METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTACT-FREE DRYING OF A PAPER WEB OR EQUIVALENT

Abstract: The invention concerns a method in drying and/or cooling of a web. In the method the web (W) is passed over the circumference of a blow drum (10) or equivalent, and the web (W) is dried by means of a drying gas that is blown out of openings (44) that have been made into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) into the gap between the outer face of the blow drum (10) and the web (W). A support zone (11) formed by pressurized gas is formed between the outer face of the blow drum (10) and the web (W), and in the method the moistened gas is passed out of the support zone (11) into the interior of the blow drum (10) through openings (46) that have been made into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) into a set of exhaust ducts placed inside the blow drum (10). In the method the web (W) to be dried is supported in the lateral areas by means of a revolving edge support (22) placed at each end of the blow drum (10) separate from the blow drum (10), and the support zone (11) is sealed in the running direction of the web (W) by means of the circumferential faces and/or friction faces of the edge supports (22). The invention also concerns a device in drying and/or cooling of a web.

Description: Method and device for contact-free drying of a paper web or equivalent The invention concerns a method in drying and/or cooling of a web, in which method the web is passed over the circumference of a blow drum or equivalent, in which method the web is dried by means of a drying gas that is blown out of openings that have been made into the mantle of the blow drum into the gap between the outer face of the blow drum and the web, in which connection a support zone formed by pressurized gas is formed between the outer face of the blow drum and the web, and in the method the moistened gas is passed out of the support zone into the interior of the blow drum through openings that have been made into the mantle of the blow drum into a set of exhaust ducts placed inside the blow drum. The invention also concerns a device in drying and/or cooling of a web, which device is composed of a blow drum or equivalent, the web to be dried being fitted to run over the circumference of the blow drum, in the interior of which blow drum a system of gas ducts has been formed, which communicates with blow openings that have been formed into the mantle of the blow drum so as to form a support zone formed by pressurized gas between the outer face of the blow drum and the web to be dried, and with exhaust openings that have been formed into the mantle of the blow drum for removal of the moistened gas out of the support zone. The highest web speeds in paper machines are currently of an order of 25 metres per second, but before long, the speed range of 25...40 m/s is also likely to be taken into use. Even with the highest speeds that are employed now, and with the ever higher speeds in the future, especially the dryer section has become and will be a bottle-neck for the runnability of a paper machine. As is known from the prior art, in multi-cylinder dryers of paper machines, twin- wire-draw and/or single-wire draw is/are employed. In the former case, the groups of drying cylinders comprise two wires, which press the web, one from above and the other one from below, against the heated cylinder faces. Between the rows of cylinders, which are usually horizontal rows, the web has free and unsupported draws, which are susceptible of fluttering, which may result in web breaks. In said single- wire draw, each group of drying cylinders comprises one drying wire only, on whose support the web runs through the whole group so that, on the drying cylinders, the drying wire presses the web against the heated cylinder faces, and on the reversing cylinders between the drying cylinders the web remains at the side of the outside curve. Thus, in single-wire draw, the drying cylinders are placed outside the wire loop, and the reversing cylinders inside the loop. In the prior-art normal groups with single-wire draw, the heated drying cylinders are placed in the upper row, and the reversing cylinders are placed in the lower row, said rows being, as a rule, horizontal and parallel to one another. So-called inverted groups with single- wire draw are also known, in which the heated drying cylinders are placed in the lower row and the reversing suction cylinders or rolls in the upper row, the substan¬ tial objective being to dry the web from the side opposite in relation to a normal group with single- wire draw. In the area of the dryer section of a paper machine, various problems have occurred, for which the present invention is supposed to suggest novel efficient solutions. These problems include the large length of the dryer section, which increases the costs of the dryer section and of the machine hall. Nor is it desirable to enlarge the diameter of drying cylinders in order to increase the capacity because the drying cylinder is basically a pressure vessel and because large rotating masses create problems. Problems have also been caused by the difference in speed between the paper web and the wires, which has resulted in wear of the wires and, at the worst, even in paper breaks in the dryer section. Problems may also have occurred in the controllability