Effect of drying schedules on the drying time and quality of Dendrocalamus barbatus bamboo using solar energy integrated with steam heated source

Abstract

Bamboo is recognized as a promising material. It is widely distributed in Vietnam. Bamboo products are quite diverse. However, bamboo materials have been primarily air-dried in open locations. Thus, the bamboo does not achieve the required moisture contents for use in certain products. This can lead to easily being infected by fungi, especially molds that affect the quality of the bamboo’s products. To date, bamboo drying using solar energy integrated with a steam-heated source has not been studied. This study investigated the effect of drying schedules on the drying time and quality of Dendrocalamus barbatus bamboos in “culm” and “strip” forms using solar energy integrated with steam-heated source. Higher temperatures yielded faster drying times, but they also created more drying defects in the bamboo because of the drying gradient being higher. However, depending on the manufacturer’s requirements, the drying schedule No. 1 (40 °C to 60 °C) or No. 2 (50 °C to 70 °C) can be used for drying the bamboo culms. In relation to the bamboo strips, drying schedule No. 3 (60 to 80 °C) is recommended because it was the shortest drying time and had a low defect rate (9%).