Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) Peshawar has developed a state of the art, Solar Kiln (SK) on experimental basis for drying different sizes and types of wood sleepers in economical budget besides saving time of people associated with furniture industry. The Solar Kiln (SK) is developed by a scientist Ghulam Mustafa Nasir, Director Forests at Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI), which is like a Kiln Green House (KGH), very useful in drying different types and sizes of wood sleepers in most suitable way. The internal temperature in SK would reach up to about 70 degree centigrade in summer, 15 to 20 percent more from external temperature that would help early drying of timber.
Keeping in view of the immense importance of SK especially for furniture industry and housing sector, Ghulam Mustafa Nasir has suggested the extension of technology to entire country, and added that PFI is ready to impart practical training to the interested stakeholders. PFI is a public sector organization of KP, provides training to Forest graduates selected from different provinces, besides conducting research work in diversified fields.
Musafta Nasir said that SK can be kept smaller or larger as per need, saying solar kiln of 14 feet, 9 feet or 8 feet can dry about 1000 cubic feet wood at a time. He said that Pakistan is one of the countries where sunlight is available throughout the year and it could be utilized for drying of wood, saying SK was designed in such a way to fully exploit the gifted sunlight.
"Wood's drying up through this simple and inexpensive procedure hardly produces any ill affect on the timber," he said and added that time has come to make focus on this technology and making its use common in the country. Explaining procedures regarding preparation of SK, the expert said during preparation its' side should be kept towards south so that it may get maximum sunlight. Double wall from one brick should be prepared with a thermostat between it.
Similarly, a thermostat sheet should be kept under its internal floor before preparation of concrete floor on it so that temperature in SK could be maintained for more time. The PFI Director Forests Products said its' outer wall is kept four inch thick while a steep of 45-42 degree angle after construction of four feet east and western walls from South sides with 10 feet elevation straight equal to Northern wall of 10 feet height with two to three windowpanes.
Apart from it, he said two to three exhaust fans each on lower side of the northern wall and internal side of southern wall could also be installed to control air temperature during wood's drying process in effective way. To take full advantage of Solar Kiln, he said, its floor should be constructed of 5 millimeter large clean glass to be fixed in frames made of steel so that rain water may not penetrate.
Mustara Nasir said people, organizations interested in this technology need to get proper practical 'Wood Seasoning' training for which Pakistan Forest Institute was ready to cooperate. About its merits, he said, in spending less money one could dry wood through SK besides saving time and incurring minimum chances of defects in timber as compare to other traditional procedures. Wood sleepers with one inch thickness can be dried up in 10 to 12 days he told and added that minimum 20 to 25 days are required for drying up of two inch thick wood sleepers. He said the technology was very useful especially in monsoon belts to protect the timber from fungus and termite attacks.