Lets talk "DESICCANT"

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T

turnaround

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2010
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65
Location
Winona, Ms
I have often woundered about the uses of desiccant to remove the moisture from green woods. I am a newby and cannot remember if this topic has been discussed or not. I worked on wildcat drilling rigs in the gulf of Mexico for 15 yrs. and we used desiccant to remove moisture from air compressors. Desiccant comes in many common forms such as rice or sugar. Double paned insulated windows have desiccant in the borders to remove the moisture to prevent them from fogging. Many times when you buy metal tools, there will be a little package in the box to keep it from rusting. Some people I know save these little packs and put them in their gun cabinets to remove the moisture. I could go on and on but I would like to know if anyone has ever used desiccant in the processing of green wood. Just seems like an easier more practical way to dry wood for our small useage. OK, I'm through, lets hear it from you pros!!!
 
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The issue with wood is not so much in being able to get the moisture out. It is getting it out evenly. if the ends or outer surface dry faster than the center, It causes the wood to crack. The other issue with wood drying is that it moves, shrinks, twists and otherwise warps. Desiccant would be little more than replacing air as the medium to absorb the moisture. Now using it to keep wood dry once it is dry may be a good idea depending on where you are and what sort of moisture problems you have. I know that in Oregon people have dishes of such stuff setting around the house so that mold does not grow on the walls. Such issues could make storing wood a nightmare.
 
Wood contains free water and bound water. The free water is given up pretty easily, but Daniel is right, it must be done with control. The difficult water to remove is the bound water. This is the water that is in the chemically bound to the cells.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_drying

An "easy" way to remove water from wood is in a vacuum. Water will boil at 90 deg. F in a vacuum, and the wood is pulled from the cells. Down side, pressure vessel, vacuum pump, radiant heat won't work in a vacuum, condensation surfaces,........................

Man has been trying to remove that water from wood for a long time. The physics are still the same.
 
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