Abstract: A pre-dryer for continuous feed or cut sheet systems is described. Such a module can be used in various applications, for example, prior to printing where the time constant for fusing and glossing is long enough that the substrate temperature essentially equilibrates with that of the marking material on the surface of the sheet. The pre-dryer may be part of an image forming device. Substrates, including paper, typically have high moisture content in normal atmospheric conditions. Such substrates may have a moisture content of about 10% water by weight, which is considered high for printing. Such high moisture content in image receiving substrates leads to various artifacts and extends heating times to take the substrate to its glossing temperature that are about four times longer than for dry media. This longer heating time translates to undesirably longer paper paths or nip lengths.

Abstract: A locker includes a pair of upstanding sidewalls and at least one compartment defined between the upstanding sidewalls. A drying compartment includes upper and lower horizontal panels, at least one of the upper and lower panels being hollow and extending at least partially between the sidewalls. A pair of compartment sidewalls are connected to the panels, at least one of the compartment sidewalls being in fluid communication with the at least one hollow upper and lower panels. A perforated rear panel is connected to the compartment sidewalls and the upper and lower panels and is in fluid communication with an interior of the drying compartment. A fan is disposed in one of the compartment sidewalls. The fan draws air from at least one hollow upper and lower panels, directs it into the interior of the drying compartment, and the air is exhausted from the compartment though the perforated rear panel.

Abstract: Exhaust air from a coater drier is sent to a desorption zone of a VOC concentration rotor. Air which comes out of the desorption zone is sent to a heat exchanger and cooled, the cooled air which comes out of the heat exchanger is sent to a cooling coil which carries out VOC concentration recovery. Air which comes out of the cooling coil is sent to an absorption zone of the VOC concentration rotor. Air which comes out of the absorption zone is sent to the heat exchanger and heated. The heated air which comes out of the heat exchanger is sent to a heating coil to be used as supply air for a coater drier. A heat pump can be used for the cooling coil which carries out cooling condensation of the organic solvent and the heating coil which heats purified air as air supply for the coater drier.

Abstract: Method for steam recapture in the drying of a tissue paper web with a cylinder that is fed from a live steam network and with a hot air hood that flows hot air onto the tissue paper web, includes the steps of: removing condensate from the cylinder; compressing the condensate to a first pressure level essentially corresponding to that of the live steam network; heating the condensate by heat exchange with the exhaust air from the hot air hood; vaporizing the condensate; and feeding generated steam into the live steam network.

Abstract: What is described is a process and an installation for drying articles, in particular painted vehicle bodies, in which the articles are moved through a drying zone in which they are hardened in an inert-gas atmosphere. Inert gas is taken from the drying zone constantly or intermittently and is first of all conducted along a first face which is at a first temperature at which higher-boiling contaminants condense out. The condensate that forms in the process is discharged. After that, the inert gas which has been pre-cleaned in this way is conducted along at least one second face which is at a lower temperature than the first face. Lower-boiling contaminants are precipitated at this point. These condensates, too, are then discharged. This process and installation work more favorably, energy-wise, and with higher cleaning efficiency than known processes and installations of a similar type.

Abstract: A method for processing a web material having a machine direction and a cross-machine direction coplanar and perpendicular thereto is disclosed herein. The method incorporates the step of first directing a web material proximate to an air foil. Steam is then applied to the web material by the air foil. Finally, the web material is processed by any downstream web material processing operation.

Abstract: A substrate processing method for a substrate processing system comprising at least a substrate processing apparatus that subjects a substrate to processing, and a substrate transferring apparatus having a transferring device that transfers the substrate, which enables the yield to be increased without bringing about a decrease in the throughput. The substrate processing method comprises a jetting step of jetting a high-temperature gas onto at least one of the transferring device and the substrate transferred by the transferring device.

