FR2811931A1 - Method for protecting against xylophagous invasion and its elimination in wooden objects comprises subjecting object to cooling and maintaining cooled temperature for one to two days then heating back to ambient temperature - Google Patents

Abstract

The wooden object, at ambient temperature, is subjected to a cooling cycle during which the object is cooled to a temperature of between -20oC and -30oC. The cooling speed is between 4oC/hour and 12oC/hour. The cooled temperature is held for between 24 and 48 hours. The object is then heated up to ambient temperature at between 4oC/hour and 12oC/hour. The atmosphere humidity in which the method is carried out is held within a variation of 20% of the surrounding environment humidity.

Description

METHOD FOR PROTECTING AGAINST INVASIONS

  XYLOPHAGES AND ELIMINATE THEM IN WOODEN OBJECTS

  Bodies capable of metabolizing the

  wood and, therefore, destroy it.

  Man uses wood for the manufacture of a multitude of objects such as statues, altarpieces, beams, furniture, etc., which are usually destroyed or deteriorated due to the action of xylophages, among which we can cite as being the most important: termites, vrillette,

  wood beetle and mushrooms.

  Termites or white ants belong to the family of

  cockroaches and they have, in their digestive tracts, many micro-

  organisms that chemically break down cellulose, which allows

the insect to feed on wood.

  The common spin of furniture measures 3 to 5 mm. It is one of the sinanthropic species. It mainly infests furniture, wooden beams, floors, etc. The larvae dig galleries in the wood. The coleopters which come, always in the wood, from the nymphs, evacuate small piles of sawdust while leaving. Their development spans a year and

  sometimes more. It is a harmful insect.

  The wood beetle measures 7 to 21 mm., Flies from mid-June to September, at noon and in the afternoon in coniferous forests. The larva lives in the wood of conifers and often in furniture, beams and the frames of our houses. Common in wooden constructions and attics. Its development lasts, on average, from 3 to 5 years, even

  more. It is found practically all over the world.

  I) in a conventional curative-preventive procedure: taking into account the fact that the organism in the form of an egg, a larva, a nymph or

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  of adult is in galleries inside the wood and that one makes

  reach him with an insecticide and, if necessary, fungicide product.

  This type of treatment, especially if it is under pressure with insecticide, is not sure, as to the results, and expensive. Likewise, it is difficult to apply on many occasions, for example with

upholstered furniture.

  The plaintiff found that the basic problem was to kill the living xylophagous organism and thought that the best way

  cause death, it was by the cold, he developed (Spanish Patent P-

  9501237) a process aimed at protecting themselves against xylophages and eliminating them based on a cold treatment in the wooden object carrying the xylophagous insect which, at the same time as it causes its death,

  respects the fibrillary nature of the wood without causing deterioration.

  In practice, the inventor and applicant realized that the mentioned process had defects and did not take into account other

  variables, which are vital to achieving the set goals.

  The applicant considers that the combinations of temperatures and times, the cooling / heating rates are either incorrect or excessively vague, and he also realized that the ambient humidity in the room was not taken into account cold, variable

  which was essential for the proper functioning of the process.

  Ia present invention advocates a method to protect against invasions of xylophagous and eliminate them in wooden objects, those using a cooling cycle, which consists of the cooling phases from room temperature to operating temperature , dc maintenance of the operating temperature, heating of the operating temperature at ambient temperature and treatment with a chemical product against xylophages, which is characterized by the fact that the object in

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  wood, which is at room temperature, is subjected to the cooling cycle in which: a) a regime temperature between -20 () C and approximately -30 "C is reached during the cooling phase, the speed of cooling being comprised, approximately, between 4 C / hour and 12 C / hour, and the duration of this phase ranging between 2 hours and 8 hours, b) the phase of maintaining the operating temperature has a duration

between 24 and 48 hours.

  c) In the heating phase, the ambient temperature is reached, the heating rate being between 4 C / hour and 12 C / hour approximately, and the duration of this phase between 2 and 8 hours., d) in now the ambient humidity where the process takes place with a

  variation of i 20% compared to the humidity of the surrounding environment.

  It is assumed that the process which is the subject of the invention can include any of the conventional phases, such as inspection, removal of damaged parts, etc. The wooden part being subjected beforehand or not to conventional tasks, it is assumed that it has an ambient temperature, for

example of l) + 3 () C.

  A cold room is installed which, preferably, will also be at a temperature similar to room temperature to avoid cracks

in the woods.

  The wooden part is introduced into the cold room and we

  let's start for what starts to cool.

  The interior temperature of the cold room will drop

  gradually, in order to avoid possible deterioration of the wood.

  Depending on the type of xylophagous insect, the temperature suitable for causing its death or operating temperature (tr) varies. This

  temperature is between -20 C and -30 C.

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  We arrive from room temperature (ta) to the operating temperature (tr) during a cooling process which lasts at least 2 hours and,

  at the maxinmumn, 8 hours and preferably about 5 hours.

  To avoid structural or surface damage to the wood, it is preferable that the cooling rate (Ve) is around 8 C / hour, acceptable results being obtained with cooling rates (Ve)

  above 4 "C / hour and below 12 C / hour: 4 C / h (Fri (12 C / h.

  The piece of wood is kept inside the cold room at operating temperature for a minimum of 24 hours and

  48 hours maximum, the optimal duration being 36 hours.

The xylophagus is then dead.

  The reverse process is carried out, from the operating temperature (tr) to the ambient temperature (ta), to the heating rate (Vc) which is recommended for the type of wood, which will be similar (but conversely) at the cooling rate (Ve) applied during the cooling phase, in other words, the heating rate (Va) will be: 4 C / h (Va (12 C / h

  and with durations, for this phase, of between 2 and 8 hours.

  Once the essential objective has been achieved, preventive treatment is carried out with an insecticide / fungicide chemical against

  xylophages, for example a product containing lindane, such as Corpor.

  We can use a single cold room for the whole process, but, to save energy, we can use a cooling room, one or more holding rooms, and one or more heating rooms or, for phases of

  cooling / heating, several chambers used alternately.

  In any case, it is very important that the degree of humidity in the atmosphere (lc) where the process takes place, in other words, that it is

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  approximately constant in the room / s, allowing a variation of + 20%: I m + 20% (Hc (lIra -20% palr compared to the ambient humidity (UHmn) outside or surrounding. can use any conventional means, by cxcmplc a hygrometer which sends the corresponding orders to maintain the flow

  humidity, adding or removing moisture from the atmosphere.

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Claims (1)

CLAIMS P.- Method to protect against invasions of xylophagous and eliminate them in wooden objects, of those which use a cooling cycle consisting of the phases of cooling from room temperature to the operating temperature, maintaining the operating temperature, heating from the operating temperature to room temperature and treatment with a wood boring chemical, characterized in that the wooden object, which is at room temperature, is subjected to cooling cycle during which: a) in the cooling phase, a working temperature (tr) of between -20 ° C. and -30 ° C. is reached, the cooling rate (Ve) being approximately 4 ° C. / hour and 12 C / hour and the duration of this phase is between 2 and 8 hours. b) the phase of maintaining the operating temperature lasts between 24 and 48 hours.   c) in the heating phase, ambient temperature is reached, the heating rate (Vc) being between 4 C / hour and 12 C / hour approximately and the duration of this phase is between 2 and 8 hours, d) the ambient humidity (Ic) where the process takes place being maintained with a variation dc (20% relative to the humidity (Hm) of the surrounding medium.