Why is water removed by pressing before paper enters the dryer section?

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

In the papermaking process, water is removed by mechanical pressing before the sheet enters the dryer section primarily because it is significantly more cost-effective to remove water through mechanical means than through evaporation.

The dryer section utilizes steam-heated cylinders to remove remaining moisture, a process that requires substantial energy and resources; for every ton of paper produced, approximately two tons of water must be evaporated. By using the press section to increase the solids content of the sheet to between 32 and 40 percent before it reaches the dryers, the machine reduces the thermal load on the drying cylinders, thereby improving overall efficiency and reducing production costs.1