Modélisation du pressage à chaud des panneaux de fibres de bois (MDF) par la méthode des éléments finis
Authors: | Vidal Bastías, Marcia |
Advisor: | Cloutier, Alain; Fortin, André |
Abstract: | This study describes a mathematical-physical model to predict temperature, gas pressure and moisture content during MDF hot pressing in batch and continuous processes. The final system is composed of three differential equations: gas conservation, water vapor conservation and energy conservation. This model introduced the moisture diffusion term which was not considered in the basis model. The system of equations was solved by the finite element method using the MEF++ software developed by the GIREF at Laval University. The boundary conditions used during simulation are of the Neumann or Dirichlet type depending on the process considered. In order to validate the numerical results in 2-D and 3-D, we compared them with experimental data obtained from the batch process in the pressing laboratory and from the continuous process in an industry. For this purpose, MDF panels of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BPS) were manufactured and temperature measurements made using thermocouples on the surface and the center of the mat. The gas pressure was also measured using a pressure probe located inside the mat. Moreover, in order to evaluate moisture content, seven sorption models were extrapolated and compared with experimental values from the literature. The Malmquist model gives the best correspondence for the relative humidities considered and was therefore used. The numerical results indicate that the predicted temperature, moisture content and gas pressure are in agreement with experimental results for the two processes considered without using an adjustment factor. We concluded that the mathematical-physical model and the finite element method have a great potential to solve this type of problem to control the quality of panels and the losses during manufacturing. It is strongly recommended to look further into research on the values of the physical parameters involved in this process. |
Document Type: | Thèse de doctorat |
Issue Date: | 2006 |
Open Access Date: | 12 April 2018 |
Permalink: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/18667 |
Grantor: | Université Laval |
Collection: | Thèses et mémoires |
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