Patent ID: 8206555

Claim:
A method for carrying a tissue web having a basis weight between 10 and 20 g/m 2 from a press nip to a dryer section in a papermaking machine, the method comprising the steps of: leading a press fabric to pass through the press nip; leading an impermeable transfer belt to pass through the press nip with a wet tissue web enclosed between the press fabric and the transfer belt, the tissue web adhering to and following the transfer belt after the press fabric and transfer belt diverge downstream of the press nip, the transfer belt having a surface in contact with the tissue web characterized by a non-uniform distribution of microscopic-scale depressions, the transfer belt traveling in a machine direction at a speed of about 1000 m/min. or greater; carrying the tissue web on the transfer belt to a suction transfer device having a permeable structuring fabric partially wrapped thereabout, the suction transfer device defining a suction zone, the transfer belt being arranged to partially wrap about the suction transfer device, the transfer belt bringing the tissue web into contact with the structuring fabric in the suction zone for a length L in the machine direction, such that suction is exerted on the tissue web to transfer the tissue web from the transfer belt onto the structuring fabric at a transfer point; and arranging the transfer belt and suction transfer device such that the transfer belt and tissue web travel a distance D from the press nip to the transfer point, the distance D being selected taking into account at least the speed of the transfer belt, the basis weight of the tissue web, and a roughness characteristic of the surface of the transfer belt in contact with the tissue web, such that within the distance D a thin water film between the tissue web and the surface of the transfer belt at least partially dissipates to allow the tissue web to be separated from the transfer belt and to be suctioned onto the structuring fabric.