A hanger system with hooks attached to and suspended from a hanging or stationary frame, and from one to a multiplicity of rods capable of holding garments or other items, which rest in the hooks. The hooks are designed to allow the rods to rest in vertical relation to one another within the hooks although, depending on the hanging orientation of the hanger system, the rods may hang adjacent to or diagonal from one another. The frame may be hung from a closet rod or similar support, or may be attached to a surface such as a wall or a shelf, either directly or with spacers between the frame and the surface.

A dryer system for a firefighting ensemble comprising a housing having an air intake port and an air outlet port, a forced air assembly including a heater and a blower accommodated within the housing, a plurality of flexible porous hose segments coupled to the air outlet port operable to receive and conduct forced air therefrom, and the plurality of flexible porous hose segments are operable to conduct forced heated air into elements of the firefighting ensemble to speed drying.

A jersey hanger assembly is described. The jersey hanger assembly allows homes, businesses, schools, or other buildings to display an athletic jersey as a symbol of team pride or of support for an athletic team or an individual player on the team. The jersey hanger assembly includes a bracket member. The bracket member includes a receiving member. The jersey hanger assembly includes a pole with first and second opposing ends. The second pole end is insertable into the receiving member. The pole has a curved shape between the first and second opposing ends. A jersey flag for hanging on the jersey hanger is described. The jersey flag is material of a fabric cut or shaped to resemble an athletic jersey. The material includes a team logo or insignia. A sleeve or an open seam in positioned in the upper portion of the jersey flag to receive the pole.

A web assembly can be used for making and maintaining a contour of a baseball or softball glove. The web assembly comprises a plurality of horizontal straps comprising a top strap and a bottom strap mechanically coupled to a plurality of vertical straps comprising a left strap and a right strap. A right durable strap and left durable strap are mechanically coupled to at least one horizontal strap where the at least one horizontal strap is further mechanically coupled to the right strap and the left strap. In this manner, a user can wrap the web assembly around the glove and affix the right durable strap to the left durable strap with a hook and loop fastener, and allowing for the straps to deform slightly to make and maintain the contour of the glove.

A base assembly includes two vertical lower segments, one vertical upper segment, and an intermediate segment there between. A cover has linear leg sections covering the lower segments, a head section covering the upper segment, and a shoulder section covering the intermediate segment. Stuffing within the cover is in full contact with the cover and the base assembly.

A frame for facilitating storage, transport, stacking and organizing garments includes four panels linearly aligned and connected by folds or creases. The rear panel has two flaps extending transversely. The frame is integrated with a shirt when folding such that the front panel positions the front of the shirt on the front of the folded frame. The flaps extend across the front of the shirt and detachably engage to secure the shirt in a semi-rigid state having a cuboid shape. The cuboid shape is maintained by the frame and facilitates stacking, organizing, transport and storage.

An apparatus for drying gloves is provided, including a main member, at least one light source, and at least one air source. The main member includes an outer surface configured for receiving a glove, and a plurality of apertures disposed along the outer surface. The light source emits a UV-C light, and the air source blows air. The UV-C light from the light source and air from the air source can at least partially pass through the outer surface. The apertures are in communication with at least the air source.

An implement for use in a bathroom or a kitchen which is composed of at least one rod which is oval in cross section, the rod being aesthetic in appearance and providing an advantageous force distribution over rods with circular cross sections. The implement can be a hanging device, such as a hanger, a hanger for ties and belts, and many other variations having a hook portion for engaging a cylindrical support, an over-the-door/vertical wall device also including the rods with the oval cross section, the latter devices being, for example, clothes supporting hooks, hooks for articles made from fabric; wire metal baskets having a rim and/or transition device made from a rod with an oval cross section; paper or magazine holders comprising parallel racks separated by upstanding walls; bag dispenser and handles for implements.

