An apparatus for handling, heating and delivering a fluid to a fluid-permeable, moving substrate, characterized in that it comprises: an inlet configured to receive a stream of fluid; a preheat zone comprising a preheater; an expansion zone fluidly connected to the preheat zone; an expanded zone fluidly connected to the expansion zone and comprising first and second major walls (31,32), first and second minor walls (33,34), said expanded zone further comprising a downstream axis (d) that corresponds to a direction of fluid flow through the expanded zone, a lateral extent that extends along a longest axis that is orthogonal to the downstream axis (d) and that extends between said first and second minor walls (33, 34) of the expanded zone, and a tertiary extent that extends along a shortest axis (t) that is orthogonal to the downstream axis (d) and that extends between said first and second major walls (31, 32) of the expanded zone, the expanded zone further comprising: a plurality of trim heaters collectively extending across at least a portion of the lateral extent of the expanded zone, at least one fluid flow-distribution sheet, and, an outlet delivering the heated fluid to one side of the fluid-permeable moving substrate, and that the apparatus further comprises a fluid-suction apparatus configured to be placed on the opposite side of said fluid-permeable, moving substrate from the outlet, wherein the fluid-suction apparatus has a lateral width at least as wide as the lateral width of the substrate. an inlet configured to receive a stream of fluid; a preheat zone comprising a preheater; an expansion zone fluidly connected to the preheat zone; an expanded zone fluidly connected to the expansion zone and comprising first and second major walls (31,32), first and second minor walls (33,34), said expanded zone further comprising a downstream axis (d) that corresponds to a direction of fluid flow through the expanded zone, a lateral extent that extends along a longest axis that is orthogonal to the downstream axis (d) and that extends between said first and second minor walls (33, 34) of the expanded zone, and a tertiary extent that extends along a shortest axis (t) that is orthogonal to the downstream axis (d) and that extends between said first and second major walls (31, 32) of the expanded zone, the expanded zone further comprising: a plurality of trim heaters collectively extending across at least a portion of the lateral extent of the expanded zone, at least one fluid flow-distribution sheet, and, an outlet delivering the heated fluid to one side of the fluid-permeable moving substrate, and that the apparatus further comprises a fluid-suction apparatus configured to be placed on the opposite side of said fluid-permeable, moving substrate from the outlet, wherein the fluid-suction apparatus has a lateral width at least as wide as the lateral width of the substrate. a plurality of trim heaters collectively extending across at least a portion of the lateral extent of the expanded zone, at least one fluid flow-distribution sheet, and, an outlet delivering the heated fluid to one side of the fluid-permeable moving substrate, and that the apparatus further comprises a fluid-suction apparatus configured to be placed on the opposite side of said fluid-permeable, moving substrate from the outlet, wherein the fluid-suction apparatus has a lateral width at least as wide as the lateral width of the substrate.