Application of Population-Based Techniques to Identification of Diffusive and Convective Parameters in Timber Drying

Timber drying consists of reducing the moisture content up to a level required by the intended application of the wood product. A proper drying operation is essential to reduce time and energy, as well as to prevent defects. Numerical simulation of this class of problems constitutes an important tool available to the process engineer to define the best drying schedule. However, a successful prediction requires knowledge of the wood properties and additional process parameters. This work is inserted within this framework and aims at discussing strategies do determine material and process parameters using inverse problem techniques. The timber drying process accounts for the fully coupled solution of the heat and mass (moisture) transfer problem, whereas the inverse problem is solved within the time domain based on population-based optimization techniques.