Shoe press belt

A paper machine, a board machine, or a pulp drying machine comprising:

• a shoe press belt having the shape of an endless loop with an inner surface and an outer surface, the shoe press belt comprising:
• an elastomer body, wherein portions of the outer surface lying on the elastomer body define lands which extend between a plurality of parallel dewatering grooves, each of said grooves being recessed below the lands;
• and
• a support structure for the elastomer body,
• the elastomer body further comprising:
• wherein a portion of the lands defines a ridge provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves, and at least a one of said dewatering grooves comprises:
• a first wall of the dewatering groove;
• a second wall of the dewatering groove;
• a bottom of the dewatering groove between the first wall and the second wall of the dewatering groove, wherein the first wall of the dewatering groove comprises a first plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove extending to the outer surface of the shoe press belt;
• and
• wherein the first wall defines a wall plane which extends outwardly from the bottom to a land of the outer surface, and wherein the plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves are recessed into the elastomer body spaced from the wall plane, and wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary grooves has a width at the wall plane and a center line lying on the wall plane extends along the center of the width at each point along said auxiliary groove;
• wherein the center line of at least one of the plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove has a curved shape such that that the radius of curvature of said center line of the at least one auxiliary groove is at least 10 mm.

A method for installing a shoe press belt in a paper machine, a pulp drying machine, or a board machine, the method comprising the step of:

• installing in a shoe press:
• a shoe press belt which has the shape of an endless loop with an inner surface and an outer surface, the shoe press belt comprising:
• an elastomer body, wherein portions of the outer surface lying on the elastomer body define lands which extend between a plurality of parallel dewatering grooves, each of said grooves being recessed below the lands;
• and
• a support structure for the elastomer body;
• the elastomer body further comprising:
• wherein a portion of the lands defines a ridge provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves, and at least a one of said dewatering grooves comprises:
• a first wall of the dewatering groove;
• a second wall of the dewatering groove;
• a bottom of the dewatering groove between the first wall and the second wall of the dewatering groove, wherein the first wall of the dewatering groove comprises a first plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove extending to the outer surface of the shoe press belt;
• wherein the first wall defines a wall plane which extends outwardly from the bottom to a land of the outer surface, and wherein the plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves are recessed into the elastomer body spaced from the wall plane, and wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary grooves has a width at the wall plane and a center line lying on the wall plane extends along the center of the width at each point along said auxiliary groove;
• and
• wherein the center line of at least one of the plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove has a curved shape such that the radius of curvature of said center line of the at least one auxiliary groove is at least 10 mm.