Estimativa da unidade de equilíbrio do ambiente em diferentes regiões do estado do Amazonas usando a Equação de Simpson

Abstract

The wood for being a hygroscopic material has the ability to win and lose water. This characteristic influences the workability, dimensional stability, mechanical strength and natural durability of the wood. Wood performance is directly related to drying quality. Equilibrium moisture is an important factor in the natural drying process, since it defines the conditions in which the wood should be dry. If the wood goes into equilibrium with the environment, the drying process can result in benefit or loss, because the equilibrium moisture in which the wood is with the environment, may not be ideal and the wood will not be dry, causing some damage resulting in the Of fungi, dimensional instability, cracks among other. The moisture of the wood depends on the relative humidity of the air and the ambient temperature, so that it can reach a dynamic equilibrium. The general objective of this study was to estimate the equilibrium moisture in three different municipalities of the state of Amazonas, with the purpose of providing information that allows the good performance of wood in the natural drying process. The present study analyzed meteorological data (temperature and relative humidity), in the period of 20 years, of the municipalities of Itacoatiara (middle Amazon region), São Gabriel da Cachoeira (upper Rio Negro region) and Eirunepé (Juruá region), was calculated the Environmental equilibrium moisture through the mathematical model elaborated by Simpson, in order to find a period of the year that would be more favorable for the natural drying of wood. It was noted that these municipalities, depending on these data (relative humidity and temperature) can not reach a moisture content lower than the equilibrium moisture calculated for each municipality. Therefore the outdoor drying allows to achieve moisture values from the wood to the equilibrium with the local climatic conditions.