Abstract: A method of drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The method includes supporting and rotating a substrate; applying a liquid to the substrate surface at or near a rotational center point via a liquid dispenser (so that a film of the liquid is formed on the surface); applying a drying fluid to the substrate surface at a predetermined distance from the rotational center point via one or more drying fluid dispensers; and manipulating the drying fluid dispenser(s) so that the location at which the drying fluid is applied to the substrate is moved in a direction toward the rotational center point, while at the same time manipulating the liquid dispenser so that the location at which the liquid is applied to the substrate is moved in a direction outward from the rotational center point. The liquid dispenser and drying fluid dispenser(s) noted above can be located on and/or within an assembly. The assembly can include a first dispenser, a second dispenser, and a third dispenser.

Abstract: What is described is a process and an installation for drying articles, in particular painted vehicle bodies, in which the articles are moved through a drying zone in which they are hardened in an inert-gas atmosphere. Inert gas is taken from the drying zone constantly or intermittently and is first of all conducted along a first face which is at a first temperature at which higher-boiling contaminants condense out. The condensate that forms in the process is discharged. After that, the inert gas which has been pre-cleaned in this way is conducted along at least one second face which is at a lower temperature than the first face. Lower-boiling contaminants are precipitated at this point. These condensates, too, are then discharged. This process and installation work more favourably, energy-wise, and with higher cleaning efficiency than known processes and installations of a similar type.

Abstract: A web coating machine for coating a web of material having first and second faces and a web travel path, the web coating machine including a tension zone in a portion of the web travel path, a fixed port structure over which the web travels, and a web positioning device including at least one gas flow port in the port structure capable of generating a vacuum that brings the first face of the web of material into contact with a portion of the port structure immediately surrounding one of more of the gas flow ports and reduces, retards or arrests longitudinal travel of the web of material through the web coating machine.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for the drying of a damp material (2), whereby the material (2) is treated in a treatment chamber (15) of a drying cabinet (1) in a mechanically immobile condition, in which air (10) is directed through the treatment chamber (15) and over a condenser (13) and the moisture in the air (10) can condense at the condenser (13) and be led away.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of cleaning a patterned photoresist clad structure involving the steps of contacting the patterned photoresist clad structure with an alcohol vapor comprising at least one compound having the Formula ROH, wherein R is a hydrocarbon group comprising from 4 to about 8 carbon atoms; condensing the alcohol vapor on the patterned photoresist clad structure; and removing the condensed alcohol vapor from the patterned photoresist clad structure. Another aspect of the present invention involves the use of an alcohol vapor having a boiling point from about 102° C. to about 175° C. Yet another aspect of the present invention involves the use of an alcohol vapor having a flash point from about 15° C. to about 80° C.

Abstract: A system, such as a gap drying system, moves a substrate having a substrate tension over a curved plate at a substrate speed such that the substrate floats over at least a region of substantially constant clearance (H0) between the substrate and the curved plate. H0 is controlled without adjusting the substrate speed and without adjusting the substrate tension.

Abstract: A mixture of lower alcohols whose mean molecular weight is 46 or less is supplied onto a surface of a semiconductor wafer cleansed with water. With this supply, the amount of alcohols left on the semiconductor wafer which has been dried can be suppressed to 2 ng/cm2 or less, and thus a gate oxide film formed on the semiconductor wafer is prevented from deterioration. As a result, a high yield of semiconductor products can be realized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drying method for removing a residual solution from a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is placed into a chamber, and then the air pressure of the chamber is lowered from atmospheric pressure to a lower pressure. Next, an inert gas with a predetermined pressure is injected into the chamber to exchange with the dissolved oxygen in the residual solution. The pressure in the chamber is reduced to 0.5˜100 torr so as to lower the boiling point of the solution and to remove the displaced oxygen. Finally, a heating process is performed to completely evaporate the residual solution on the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is described for drying a load of moist fibrous material, particularly a load of laundry washed and placed in a washer/drier machine or a clothes drier, wherein a closed-circuit flow of superheated steam at 102-180.degree. C. and substantially at atmospheric pressure is passed through the load of fibrous material. The method is characterized in that, prior to the superheated steam drying step, the air in the closed circuit is flushed therefrom with steam.

