ELABORATION OF A DRYING SCHEDULE FOR Eucalyptus spp HYBRIDS CLONES WOODS

Abstract

The elaboration of adequate drying schedules is essential to produce high quality conventional kiln dried lumber. Eucalyptus woods are particularly difficult to dry, and, for this reason, it is desirable that the drying schedule be carefully developed. The objectives of this work were to elaborate a drying schedule for woods of ten Eucalyptus hybrids clones and to verify the propensity of these woods to post drying defects. For this purpose, it was applied the methodology of drastic drying at 100°C, which associates intensity of defects, time and rate of drying, presented by small wood samples, with the behavior to be presented by lumber after the conventional drying. The results allowed developing a drying schedule common to the ten clone lumbers. This program is based on an initial temperature of 40°C, final temperature of 66°C and drying potential equal to 2.2. The drying time can be reduced, if the clones were grouped in accordance to their drying rate. The clones presented low propensity to split and high propensity to collapse.