Brewer, ME—Nyle Dry Kilns, based here, believes that in the current market, sawmills will start turning to their equipment suppliers looking for ways to make their equipment smarter and running as efficiently as possible. It is from that belief that they announced last year, their line of kiln optimization equipment. “We provide the tools to help your kiln reach its full potential no matter the manufacturer,” stated Jeremy Howard, president of Nyle Dry Kilns. The “tools” he is speaking of are their Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems and a new industry-leading NDK-R kiln control. “At Nyle, we believe that every company wants to improve their kiln drying performance, efficiency, and results, but sometimes they don’t always have a clear path to make that happen,” said Howard. “We believe we can help draw that map.”
Heat loss through venting can be one of the most notable downfalls when drying lumber. Heat loss requires the kiln to use more energy to bring the chamber back to temperature. This energy loss also causes a delay in the schedule resulting in added drying time. Nyle believes that their Heat Recovery Vents, or HRV, as it’s typically referred to, can become a valuable addition to any kiln. The vent utilizes the heat being vented from the kiln to warm the incoming air minimizing the need for “reheating,” reducing the overall fuel consumption and increasing overall production quality. “We have seen our customers save up to 80 percent of lost heat when switching to our HRVs,” said Howard.
This past year, Nyle also rolled out a new industry-leading kiln control. “Our new NDK-R puts an advanced controller into the hands of the kiln operator, allowing them complete control over their kiln schedules and product quality,” noted Henco Viljoen, drying specialist for Nyle Dry Kilns and creator of the new control. “This new control system boasts the same features Nyle had had in their controls for years while adding advanced features such as: Electronic Wet-Bulb/Dry-Bulb, Mobile/Web-based controls, and advanced scheduling system.” The “R” in the controls name stands for “retrofit,” meaning their control will work with any kiln regardless of the manufacturer.
A number of Nyle’s customers have already seen success with this updated control system. The NDK-R control utilizes five control modes: DH, Conventional, Hybrid, Heat Treating, and Dump Cycle mode. Viljoen explained, “The different modes allow for the operator to better suit their drying process to the particular species of wood that they are drying. Hybrid mode has proved to be an ideal mode for faster drying Hardwoods because it reverses the main function of the dehumidification system, from primary water remover and secondary heating to primary heating and secondary water removal. In other words, the primary function of ‘adding’ heat is controlled by running the compressor as a ‘heat pump,’ and the removal of moisture is controlled through traditional venting and, of course, the moisture removed by running the compressor anyway.”
“Seeing our customers benefit from the advancements we are putting into the industry is truly what inspires us,” Howard stated. “We’re not just looking to sell a kiln and then move on. Sure, we can install new systems, but we’re interested in helping our customers increase efficiency and quality wherever possible, including upgrades to third-party equipment that might have been in operation for years.” If you want to learn more about Nyle’s kiln optimization equipment or to talk to someone about how to increase your sawmill’s productivity and efficiency, be sure to reach out to the team at Nyle or visit their website at: www.nyle.com/kiln-drying-systems/.
