A Study on the Moisture Content and Energy Efficiency Change in Wood Fiber Drying over Time Using a Fluidized Bed Dryer

Abstract

Wood fiber has been increasingly used as a sustainable and eco-friendly material; therefore, a drying process that can efficiently remove its high initial moisture content is required. To establish a more eco-friendly and efficient drying strategy, this study analyzed the changes in moisture content and energy efficiency during the drying of wood fiber using a fluidized bed dryer. Drying experiments were conducted on wood fiber for Medium-Density Fiberboard manufacturing (initial moisture content of 150%) under five different temperature conditions, ranging from 80℃–150℃. A comprehensive analysis was performed by integrating the change in moisture content over time, energy efficiency based on actual power consumption, and simulation results. The moisture content of the wood fiber decreased sharply in the first 30 s of drying. Subsequently, the drying rate decreased significantly, with the moisture content converged to a constant value specific for each temperature. The energy efficiency was almost entirely dependent on the processing time, decreasing in an inverse proportion. These results provide a foundation for optimizing industrial wood fiber drying to improve energy performance.