Method for heat-treating wood and wood products
OwnerMarc A. Seidnerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is embodied in a method for heat-treating pieces of wood or wood products, such as logs, lumber or wood chips with steam or hot water to kill any plant pests present in the wood or wood products. The pieces are loaded into a hold of a ship equipped to introduce steam or hot water into the hold. In some embodiments, the ship is also equipped to recycle the spent steam or water. The pieces are then contacted with steam or hot water to raise the temperature of the pieces to a sufficient level for a sufficient period of time to kill any plant pests that might be present.
Claims36
A method for treating green wood comprising:
- loading green wood into at least one hold of a ship equipped with means for introducing steam into the hold;
- and then
- contacting the wood with steam to raise the temperature of the wood to a sufficient level for a sufficient period of time to kill any plant pests present throughout the wood.
A method for treating pieces of green wood comprising:
- loading pieces of green wood into at least one hold of a ship, the ship equipped with means for producing hot water and means for creating a hot water shower in the hold with the hot water;
- and then
- contacting the pieces of wood with hot water having a temperature sufficient to raise the temperature of the wood to a sufficient level for a sufficient period of time to kill any plant pests present throughout the wood.
A method for preventing the deterioration of the quality of green wood comprising:
- loading green wood into at least one hold of a ship equipped with means for introducing steam into the hold;
- contacting the wood with steam while controllably reducing the moisture content of the wood to a predetermined level between about 30% and about 50%;
- and then
- maintaining the moisture content of the wood at the predetermined level to prevent the deterioration of the quality of the green wood.
A method for maintaining the fresh-cut characteristics of green wood comprising:
- loading green wood into at least one hold of a ship equipped with means for introducing steam into the hold;
- contacting the wood with steam;
- and
- maintaining the moisture content of the wood at about 50%% to maintain the fresh-cut characteristics of the green wood.
A method for preventing the deterioration of the quality of green wood comprising:
- loading green wood into at least one hold of a ship equipped with means for introducing a shower of water having a temperature of from about 60.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. into the hold;
- contacting the wood with the water shower while controllably reducing the moisture content of the wood to a predetermined level between about 30% and about 50%;
- and then
- maintaining the moisture content of the wood at the predetermined level to prevent the deterioration of the quality of the green wood.
A method for maintaining the fresh-cut characteristics of green wood comprising:
- loading green wood into at least one hold of a ship equipped with means for introducing a shower of water having a temperature of from about 60.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. into the hold;
- contacting the wood with the hot water shower;
- and
- maintaining the moisture content of the wood at about 50% to maintain the fresh-cut characteristics of the green wood.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.