RF Timber Drying
Crusader has been at the forefront in New Zealand of LOSP treatment technology is recognized internationally for the technological improvements achieved to date. Crusader recognized some years ago that LOSP was potentially at risk long term, due to its inherent release to the atmosphere of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) after treatment. As a consequence, we commited to the reserach and development necessary to rapidly remove and recover the carrier fluid solvents. This highly sucessful research project has culminated in the development of a large pilot/small commercial plant now fully operational in the USA, which is capturing high percentages of solvent in a relatively short period of time.
RF (radio frequency) energy is commonly used commercially in industry for applications such as welding of plastics, glue laminations , heat treatment of steel components, coomerial baking of food and the like. Internationally RF energy has been used for the drying of green lumber. Perhaps the greatest advantage of RF is that it gives us the ability to heat at molecular level throughout the structure of the timber itself, and does so very rapidly. It is one of the most energy efficent ways of heating wood!