Abstract

FONG-CASAS, Fredy et al. Optimization of a boiler-recovering hot air convective system for phytosanitary treatment of wood pallets (II). RTQ [online]. 2023, vol.43, n.3, pp. 471-494.  Epub Oct 30, 2023. ISSN 2224-6185.

This study is the second part of a previous work recently published about the optimization a new facility for convective heat phytosanitary treatment system applying the heat of exhaust gases from a distillery boiler as energy source for the pallets thermal disinfection. In the mentioned work, a control volume element of 3D finite heat transfer mathematical model was applied and correlated with experimental data in order to study the optimal operational conditions of air temperature and retention time when block-type pallets are thermally treated. However, optimal conditions for the phytosanitary treatment of the stringer-type pallets (the second more used in world-wide trading operations) in the presented facility has not been assessed so far. This case study presents the development and application of a control volume element model of 2D finite heat transfer mathematical model to optimize the operational parameters for the phytosanitary treatment of stringer-class wood pallets. The optimization of treatment temperature and retention timeissimulated based on previous findings reported. Optimal conditions were found for stringer-type pallets withair temperature at 80°C and 95 min of treatment time. The thermal efficiency, the energy consumption index of per treated pallet at the studied conditions and the economic feasibility of the new treatment system is discussed.

Keywords : heat transfer; finite elements; wood pallets; phytosanitary treatment.

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