MODELLING OF AIRFLOW

IN WOOD KILNS
UBC
Mechanical
Engineering
CFD Modelling
by

E. Bibeau
Process Simulations Ltd.
Kiln Drying Course
UBC
June 1, 2000
CONTENTS
Airflow in kilns
- Factors affecting airflow
Airflow modelling
Airflow results
- Plenum design, sticker thickness, and roof
design
Wood drying model
Conclusions
Dr. Martha Salcudean, Principal Investigator
Dr. Ian Gartshore, Co-Investigator
Bian Zhengbing Feng Xioasi Mohammad Shariati
Dr. Eric Bibeau Dr. Pingfan He Dr. David Stropky
Chris Chiu Lu Hua Zhu Zhi Xiao
Suqin Dong Dr. Emil Statie Dr. Jerry Yuan
Michael Georgallis Dr. Paul Nowak Kegang and Xun Zhang
Note: UBC and PSL Personnel (Pulp & Paper Section)
Research Group
PROCESS MODELS
PROCESS IN PROGRESS INDUSTRIAL
APPLICATION
SIMULATOR &
TRAINER
WOOD KILNS
\
LIME KILNS
\
DIGESTERS
\
HEADBOXES
\
HYDROCYCLONES
\
BARK BOILERS
\
RECOVERY BOILERS
\
UBC
Other
Institutions
Government
labs
PSL
Industry
License
agreement
Service
agreements
Consulting
agreements
Custom
agreements
License
agreements
NUMERICAL MODEL
Developing wood kiln model
Predict airflow, mass transfer, and heat
transfer
DRYING KILN
Automatic Vents
Steam Spray
Top Load
Baffle
Bottom
Load Baffle
Fan Deck
Reversible Fan
Lumber
Stack
Booster Coil
Heating Coils
DRYING CYCLE
Time
D
r
y
i
n
g

Stage I
Convection
Stage II
Convection-
Diffusion
Stage III
Diffusion
Free
water
Bound
water
KILN OPERATION
STRESSES
KILN OPERATOR CONTROL STRATEGY
WOOD
Wet Bulb T
o
WATER
Mass Transfer
Heat Transfer
HEAT
Dry Bulb T
o
IMPORTANCE OF AIRFLOW
FLUID DYNAMIC CONTROL STRATEGY
AIRFLOW
STRESSES
Valid in
Stage I & II
WOOD
Wet Bulb T
o
WATER
Mass Transfer
Heat Transfer
HEAT
Dry Bulb T
o
IMPORTANCE OF AIRFLOW
AIRFLOW
MASS TRANSFER
(DRYING)
HEAT TRANSFER
Relationship Relationship
Valid in
Stage I & II
KILN AIRFLOW CONTROL
Fan speed (not always an option)
Fan reversal
Fan positions and ducting
Packaging (sticker, aligning, boxing)
Airflow devices (baffles, door strips)
Kiln geometry
Minimize leakage
Lumber size control
SOME PARAMETERS AFFECTING AIRFLOW
DEVELOPING FLOW
GAPS BETWEEN BOARDS
LUMBER IRREGULARITIES
TURBULENCE LEVELS
LITERATURE
DEVELOPING FLOW
Airflow between 2 plates creates a
profile
Air sticks to the wall thus slowing
down the airflow at the wall
Wood
Wood
Airflow
Air Sticks
Sticker
Thickness
DEVELOPING FLOW
The profile changes as the air travels
through the wood stack
Shear varies along wood stack
Flow is turbulent
Wood
Wood
Airflow
No Change
High
Shear
Lower
Shear
DEVELOPING FLOW
Air detaches from leading edge
Further increases shear and non-
uniformity near leading edge
Wood
Wood
Airflow
Reticulation
Bubble
Airflow Detaches
DEVELOPING FLOW
Combined effect
- Flow sticks to the wall
- Airflow detached from wood at the start
Increase in drying rate > 100%
Region of influence: Sticker/L < 50
Wood
Wood
Drying
Rate
No Change
High
Shear
Lower
Shear
DEVELOPING FLOW
Strategy to avoid non-
uniformity caused by developing
flow
- Fan reversal
Especially important in first stage
of drying
SMALL GAPS BETWEEN BOARDS
Cause airflow exchange between the air in
the channel and the air trapped between the
gaps
Cause increase in shear
Wood
Wood
Gap
Airflow
Increase
Shear
SMALL GAPS BETWEEN BOARDS
Unsteady flow (period of 2 to 7 sec)
Literature reports overall mass transfer
increase of 17% to 32% for 1 to 5-mm gaps
Influence felt 20 to 40 mm
Large increases at leading edge
Wood
Wood
D

