Drying paper by impinging jets of superheated steam. Part 2: Comparison of steam and air as drying fluids

The behavior of superheated steam and air as drying fluids during the constant rate period of drying paper under impinging jets was compared in the jet temperature range 20 ≤ Tj 465°C for jet Reynolds numbers of l000 ≤ Rej ≤ 12000. At equal mass flux, steam drying is faster than air drying above the inversion temperature of 175°C. Also, the specific blower power for steam drying is much lower than for air drying at temperatures in the range of industrial importance. Superheated steam impingement drying can therefore lead to important capital investment and energy cost reductions, relative to air drying.