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Comparative study of radio-frequency and microwave heating for phytosanitary treatment of wood

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Abstract

Radio-frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) heating for phytosanitary treatment of green wood in compliance with international standards for phytosanitary measures no. 15 (ISPM-15) were evaluated and compared to assess treatment time, depth of electromagnetic wave (EMW) penetration and heating uniformity. White oak (Quercus alba) cants (48 cm long with cross-section dimensions ranging from 10 × 10 cm2 to 25 × 25 cm2) were heated in a 19 MHz RF or 2.45 GHz MW laboratory oven using an equivalent heating power (3.4 kW). In each specimen, temperature was measured at different depths (distance from the upper face). Specimens were held in the treatment chamber for 2 min after the target temperature of 60 °C was achieved through the profile of the specimen to ensure compliance with the ISPM-15 treatment schedule. Thermal image analyses of treated specimens as well as theoretical depth of penetration for dielectric energy were explored. Wood specimens were also heated using RF at high power (9–11 kW) and results were compared with RF heating at 3.4 kW. For wood with cross-section dimensions of 10 × 10 cm2 to 15 × 15 cm2, heating rates for RF and MW were relatively similar. However, above 15 × 15 cm2, RF heating was more than 40 % faster with greater heating uniformity than MW. The theoretical values derived for depth of penetration and thermal image analyses indicate that RF (19 MHz) penetrates wood more uniformly and is better suited than MW (2.45 GHz) for bulk volume treatments of wood.

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Abbreviations

DH:

Dielectric heating

dp :

Depth of EMW Penetration

EMF:

Electro-magnetic field

EMW:

Electro-magnetic wave

EPRF:

Equivalent power radio frequency

HPRF:

High power radio-frequency

ISPM:

International standards for phytosanitary measures

MW:

Micro-wave

RF:

Radio-frequency

t60 :

Treatment time when all temperature probes used in a DH trial recorded minimum 60 °C

WPM:

Wood packaging materials

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ben Wilson of PSC, Inc. for providing technical support for the RF oven, Glenn Blaker for his electrode modeling contributions, and Michael Powell for assistance with securing experimental materials. This study was supported from funding provided by the USDA-Methyl Bromide Transitions Program to Kelli Hoover and John Janowiak (Grant 2012-51102-20208).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Penn State University, 101 Forest Resources Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Manoj K. Dubey & John Janowiak

  2. USDA-APHIS-PPQ–CPHST, Otis Laboratory, Buzzards Bay, MA, 02542, USA

    Ron Mack & Peggy Elder

  3. Department of Entomology, Penn State University, 501 Ag Sciences and Industries Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Kelli Hoover

Authors
  1. Manoj K. Dubey
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  2. John Janowiak
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  3. Ron Mack
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  4. Peggy Elder
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  5. Kelli Hoover
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Correspondence to John Janowiak.

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Dubey, M.K., Janowiak, J., Mack, R. et al. Comparative study of radio-frequency and microwave heating for phytosanitary treatment of wood. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 74, 491–500 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-016-1025-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-016-1025-2

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