of the web draw and in the runnability of the web. The cross-direction shrinkage, which deteriorates the quality of the paper or board, has also been a problem, especially when the cross-direction shrinkage is uneven. With respect to the prior art related to the present invention, reference can be made, for example, to the following publications. A method for drying of paper in a paper machine is described in the SE Patent 463,568, by means of which method cross-direction shrinkage of the paper web is influenced and favourably prevented in a paper machine comprising at least one heated drying cylinder and at least one drying wire, in which paper machine the paper web is passed over the drying cylinder in direct contact with its cylinder face at the same time as the drying wire is passed from outside onto the paper web, wherein the longitudinal edges of the paper web are sucked into contact with one or several cylinders while the web is carried around these cylinders. Thus, in the solution described in this cited publication, suction is used in connection with the drying cylinder, and the web to be dried is in a direct contact with the face of the drying cylinder. Also, the paper web is supported by the cylinder face over its entire width while the paper web is running over the drying cylinders. The EP Patent 0,238,470 describes a device in the dryer section of a paper machine, preferably in the dryer section of a cylinder dryer, which device permits control of shrinkage and/or stretch of the paper web in the cross direction of the web, in relation to the running direction of the dryer section, by means of belts, most commonly two belts, which belts extend or run through the whole dryer section or a part of it and which belts are arranged in the lateral area of the paper web so that they distribute the force that is directed perpendicularly to the running direction of the web and which force mainly acts in said lateral areas of the paper web, where the belt and/or the paper web is coated with an adhesive layer from the side of the web/belt that is placed towards the paper web/belt in which case the belt and the paper web act upon each other. In the arrangement described in this cited publica¬ tion, the paper web is attached by its edges to a separate support belt, which belt is again aligned with a groove arranged on the circumference of the cylinder. In the SE Patent 468,217, a carrying device for passing the stock web through the dryer section of a paper machine is described, in which device carrying belts are arranged on both sides of the stock web in its edge areas in the longitudinal direc¬ tion, which carrying belts are passed onto rolls, operated by guide members, and grasp corresponding grooves arranged on the rolls, and thereby shrinkage in the cross direction is prevented. The guide members of each dryer belt comprise a number of individual guides that are placed in pairs above and below the carrier belt and the stock web. In an arrangement in accordance with this cited publication, paper is attached from its edges by means of two mechanical chains, and this arrangement is meant for very slow speeds only. In the FI published Patent Application 895928, a suction roll is described in which the paper web adheres to the face of the suction roll over its whole width, and an intensified hold is arranged in the lateral areas of the suction roll. The suction roll in accordance with said publication comprises a perforated roll mantle and a suction space inside the roll mantle, which suction space can be subjected to a vacuum, in which case a suction flow enters through the perforations in the roll into the roll interior and the paper web is pressed towards the outer face of the roll mantle. The suction space is divided at least into three vacuum spaces in the direction of width of the roll, while the suction space comprises at least two partition walls inside the roll, by means of which partition walls the suction roll is divided into different vacuum zones, in which case it is possible to provide the outer vacuum spaces with a higher vacuum than the vacuum space in the mid area of the roll, whereby the vacuum profile is arranged to be growing towards the edges of the roll across the width of the roll and whereby the percentage of shrinkage in the lateral areas of the paper web is reduced, when a roll in accordance with the invention is used, which has a favourable effect on the evenness of said shrinkage. The FI Patent 84, 088 describes a method in the transfer of a paper web for reducing and equalizing the cross-direction shrinkage of the paper web in the dryer section of a paper machine. The drying wire is provided, in its lateral areas, with an adhesive substance for the time of the process, in which connection, by means of adhesion means, an adhesion force is produced in the drying stage between the lateral areas of the wire and the paper, whereby cross-direction shrinkage of the paper web is prevented. The adhesive substance is removed when it is no longer needed. The US Patent 4,980,979 describes a suction roll whose function is to provide at least one end of the roll with a higher vacuum level than the rest of the roll in order to make threading of the web easier and which suction roll, thus, has a function corresponding to that described in the FI Patent Application 895928. With respect to the prior