centimeters thick moisture content varies from approximately 50 56 depending on the microwave treatment time microwave treatments logs were subject to three microwaving conditions logs were microwaved at 50 kw for 5 minutes 50 5 20 kw for 6 minutes 20 6 and 20 kw for 8 minutes 20 8 chip fiberization pulp refining and handsheet production microwaved wood chips were fiberized in a sprout waldron model d2202 single rotating 300 mm diameter disk refiner energy consumption was measured using an ohio semitronic model wh 30 11195 integrating wattmeter attached to the power supply side of the 44 8 kw electric motor feed rate through the refiner was between 10 kw and 15 kw energy reported in wh kg refiner plate settings were 0 025 inch 0 014 inch 0 010 inch and 0 008 inch pulp was collected at each pass as hot water slurry between the passes the pulp slurry was dewatered to approximately 25 solids in a porous bag by vacuum dilution water at 85 degrees celsius was then added each time as the pulp was fed into the refiner samples of the pulp were taken and tested for the canadian standard freeness csf samples refined to 100 csf handsheets were prepared and tested using tappi standard testing methods materials aspen logs were received from a mill specializing in the production of light weight coated paper logs were microwaved at microdry in louisville ky logs were debarked and chipped at fpl to a nominal size of 6 14 mm chips were placed in plastic freezer bags and frozen to prevent the growth of contaminating microorganisms log.