Carbon infrared drying meets paper requirements

Carbon IR emitters combine effective water-removal with the quick response of short wave emitters.

By installing a Hereaus Carbon Infra-Red (CIR) system, a manufacturer of speciality papers has enjoyed significant gains in productivity, by ensuring that the important lacquer drying stage no longer adversely affects machine speeds.

At the same time, the speed of response of the CIR system means that there is minimal danger of heat damage to sensitive substrates in the event of unexpected stoppage of the production line.

Within a philosophy of continuous improvement, the paper manufacturer operates a general programme to optimise all aspects of its operations and it identified the drying of water-based lacquers as an area worthy of investigation.

At that time, any water-based lacquers applied to webs were dried by a medium wave infra-red system featuring nine 2.5kW emitters.

Heraeus was asked to carry out tests at its Neston Applications Centre, using typical papers from the company, varying in weight between 80 and 360 gsm, to see what improvements could be made to the drying system.

These tests established that a CIR system would significantly improve the drying efficiency and also allow greater flexibility in change-over between different papers.

As a result, a new system, containing nine, 2.7 kW carbon infra-red emitters was installed at the factory and is realising all the benefits promised in the pre-production trials.

Carbon infra-red is particularly suitable for this application as carbon emitters combine the highly efficient water-removal capability of medium wave radiation with the very fast response of short wave emitters.

As a result, drying times are optimised and the ability to switch the emitters on and off virtually instantaneously means that there is minimum risk of any heat damage to sensitive subtstrates in the event of unexpected line stoppage.

Heraeus Noblelight offers the complete range of infra-red radiation systems from NIR to medium wave carbon infra-red (CIR).

It has over 40 years experience in infra-red technology and offers the expertise, products and systems to provide efficient and effective solutions to drying, heating and curing problems throughout industry.

If required, it can carry out proving trials with customers' own materials at its Neston Applications Centre and can advise on the selection of the optimum emitter to suit particular processes.

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