art, reference can also be made to the FI Patents Nos. 64,335 and 82,019, in which no support wire is used, but the web is carried by an airborne nozzle blowing. With respect to the prior art most closely related to the present invention, reference is made to the applicant's FI Patent Application 943040, in which a method and a device in drying and cooling of a paper web or equivalent are described, in which prior-art method, in the drying and cooling of the paper web or equivalent, the web is passed over the circumference of a revolving roll or equivalent on support of a support wire or equivalent on the face of the support wire or equivalent that is placed facing the roll, and in which method the web is dried and/or cooled by means of a gas. It has been considered novel in this method that drying and/or cooling gas is blown through openings that have been made into the mantle of the roll into the space between the outer face of the roll and the web supported by the support wire or equivalent, whereby a support zone formed by pressurized gas is formed between the outer face of the roll and the web, and in the method the humidified gas is passed out of the support zone into the interior of the roll through openings that have been made into the mantle of the roll, into a system of ducts placed inside the roll. An object of the present invention is further development of the above solution and to provide an arrangement in which problems connected with the cross-direction shrinkage of the paper web are especially taken into consideration in the drying of the paper web. A further object of the invention is further development of the solution described above so that the diameter of the drying drum does not impose limitations but can be chosen freely, as well as the geometry of the dryer group formed by means of the drying drums can be chosen freely without deterioration of the efficiency. Another object of the invention is further development of the above solution so that the drying can be arranged only on the part of the drying drum that is covered by the material to be dried as well as so that it is possible to use a so-called geometry of inverted group. A further object of the invention is further development of the above solution so that the proportion of revolving masses in the dryer group is minimized. An additional object of the invention is to develop the prior-art solution so that the construction is carried out in a simple and easy manner and, additionally, so that the drying of the paper web can be made as uniform as possible. In view of achieving the objectives stated above and those that will come out later, the method in accordance with the invention is mainly characterized in that, in the method, the web to be dried is supported in the lateral areas by means of a revolving edge support placed at each end of the blow drum separate from the blow drum, and that in the method the support zone is sealed in the running direction of the web by means of the circumferential faces and/or friction faces of the edge supports. On the other hand, the device in accordance with the invention is mainly character¬ ized in that, in connection with the ends of the blow drum, apart from the blow drum, revolving edge supports are provided, which are fitted to support and to guide the web to be dried, and that the blow drum is fitted stationarily in its position by means of support constructions. Thus, by means of the arrangement in accordance with the invention a contact-free mode of drying supported by the edges is provided, in which mode of drying the material web runs supported by an air cushion. In an arrangement like this, it is possible to use high temperatures, and the geometry of the dryer group can be chosen freely, because the efficiency is not lowered. The height of the air cushion is chosen suitable for the edge supports by means of the ratio of blow air to exhaust air, and the support of the edges can be made more effective by subjecting the circumferential and/or friction faces of the edge supports to a vacuum. Thus, suction is used in the effective section only. In the arrangement in accordance with the invention only the edges of the web and/or of the support band are supported, and the support zone, i.e. air cushion, is formed between the stationary nozzle face of the drum and the web. In this arrange¬ ment air circulation can be arranged either through the nip opening or through the ends. In the arrangement in accordance with the invention, only the edge supports revolve, sealing the support zone at the same time, and they are mounted in bearings outside the blow area and isolated from the blow area, in which case it is possible to use blow air of high temperature. Very good possibilities for the control of cross-direction shrinkage, taking place during drying of the paper web or a corresponding web-like material, are achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the invention, because the outer circumferences of the equipment can easily be arranged to increase the hold at the edge and, additionally, if required, cooling can be arranged in them, and the mid part and the ends of the drying drum can be isolated from each other. The edges are supported by means of a vacuum, in which case a direct blowing or an airborne nozzle blow can be applied onto the face of the web material to be dried, and the pressure of