SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRYING WOOD PRODUCTS WITH RECOVERED FLUE GAS
First Claim
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1. A method for drying wood products with recovered flue gas comprising the steps of:
- providing an indirect fired kiln containing the wood products, the indirect fired kiln comprising;
one or more chambers;
one or more heating zones within the one or more chambers;
one or more heating elements located in the one or more chambers; and
a ventilation system;
providing one or more combustion devices, each of the one or more combustion devices comprising an exhaust stack;
firing a fuel in the one or more combustion devices, thereby producing a heated fluid and a flue gas;
circulating the heated fluid in one or more heating elements, thereby providing a primary heat source to the kiln;
recovering an amount of the flue gas before the flue gas is discharged from the exhaust stack in each of the one or more combustion devices;
transferring the amount of flue gas to one or more of the ventilation systems to provide a secondary heat source to the indirect fired kiln; and
drying the wood products in the indirect fired kiln.
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed generally to systems and methods for drying wood products in one or more kilns with recovered flue gases. In some embodiments, methods for drying wood products include firing a fuel in the one or more combustion devices, thereby producing a heated fluid and a flue gas. The heated fluid is circulated to provide a primary heat source to the one or more indirect fired kilns. An amount of flue gas is recovered and transferred to provide a secondary heat source to the one or more indirect fired kilns.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for drying wood products with recovered flue gas comprising the steps of:
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providing an indirect fired kiln containing the wood products, the indirect fired kiln comprising; one or more chambers; one or more heating zones within the one or more chambers; one or more heating elements located in the one or more chambers; and a ventilation system; providing one or more combustion devices, each of the one or more combustion devices comprising an exhaust stack; firing a fuel in the one or more combustion devices, thereby producing a heated fluid and a flue gas; circulating the heated fluid in one or more heating elements, thereby providing a primary heat source to the kiln; recovering an amount of the flue gas before the flue gas is discharged from the exhaust stack in each of the one or more combustion devices; transferring the amount of flue gas to one or more of the ventilation systems to provide a secondary heat source to the indirect fired kiln; and drying the wood products in the indirect fired kiln. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for drying wood products with recovered flue gas comprising the steps of:
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placing a first group of wood products in a first kiln, the first kiln comprising; one or more first chambers; one or more heating zones within the one or more first chambers; one or more first drying mechanisms, the one or more first drying mechanisms configured to dry the first group of wood products in the one or more first chambers; and one or more first inlet mechanisms, the one or more first inlet mechanisms configured to allow fluid to pass into the one or more first chambers; placing a second group of wood products in a second kiln, the second kiln comprising; one or more second chambers; one or more second heating zones within the one or more second chambers; one or more second drying mechanisms, the one or more second drying mechanisms configured to dry the second group of wood products in the one or more second chambers; and one or more second inlet mechanisms, the one or more inlet mechanisms configured to allow fluid to pass into the one or more second chambers; providing one or more combustion devices, each of the one or more combustion devices comprising an exhaust stack; firing a fuel in the one or more combustion devices, thereby producing a flue gas; recovering a first portion of the flue gas from the one or more combustion devices before the first portion of the flue gas is discharged via the exhaust stack; transferring the first portion of the flue gas from the one or more combustion devices to the one or more first inlet mechanisms; drying the first group of wood products in the one or more first chambers with the one or more first drying mechanisms and the first portion of the flue gas; recovering a second portion of the flue gas from the one or more combustion devices before the second portion of the flue gas is discharged via the exhaust stack; transferring the second portion of the flue gas from the one or more combustion devices to the one or more second inlet mechanisms; and drying the second group of wood products in the one or more second chambers with the one or more second drying mechanisms and the second portion of the flue gas.
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11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more first drying mechanisms is selected from the group consisting of:
- a steam boiler, a water boiler, and a thermal fluid heater.
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12. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more second drying mechanisms is selected from the group consisting of:
- a steam boiler, a water boiler, and a thermal fluid heater.
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13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first kiln is a continuous kiln or a batch kiln.
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14. The method of claim 10 wherein the second kiln is a continuous kiln or a batch kiln.
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15. The method of claim 10 wherein the fuel in the one or more combustion devices is selected from the group consisting of:
- bio residual fuels, natural gas, coal, and oil.
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16. A system for drying wood products with recovered flue gas comprising:
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one or more combustion devices, the one combustion devices each having an exhaust stack; one or more indirect fired kilns, the one or more indirect fired kilns each comprising; one or more chambers; one or more heating zones within each of the one or more chambers; an opening for receiving wood products into the one or more chambers; one or more discharge mechanisms configured to discharge humid air from the one or more chambers; one or more inlets vents configured to let dry air into the one or more chambers; and one or more heating elements in fluid communication with the one or more combustion devices; and a flue gas recovery mechanism configured to deliver flue gas from the one or more combustion devices to the one or more indirect fired kilns before the flue gas exits through the exhaust stack in each of the one or more combustion devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification