Storage container for drying ?

[MaineEcho]

here is my idea. I have access to a metal storage container like the ones that are used for shipping on cargo ships. I am thinking paint the container black and cut a few vents on the sides near the top and put a rain hood over them so not to let any water in. also i have a few 12V fans at my disposal that i could pair up with a few car batteries and a 400 Watt solar panel to move a little air around the container. I figure this setup might shorten up my drying times.

any input or ideas would be great

thanks

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Paint the sunny side black. Paint the shady side white. The SR71 Blackbird was painted black to help it SHED heat. The heat was from the air friction at Mach 3 (or more!). Black absorbs heat, but it also RADIATES heat. So paint the inside, too. Same deal. Black on the sunny side, white on the shady side.

Might try to rig up something like this, too:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200339375_200339375


Too much money for the real deal, but you could apply the same principles. I've seen plenty of storm windows being given away on Craigslist. Some panes of glass, some black paint, and some 2x2s might help a lot.


Let us know what you do. Sounds like an interesting project.

 

[Ted J]

Read this:

Converting A Shipping Container to a Drying Kiln

Have fun....
Ted

 

[BobL]

here is my idea. I have access to a metal storage container like the ones that are used for shipping on cargo ships. I am thinking paint the container black and cut a few vents on the sides near the top and put a rain hood over them so not to let any water in. also i have a few 12V fans at my disposal that i could pair up with a few car batteries and a 400 Watt solar panel to move a little air around the container. I figure this setup might shorten up my drying times.

You should also put some vents near the bottom to assist outside air exchange but I can't see much drying happening during your winters as the whole thing will probably just freeze solid unless it is insulated and supplied with some heat.

A figure I saw tossed around was that you need at least 2 W of air flow capacity per cubic ft to maintain the 1 m/s air flow needed for a decent drying rate. On a 1280 cuft container thats 2.5 kW of power, I doubt you can get any where near that with a couple of car batteries and 12V fans.

I have a seatainer drying shed arrangement in Western Australia, ie a prolonged hot place in summer (today is mid autumn and it's reached 90F), and it never freezes and typically reaches 65F most winter days and goes down to ~50 overnight. The air exchange thru my container means that it is nominally 10 - 12F above ambient and my estimate is it halves under cover air drying time. I could run it hotter simply by restricting air exchange, but that would mean it will go over 130F on hot summer days and this will lead to excess checking.

 

[MaineEcho]

thanks for the input guys.

I do understand that it gets really cold in the winter up here but i figured any thing could help especially where i don't have a big heated building to store in.

I do have a reefer trailer at the farm to so i will look more into that setup also

thanks again

 

[scsmith42]

I'm one of the authors quoted on the link that Ted posted. Whether you build an actual kiln, or just a pre-drying chamber, the key thing is that you don not exceed the maximum safe daily drying rates for the species/thickness being dried.

What type of wood were you thinking about drying?

Also, the USDA has a free manual titled "Air Drying of Hardwood Lumber". You can download it for free, and it has a wealth of information in it about air drying.

 

[Andrew96]

I tried to search for that article to read it. Any way you could post a link?

 

[scsmith42]

I tried to search for that article to read it. Any way you could post a link?

Here it is: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr117.pdf

This publication also contains a good section on air drying:

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/ah528.pdf