Dryer Solvent Level Control in Web Offset Printing

With increasing costs of energy, the Heatset Web Offset Industry, like other industries, is interested in reducing operational energy consumption wherever possible. Each dryer is a major energy consumer in every heatset offset printing plant. In part this is due to the large volume of heated air exhausted from the dryer. This exhaust air is replaced with ambient temperature make-up air, for dilution purposes, to maintain a safe operating solvent level. This ambient temperature make-up air, once pulled into the dryer, must then be heated to bring it up to the dryer temperature. This article addresses increasing web offset dryer solvent levels to the maximum safe limit, thereby minimizing dryer energy consumption.