Patent ID: 8291611

Claim:
A wood kiln system suitable for sequentially cooking and drying wood using heat directly applied to the wood and vacuum air pressures, comprising: a. a hollow kiln container used to first cure and then dry wood, said kiln container includes a front opening, at least one door that selectively opens and shuts over said front opening, a bottom surface, and a top surface, said kiln container includes an vacuum port located near or on said top surface; b. a main vacuum conduit connected to said vacuum port on said kiln container; c. a platen assembly located inside said kiln container upon which a stack of wood to be cured and dried is placed, said platen assembly includes a plurality of hollow platens that may be filled with hot water and individually positioned between layers of wood to directly and evenly heat the layers of wood; d. a hot water source connected to each said platens; e. a vacuum pump connected to said main vacuum conduit and used to selectively lower the air pressure inside said kiln container first to approximately 13 inches of Hg pressure to cure wood and then lower the air pressure inside said kiln container to approximately 0.35 inches of Hg pressure to dry said wood; f. a cold water source connected to said kiln container to form a cold water bath inside said kiln container, said cold water bath having a visible top level and being a sufficient low temperature that causes the water vapor formed in said kiln container to cool and condense thereon which causes said top level of said cold water bath to rise in said kiln container; g. a condensation tank selectively connected to said main vacuum conduit, when said vacuum pump is activated, said condensation tank removes condensed water and water vapor from said kiln container produced when said wood is dried inside said kiln container; h. a drain tube extending into said kiln container, said drain tube includes an input port and an outlet port, said outlet port being connected to said condensation tank, said inlet port being located inside said kiln, container at or slightly above the top level of said cold water bath formed inside said kiln container, whereby when said vacuum pump is activated, a vacuum force is created in said condensation tank and said drain tube which removes water vapor and condense water formed in said cold water bath; i. a drain port attached to said kiln container to remove said water bath from said kiln container; and, j. wicking material located on said top surface of said kiln container.