ABSTRACT
Samples of Eucalyptus grandis wood, with dimensions of 2,5 x 14 x 65 cm were previously placed in a hot water bath and freezing, with the objective of evaluating the effect of these pre-treatments in drying rate. The hot water pre-treatment was conducted in a thermal vat, where the specimens were sank for a 24 hours period at temperatures of 85 to 90oC. The pre-freezing was carried out in a freezer with temperatures between 10 and -15oC for 24 hours. Drying was accomplished in an electric oven with forced convection and thermostatic control, using temperatures of 45, 60 and 75oC. The results showed that, the drying rate increased significantly when the wood was pre-heated in water, but was not affected by the pre-freezing.
Key words:
pre-heating in water; pre-freezing; drying rate
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