News & Events

New High Temp Southern Pine Kiln Design

Portland, Oregon U.S.A. - 20 September 2004
Coe Manufacturing's R&D Staff has recently completed an extensive review of all the aspects of the Track Kiln Design used for drying Southern Pine. The Coe team of Engineers and Sales engineers spent many hours reviewing the past designs used by Moore International (former name of Coe's Dry Kiln division). Moore has thousands of installations worldwide. Many of those installations are drying Southern Pine in the high temp drying mode using steam, hot oil or direct-fired wood waste Energex burners.

The Coe Engineers traveled the Southern United States to review the current design and drying practices and also gathered input as to what the kiln users wanted. The information gathered was an integral part of the design team's review process.

Coe's research team engaged an engineering consulting firm in the Aerospace industry to analyze airflow properties in a dry kiln. The model selected for the analysis was a double track kiln with steam heating coils. The flow analysis compiled information never before viewed in the computer model used by the consulting firm's engineers. The information allowed Coe's Engineers to review several designs of airflow handling systems and the configuration of the kiln building. The results of the review will allow the design selected to maximize the fan system and flow characteristics throughout the kiln and lumber packages.

Coe's research team, also reviewing the insulation materials currently used in kiln building, has determined the current rigid fiberglass to be the most effective. The foam type of insulation tends to absorb moisture vapor and become soaked with water. This reduced the effective insulation properties of the kiln building. Over time, a high temp kiln will loose a sustainable amount of the R-value found in foam insulation. The rigid fiberglass insulation, found in the Coe kilns, does not absorb and retain the water vapor.

The Coe Series 22M Kiln Control System has all the features requested by kiln owners and dry end superintendents. The system is very user friendly and offers a variety of screens to assist in the control of the kiln and associated equipment. The 22M continues to provide excellent control for a variety of kiln drying requirements in track and package loaded kilns. The type of lumber being dried does not affect the control system since the flexibility allows inputs of many drying schedules for softwood and hardwood lumber.

Coe has developed a kiln building, door system, fan system and heating system that will be an improvement over the current designs found in many high temp Southern dry kilns. Combining the 22M Control System with the new design Southern Pine Dry Kiln will offer the market a very effective and affordable drying system that will be productive and cost effective.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Goodwin
Southeastern Regional Sales Manager
Coe Manufacturing
Tel. 904.504.9856
E-Mail:tgoodwin@coemfg.com

Frank Scheidel
VP, Western Regional Sales and Customer Support
Coe Manufacturing
Tel. 503.268.4024 / Fax 503.684.7570
E-Mail: fscheidel@coemfg.com

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