Abstract
The water vapor explosion (WVE) process that was developed in this study is used to separate wood materials into small wood elements. The WVE process was directly applied to the separation of Sugi (Cryptomeria Japonica) and Karamatsu (Laryx leptolepis) in the forms of sawn timbers and slabs. In this process, wood materials were exploded from within by the force of water vapor generated by compression under high pressure and temperature and evaporation of the internal moisture.
For the WVE of wood materials, appropriate conditions (pressure, temperature, and time) were required. By WVE of Sugi and Karamatsu sawn timbers with the moisture content (MC) of air-dried (MC=10-20%) condition, mainly strands and chips were obtained. WVE of Sugi sawn timbers and slabs adjusted to 100-200% MC (water-soaked) also produced fiber bundles that were long, narrow, and flexible.
