Patent ID: 7325331

Claim:
A method of drying a web of cellulose pulp obtained from pulping or bleaching through removal of water from the web, the method comprising the steps of: passing the web through a series of at least two drying zones in a drying box to dry the web at different temperatures in the respective zones, blowing a first independent supply of drying air of a first temperature into a first drying zone in the drying box, to dry the web in said first temperature, blowing a second independent supply of drying air of a second temperature into a second drying zone in the drying box, to dry the web in said second temperature, said second temperature being higher than said first temperature, passing the web through a cooling zone in the drying box, subsequent to the drying zones in the path of travel of the web, and blowing an independent supply of cooling air into the cooling zone at a temperature lower than the temperature of the drying air blown into the immediately preceding drying zone, the web being routed from an inlet port to an outlet port of the drying box through a number of superimposed reciprocating runs.