A hanger releasably supports a shirt. The hanger has a middle support and laterally extending shoulder supports. A hook is in an inverted J-shaped configuration. The hook is coupled to and extends upwardly from the middle support of the hanger. A clip has an interior segment and an exterior segment. The interior segment has an upper part coupled to the middle support. The interior segment has a pivot line and a convex lower part beneath the pivot line. The interior segment has a lower edge beneath the convex lower part. The exterior segment has an upper edge and a lower edge. The lower edges of the interior and exterior segments form a semi-cylindrical finger. In this manner pressing the upper edge of the exterior segment will pivot the finger about the mid-line away from the middle support.

A protective coating solution, liquid, gel, or film and a method of using such a material to provide a sterile covering for fingers, hands, arms or other selected skin surface for use as a glove substitute.

A crown-type sizer for mounting on a hanger includes a body and a hook extending from a mid-point of the body. The sizer includes a pair of parallel walls and a pair of non-parallel walls, each wall of the non-parallel walls being joined to each wall of the parallel walls, the pairs of walls defining a lower open base and an open base in an upper part of the sizer for passing over the hook. Each of the parallel walls has a single boss disposed in a corner of the respective parallel wall and each non-parallel wall is shorter in height than at least one parallel wall.

In accordance with one embodiment, a display strap for displaying a first article of clothing (e.g., a tie) with a second article of clothing (e.g., a hanky, etc.) includes an elongated strap body having a first end and an opposing second end along with a top edge and an opposing bottom edge. The body has a plurality of score lines to permit the elongated body to be folded and the first end be drawn toward the second end. The body further has a locking slit formed therein proximate the first end and a locking tab formed at the second end for reception within the locking slit to form a continuous, folded strap body that captures the first and second articles of clothing for holding thereof at a first location. The display strap has a flag portion that extends upwardly from the top edge of the body and includes an opening formed therein for receiving a fastener that couples the first and second articles of clothing together at a second location that is spaced from the first location.

A garment-hanging accessory includes a strip of material having a first end and a second end; and a clip having an engaging end biased into a normally closed position and openable upon application of pressure upon opposing levers at an opposite end of the clip, the levers connected by a spring secured about a fulcrum point between the levers, each end of the strip of material secured to a respective opposite side of each of the opposing levers, opposite ends of each lever, not secured to either of the ends of the strip of material, co-acting to define a garment engaging end when the clip is in its normally closed position. The unsecured portion of the strip opposite the clip is suspended upon a primary garment hanger.

A garment separator assembly is disclosed that includes at least two separators for maintaining even spacing between a plurality of clothing hangers on a clothing rod. The separators are spaced a distance apart that allows only a single clothing hanger to fit therebetween. Each separator includes a first member defining a first half of the separator and a second member hingedly coupled to the first member and defining an opposing second half of the separator. The second member, together with the first member, define a first inner-surface circumference and a second inner-surface circumference, wherein the second inner-surface circumference is adjacent the first inner-surface circumference. The first inner-surface circumference is larger than the second inner-surface circumference and both are sized and shaped to mate with clothing rods of various sizes and shapes.

A footwear hanger includes a suspension portion for suspending a pair of shoes having toe separators in as side-by-side relation in an upright position, and a pair of support portions connected to, and in mirror symmetrical relationship with, the suspension portion. Each support portion has a plurality of uprights together operative for jointly supporting one of the shoes. The uprights of each support portion are spaced apart from one another and include bound spaces in which the toe separators of the respective shoe are received for holding the shoe upright in the upright position.

A process for the controlled gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock includes pyrolizing the feedstock by conveying the feedstock through a retort surrounded by a plurality of successive heating chambers each comprising an axially adjustable chamber separation wall and each operated at a predetermined temperature, wherein a predetermined dwell time of the feedstock in each of the plurality of successive heating chambers is controlled by a conveyance rate of the feedstock through the retort and a position of each of the axially adjustable chamber separation walls to produce a gas product and a solid product. The gas product includes methane and noxious chemicals and the solid product includes carbon, and the pyrolizing step is controlled using feedback related to constituents of the gas product.