Abstract: Condensation device and suction element including a condensation device for machines for manufacturing and refining a fibrous material web. The condensation device includes at least one condensation element positioned in a region of at least one of steam formation and accumulation and a condensate receptacle. The suction element includes a hollow body coupled to a vacuum source. The hollow body is adapted to guide a transport belt carrying a moist and heated web. The suction element also includes at least one opening positioned to face the transport belt, at least one condensation element, and at least one condensate receptacle. The at least one condensation element and the at least one condensate receptacle are positioned within the hollow body.

Abstract: A steam distribution and condensate recovery system for pulp dryers has a plurality of steam heat exchangers. The system includes a steam feed conduit adjacent one end of each heat exchanger. A condensate conduit is adjacent the one end of each heat exchanger. A first connecting conduit is positioned adjacent the one end of each heat exchanger and connects each heat exchanger to the steam feed conduit. A second connecting conduit is placed adjacent the one end of each heat exchanger and connects each heat exchanger to the condensate conduit. Preferably the connecting conduits includes expansion loops. The expansion loops extend away from heat exchanger and away from access doors adjacent each heat exchanger.

Abstract: A thread is formed of one or a plurality of fans of continuous filaments on which a sizing composition is deposited. The moisture content on the thread is controlled by subjecting the fans of filaments to a current of air transversely to the direction of movement of the filaments between the zone in which the size is deposited and the zone in which the filaments are gathered together.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous drying of moist materials in superheated steam comprises a drying enclosure 10, open-ended inlet and outlet ducts 11, 12 communicating with the enclosure, and conveyors 13, 14, 15 for conveying the material to be dried along the inlet duct, through the enclosure and along the outlet duct. Superheated steam is generated in the enclosure from the moisture in the material 19 being dried by circulating the initial gas within the enclosure between a heat source 23 and the material, and/or by the injection into the enclosure of superheated steam from an external source. The inlet duct 11 and outlet duct 12 both extend downwardly from the enclosure 10 and a vent duct 22 from the enclosure has an outlet 26 normally at a level midway along the two ducts. In use, superheated steam tending to pass downwardly along the ducts meets external air tending to pass upwardly along the ducts and forms within each duct a temperature and density differential stratification layer 21.

Abstract: A method of printing a material web includes the steps of applying ink to the material web, subsequently drying the material web with the use of heat and subsequently drying the material web, and, after cooling and prior to further processing, moistening the material web while simultaneously applying heat to the material web, and subsequently once again cooling the material web. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes, in a travel direction, a printing unit, a drying section following the printing unit, a cooling section following the drying section, a moistening section following the cooling section, and an after-cooling section following the moistening section.

Abstract: A drying system for drying textiles. The textile drying system includes an enclosed dryer having heating elements located therein, a feed system for continuously feeding textiles through the dryer, and a dehumidifier for directing conditioned air into the dryer. The textiles are dried in the dryer due to a combination of the heating elements located in the dryer and the conditioned air directed into the dryer by the dehumidifier. The dehumidifier conditions the ambient air to a selected temperature and relative humidity, and directs this air into the dryer. An exhaust port located in the dryer provides an opening for air within the dryer to exit to the atmosphere. The speed at which textiles are advanced through the dryer by the feed system is controlled by a moisture sensor which senses the moisture content of the textile goods exiting the dryer 12 and controls the speed of the feed system accordingly.

Abstract: A method and a system serve to completely or partially dehydrate sludge by evaporation which originates from e.g. sewage. The sludge is dried with addition of heat in a drying chamber (2), the sludge being transported on an endless travelling grate (3) from an inlet opening (8) in the drying chamber (2) to a discharge opening (9) in it. The sludge is deposited on the grate in a plurality of juxtaposed sludge strings (18) by means of an extruder (6), in which the sludge is preheated to almost 100.degree. C. prior to extrusion. The extruded strings (18) are then heated with such an intensity that the water in the sludge immediately begins to boil, and that a zone of preferably saturated water steam is formed at any rate in the immediate vicinity of the sludge. This provides a light and porous, dried sludge product which is in no way either burnt or scorched, and which constitutes excellent fuel as well as excellent compost.