Establishment of energy saving methods and techniques applied to the wood drying process

Abstract

This research aimed to establish energy saving methods and techniques applied to the wood drying process. Therefore, a data record was used with a load analyzer for 3 days in the cutting and drying area of the BALSARIVER CIA Company. LTDA., Located at km 2.5 of the Quevedo - Valencia road. The installation of soft starters in the drying area was selected as a solution alternative, as a technique, since this consumes a higher level of energy and as a method the gradual starting of the equipment to extend the useful life of the motors. The results show that the average energy consumption in the wood cutting process is 75.98 kWh / day, while in the drying process it is 116.64 kWh / day, representing a total cost of $ 843.38 and $ 1,294.66 per month per energy consumption, considering 30 working days. The drying process is the stage of the company's production process that represents the highest energy consumption, since it requires more hours of work to ensure that the wood reaches the optimum humidity level for its processing. The installation of soft starters represents a substantial saving in the consumption of electrical energy in the wood drying process, since they adjust the voltage so that the necessary current is stable and without spikes caused by repetitive starts.