This study assessed the effects of ThermoForest Products' Eco Dryer system on black ash wood characteristics. Samples underwent control, stability, or durability treatments. Testing showed: 1) Stability treatment increased properties with minimal color change. 2) Durability treatment increased density, MOE, and compression slightly while decreasing hardness and MOR. 3) Both treatments produced more homogeneous changes than other dryers. The Eco Dryer provides an environmentally friendly option for Ontario wood treatment, increasing stability and durability with minimal property loss. Further testing of other species is needed.

1. PRESENTED BY
SCOTT MILLER
PHD CANDIDATE
PRIMARY RESEARCHER JIM RIFFEL, MASTERS CANDIDATE
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY WOOD SCIENCE TESTING FACILITY

2. Goal
The broad goal is to identify new market
opportunities for the region’s under utilized wood
species.
The purpose of this study is to assess whether
wood treated using the ThermoForest Products
Eco Dryer system produces the same changes in
wood characteristics exhibited in other high
temperature kiln systems.

3. Radial Variance
Axial Variance
100%
90% 1 2 3 4
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Range of Fraxinus nigra Marsh.
30%
20%
10%

4. Closed Loop System
Durability Stability Control

5. High Temperature Kiln Experiment
60 boards
Control Stability Durability
20 Boards 20 Boards 20 Boards
MOE, MOR, MOE, MOR, MOE, MOR,
Compression, Compression, Compression,
Hardness. Hardness. Hardness.
Relative Density, Relative Density, Relative Density,
Colour. Colour. Colour.

6. • RANDOMLY SELECTED 20 BOARDS PER TREATMENT
• PROCESSED SAMPLES TO PRODUCE TEST SPECIMENS AS PER ASTM STANDARDS
• SPECIMENS WERE STRATIFIED TO REPRESENT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE POSITIONS OF EACH
BOARD
• COLOUR TESTS WERE CONDUCTED USING HARDNESS SAMPLES BEFORE DESTRUCTIVE
TESTING USING A KONICA MINOLTA CR-410 COLORIMETER
• MECHANICAL PROPERTY TESTING WAS COMPLETED USING TINIUS OLSEN UNIVERSAL
TESTING EQUIPMENT
• TEST RESULTS WERE ANALYSED USING PAWS STATISTICS 18 SOFTWARE
MOE / MOR Outside Outside
Colour / Colour /
MOE / MOR Inside Inside
Trim
Hardness Hardness
MOE / MOR Inside Inside
Outside Inside
MOE / MOR Outside Outside
Drawing representing ½ of one test board
ACTUAL DIMENTIONS: 2.5 cm x 12.5 cm x 2.44 m Compression

7. • Homogeneity and normality
were tested.
• Significantly different between
treatments for selected
properties.
• No significant difference
between position, boards or
interactions.
• Changes in wood properties
between treatments were
homogeneous.

8. Cross section of untreated black ash at three Cross section of low temperature treatment black ash
magnifications: 130x, 1300x, 5000x (Riffel 2010) at three magnifications: 130x, 6500x, 14000x (Riffel
2010)
Figure 15. Cross section of high temperature
treatment black ash at three magnifications: 130x,
500x, 4300x (Riffel 2010)

9. 110.00
103.13 MPa
Std Dev 12.28
96.75 MPa
100.00 Std Dev 9.70
90.00
77.40 MPa
80.00 Std Dev 16.31
Post Hoc Test
70.00
Subset 1
60.00
M Subset 2
P
a 50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
.00
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

10. 11000.0000
10030 MPa
9904 MPa Std Dev 1476.07
Std Dev 1559.70
10000.0000
9162 MPa
Std Dev 1188.69
9000.0000
8000.0000
Post Hoc Test
7000.0000
Subset 1
M 6000.0000 Subset 2
P
a 5000.0000
4000.0000
3000.0000
2000.0000
1000.0000
.0000
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

11. 80.00
69.48 MPa
Std Dev 7.39 67.40 MPa
70.00 Std Dev 8.64
62.98 MPa
Std Dev 5.56
60.00
Post Hoc Test
50.00 Subset 1
M Subset 2
P 40.00
a
30.00
20.00
10.00
.00
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

12. 7000
6150 N
Std Dev 1068.09
5748 N
6000 Std Dev 1154.44
5000
Post Hoc Test
4225 N
Std Dev 729.42
Subset 1
4000
Subset 2
N
3000
2000
1000
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