the supporting air cushion can be chosen by means of the pressure ratio of the blow air to the exhaust air into/out of the blow drum. If necessary the blow openings in the blow drum can be provided with suitable nozzles in which case a suitable distance is achieved between the blow drum and the web material to be dried. Additionally, the coverage angle on the drying drum can be chosen as desired in accordance with the rest of the geometry of the group. It is possible to use the device in accordance with the invention either as provided with a support band or without a band. In one exemplifying embodiment of the invention, it is possible to divide the blow drum into blocks in the longitudinal direction of the web, in which case the tempera¬ ture of the blow air can be regulated in the zones in the longitudinal direction of the web. Additionally, the stationary blow drum can be divided into blocks, in which case it is possible to regulate both the profile and the speed and the temperature. Additionally, in the arrangement in accordance with the invention the type of the nozzles can be chosen in accordance with the grade of the paper or board and thus, the thickness and strength factors of paper or board can be taken into account, such as, for example, dry solids content, porosity, etc. The blow face of the drum can be divided into different temperature areas by using division of the drum into zones in the longitudinal direction and in the cross direction of the web, in which case it is also possible to regulate the web profile both in the longitudinal direction and in the cross direction. In an arrangement in accordance with the invention, the edge supports operate as sealing faces for the air cushion, and the mid area of the drum can, thus, be isolated from the lateral areas. In this way, for example, mounting in bearings and corresponding arrangements can be carried out in ordinary conditions, and the temperature and moisture circumstances otherwise influential in the drying need not be taken into account when choosing said arrangements. The edge supports can be provided with cooling if necessary. In view of energy consumption, direct gas heating is the most advantageous application for the heating of the drying drum in accordance with the invention. Naturally, other alternatives occurring to a person skilled in the art are also possible within the scope of the invention. In the arrangement in accordance with the invention, a difference in pressure is brought about over the web-like material, and the thickness of the support zone, i.e. air cushion, is chosen in compliance with the distance of the circumference of the edge supports, i.e. the equivalent diameter. Since, by means of the edge support, an additional support has been created in the lateral areas of the web to be dried, the rest of the web to be dried can be equalized easily while drying and, thus, cross- direction shrinkage of the web can be controlled and especially any tensions that may follow from said shrinkage are eliminated. In the arrangement in accordance with the invention, roughening of the circumference of the edge supports, formation of grooves or other friction enhancing element can be used as additional support, if required, and this can be enhanced further by subjecting the friction faces to a vacuum. In the arrangement in accordance with the invention, the web can also be spread by fitting the circular edge support faces to open in the direction of progress of the web. The spreading effect is based on the fact that the web can be stretched also in the cross direction in the dry solids content area in which it is stretched (drawn) in the longitudinal direction. The opening angle of the edge supports can be made adjustable, in which case the extent of the stretch can be regulated by means of the opening angle. When a support wire is used in connection with the web, the edges of the support wire are arranged penetrable to air so that the vacuum effect produced by the arrangement is not transferred to the wire. At a higher dry solids content, the opening angle of the edge supports can be used to maintain the existing web width, for example, to eliminate the shrinkage of the web in free gaps. By means of spreading of the web it is possible to affect the uniformity of quality in the product in respect of factors of strength, to improve the runnability, and to increase the production. In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawing, the invention being by no means strictly confined to the details of said illustrations. Figs. 1A...1F are schematic illustrations of an exemplifying embodiment of the invention, in which illustrations Fig. IA is a schematic sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the drum, Figs. IB... ID are schematic sectional views in the cross direction of the drum in accordance with the intersection marks in Fig. IA, Fig. IE is a schematic three-dimensional illustration of the drum in accordance with the invention, and Fig. IF is a schematic illustration of an exemplifying embodiment of the nozzle arrangement of the blow drum. Figs. 2A...2B are schematic illustrations of a second exemplifying embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 schematically shows a mode of sealing the nip between the drum and the guide roll. Fig. 4 schematically shows an embodiment in which the guide rolls in contact