Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Daniel Keith Lawson

Peter John Allen

Kenneth John Zwick

Robert James Seymour

Mark Alan Burazin

Christopher Lee Satori

Robert Eugene Krautkramer

Eric Kent Isom, Jr

Nathan J Haiduk

Craig Steven Besaw

Reza Ramazani-Rend

The disclosure is directed towards a through-air drying system comprising a hood and a rotatable cylinder with a porous cylindrical deck. The system includes a seal, and more particularly a seal along the lateral edges of the system. The seal generally prevents the exhaust of drying medium from the system through the gap between the hood and the rotatable cylinder and enables the system to be operated at positive air pressure. The seal may be formed by providing the hood with an axial hood flange, which extends at least partially along the bottom edge of the hood and overlaps an axial annular flange disposed on the cylinder when the hood is in a closed and sealed position.

Through-air drying apparatus

Methods of improving the drying rate of a cellulosic web, such as a tissue web, by providing an apparatus having two noncompressive dewatering devices, such as two through-air driers, where the temperature of the drying medium supplied to each device is separately controlled. The temperature of the medium supplied to the first device may exceed 450&#xb0; F., such as from about 450 to about 600&#xb0; F. On the other hand the temperature of the medium supplied to the second device may be less than the temperature supplied to the first, such as from about 350 to 450&#xb0; F. Drying the web in this manner not only improves drying efficiency, but also limits or prevents degradation of the web, such as the combustion of cellulosic fibers making up the web or monosaccharides associated therewith. As such, webs that are substantially free from furan and acetaldehyde may be produced by the present methods.

Through-air drying apparatus and methods of manufacture

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Owensboro, KY, United States of America

Daniel Keith Lawson