There is described a system and method for recycling carbon-containing material, in particular tires and plastics materials. The system includes a heating arrangement for anaerobically heating carbon containing material to produce carbon-containing gases. A condensing arrangement is also used to condense a proportion of the carbon-containing gases to provide condensed gases and non-condensed gases. In addition, a recirculating arrangement is provided for recirculating the non-condensed gases into the heating arrangement. Further systems and methods for pre- and post-processing of the carbon-containing material are also disclosed and products of the systems and methods are also described.

Described is an apparatus and method for recovery of energy and by-products from automobile and truck tires. The tires are heated in an oxygen poor environment, and the off gases are condensed to recover a liquid oil product and compressible natural gas. The tires are reduces to ash and steel, both of which can be feed streams for other processes. The apparatus includes a condenser with cooled plates, and oil recovery structures.

The present invention provides a microwave assisted flash pyrolysis system to carry out microwave assisted flash pyrolysis in an industrial scale. The microwave assisted flash pyrolysis system comprises at least one microwave generator; a chamber comprises: at least one feedstock inlet, at least one baffle plate, a microwave-transparent rotating window, and at least one microwave inlet, at least one wet gas outlet, and at least one dry end product outlet. The present invention also provides a method using the same system to carry out microwave assisted flash pyrolysis.

This invention relates to a system for obtaining hydrocarbons from organic or inorganic solid waste, wherein said system comprises: an inlet chamber, within which is a mixer assembly which mixes and conveys the waste through said chamber, which is also at ambient temperature, thus avoiding any thermal shock to the solid waste for processing; a dehydration chamber with a mixing assembly therein, and the upper part of this chamber contains an expansion chamber for promoting more efficient molecular breakdown; the thermal breakdown is carried out in two reactors which are operated at different temperatures, the first thermal disassociation reactor which has inside a mixer unit, and which in its upper part houses an expansion chamber, the second thermal breakdown reactor, therein has a mixer unit, and in the upper portion thereof houses an expansion chamber and at the top end thereof a vertical expansion tower; wherein the thermolytic steam is homogenized, a separator of heavy hydrocarbons, which does not require an additional cooling system, a multiple valve determines the temperature and oxygen content of the vapors and conveys them to the expansion tower in order to optimize the production of hydrocarbons, and to obtain a liquid hydrocarbon with high heating value.

Method for fast pyrolysis of lignocellulose including: mechanically comminuting the lignocellulose to lignocellulose particles; at least one of completely drying and preheating the lignocellulose particles; mixing the lignocellulose particles with heat transfer particles so as to provide a mixture; heating the heat transfer particles, prior to the mixing, to a temperature between 500° C. and 650° C.; and heating, in a pyrolysis reactor with oxygen excluded, the lignocellulose particles using the heat transfer particles so as to establish a temperature between 400° C. and 600° C. for 1 to 50 seconds and so as to react the lignocellulose particles so as to provide pyrolysis coke, pyrolysis condensate, and pyrolysis gas.

A heat-resistant door device for closing a horizontal coke oven chamber is made of a refractory material, using a material containing silica or a material containing silica and aluminum oxides, in particular. The material has a low temperature expansion coefficient and it is thermally well insulating so that the door is not deformed and/or distorted during the coal carbonization process. The door device is built of a coke oven wall mainly located above the door and embracing the door as well as of a mobile door located underneath. Thereby less cold ambient air enters into the coke oven chamber and radiation losses are minimized. The door may be comprised of an ellipsoidal bulge by which the coke can be better pushed into the coking chamber. The oven wall embracing the oven door can also be made of a refractory material containing silica or of a material containing silica and aluminum oxides.