with the drum are fitted to be displaceable. Figs. 5A and 5B schematically show an embodiment of a friction face provided on the circumference of the edge support. Figs. 5C...5H show different modes of arrangement of the edge support of the web and/or support band. Fig. 51 schematically shows the edge supports that open in the direction of progress of the web. Fig. 6 schematically shows a sector suction arrangement fitted in connection with the edge support of the blow drum in accordance with the invention. Figs. 7 A and 7B schematically show examples of regulation arrangements for use with the invention for regulation of the temperature and the blow pressure in connection with the cross-direction profile of the drum and/or with the zone division of the drum in the longitudinal direction. Fig. 7C schematically shows an arrangement in which a blow drum in accordance with the invention is divided into evaporation zones in the longitudinal direction of the web, and Fig. 7D schematically shows an arrangement connected with the hold of the edge when the web to be dried is passed from a drum onto a roll or from a drum onto a drum. Figs. 8A...8D schematically show certain basic embodiments of dryer groups that can be provided by means of an arrangement in accordance with the invention. The device in accordance with the invention shown in Figs. 1 A... IE is a drum 10 or equivalent, whose mantle 12 is provided with holes 44,46. Drying gas P in is passed into the drum 10, which gas is blown through the holes 44 onto the surface of the web-like material W to be dried, for example a paper web. Since, in this exemp¬ lifying embodiment of the invention, the web W is supported by the support band 15, a positive pressure is formed between the outer face of the drum 10 and the web W. By means of a suitable blow pressure the web W is separated from the face of the drum 10, which permits the flow of the drying gas, which gas is usually heated air, from the intake holes 44 to the air cushion 11 and from the air cushion 11 into the exhaust holes 46, and the drying process proper takes place. With a suitable blow pressure, which pressure depends on the force that the support band 15 applies to the web W, i.e. on the tension of the wire, a support zone consisting of pressur¬ ized gas, a so-called air cushion 11, is formed between the outer face of the drum 10 and the web W supported by the wire 15, which air cushion 11 carries and dries the web. The blown gas/air is dry and heated and, thus, binds humidity. The blow speed is 20...150 metres per second, preferably 40...120 metres per second, and the temperature of the drying gas during drying is 30...450 °C, preferably 70...350 °C. The humid gas is removed from the support zone 11 through the exhaust holes 46 between the blow holes 44. Additionally, it is possible to use direct-blow nozzles that blow perpendicularly towards the web or, for example, a pressure nozzle technique as shown in Fig. IF, in which case the blowing takes place through slot nozzles and the exhaust passages are between the slots. The rest of the drum 10 face than the gas flow openings 44,46 can be smooth or grooved. The grooves can be placed in the longitudinal or cross direction to the mantle of the drum 10 or in between these, i.e. diagonal. The grooves can also be radial in relation to the blow or exhaust holes 44,46. The drying gas P in is passed through the ducts 13 through the holes 44 in the mantle 12 face of the drum 10 into the zone between the outer face of the drum 10 and the web W, into which zone an air cushion 11 is formed. Between the intake holes 44 there are exhaust holes 46, through which exhaust holes the gas that has bound the humidity from the web W is removed through exhaust ducts 14. Supported by the wire 15, the web W is passed over the alignment roll 61 onto the face of the drying drum 10. In Fig. IA, the rotating edge support is denoted with the reference numeral 22, and the outer circumference of the edge support forms, together with the support band 15, sealing faces for the support zone, i.e. for the air cushion 11. The edge supports 22, which are also isolated 21 , revolve around the axle 27 thus drawing the support band 15 around the circumference of the drum 10. The blow drum 10 is mounted stationary by means of support structures 23. Additionally, the air-intake and exhaust-air ducts 13,14 can function as support members for the drum 10. The air- intake and exhaust-air arrangements can also be placed so that the air ducts 13, 14 pass through the ends of the drum 10. Fig. IB is a schematic sectional view taken along the line B— B in Fig. IA, in which sectional view the guide rolls 61 are shown, by whose means the web W to be dried and the support band 15 are passed around the drum 10 and away from the drum 10. As is shown in the figure, the intake air flow P in is passed in the air-intake duct 13 into the drum 10 interior, from where it is passed through the blow holes 44 to the area of the support zone 11, and the exhaust air is removed through the exhaust holes 46. In Fig. IC, in the sectional view taken along the line C— C in Fig. IA, the exhaust air duct 14 of the blow drum 10 is shown, through which the exhaust air coming from the holes 46 is passed out of the drum 10 interior as an exhaust air flow P out . Fig. ID is an end view seen in the direction A— A in Fig. IA, in which the edge