Systems for dampening fluid removal, vapor control and recovery for ink-based digital printing

A dampening fluid recovery apparatus for use with an ink-based digital printing system, the digital printing system having a central imaging member having an imaging surface, a dampening fluid metering system, the metering system being configured to apply dampening fluid to the imaging surface;

• and a laser imaging system configured for irradiating the applied dampening fluid according to digital image data, the apparatus comprising:
• a seal manifold, the seal manifold having a front seal portion, the front seal portion having an upper wall facing the imaging surface, the upper wall being configured to define an air flow channel with the imaging surface, the upper wall being contoured to form a distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at an evaporation location that is less than distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at locations interposing the evaporation location and a vacuum inlet channel of the seal manifold.