A method and apparatus for pyrolytic destruction of polymer products including whole vehicle vulcanised rubber tires is disclosed. The apparatus 111 has a reaction chamber 153 into which a tire can be placed, and immersed for pyrolytic decomposition in a molten alloy of zinc with a minor proportion of aluminium. The apparatus 111 has a heated reservoir 155 in which the alloy is maintained in a molten state, and from where it can be transferred to the reaction chamber 153 to immerse the tire. Fluid hydrocarbon byproducts are drawn off for condensation and recovery, and solid zinc sulphides are also recovered. Where steel belted tires are processed, carbon and steel residues are also recovered.

A system, method and configuration for recovering turpentine during the manufacturing of wood chips, wood pellets or other substances that may include turpentine. In general, a turpentine recovery system is used to capture turpentine from exhaust of a dryer as wood chips are being dried. Advantageously, application of the various techniques disclosed herein can result in the recovery of turpentine that can then be sold to generate revenue and, may contribute to a reduction in the capital and operation costs for emission controls for the dryer exhaust.

This invention relates to a process for thermochemically transforming biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks into high quality liquid hydrocarbon fuels. In particular, a catalytic hydropyrolysis reactor, containing a deep bed of fluidized catalyst particles is utilized to accept particles of biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks that are significantly smaller than the particles of catalyst in the fluidized bed. The reactor features an insert or other structure disposed within the reactor vessel that inhibits slugging of the bed and thereby minimizes attrition of the catalyst. Within the bed, the biomass feedstock is converted into a vapor-phase product, containing hydrocarbon molecules and other process vapors, and an entrained solid char product, which is separated from the vapor stream after the vapor stream has been exhausted from the top of the reactor. When the product vapor stream is cooled to ambient temperatures, a significant proportion of the hydrocarbons in the product vapor stream can be recovered as a liquid stream of hydrophobic hydrocarbons, with properties consistent with those of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel. Separate streams of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel may also be obtained, either via selective condensation of each type of fuel, or via later distillation of the combined hydrocarbon liquid.

A process for producing a renewable hydrocarbon fuel. The process can include providing a feed including a lignocellulosic material to a pyrolysis zone to produce a stream including a pyrolysis oil, providing the pyrolysis oil stream to a refining zone producing a refined stream, providing at least a portion of the refined stream to a reforming zone producing a stream including hydrogen, providing at least a portion of the hydrogen stream to the refining zone; and recovering the renewable hydrocarbon fuel from the refined stream.

A system and method for processing biomass into hydrocarbon fuels that includes processing a biomass in a hydropyrolysis reactor resulting in hydrocarbon fuels and a process vapor stream and cooling the process vapor stream to a condensation temperature resulting in an aqueous stream. The aqueous stream is sent to a catalytic reactor where it is oxidized to obtain a product stream containing ammonia and ammonium sulfate. A resulting cooled product vapor stream includes non-condensable process vapors comprising H2, CH4, CO, CO2, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

This invention presents a versatile and continuous drying technology that utilizes controlled heat combined with forced air supply for drying a feedstock. The dryer virtually divided top-down into different zones, each having definite heated air distribution rate to secure desired condition for drying of the feedstock. The heat source of the dryer is waste heat, either provided by the feedstock itself through exothermic heat generated by the feedstock or reclaimed waste heat or solar heat. The discharge system of the dryer is a fail-safe discharge system, which ensures equal residence time for the feedstock through all the zones. The synergic interaction of all these components along with recycling the heat through an efficient use of heat exchangers, optimized control of airflow rate and feedstock resident time, purifying the exhaust air and condensing the outlet vapor empowers the technology to function with minimum energy, minimum processing time, minimum environmental foot-print, minimum cost and with minimum operational cost.

A process and system is disclosed for optimizing a key parameter of a biomass feedstock that enhances bio-oil production. The process and system involves optimizing the values of the key parameter in multiple biomass feedstocks by regulating their feed rates and blending those feedstocks to produce a cumulative biomass feedstock with an optimal value for the key parameter. The key parameter in the biomass feedstocks is measured and the feed rates of the multiple biomass feedstocks are adjusted in order to produce a cumulative biomass feedstock exhibiting optimal values for the desired key parameter. The key parameters can include compositional properties, such as lignin content or mineral content, and/or fluidization properties of the biomass materials, such as density, particle cohesion force, or particle size.

