Steam-jet heat recovery in a lumber dry kiln

Between October 1, 1973, and April 1, 1979, the price of crude oil increased from $2.80 per barrel to $14.54 per barrel (3). The economic incentive to develop energy-reducing or energyrecovery systems is becoming more important as the cost of energy increases. Because drying accounts for approximately 70 percent of the energy consumed in a sawmill operation, savings in the drying arena could result in significant cost savings in mill operation. Comstock (1) reports that a significant amount of the energy used in lumber drying is the heat required to evaporate water from the lumber, which is lost as the vapor is exhausted through the kiln vent to the atmosphere.