Corning Incorporated
APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DRYING A SHEET OF MATERIAL

Abstract:

An air knife for discharging a stream of gas onto a sheet of material. The air knife includes a main body including an inlet portion and an outlet portion, and a plurality of inlet ports. The inlet portion defines a plenum. The outlet portion defines an exit orifice in fluid communication with the plenum. The inlet ports project from the inlet portion and each inlet port comprises a passageway in fluid communication with the plenum. In some embodiments, the inlet ports project from a rear, or trailing, wall of the main body. In other embodiments, the outlet portion terminates at an exit face in which the exit orifice is formed, with a tip region of the outlet portion forming a taper angle of not more than 90 degrees in extension to the exit face.