supports 22 of the drum 10 and the axle 27 of the supports are shown, which axle is fitted to revolve on the bearing 27L mounted on the support constructions 23. The diameter of the drum is indicated by a dashed line in the figure. In accordance with Fig. IE, the edge supports 22 of the blow drum 10 revolve around the axle 27. At the same time the edge supports 22 seal the air system. A groove 22U for the threading ropes is arranged in connection with the edge support 22 at one end for threading of the web. A suction P A is applied through the axles 27, by means of which suction the hold of the web produced by the edge supports 22 is enhanced. Isolation 21 can be arranged in connection with the edge support 22, and the area between the edge supports 22 of the blow drum 10, in which area a support zone, i.e. an air cushion, drying the web is formed, has a positive pressure of about 0...5000 Pa. In Fig. IE the support constructions of the drum 10 are denoted generally with the reference numeral 23, and the figure also shows the air intake duct 13 and the exhaust air duct 14. A groove 17 or equivalent can be arranged in the drum 10 to permit passage of any paper lumps, i.e. clods, that may be carried along by the web to be dried. Fig. IF shows an arrangement for the nozzle arrangement of the blow drum 10, in which arrangement the nozzle face 18 formed on the face of the drum 10 is formed curved so that it passes air from the intake openings 44 to the support zone, and, on the other hand, the faces passing to the exhaust openings or holes 46 are fitted to guide the exhaust air flow P out into the duct 46 and further on into the exhaust duct 14 (for example FIG. IE). In the exemplifying embodiment of the invention shown in Figs 2A...2B the blow device 10 is formed so that several guide rolls or wheels 71 are fitted in connection with the mantle 12 of the drum 10 so that they form edge supports 22 that have the shape of an arc of a circle. There are support bands 15x running around the guide rolls or wheels 71 and around the additional guide rolls or wheels 71', and the web W to be dried is passed via the guide rolls 61 over said arc of a circle. Air is blown to the air support zone through the blow openings 44 made into the mantle 12, which air support zone is formed between the support bands 15x and the wire 15, drying the paper web W or equivalent. The edges of the wire 15 are supported by the support bands 15x, which are placed on the revolving guide and axle parts 72,73. Fig. 3 shows a safety gap E arranged between the blow drum 10 and the guide rolls 61 , and it schematically shows a method of sealing the nip N between the drum 10 and the guide roll 61 , into which nip the web W is passed supported by the wire. A blow device 25 is placed in the nip area, by means of which device a sealing blow P25 is blown against the running direction of the support fabric and the web W, and correspondingly at the opposite side in the running direction, in which connection these nips are sealed. Fig. 4 schematically shows an embodiment in which the guide rolls 61 of the edge support 22 are fitted displaceable by means of a spring 62 connected with the arm 63. Figs. 5 A and 5B schematically show an embodiment in which suction is applied to the area of the edge supports 22. The hold of the web W is arranged by means of grooves 59 on the edge supports. The reference denotation I refers to one suction sector, and the reference arrow P A the vacuum suction produced. The figures show an embodiment of the friction face on the circumference of the edge support 22. The grooves 59 can be subjected to a vacuum through the passage 59', and the form of a parallelogram in the grooving eliminates any discontinuity in the friction face. Fig. 5C shows an embodiment of the blow drum 10 with a support band 15, in which embodiment the grip of the web W on the edge support 22 can be adjusted by the tightness of the support band 15 (tightness force 22M). In the embodiment in Fig. 5D the grip of the web W on the edge support 22 is made more effective by means of a vacuum via the ducts 53. Cooling of the edge of the support band 15 can be carried out by cooling the edge supports 22, for example, by means of air. Through the duct 54, for example, outside air is passed into the duct 54 made inside the edge support 22 in which way the edge of the support band 15 can be. cooled. The cooling medium can, naturally, also be other than air, for example liquid or some other gas. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5E and 5F, edges of the support band 15 or of the web W are supported on the circumference of the edge supports 22 by means of separate loop bands 57. The tension of the support bands 15 is adjusted by means of displaceable guide rolls or wheels 56. Figs. 5G and 5H show the support of the edges of the support band 15 or of the web W against the circumference of the edge supports 22 by means of the blow boxes 58, by means of which blow boxes a backup support effect is created, whose hold effect consists of the blow pressure multiplied by the desired surface area. Fig. 51 schematically shows the edge supports 22 that open in the direction of progress S of the web W, viewed from above. At a suitable dry solids content of the web W, it is possible to install the edge supports 22 opening in the direction of progress S of the web W, in which case the