Pyrolysis fuels and methods for processing pyrolysis fuel are provided. In one embodiment, a method of processing pyrolysis fuel converts biomass to pyrolysis fuel including pyrolysis oil and char particles. Also, the method includes resizing a portion of the char particles so that substantially all resized char particles have a largest dimension no greater than about 5 microns.

A pyrolysis device and process to convert a carbonaceous feedstock to a carbon solid and pyrolysis gas, and processes for refining the resulting carbon solid and pyrolysis gases. The pyrolysis process may include introducing a carbonaceous feedstock into a pyrolysis processor having a vertical rotary tray processor, heating the feedstock to a temperature above about 790° F., removing a carbon material from a bottom of the pyrolysis processor, and removing a pyrolysis gas from a top of the pyrolysis processor.

The disclosure encompasses in-line reactive condensation processes via vapor phase esterification of bio-oil to decease reactive species concentration and water content in the oily phase of a two-phase oil, thereby increasing storage stability and heating value. Esterification of the bio-oil vapor occurs via the vapor phase contact and subsequent reaction of organic acids with ethanol during condensation results in the production of water and esters. The pyrolysis oil product can have an increased ester content and an increased stability when compared to a condensed pyrolysis oil product not treated with an atomized alcohol.

A method for producing individual compacts made of coke and suitable for coke oven chambers by dividing a coal cake in a non-mechanical manner, wherein the coal cake is produced by a compression method according to the prior art and the coal cake is divided by non-mechanical, energy-supplying media, and the non-mechanical media supplying shearing energy are, for example, a laser beam, a high-pressure water jet, an abrasive-solid jet, an ultrasonic beam, a compressed-air jet, or a gas jet. By using the method, coal compacts can be produced from coal cakes without forming dust, without wearing out cutting tools, and with high precision.

The device and method are provided to increase anhydrosugars yield during pyrolysis of biomass. This increase is achieved by injection of a liquid or gas into the vapor stream of any pyrolysis reactor prior to the reactor condensers. A second feature of our technology is the utilization of sonication, microwave excitation, or shear mixing of the biomass to increase the acid catalyst rate for demineralization or removal of hemicellulose prior to pyrolysis. The increased reactivity of these treatments reduces reaction time as well as the required amount of catalyst to less than half of that otherwise required. A fractional condensation system employed by our pyrolysis reactor is another feature of our technology. This system condenses bio-oil pyrolysis vapors to various desired fractions by differential temperature manipulation of individual condensers comprising a condenser chain.

The method produces a hydrocarbonaceous fluid (a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, or in other words a mixture of hydrocarbons which is liquid at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure), which functionally is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, from a feed of waste plastic. The method can comprise the steps of: (step 1) melting a feed of substantially solid waste plastic in an aerobic atmosphere (for instance, air) whereby a waste-plastic melt is produced; (step 2) distilling at least a portion of the waste-plastic melt whereby a hydrocarbonaceous distillate is produced; and (step 3) collecting the hydrocarbonaceous distillate. That distillate is generally referred to above as a condensate. The method can include the step of comminuting the feed of substantially solid waste plastic into pieces substantially no greater than about 1.5 cm2 prior to step 1. The method can also include the step of adding an effective amount of a cracking catalyst to the waste plastic prior to step 2.

A disposal method for entirely recycling solid refuse includes the following steps: sorting, crushing, drying, pressing with high pressure to shaped articles, producing charcoal from combustible refuse in high temperature and firing incombustible refuse in high temperature, at last cooling high temperature articles to obtain solid fuel with various shapes and bricks or board used for building. The method achieves entirely recycling house refuse, especial solid refuse. The method recycles solid refuse to obtain fuel and building material with economic value. The method is simple and its processing cost is low.

