Bartłomiej Hryniewicki
supervisor: Michał Bartyś
The drying process of wood has been studied for many years and is quite well described, unfortunately, the very complicated nature of the physico-chemical phenomena taking place during the process made it impossible to accurately model it. However, the drying of wood must be carried out on an industrial scale. Solution to the problem of automation on the batch version of this process has been reduced to limiting the speed of wood drying in accordance with the operator's experience. Such action significantly extends the duration of the process and increases energy consumption, but ensures that the material does not crack and does not bend making it useless. The first stage of research was to create a physical model that would simulate the drying process of wood in three-dimensional space. Now it was extended with the module for approximating the stresses inside the drying material. Its application will allow for the development of a process control strategy that significantly increases the final quality of the material while reducing energy consumption and the time needed. Additionally, the designed strategy will take into account the dynamics of the elements responsible for heating and air exchange inside the drying chamber, allowing for the optimization of the entire process. This new solution will provide total control over drying process, preventing both mold and material losses caused by fractures.