A scientific study of wood seasoning process is important, as a large number of commercially important timber species is very problematic to seasoning. Climatic conditions also are very exacting for various wood works such as joinery, furniture, handicraft products etc. During recent years the need of seasoning in timber has become imperative due to the compulsion of use of timber from short rotation plantations. The Wood Seasoning branch undertakes research work related to the drying behaviour of wood, study of shrinkage and wood-water relation ship and evaluation of kiln drying schedules. Other priorities include investigation for suitability of Indian timber for industrial uses such as pencil making, wooden accessories used in cotton & jute mills, and shoe lasts as well as investigation of bending behaviour of different timber species for making bent wood articles.
 

Thrust Area:
 

i) Evolving kiln drying schedules for short rotation plantation species, development of pre-seasoning treatment for accelerating drying and control of surface cracking in refractory hardwoods and developing technique for stress control drying of timber in use.

ii) Develop methods for control of growth stress induce seasoning degrade in plantation species and juvenile wood.

iii) Development of low cost kiln and energy conserving processes and designing for seasoning of timber.

iv) Development of techniques for seasoning of round bamboo
  

Achievements:
 

         Air and kiln seasoning behaviour for more than 200 species have been studied and according to refractoriness to their seasoning behaviour they have been classified into three different groups. About a dozen different designs of steam heated and wood waste fired furnace heated kilns have been developed to suit the requirement of wood seasoning industry. A low cost solar seasoning kiln has been designed and developed. 
      Special methods have been developed for sawing and seasoning of problematic plantation species such as Eucalyptus, Poplar, Rubber wood etc. in order that these species could replace conventional timber. A pilot scale unit for plasticization of wood through vapour phase ammonia treatment for making bent wood articles has also been designed and developed. The technology has enabled utilization of many more new common species like Silver Oak, Mundani, Rubber wood etc. to produce novelty items of bent wood. 
  

          As energy is the principal concern in timber drying, improved wood fuel boiler system, design and development of low cost and energy efficient drying system such as dehumidification drying, vacuum drying, RF vacuum drying and solar drying are some of our highest priority research fields. Development of appropriate seasoning methods for drying of plantation grown species which create problems during sawing and seasoning due to presence of growth stresses.
 

Faculty:
 

Sh. N.K. Upreti
Scientist-E

Shri A.S. Kambo

Scientist B

Shri K.L. Arora

Scientist B

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