Wood has always been considered as an important source of renewable energy. Despite the emergence of other sources, it still comprises 6% of the world’s energy supply. At the grassroots level, wood fuel is still widely used to heat residential spaces. If your business involves supplying log and wood, having a log and wood drying kiln is an essential investment. Why? This article aims to shed light on this subject.

What Are Kilns

Kiln is a general term that refers to any thermally insulated chamber whose function is to house certain processes and make them more efficient, including drying certain commodities like wood. With this chamber, factors such as temperature, air circulation and relative humidity can be controlled.

A log drying kiln can generally be categorised into two: conventional and dehumidification kilns. The former works by using steam flow to radiate heat into the internal atmosphere of the kiln. The water content of the wood being dried will then turn into vapour and escape from the champer along with the hot air. A sub-category of conventional kilns are the so-called solar kilns. Offering a less expensive initial investment, the heat used to dry wood comes from solar radiation instead of steam.

The latter, on the other hand, differs in a sense that the heat that initially escaped is recycled — and the water content that has vapourised is condensed to be discharged as a liquid. It also uses electricity instead of gas.

The Advantages of Wood Drying Kilns

Shortened drying time with the lowest moisture content possible. This is arguably the greatest advantage of using a wood drying kiln. Did you know that conventional kilns can dry a 1-inch green wood in just 10 hours with a moisture content of 18%? It can also reduce a green red oak’s moisture content to 8% in 28 days; spruces, around 4 to 7 days; beech, around 12 to 15 days. With reduced drying time, you will be able to produce more dried wood. And with more supplies to sell, with proper advertising efforts, your sales will also increase.

Kilns are also easier and more efficient to maintain compared with other wood-drying machines. But apart from these main benefits, the dried wood you’ll produce will also be of higher quality.

They produce more heat. Wood dried through a log drying kiln has generally lower moisture content. And because of this, it can produce more heat. What's more advantageous is that they can be used immediately upon delivery to your customer’s place.

They generate a cleaner burn. Kiln-dried wood also tends to produce a cleaner and more cost-effective burn. This is another strong selling point — your customers won't have to deal with overly dirty chimneys and windows.

They can be stored more neatly. Because of controlled air circulation and temperature, kilns are able to generate smoother and more neat- and uniform-looking wood. This makes them easier to stack up and store.

They are free of pathogens. Aesthetics aside, kiln-drying technique also allows bugs, insects and other pathogens to be killed in the process. This keeps your customers safe from contracting diseases that these organisms may carry.