Evaporation rate, maintaining

(Target is 1.3 – 1.5 kg of steam per kg of water evaporated)
1. Maintain hood exhaust and supply air in balance.
— use closed hoods.
2. Keep dryer surfaces clean by use of a heavy scraper.
— heavily coated surfaces inhibit heat transfer.
— check for badly pitted areas.
— investigate high delta-t versus steam temperature.
3. Provide efficient siphon action and properly acting condensate removal.
— ensure that condenser is properly sized and that steam joints do not leak under vacuum.
4. Maintain dryer felt tension with adequate wrap in dryers.
5. Check condition of pocket ventilation system.
— look for high absolute humidity.
— should be >0.2 kg moisture per kg dry air.
6. Check dryer fabrics for:
— low tension or faulty tension mechanisms.
— plugged fabrics.
— lack of dryer fabrics in key positions.
7. Use a pocket ventilation system in association with fabrics.
8. Check steam supply for:
— excessive leaks.
— connection and joint failures.
— deliberate blow-off to atmosphere.
— quality (right pressure, degrees of superheat and low non-condensable).
9. Check condensate removal system for:
— proper siphon size, operation, and clearance.
— correctly operating condensate collection.
— no short-circuited steam condensate joints.
— ability to ensure process differential pressure.
— mechanically and instrumentally sound.