web W can be stretched in the cross direction. The ratio of the spreading per side to the opening angle is tan a = x/2/D wherein α is the opening angle and D is the diameter of the edge support 22, in which connection the distance that the web runs during spreading is x = π • D/2. A number of such units made out of edge supports 22 can be arranged one after the other, in which connection passing of the web W from one unit to the other takes place, for example, by means of a turning roll. The opening angle a of the edge support 22 is preferably adjustable, for example by adjusting the turning angle of the shaft 27 in the direction of the arrow S 2 and by moving the frame construction 23 in the direction indicated by the arrow S j . When a support wire is used, its edges must be penetrable to air, so that the vacuum effect does not pass to the wire. Fig. 6 schematically shows the sector-suction area SI of the edge supports 22, in which sector-suction area the suction effect can be arranged in the desired sector area SI on the circumference of the edge supports 22. In such a case, the web W to be dried is passed from the guide roll 61 over the sector SI and further away from the guide roll 61. The sector area SI can be chosen as of desired length, i.e. so that it comprises a certain number of sectors, and the guide rolls 61 can be shifted to the desired location. Fig. 7 A is a schematic illustration of an exemplifying embodiment of separate temperature regulation of the cross-direction profile and/or longitudinal segment division, wherein the segments on the stationary drum 10 are each of them provided with their own heat sources 67, into which heat sources the air is passed by means of a blower 68. Fig. 7B is a schematic illustration of an exemplifying embodiment of separate temperature and blow pressure regulation in the cross-direction profile and/or longitudinal segment division of the blow drum 10. In this exemplifying embodiment each air intake pipe 13 is provided with a heat source 67 of its own and with a blower 68 of its own. Fig. 7C shows division of the blow drum 10 into two segments 10, ,10 2 in the longitudinal direction of the web, in which case different drying values can be used in the longitudinal direction of the web W by adjusting the drying values of the segments 10ι ,10 2 as desired. As is shown in Fig. 7D in the grip of the edge of the web W on a run from a drum 10 to a roll 80 or from a drum 10 to a drum 10, support bands 85 can also be used. The band 85 is placed at each edge of the drum 10, the bands are pervious to air and so robust that they hold the shrinkage force of the web W. The contact grip of the section supported by the band 85 is created by a separate vacuum device 86 which, when sealed against the band 85 and sucking through it, attaches the web W to the band 85. Fig. 8A schematically shows a typical dryer group R with or without a wire pro¬ vided with blow drums 10 in accordance with the invention, which dryer group comprises large blow drums 10 and small drums 11 between them. All blow drums 10, 11 comprise suction sectors SI of the length of the web contact. Between the drums 10,11 there are reversing rolls 61 whose edge zones are subjected to a vacuum. In accordance with Fig. 8B, the dryer group R is composed of blow drums 10, in which dryer group the web W to be dried runs over the blow drums 10 on the suction zones SI, guided by the reversing rolls 61. Thus the group R shown in Fig. 8B mainly corresponds to the preceding one but the geometry is different. One-sided drying is eliminated by means of a so-called inverted group R A , which is also composed of blow drums 10 A in accordance with the invention, between which there are rolls or suction rolls 61 A. The draw with no wire meets the requirements imposed on an inverted group. In the group gap R-R A the web W is passed from the reversing roll 61 of the preceding group R straight onto the reversing roll 61 A of the following group R A . Fig. 8C schematically shows a dryer group R with or without a wire provided with blow drums 10 in accordance with the invention, in which group the web W to be dried runs supported from its edges by edge supports and guided by the drum and the rolls or by suction rolls 61 and so that both faces of the web W are alternatingly turned towards the face of the drying drum 10. Fig. 8D shows an embodiment corresponding to the preceding one but without rolls. The web W runs directly from the drum 10 to the drum 10. Above, the invention has been described with reference to some preferred exemplify¬ ing embodiments of same only, the invention being, however, not supposed to be strictly confined to the details of said embodiments. Many variations and modifica¬ tions are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the following patent claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A method in drying and/or cooling of a web, in which method the web (W) is passed over the circumference of a blow drum (10) or equivalent, in which method the web (W) is dried by means of a drying gas that is blown out of openings (44) that have been made into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) into the gap between the outer face of the blow drum (10) and the web (W), in which connection a support zone (11) formed by pressurized gas is formed between the outer face of the blow drum (10) and the web (W), and in the method the moistened gas is passed out of the support zone (11) into the interior of the blow drum (10) through openings (46) that have been made into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) into a set of exhaust ducts placed inside the blow drum (10), characterized in that, in the method, the web (W) to be dried is supported in the lateral areas by means of a revolving edge support (22) placed at each end of the blow drum (10) separate from the blow drum (10), and that in the method the support zone (11) is sealed in the running direction of the web (W) by means of the circumferential faces and/or friction faces of the edge supports (22). 