r
y
i
n

g



SMALL GAPS BETWEEN BOARDS
Gaps are beneficial
- Helps reduce drying time
- Offer more surface area to remove water
Strategy to avoid non-uniformity caused
by gaps between boards
- Proper stacking of wood
- Fan reversal (Stage I and II)
- Gaps should be approximately equal and
distributed evenly throughout charge
BOARD IRREGULARITIES
Unevenness in lumber height
- Caused by improper size control
Leads to additional shear upstream and
downstream of the variation

Wood
Airflow
Board Irregularities
Increased Shear
BOARD IRREGULARITIES
Thick to thin
- Up to 100% increase initially in mass transfer
rate
- Lower than normal afterwards (15-30 mm)
Thin to Thick
- Larger influence
- Lower than normal afterwards (15-30 mm)
Board height irregularities > gaps
Superposition of effects
BOARD IRREGULARITIES
Irregularities help reduce drying time in
Stage I and II
Strategy to avoid non-uniformity caused
by board irregularities
- Fan reversal (Stage I and II)
- Minimize irregularities
- Irregularities should be evenly distributed
throughout charge as much as possible

Gaps and Board Irregularities
X
Z
0 0.25 0.5 0.75
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.1
U
16
15
13
12
11
9
8
7
5
4
3
1
-0
-1
-3
TURBULENCE LEVELS
Turbulence Levels = small velocity
fluctuations in the mean flow



The free stream turbulence of the airflow
can affects the mass transfer significantly
Turbulence Level Turbulent Flow
Mean flow
Fluctuating component
TURBULENCE LEVEL
Increasing the turbulence level increases
the mass transfer rate
- 55% increase for 8% increase in turbulence for
flat plate
Influences the velocity profile
Turbulence in wood kilns are relatively
high
Turbulence level may decrease inside the
wood stacks
KILN GEOMETRY
Plenum width / roof height
- Study show > 1
Plenum width / (sticker x lumber pieces)
- Experience claim approximately 1
Sticker thickness
- Between 1/2 to 1 1/4

AIRFLOW MODELING
Plenum Design
Sticker Thickness
Roof Design
Numerical Simulation (CFD)
Some Examples of CFD Applications
Computer Jet engines
Weather
Automotive
Harrier jet
Mathematical Modelling
IN
OUT
Principle of conservation
Mass
Momentum
Energy
.

