Microwave Assisted Drying of Radiata Pine Veneer

Abstract

The potential role of microwave technology in veneer drying is 2-fold: 1) as an addition to traditional conveyor belt convection/jet drying to accelerate the drying process and improve the quality attributes of the dried veneer; 2) as an addition to secondary veneer drying processes for moisture leveling and stress reduction. The main advantages of incorporating microwave technology for drying veneer arise in speed up rate of drying, reducing within and between veneer moisture content variability, moisture leveling of wet pockets, eliminating drying defects, and improving the quality attributes of dried veneer.