Estudo do potencial da energia solar na secagem de madeira

Abstract

This work aims to study the potential of solar energy in drying wood in a greenhouse where the air flows by natural convection. and compare the temperature and humidity conditions of the environment with those obtained inside the greenhouse. The second experiment is carried out with the wood-laden greenhouse (this was the drying test), in which wood of a native species was used, with great economic interest in the country, whose commercial and scientific names are Umbila and is Pterocarpus angolensis. With the first experiment there was a maximum difference of 36.5°C, from the temperature registered in the environment to that registered on the black plate of the greenhouse. This shows that there is a greenhouse effect. The second experiment lasted 104 days. This period is not considered bad, taking into account that during the experiment there were frequent rains, and natural convection was used. Furthermore, at the time of year in which the experiment took place (from February to May), the equilibrium humidity of the environment is high. The energy and mass balance of the dryer was carried out and it was verified that the heat received from solar radiation is sufficient to compensate for heat losses and also to dry the wood, because heat losses by the dryer structure are not high. It has also been found that the useful heat is approximately equal to the heat needed for drying. Thus, it is concluded that the greenhouse used is functional