Infrared float bar

A method of drying a web of printed material having at least one region of wet ink coverage and at least one region without wet ink coverage, said method comprising impinging convection air on said web in combination with applying infrared heat flux simultaneously to said web in a pressure field created by said impinging air with a plurality of air jets, regulating a temperature of said impinging air such that said at least one region having wet ink coverage is heated by an infrared emitter source and by said convection air and said at least one region without wet ink coverage is heated by said infrared emitter source while simultaneously being cooled by said convection air;

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• wherein said infrared flux is emitted from at least one infrared emitter source located between discharge slots creating said air jets and directing said air jets to impinge on said web creating said pressure field on the surface of said web, said infrared flux impinging simultaneously on said pressure field, and wherein drying air has wet bulb temperature of less than 180° F., and wherein said air jets are regulated to a temperature 30 to 100 Fahrenheit degrees above the wet bulb temperature of the drying air impinging on said web, and said convection air is heated to a temperature of 150 to 300° F.