IN = OUT
OUT
KILN SIMULATED
Top Load
Baffle
Bottom
Load Baffle
30 Rows
Sticker
73
41
10
57
Fan Deck
4
18
96
KILN SIMULATED SUMMARY
Inlet Velocity 3 m/s (381 ft/s)
Sticker 3/4
2 wood stacks (30 rows/stack)
4 gap between stacks
Opening roof / stickers = 2.0
Opening stickers / plenum = 1.2
Rough walls and fully turbulent
No leakage, perfect packaging
Model half of kiln
KILN SIMULATED (GRID)
Base
Case
Base Case Mesh
Lower Pleneum
Top Plenum Region
BASE CASE-FLOW VELOCITIES
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
BASE CASE
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Average Velocity (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
C
h
a
n
n
e
l
N
u
m
b
e
r
Base Case
Average Velocity
Top
Stack
GAP
Bottom
Stack
BASE CASE
Uneven flow distribution
Lower velocities at top
Higher velocities at bottom
Velocity in gap between stack increases
because of lower resistance
Flow circulation at entrance of plenum
- Vertical flow reduces the flow entering the
top flow channels
BASE CASE
Velocity distribution influenced by
plenum entrance geometry
- Baffle and fan deck design
- Elbow effect
Bottom design of baffle causes non-
uniformity
- Flow recirculates in lower plenum cavity
- Flow is reduced in first channel
- Larger flow in second channel
THREE PLENUM DESIGNS
Base Case Mesh
Tapered Plenum
Wide Plenum
PLENUM DESIGN WIDE PLENUM
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
PLENUM DESIGN TAPERED
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
PLENUM AVERAGE VELOCITY
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Average Velocity (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
C
h
a
n
n
e
l
N
u
m
b
e
r
Base Case
Wide Plenum
Slanted Plenum
Top
Stack
GAP
Bottom
Stack
PLENUM DESIGN (VELOCITY)
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
Base Case
Wide Plenum
PLENUM DESIGN (PRESSURE)
p
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Base Case
Tapered Plenum
PLENUM DESIGN
Influence of plenum is related to the flow
resistance through plenum and wood stack
- K
plenum
smaller K
sticker

- K
plenum
approximately equal to K
sticker

K
p l e n u m
K
s t i c k e r
PLENUM DESIGN RESULTS
Slanted plenum does not offer the best flow
distribution
Pressure buildup: Bernoulli
Wider plenum causes a better distribution
- Better entrance effect with wider plenum
- Improvement is based on 90
0
roof angle
- Better even downward flow velocity
All 3 designs have elbow effect
DOUBLE PLENUM DESIGN
Add Vertical Plates
May want to add vertical plates to obtain
uniform flow
DOUBLE PLENUM DESIGN
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
Verticle Plate
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
Base Case
DOUBLE PLENUM DESIGN
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Average Velocity (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
C
h
a
n
n
e
l
N
u
m
b
e
r
Base Case
Verticle Plate
Average Velocity
Top
Stack
GAP
Bottom
Stack
STICKER THICKNESS (MESH)
Base Case
1" Sticker 3/4" Sticker
1 1/4" Sticker
STICKER THICKNESS (1)
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
STICKER THICKNESS (1 1/4)
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
STICKER THICKNESS
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Average Velocity (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
C
h
a
n
n
e
l
N
u
m
b
e
r
Sticker 3/4"
Sticker 1"
Sticker 1 1/4"
Top
Stack
Bottom
Stack
STICKER THICKNESS-PRESSURE
1 1/4" Sticker
p
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Base Case (3/4" STicker)
STICKER THICKNESS
Main flow characteristics do not change
significantly with the sticker thickness
Choice of sticker thickness is dependent on
all the other parameters affecting airflow
Need better geometrical control for small
sticker
- Small gaps
- Height irregularities
- Missing boards
STICKER THICKNESS
Decrease in sticker thickness
- Increase in flow resistance
- Increase or decrease in flow velocity in the channels
- Reducing sticker thickness increases kiln capacity but
longer drying times
Smaller sticker is risky
- Kiln more prone to flow variations
Some mills found reduced drying using 1/2
rigid stickers
- Report an increase in moisture variation
STICKER THICKNESS
How is the moisture variation in a channel
affected by change in sticker
Answer: Depends
- Did you preserve same
mass of air per channel
air velocity
- Related to shear stress at the wall
If shear and air mass are similar
- No real effect on moisture variation expected
- Provided excellent geometry control
Wood
Airflow
ROOF DESIGN (MESH)
Base Case Roof 30
o
, Baffle 45
0
Roof 30
o
, Baffle 30
o
ROOF DESIGN (45
o
Baffle)
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
ROOF DESIGN (30
o
Baffle)
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
ROOF DESIGN (VELOCITY)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Average Velocity (m/s)
10
20
30
40
50
60
C
h
a
n
n
e
l
N
u
m
b
e
r
Base Case
Roof 30, Baffle 45
Roof 30, Baffle 30
Top
Stack
GAP
Bottom
Stack
ROOF DESIGN (VELOCITY)
u
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
Base Case
v
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
-5.0
-6.0
-7.0
-8.0
Roof 30
o
, Baffle 30
o
ROOF DESIGN (PRESSURE)
p
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Base Case Roof 30
0
and Baffle 30
0
ROOF DESIGN
Roof design affects how the flow enters the
kiln
The baffle affects how the flow distributes
in the top wood stack
The slanted roof causes the flow to
accelerate before entering the plenum
- Velocity distribution in the top part of the
plenum is velocity dependent
DOUBLE TRACK KILN
Z X
Y
70 degree roof, uniforminlet and outlet (6m/s),
Lumber wall roughness is 0.001m
Canfor woodkiln, velocity vector, 70
o
roof angle, uniforminlet (6m/s)
lumber wall roughness is 0.001m,
2x4 lumber stacks
Wood Drying Model
The lumber is assumed to be a porous,
homogeneous solid
There are three kinds of water inside the
lumber: free water, bound water and
water vapor
Moisture content at the surface of the
lumber is in equilibrium with the air
Shrinkage of the lumber during drying
is neglected

