigüe Nothofagus dombeyi. The model is based on a global mass transfer coefficient (Kx), it consists of a system of four 1 st order coupled partial differential equations and is finite differenced and solved like a initial value problem. In order to determine K X four drying cycles were performed varying the wood thickness and the drying air velocity. The model suitably predicted the humidity transient behavior during the coigüe wood drying. K X varied with the wood thickness but not with the air velocity. The value of this coefficient oscillated between 1,87 · 10 -5 and 3,37 · 10 -5 kg/ m 2s. © 2007 Universidad del Bío-Bío.