Claims
- 1. An apparatus for vacuum drying wood, comprising:a) at least one vacuum-tight container having at least one flexible wall for holding at least one piece of wood; b) a thermal heat source for heating the wood by conduction through the flexible wall; c) a vacuum pump for connection to the vacuum-tight container.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum-tight container comprises a bag having flexible walls.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermal heat source comprises a bath.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a heater for heating the bath.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the bath comprises water.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 3 where in the bath comprises heated air.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the bath has a temperature in the range of 60-180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermal heat source comprises an ambient environment.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a piece of wood disposed in the container.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum-tight container comprises a plate and a flexible sheet.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the container contains a vacuum in the range of 0-400 Torr.
- 12. An apparatus for vacuum drying wood, comprising:a) at least one vacuum-tight container having at least one flexible wall for holding at least one piece of wood; b) a bath for immersing the container and wood; c) a vacuum pump for connection to the vacuum-tight container; and d) a heater for heating the bath.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the vacuum-tight container comprises a bag having flexible walls.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the bath comprises heated water.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a piece of wood disposed in the container.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the vacuum-tight container comprises a plate and a flexible sheet.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the bath has a temperature in the range of 60-180 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the container contains a vacuum in the range of 0-400 Torr.
- 19. A method for vacuum drying of wood, comprising the steps of:a) disposing at least one piece of wood in a vacuum-tight container having at least one flexible wall; b) applying a vacuum to the container so the flexible wall presses against the wood; c) heating the wood by conducting heat through the flexible wall.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the vacuum applied is in the range of 0-400 Torr.
- 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the wood is disposed in the container so that vacuum is applied to cut-fiber ends of the wood.
- 22. The method of claim 19 wherein the wood is heated by immersing the container and wood in a heated bath.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the heated bath has a temperature in the range of 50-200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 24. The method of claim 22 wherein the heated bath has a temperature in the range of 70-150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the heated bath has a temperature that increases during drying.
- 26. The method of claim 19 wherein the wood is heated by exposing the container to sunlight.
- 27. An apparatus for vacuum drying wood, comprising:a container of sufficient size to hold wood to be vacuum dried, said container being vacuum tight, and wherein at least a portion of said container is sufficiently flexible so as to collapse against wood held within said container under the influence of vacuum pressure exerted inside said container, and where said at least a portion of said container is constructed from a material and is of a thickness which allows heat transfer from an ambient environment in which said container is located to said wood held within said container when said at least a portion of said container is collapsed against wood held within said container; and a means for connecting a vacuum source to said container.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the container comprises a bag with flexible, impermeable walls.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the container comprises a plate and a flexible sheet.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the container is resealable.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims the benefit of priority from provisional patent application 60/303,099 filed on Jul. 6, 2001 now abandoned, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Government Interests
Development of the present invention was supported in part by grant number 00-DG-112442425-192 from the U.S. Forest Service. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/303099 |
Jul 2001 |
US |