[Stoves] Instruments for: Stove testing

[AJH]

On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:01:59 +1000, Peter Verhaart wrote:

>> Andrew mentioned using a microwave oven.  Could you or others please 
>> comment on
>> the advantages (maybe speed?) and disadvantages (would my wife tolerate such
>> usage in her kitchen microwave?).
>>   
>I think a microwave oven would not stop after all water has evaporated, 
>it would continue to char the sample.

That's correct, it has to be used carefully. I use it on a defrost
cycle and frequently weigh the sample to see when it stops losing
weight. The behaviour is different if you use it flat out from green
in that the steam superheats inside the wood and starts it charring.
If you dry it slowly by the time it is dry there is not enough free
water to overheat it quickly, mind I have pointed out the transition
from drying to pyrolysis is quick. This of course means some dry
matter loss can take place and be mistaken for water loss.

As to using the kitchen microwave, I don't, I live in an effluent
society where working microwaves, pentium 3 PCs, 17" crt monitors,
bicycles, cars etc are discarded and available freely.

AJH