A system for fabricating a sheet product, the system comprising:
- (A) a first rotatable roller including:
- (a) a rotatable drum portion having (i) a first end and a second end, (ii) an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface rotating about a rotational axis in a first direction and configured to convey a sheet product that has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the sheet product being in contact with a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable drum portion, the inner surface defining a cavity within the rotatable drum portion, and (iii) a plurality of ports communicative between the inner surface and the outer surface, the plurality of ports extending (1) from the first end to the second end of the rotatable drum portion, and (2) around at least a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable drum portion;
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- (b) a fluid emission portion disposed in the cavity, the fluid emission portion having (i) an orifice operative to receive a first pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source and (ii) a port connected to the orifice and operative to emit the first pressurized fluid through the plurality of ports of the rotatable drum portion, the port being arranged as an elongated slot in the fluid emission portion that extends (1) in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the rotatable drum portion, and (2) from the first end to the second end of the rotatable drum portion;
- (B) a second rotatable roller having (i) an outer surface arranged proximate to the outer surface of the rotatable drum portion of the first rotatable roller, and (ii) a heat source portion configured to output a second pressurized fluid and to heat the second rotatable roller to dry the sheet product, the second rotatable roller being operative to rotate in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction;
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- (C) a gap defined between the second rotatable roller and the first rotatable roller through which the sheet product is allowed to pass,
- wherein the port of the fluid emission portion is configured to emit the first pressurized fluid (i) as a stream in a region proximate to the gap, (ii) at an angle relative to the second rotatable roller, (iii) to impinge on the first surface of the sheet product in the gap, (iv) to separate contact between the outer surface of the rotatable drum portion of the first rotatable roller and the sheet product, and (v) to transfer the sheet product from the first rotatable roller to the second rotatable roller, with the second surface of the sheet product being in contact with the outer surface of the second rotatable roller as the sheet product passes through the gap, and
- wherein the first rotatable roller is configured to only emit the first pressurized fluid through the plurality of ports extending (1) from the first end to the second end of the rotatable drum portion, and (2) around the at least a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable drum portion.