Why are steam-heated cylinders used in the dryer section of a paper machine?

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paper mill — papermaking Paper mill in British Columbia, Canada.

In the dryer section of a paper machine, steam-heated cylinders are used to remove the remaining moisture from the paper sheet through evaporation.1

After the paper has passed through the press section, it still contains a significant amount of water. Because removing water by mechanical means is more cost-effective than removing it through heat, the sheet is pressed to its maximum possible dryness before entering the dryer section. Once there, the sheet is carried through a series of 40 to 70 rotating, steam-heated cylinders. The paper is held in intimate contact with these heated surfaces by dryer felts, which facilitates the evaporation of the remaining moisture into the atmosphere.1