Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120160836 | WOOD HEATER WITH ENHANCED MICROWAVE LAUNCHING SYSTEM - A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for launching and/or dispersing microwave energy. The microwave launching system can include one or more split microwave launchers at least partly disposed in the interior of the heater. The microwave dispersing system can include one or more moving reflectors for rastering microwave energy emitted from the split launchers. | 06-28-2012 |
20120160837 | WOOD HEATER WITH ENHANCED MICROWAVE LAUNCH EFFICIENCY - A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for introducing microwave energy into the heater. The system uses a high-efficiency elongated waveguide launcher having a plurality of launch openings defined in relatively thin walls. The waveguide launcher can exhibit a launch efficiency of at least 50 percent, thereby providing substantially energy savings over conventional waveguide launchers. | 06-28-2012 |
20120160838 | WOOD HEATER WITH ENHANCED MICROWAVE DISPERSING AND TM-MODE MICROWAVE LAUNCHERS - A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for introducing microwave energy into the heater is provided. Also provided is an enhanced system for launching and dispersing within the heater. The system uses one or more TM | 06-28-2012 |
20120160839 | MICROWAVE WOOD HEATER WITH ENHANCED SPATIAL USAGE EFFICIENCY AND UNIFORMITY OF HEAT DISTRIBUTION - A commercial scale microwave system that includes a heater having enhanced heat distribution and minimized void space. The enhanced heat distribution can be provided by a unique launcher and/or reflector configuration disposed in the interior of the microwave heater. The microwave system can be operated to prevent the wood from both overheating (which results in scorching) and under-heating (which results in inadequate drying and/or inadequate thermal-modification). The microwave heating system can provide enhanced microwave energy distribution for large quantities of wood, even large quantities of wood heated under vacuum and/or in the presence of one or more chemical reagents. | 06-28-2012 |
20120160840 | WOOD HEATER WITH ALTERNATING MICROWAVE LAUNCH LOCATIONS AND ENHANCED HEATING CYCLES - An optimized system and process for heating wood using a microwave heater. The optimized system/process directs microwave energy towards different regions of the wood at different times during heating. In certain situations, microwave energy is introduced into the heater using microwave launchers and the system includes one or more microwave switches that control distribution of microwave energy to the microwave launchers so that two adjacent and/or opposing microwave launchers do not simultaneously introduce microwave energy into the heater. The optimized heating process also includes heating wood using a plurality of sequential heating cycles carried out at different conditions. For example, at least one of the heating cycles can be carried out at a lower input rate of microwave energy and/or at a lower pressure than one of the previous heating cycles. | 06-28-2012 |
20120160841 | WOOD HEATER WITH ENHANCED MICROWAVE CHOKE SYSTEM - A microwave heater equipped with a microwave choke and suitable for heating wood under vacuum. The microwave choke inhibits leakage of microwave energy between a door of the heater and a main vessel body of the heater without causing arcing at the choke, even at low pressures. In certain situations, the microwave choke can be configured with side-by-side choke cavities. In certain situations, the microwave choke can be removably coupled to the door and/or vessel body for easier fabrication, installation, and/or replacement. | 06-28-2012 |
20130168387 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING MULTIPLE VESSELS AND MULTIPLE WOOD-TRANSPORTING CARTS - A wood treatment method and apparatus that utilizes at least two carts for transporting bundles of wood into, out of, and between at least two wood treatment vessels. In certain situations, each of the carts can move along a dedicated path and can be located exterior to the vessels during treatment. As a result, the process can have a minimal cycle time, while maximizing throughput from the facility. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171358 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING VESSEL WITH BUNDLE STABILIZATION SYSTEM - A wood treatment method and apparatus utilizing a treatment vessel having an integrated bundle hold-down system for securing a bundle of wood within the interior of the vessel during treatment. The bundle hold-down system can be operable to counteract large buoyant forces associated with submersing the bundle of wood in a liquid reagent and/or can be used to maintain the shape and/or position of the bundle during treatment, even if a liquid reagent is not present. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171364 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING DETACHABLE BUNDLE SUPPORT - A wood treatment method and apparatus employing a bundle support structure to support a bundle of wood during transportation and treatment of the bundle. The bundle support structure rests on a movable cart during transportation of the bundle, but is detached from the movable cart during treatment of the bundle. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171365 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING BUNDLE LIFT SYSTEM - A wood treatment system that includes at least one wood treatment vessel and a bundle lift system for loading and unloading a bundle of wood from a cart used to transport the bundle into and/or out of the treatment vessel. The lift system vertically disengages the bundle of wood from the cart within the interior of the vessel, thereby allowing the cart to be removed from the vessel prior to initiating treatment. The lift system, which can be physically separate from or physically coupled to the cart, is entirely disposed within a lower portion of the interior volume of the wood treatment vessel. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171372 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING ENHANCED WOOD-TRANSPORTING CART DRIVE SYSTEM - A wood treatment method and apparatus that includes a cart drive system for enabling the movement of at least one wood-transporting cart into and/or out of a wood treatment vessel. The wood-transporting cart can have a length greater than the maximum internal dimension of the wood treatment vessel. The cart drive system can include at least one active drive component and at least one passive drive component. The active drive component can be physically separate from the cart and permanently fixed outside the interior of the wood treatment vessel. The passive drive component can be physically coupled to the cart and operable to move with the cart as it transports the bundle of wood into and/or out of the wood treatment vessel. | 07-04-2013 |
20130172526 | WOOD TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS EMPLOYING LATERALLY SHIFTABLE TRANSPORTATION SEGMENTS - A wood treatment method and apparatus that includes a laterally shiftable transportation segment adjacent a door of a wood treatment vessel. When retracted, the shiftable transportation segment accommodates the opening and/or closing of the door. When aligned, the shiftable transportation segment can support the weight of a cart that transports a bundle of wood into and/or out of the wood treatment vessel. Wood treatment systems described herein may also include a bundle adjustment system for applying an aligning force to at least a portion of the bundle during its loading and/or unloading from the wood treatment vessel. | 07-04-2013 |