Non-contacting Infrared Drying- Choice of Technology, 1996 Coating Conference Proceedings

Over the past couple of years several new large coated printing paper machines have been built in Scandinavia and Europe. This trend is expected to continue with at least five more machines scheduled to start-up by the end of 1997. A trend has developed with the coating drying requirements for these new machines: all have chosen electric infrared (IR) drying. Particularly considering the size of these installations ranging from IO MW all the way up to 36 MW, combined with the high cost of electricity, this trend is considered noteworthy. These reasons for choosing electric IR over gas are discussed in this paper. New developments using resistance heated coradiator‘s or reflectors combined with primary IR application on the uncoated side of the sheet, have resulted in major gains in coated sheet quality and production. Also the overall performance in energy transfer efficiency lamp life, controllability and reliabilitv of electric IR has been dramatically improved. This paper also discusses the differences in the drying process using either gas or electric infrared dryers..