Patent ID: 7132036

Claim:
A method of improving dewatering of a paper web in a press section of a papermaking machine, comprising: forming a press felt with a low elasticity batt material including polymeric staple fibers uniformly blended with low elasticity staple fibers having a modulus of elasticity that is less than 25% of a modulus of elasticity of the polymeric staple fibers, and the fibers at the paper support side (PS) consisting of fibers having a dtex of at least about 1.1; providing a nip between first and second press rolls in the press section of a papermaking machine, with the press felt extending through the nip; transferring an embryonic paper to the press felt; conveying the embryonic paper web into the nip on the press felt; and advancing a paper web separation point from the press felt to limit rewetting of the paper web after a mid nip point due to retarding an elastic spring back of the press felt after the mid nip point.