13. 700
614 kg/m3 623 kg/m3
597 kg/m3 Std Dev .047
Std Dev .037
Std Dev .043
600
500 Post Hoc Test
Subset 1
400
Subset 2
kg/m3
300
200
100
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

14. • REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWED A CORRELATION BETWEEN TREATMENTS FOR SELECTED
TEST PROPERTIES
• MOR (LINEAR) y = -9.675x + 111.78 (LOG) y = -14.73ln(x) + 101.22
R² = 0.5216 R² = 0.3729
• MOE (LINEAR) y = 433.81x + 8831.1 (LOG) y = 819.91ln(x) + 9209
R² = 0.8563 R² = 0.9441
y = 2.2125x + 62.192 y = 4.6039ln(x) + 63.867
• COMPRESSION (LOG)
R² = 0.4441 R² = 0.5935
(LINEAR)
y = -962.59x + 7299.7
• HARDNESS (LOG) y = -1626ln(x) + 6345.7
R² = 0.8983 R² = 0.7912
(LINEAR)

16. Durability Stability Control

17. Control
Stability
Durability

18. 80.00
66.81
70.00 Std Dev 2.05 65.01
Std Dev 2.73
60.00
Post Hoc Test
49.61
50.00 Std Dev 7.97
Subset 1
Subset 2
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
.00
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

19. 9.00
8.24
Std Dev .865
8.00
7.00 6.31
6.16
Std Dev .528
Std Dev .434
Post Hoc Test
6.00
Subset 1
5.00
Subset 2
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
.00
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

20. 20.00
17.72 17.68
18.00
16.98
16.00
14.00 Post Hoc Test
12.00 Subset 1
Subset 2
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
.00
Control 180 Degrees 200 Degrees

21. 20.0000
18.0000
16.0000
14.0000 Post Hoc Test
Subset 1
12.0000
Subset 2
10.0000
8.0000
6.0000
4.0000
2.0000
.0000
180 Degrees 200 Degrees

22. USE COLOUR AS A PREDICTOR OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES.
• MOR AND E
• MOR AND L
• MOR AND a
• MOR AND b
USE RELATIVE DENSITY AS A PREDICTOR
• CONTROL MOR AND RD
• THERMALLY TREATED MOR AND RD

23. • STABILITY
– THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE THERMOFOREST PRODUCTS’ STABILITY TREATMENT
PRODUCED STABILITY WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO WOOD PROPERTIES.
– THE STABILITY TREATMENT PRODUCED AN INCREASE IN MOST MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, A
SLIGHT COLOUR CHANGE, AND SUPERIOR PROCESSING PROPERTIES.
• DURABILITY
– THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE THERMOFOREST PRODUCTS’ DURABILITY TREATMENT
PRODUCED STABLE AND DURABLE WOOD WITH A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN WOOD
PROPERTIES.
– THE DURABILITY TREATMENT PRODUCED AN INCREASE IN WOOD DENSITY, MOE AND
COMPRESSION WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM CONTROL IN HARDNESS AND MOR.
– THE EFFECTS THE SYSTEM HAD ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES FOR THIS TREATMENT
IS SUPERIOR TO OTHER HIGH TEMPERATURE DRYING SYSTEMS.
– THE DURABILITY TREATMENT ALSO GREATLY ENHANCED THE NEUTRAL COLOUR OF
THE BLACK ASH CREATING A WALNUT LIKE RING POROUS FINISH.

24. • THERMOFORERST PRODUCTS’ HIGH TEMPERATURE ECO DRYER PROVIDES NORTH
WESTERN ONTARIO AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WOOD TREATMENT, WHICH
INCREASES THE STABILITY AND DURABILITY OF BLACK ASH; WITH MINIMAL LOSS TO WOOD
PROPERTIES.
• FURTHER TESTING WITH OTHER WOOD SPECIES IS REQUIRED TO VALIDATE THE POTENTIAL
OF THIS VALUE-ADDED DRYING SYSTEM.
• IT SEEMS EVIDENT THAT TARGET CHANGES TO MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES,
ESPECIALLY COLOUR, CAN BE PREDICTED USING SPECIFIC TREATMENT PARAMETERS;
INCLUDING TEMPERATURE AND DURATION.

25. THIS RESEARCH WAS COMPLETED BY JIM RIFFEL WITH THE ANALYSIS COMPLETED JOINTLY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
• LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
DR. MATT LIETCH
DR. CHANDER SHAHI
DR. JIAN WANG
• THERMOFOREST PRODUCTS
ED ROSE
• JULIE HOWE