Measurement and evaluation of moisture transport coefficients during drying of wood

Measurements of moisture content gradients were performed during drying of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The measurements were done in heartwood and sapwood separately and in all three directions to grain separately. The aim of these measurements was to evaluate Kirchhoff flow potentials and diffusion coefficients in a moisture content range from about fibre saturation to end-use dried. A new method ro evaluate flow coefficients from transient measurements is presented. This new method, called the Kirchhoffian moment method, gave good results in a moisture content range from about 30% and down to 8% moisture content.