High temperature thermal modification process of wood in a vacuum autoclave
AssigneeWde Maspell S.R.L.
InventorErnesto Pagnozzi
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Abstract
A process for the thermal-chemical modification treatment of wood is described, in which such a modification is obtained through multiple chemical reactions of the substances comprising the wood structure generated by exposing the wood to temperatures at which the pyrolysis phenomenon begins, i.e., in the range of 180° C.-240° C., in a vacuum autoclave-cell while always maintaining the internal pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, in a range of values of 70-350 mBar of absolute pressure, consisting in the steps of pre-heating, actual heat treatment, and cooling of a wood mass.
Claims8
A process for the thermal-chemical modification treatment of wood, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) drying the wood at one or more temperatures in the range of 50° C.-100° C. and one or more absolute pressures in the range of 50-350 mBar;
- and
- (b) heating the wood by exposing the wood to one or more temperatures in the range of 180° C.-240° C., at which point pyrolysis begins, in a vacuum autoclave-cell while maintaining an absolute pressure in the range of 70-350 mBar;
- the heating of the wood being accomplished by transfer of thermal energy by one or more fans to circulate the air within the cell;
- the heating of the wood comprising eliminating the oxygen in the vacuum autoclave-cell by first reducing the oxygen present in the cell with a partial vacuum;
- and then converting all remaining oxygen present in the cell into carbon dioxide by reacting it with carbon contained in the wood.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.