The challenge
Legacy valve-based steam equipment struggled to manage steam and condensate dynamics in the drum and plate dryers. Poor nozzle control and trap-dependent operation led to high steam usage, excess flash steam, and elevated boiler feed-water and chemical consumption.
The solution
The dryer groups were retrofitted with Jetomat® steam jet ejectors — thermo vapour recompressors, also called steam jet compressors or steam jet thermocompressors.
- Each ejector uses a precisely engineered nozzle–diffuser assembly — the core of the thermocompressor working principle — to entrain lower-pressure vapour and recompress it.
- By actively drawing out steam condensate and minimising flash-steam pockets, Jetomat® stabilised internal pressures, increased steam velocity and thinned the condensate film in the dryer sections.
- The retrofit simplified the system: fewer traps, optional steam-separator points where needed, and integrated condensate and flash-steam recovery as part of a broader heat recovery system.
The results
- ≈32% reduction in steam consumption in the dryer section, as reported by the customer
- ≈80% lower feed water and chemicals, as reported by the customer, thanks to reduced venting and better condensate handling
- Steam traps largely eliminated, lowering maintenance and improving reliability
- Higher production speed and better drying quality
Behind these gains is the physics of a vapour compressor: high-pressure motive steam expands through a nozzle, entrains secondary vapour (including flash steam) from the dryers, and the mixed flow is recompressed in a diffuser. This raises its pressure and temperature for reuse — a low-maintenance form of energy recycling that turns waste vapour back into productive heating duty.
Why it matters
For corrugators and paper producers, dryer sections dominate the thermal load. Replacing throttling valves with Jetomat steam jet ejectors delivers measurable energy savings, steadier temperatures and simpler operation. Fewer failure points, better steam and condensate control, and integrated heat recovery translate directly into lower OPEX and a smaller environmental footprint.
Takeaway
If your dryer section still relies on conventional valve control and traps, a Jetomat thermocompressor offers a proven upgrade path: less steam in, more uniform drying out. It is a practical modernisation that serves both production targets and sustainability goals — turning previously wasted flash steam into reliable process heat.
