Development of microwave based drying technology for bamboo strips, slivers, intermediates and finished products
International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Balapur, Hyderabad.
Bamboo culms tend to have high moisture content, as do strips & slivers. Bamboo products & intermediates tend to pick up ambient moisture. This inhibits the manufacture of consistent & high quality products, especially in high and variable humidity areas.
Microwave heating provides uniform distribution of the thermal energy thereby remove water content more effectively cleanly and faster.
ARCI has developed expertise in microwave drying of ceramic-based honeycomb structures and has successfully demonstrated this technology.
Exploratory studies have been taken up by the ARCI have confirmed the efficacy of microwave drying. ARCI is now working towards design & installation of acontinuous conveyer type microwave oven (of capacity 50 kg of batch/hr). This will be followed by field testing and validation.
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