Wood Drying Model
.
. m n
t
M
L
L
o
V =
c
c

Mass balance
* Liquid phase

* Vapor

* Air
.
. m n
t
M
v
v
o
+ V =
c
c

a
a
o
n
t
M
. V =
c
c

n mass flux density

m phase change term
M Moisture Content
Energy balance ) .( ) .( ) ( T uh h
t
V V = V +
c
c

Three parameters are retained:

M: Moisture Content
T: Temperature
P: Total Pressure in gaseous Phase.
Wood Drying
Airflow
Two-way coupling
Shear stress
(Airflow)
Heat and mass transfer
(wood surface)
Temperature, Moisture
(wood surface)
Temperature, Humidity
(Airflow)
Wood
Wood
Shear stress
(Result of Airflow)
M, T
M, T
M, T
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
MC
0.8940
0.8472
0.8005
0.7537
0.7070
0.6602
0.6134
0.5667
0.5199
0.4731
0.4264
0.3796
0.3328
0.2861
0.2393
Moisture Content Distribution (5 hours)
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
MC
0.8438
0.8045
0.7651
0.7258
0.6864
0.6471
0.6077
0.5684
0.5290
0.4897
0.4503
0.4110
0.3716
0.3323
0.2929
Moisture Content Distribution (1 hour)
Moisture
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
P
130840
129000
127160
125320
123480
121640
119800
117960
116120
114280
112440
110600
108760
106920
105080
Pressure (inside) Distribution (1 hour)
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
P
160197
156404
152611
148817
145024
141231
137438
133645
129852
126059
122266
118472
114679
110886
107093
Pressure (inside) Distribution (5 hours)
Pressure
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
T
354
350
346
342
338
334
330
326
322
318
314
310
306
302
298
Temperature Distribution (1 hour)
X
Y
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
T
363
360
358
356
354
352
350
348
345
343
341
339
337
335
333
Temperature Distribution (5 hours)
Temperature
Develop Tools
j
i
j
j j i
i
S
x
u
x
=
|
|
.
|


\
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c
c
I
c
c
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CONCLUSIONS
Importance of airflow
Factors affecting airflow
Numerical simulations of airflow
- Plenum designs, roof shapes, and sticker
thickness
Airflow model can constitute a powerful
tool
- Optimize functional and design kiln parameters
- Help operators better operate kilns without
adding major costs
COPY OF PRESENTATION
Go to www.psl.bc.ca
Press on Public Download button
Go to directory Woodkiln
Download file kiln_course.ppt