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Category: News

Published: 25 March 2024

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Lambda Technology has developed a hybrid oven system with which drying processes can be very specifically and finely controlled, measured, and monitored - achieving up to 80 percent energy savings compared to conventional drying processes in printing. This achievement is made possible by a technology combination of NIR (plus IR), hot air/recirculating air, nozzle air, and an innovative energy cycle concept that also harnesses waste heat.

Modernised printing processes are becoming a key technology in various industries. They open new fields of application, such as printed electronics and aqueous digital printing. The oven systems and heaters that dry or crosslink and cure the respective substrates play a decisive role in the new functionalities, as well as in energy consumption, process quality, and overall equipment efficiency (OEE).

The process quality depends on factors such as the targeted heat input, the depth of penetration into the substrate, the air management, the discharge of solvents, and also the speed and energy resources.

Lambda Technology Gesellschaft für thermische Prozesse mbH, a specialist for NIR processes based in Grafing near Munich, has developed a hybrid oven system for digital drying that is also suitable for retrofit applications. With the hybrid oven system, process parameters such as air flows (volume + temperature), degree of humidity of the exhaust air, or solvent content can be very specifically and finely controlled, measured, and monitored. This capability enables an optimal setting for the respective application, especially in printing processes.

Thanks to the flexible process control, the Lambda Technology systems can be used universally and adapted to any substrate, e.g. films, paper, lacquers, inks, polymers, textiles, coatings etc. Each hybrid oven system consists of the components heater, transport unit, and digital air technology. The effect is achieved by a technology combination of NIR (plus IR), warm air/recirculating air and nozzle air, which ensures targeted heat input. For air drying, the air nozzles work with either warm or cold air. The air management in the units, a patented concept with warm exhaust air, supports the drying process.

Innovative integrated energy cycle concept

A new development from Lambda Technology is also the innovative energy cycle concept, which can achieve energy savings of up to 80 percent compared to conventional drying methods. A multi-stage design enables the hybrid units to use the invested energy in a highly efficient way. For example, the waste heat of the heating module is used for recirculation processes. The otherwise normally unused energy is directed onto the substrate as warm air and is thus still utilised. The warm air, in turn, circulates several times as nozzle air in the recirculating air dryer.

Another advantage of air movement in the drying process is that coating reacts to air movement and heat. With the air flow, drying can be controlled in a targeted manner. Additionally, the hot air absorbs volatile substances such as water and solvents and removes them from the substrate.
In future, the Lambda Technology hybrid dryer will be available in various web widths (200 mm, 320 mm, 400 mm, 530 mm, 670 mm, 1050 mm, 1250 mm , 1700 mm) with a 1 m run length unit. It will also be possible to design all web withs. This capability allows processes to be considerably accelerated, and the user can apply the drying profile in many process-optimised variants. The run length of the hybrid, by the way, is only approx. 40 to 60 % of a fossil oven system.

All radiation and air technology functions are integrated into each unit, and counter-reflectors are available as an option. The systems are also available as conveyor belt systems, optionally with a suction belt or for roll-to-roll applications, and also for Ex applications.