Moisture content distribution in a thin wood sample heated by microwave energy in a rectangular waveguide

The experimental results of drying a thin wood sample by microwave heating in a rectangular waveguide at 2.45 GHz are presented. Wood was impregnated with a 35% aqueous solution of phenol alcohol. Three-dimensional moisture content distribution within the heated area of the sample was studied. The surface temperature of the material within the heated area was determined. The kinetic relationships suggest enhanced heat and mass transfer in wood that considerably reduce the drying time. (author)