Method for increasing the permeability of wood
US6596975B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B2206/046
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for increasing the permeability of wood which comprises subjecting wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 15% to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz with a power intensity (p) from about 10 W/cm2 to about 100 kW/cm2 for a duration of from about 0.05 to about 600 seconds to cause water in the wood to vaporise resulting in an internal pressure in the wood such that the permeability of the wood is increased by partial or complete destruction of ray cell tissue, softening and displacement of wood resin, formation of pathways in the radial direction of the wood and/or by creating, on the base of destroyed rays, cavities in the wood, said cavities being primarily in radial-longitudinal planes of the wood, and wherein the overall integrity of the wood is substantially maintained. A wood-based material may be formed having a permeability which is at least 5 times that of the untreated wood.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.