Abstract: A steam dryer for pressed fibrous material, such as sugar beet cossettes, has a pressurized, horizontally arranged pipe or drum (1) closed at both ends and provided with a diametrically opposed supply manifold and exhaust manifold piping (5, 6) for the steam. At least one heat exchanger (7) is arranged in a lengthwise half of the pressurized pipe and extends across the entire steam flow-through cross-section. Endless loop screen or mesh belts (8, 8', 8") are arranged one above the other in the other lengthwise half of the pressurized pipe. These belts are driveable in opposite directions for conveying the material to be dried, and to transfer the material from an upper belt to a lower belt. The mesh belts (8) define separation planes between pressure and exhaust chambers (24, 25) which are alternatingly arranged above and below each respective mesh belt.