Why Indirect Gas-Fired? Clean Heat, Controlled Drying, and the Case Against Outside Air
Product Highlight
One of the practical strengths of the HT-Series is that Nyle built a full range of models on the same platform, same operating temperature range, same construction standards, same control system, scaled to cover the full spectrum of commercial lumber drying operations. Whether you’re running a small custom sawmill or a large-volume production facility, there’s an HT-Series configuration designed for your load.
All six models operate across the same 80°F to 160°F temperature range, include heat treating capability up to 160°F, and are rated for the same benchmark drying times: 4/4 green pine from 80% MC to 8% in approximately 8 days, and 4/4 green oak from 68% MC to 6% in approximately 28 days. What changes as you move up the lineup is capacity, water removal rate, and the hardware needed to deliver that performance at scale.
The HT8 is the entry point into the HT-Series, built for load capacities of 4,000 to 15,000 board feet. It runs a 5 HP compressor, a 1.5 HP internal blower motor, and six 24-inch circulating fans at 1/2 HP each. Auxiliary heat is 12 kW. The HT8 is well-suited for custom sawyers, small-scale operations, and anyone who wants a capable high-temp dehumidification kiln without the footprint or power requirements of the larger units.
The HT18 steps up to 10,000–35,000 board feet of capacity with a 15 HP compressor, 3 HP internal blower, and four 30-inch fans at 2 HP each. Auxiliary heat jumps to 48 kW. This model is a natural fit for mid-sized sawmill operations or custom drying businesses that need meaningful throughput without committing to the infrastructure of the full industrial models.
The HT35 handles 15,000–50,000 board feet with a 25 HP compressor, 7.5 HP internal blower, and seven 36-inch fans at 5 HP each. Auxiliary heat is 96 kW, and the nominal water removal rate is 3,500 lbs per cycle, over 1,500 kg of moisture extracted. This is a serious production kiln for operations that are drying consistently and need a system that can keep pace.
The HT54 expands capacity to 24,000–80,000 board feet with a 40 HP compressor and ten 36-inch fans at 5 HP. Auxiliary heat stays at 96 kW, and water removal climbs to 5,400 lbs per cycle. At this level, the HT-Series is a core piece of production infrastructure, the kind of kiln that a sawmill’s throughput numbers are planned around.
The HT108 and HT162 are Nyle’s largest HT-Series configurations, designed for high-volume production environments. The HT108 handles 49,000–150,000 board feet with two 40 HP compressors, dual 10 HP internal blowers, and nine 36-inch fans at 5 HP. Water removal reaches 10,800 lbs per cycle. Auxiliary heat ranges from 96 to 192 kW.
The HT162 pushes the lineup’s upper limit to 73,000–225,000 board feet with three 40 HP compressors and a nominal water removal rate of 16,200 lbs per cycle. At this scale, the HT-Series is competing directly with large conventional kilns on throughput, while still delivering the energy retention and quality control advantages that dehumidification drying provides.
For operations that need capacity beyond what a single unit can provide, HT-Series units can be combined. That means the ceiling on what the platform can accommodate is essentially determined by your facility, not by Nyle’s model lineup.
Every HT-Series model includes heat treating capability up to 160°F. For operations that work with export markets or need ISPM-15 compliance for wood packaging material, this means a single kiln can handle both drying and heat treating cycles, with no separate system required. The control system manages the cycle parameters for each mode, and the high-temperature design of the unit means it can sustain the temperatures heat treating requires without strain.
The starting point is your load capacity, how many board feet you’re drying per cycle, and what you want that number to grow to. Nyle’s made-to-order approach means the chamber dimensions can be tailored to your site, so capacity planning is a conversation worth having before you finalize a model.
From there, your species mix matters. High-MC green hardwoods like oak need more time and more water removal capacity than fast-drying softwoods. If hardwoods are your primary product, sizing up on the model is rarely a mistake.
Contact Nyle to discuss your capacity needs and get a recommendation tailored to your operation.