Shoe Press Belt

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, and
• a support structure for the elastomer body, the elastomer body further comprising:
• a plurality of parallel dewatering grooves on the outer surface of the shoe press belt, wherein a ridge is provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves, and at least a first 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 plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove extending to the outer surface of the shoe press belt;
• and
• wherein at least one auxiliary groove of the dewatering groove has a curved shape such that the radius of curvature of said at least one auxiliary groove is at least 10 mm.

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, and
• a support structure for the elastomer body,
• the elastomer body further comprising:
• a plurality of parallel dewatering grooves on the outer surface of the shoe press belt, wherein a ridge is provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves, and at least the first 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 plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove extending to the outer surface of the shoe press belt;
• and
• wherein at least one auxiliary groove of the dewatering groove has a curved shape such that that the radius of curvature of said 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;
• and
• a support structure for the elastomer body;
• the elastomer body further comprising:
• a plurality of parallel dewatering grooves on the outer surface of the shoe press belt, wherein a ridge is provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves, and at least the first 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 plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves of the dewatering groove extending to the outer surface of the shoe press belt;
• and
• wherein at least one auxiliary groove of the dewatering groove has a curved shape such that the radius of curvature of said at least one auxiliary groove is at least 10 mm.