Roll press for removing water from a web of paper using solid grooved roll and compressed air

In the press section of a papermaking machine comprising a pair of paper machine felts for advancing a web of paper being formed, a dewatering apparatus consisting only of a pair of opposed press rolls in an environment at atmospheric pressure, the press rolls being provided one on either side of the felts forming a nip, means pressing the rolls towards each other at the nip to press the felts and the paper web to a maximum mechanical compression, means for providing an air flow across the nip, including means for supplying compressed air only to one of the rolls and exhaust means at the other of the rolls, said means for supplying compressed air only to one of the rolls being located by said one roll for supplying air under pressure across the roll at the nip, said one roll being in the form of a solid roll having grooves on the periphery thereof, wherein said one roll has axial parallel grooves extending axially of said one roll, and said means for supplying compressed air being located adjacent at least one end of said one roll for passing air through the peripheral axial grooves which form plenums therefor;

• and exhaust means located at the other of the rolls for draining water and receiving air across the roll at the nip such that the pores of the felt and the web of paper at the nip are being flushed of water displaced by the air being forced through at the nip and whereby, when the felts and the web of paper have passed the nip and into an atmospheric pressure environment, the water content of the felts and the web will have been greatly reduced, whereby the air is passed under pressure at the nip so formed to thereby evacuate water from the pores of the compressed felts and web at the nip and that as the felts and web exit from the nip at atmospheric pressure, the paper web remains substantially free of water.