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The Kadant Blog

Optimization


Steam, Paper Drying, and the Bottom Line

Because energy drives the papermaking process, steam is found in many energy streams in a paper mill. Steam is used to cook fibers for improved sheet strength, heat stock for improved drainage, heat process air for ventilation, heat dryers to dry paper, and selectively heat the web for improved gloss and smoothness.

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Paper Dryer Fabric Tension Impacts Dryer Performance

Dryer fabrics, often called dryer “felts”, are used to hold paper against the outer surfaces of steam-heated drying cylinders. The pressure from the dryer fabrics increases the rate of heat transfer from the dryer to the paper. The pressure that is applied to the paper depends on the fabric tension and the diameter of the dryer. The pressure can be calculated, as a first approximation, by the equation:

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Dryer Syphons

It has been well-documented that the distance between the condensate entrance of a syphon and the dryer shell, referred to as the syphon clearance, has considerable influence on the operational efficiency of a paper dryer. Suboptimal clearance adversely affects heat transfer capacity and the cross-machine temperature uniformity of the cylinder.

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Steam Hammer in Continuous Casting of Steel

Continuous casting of steel is the process where molten steel is solidified into a semi-finished billet, bloom, or slab for subsequent rolling in the finishing mills. Effective water cooling of continuous casting rolls is critical. Any drop in water pressure, even from a leaking hose, can result in reduced water flow causing water to remain in the rolls longer than recommended.

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Pressure Powered Pump Alternative Reduces Maintenance

There are thousands of electric centrifugal pumps in service used to pump condensate. These pumps are either simplex or duplex condensate pump units and operated with a mechanical float switch assembly.

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Dryer Bars and Paper Dryer Performance

Dryer bars are axial bars placed on the inside of steam-heated paper dryers to create turbulence in the rimming condensate layer. If the spacing of the bars is chosen correctly, resonant waves are created in the condensate film, between each pair of bars.

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