AIR DRYING OF Eucalyptus grandis LOGS IN LAVRAS, MINAS GERAIS STATE

Abstract

Logs of trees recently felled have a high water content, which reduces slowly as they are exposed to local environmental conditions. In Brazil, air drying is used as pre-drying or permanent drying and requires a relatively low investment and long drying time. This work aimed to study the air drying of Eucalyptus grandis logs, evaluating moisture loss over time, influence of the bark and the diameter of logs. Two trees with 25 years of age were felled and sectioned in logs of 2,0 meters. Two piles with ten logs were installed at the Experimental Unit Sawmill and Wood Drying, DCF / UFLA. The piles of logs with and without bark remained outdoors for 240 days. The initial moisture content was determined and the drying monitoring was carried out by periodic weighing of the logs. The highest moisture reduction occurred in the first two weeks. The presence of bark influenced the drying of the logs. After 240 days of drying, the logs with bark reached 19% and the logs without bark 17% of moisture, with a higher reduction for the debarked logs. The logs of larger diameters located at the bottom of the pile presented the lowest moisture loss when compared to the logs of smaller diameters.