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that in the method the web (W) to be dried is passed by means of the edge supports (22) to run at a distance from the face of the blow drum (10) supported by the support zone (11). 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height of the support zone (11), i.e. the distance of the web (W) from the face of the blow drum (10), is adjusted by regulating the ratio of the drying gas blown in through the openings (44) in the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) to the exhaust gas removed through the exhaust openings (46) in the mantle of the blow drum (10). 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 to 3, characterized in that in the method the support of the web (W) to be dried in the area of the edge supports (22) is made more effective by creating a vacuum in the area of the circumferential or friction faces of the edge supports (22). 5. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the method the edge supports (22) are isolated by means of an isolation material. 6. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the method drying of the web (W) to be dried is regulated in the longitudinal direction of the web (W) by adjusting the drying values of the longitudinal sections (10ι ,10 2 ) arranged in the blow drum (10). 7. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the method the cross-direction profile of the web (W) is regulated by adjusting the drying values of the cross-direction sections in the blow drum (10). 8. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the method the edge areas of the web (W) to be dried are supported by the edge supports (22) of the blow drum (10) so that the part of the web (W) to be dried running over the support zone (11) can be equalized freely while drying, in which connection the cross-direction shrinkage of the web (W) is controlled. 9. A method as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in the method the web (W) is stretched in the cross direction by turning the edge supports (22) to open at an opening angle (a) in the direction of progress (S) of the web (W). 10. A device in drying and/or cooling of a web, which device is composed of a blow drum (10) or equivalent, the web (W) to be dried being fitted to run over the circumference of the blow drum (10), in the interior of which blow drum (10) a system of gas ducts (13,14) has been formed, which communicates with blow openings (44) that have been formed into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) so as to form a support zone (11) formed by pressurized gas between the outer face of the blow drum (10) and the web (W) to be dried, and with exhaust openings (46) that have been formed into the mantle (12) of the blow drum (10) for removal of the moistened gas out of the support zone (11), characterized in that, in connection with the ends of the blow drum (10), apart from the blow drum (10), revolving edge supports (22) are provided, which are fitted to support and to guide the web (W) to be dried, and that the blow drum (10) is fitted stationarily in its position by means of support constructions (23). 11. A device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the edge supports (22) are fitted to revolve around the axle (27) of the blow drum (10). 12. A device as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that guide rolls (61) are arranged in connection with the blow drum (10) in order to guide the material (W) to be dried onto the blow drum (10) and away from the blow drum (10). 13. A device as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 12, characterized in that a system of ducts (53) is arranged in connection with the edge supports (22) in order to produce a vacuum in the area of the circumference of the edge supports (22) to make the grip of the web (W) in the edge areas more effective. 14. A device as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the blow drum (10) is arranged in sections (10ι ,10 2 ) in the longitudinal direction of the web. 15. A device as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the blow drum (10) is divided into sections in the cross direction of the web (11). 16. A device as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the circumference of the edge supports can be cooled (FIG. 5D). 17. A device as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the edge supports (22) are adjusted to open in the direction of progress (S) of the web (W) at an opening angle (α).

Inventors: VUORINEN VESA, VUORINEN, VESA
Applicants: VALMET CORP, VUORINEN VESA, VALMET CORPORATION, VUORINEN, VESA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: D21F5
IPC codes: D21F5, F26B13