A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream.

A device for proportioning of secondary combustion air into the secondary air soles of coke oven chamber ovens is shown. The device is formed by a slide gate or a parallelepiped device or by plates moved by means of a thrust bar, the thrust bar being moved longitudinally in parallel to the coke oven chamber wall so that the plates move away from the secondary air apertures and open or close these. The thrust bar is moved by means of a positioning motor, with the power transmission being effected hydraulically or pneumatically. Via suitable measuring parameters, it is thus possible to optimize secondary heating so that heating is provided evenly from all sides, thus achieving an improvement in coke quality.

Methods, devices and systems for continuously converting biomass are described herein. A device has a feed section for holding a moving bed of biomass, namely wood, having a drying section, a flame zone for degassing, and a, smolder zone for carbonizing the biomass into a solid converted product, namely charcoal. The device includes a tank for collecting the solid converted product arranged below a grate and coupled with the feed section in a gas-tight manner. The system comprising the device, a biogas plant and/or a combined heat and power plant conveys the liquid converted product, namely pyroligneous acid or acetic acid, to the biogas plant and/or the solid converted product, namely charcoal, to the combined heat and power plant.

A process for quenching, separating and collecting targeted components of a hot pyrolysis product stream from the pyrolysis of biomass is provided. The process utilizes sequential steps of rapid quenching and electrostatic precipitation comprising injecting a coolant comprising at least one of nitrogen, a noble gas and mixtures thereof into a hot pyrolysis vapor to selectively condense a first fraction of components from the hot pyrolysis vapor at a first predetermined temperature which is then collected by electrostatic precipitation in a first electrostatic precipitator at about the first predetermined temperature, where a wall temperature of the first electrostatic precipitator is maintained slightly higher than the first predetermined temperature. The sequential steps of coolant injection and collection are repeated at progressively cooler temperatures in order to selectively collect one or more fractions of the hot mixture.

A system for tire distillation including an upper chamber, a first conveyor configured to transport a tire through the upper chamber, a lower chamber located beneath the upper chamber, the lower chamber that includes an ultrasonic purge chamber configured to radiate the tire with ultrasonic radiation, a microwave radiation chamber configured to radiate the tire with microwave radiation, and a second conveyor configured to transport the tire from the ultrasonic purge chamber to the microwave radiation chamber. The system further includes a vacuum system configured to maintain an atmosphere in the ultrasonic purge chamber and the microwave radiation chamber under a vacuum wherein the tire is preheated during conveyance through the upper chamber from heat produced in the lower chamber.

A method for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, and a device for processing plastic waste, in particular polyolefins, are used especially in the industrial utilization of plastic waste. The method consists in that a primarily refined charge after being fed into a reactor (6) is fluidized and cracked during forced progressive-rotational movement coinciding with heating. A gas-steam fraction obtained during a utilization process is continuously guided out to a cooling system whereas impurities are periodically guided out from the reactor (6) to a waste tank (22).

A pyrolyzer apparatus (i.e. a “cracking pipe”) comprises a first screen, a second screen, and a catalyst material positioned between the first and second screens. The pyrolyzer is structured so that feedstock is pyrolyzed and pyrolyzer-generated gas is drawn through the first screen, through the catalyst material, and then through the second screen in series. The gas may then be directed to other processing equipment so that bio-oil is extracted from the gas.

A method for reducing the coking time in the oven area near the door or end wall and for improving coke quality and situation of emissions by compensating for radiation losses through coke oven chamber doors and end walls is described. This compensation is accomplished by varying the height of the coal cake in the environment of the frontal coke oven chamber doors. The variation is achieved both by increasing or decreasing the coal cake over part of the length or over the entire length of the coke oven chamber door. The reduction in the height of the coal cake can be generated by omission of coal or coal compacts, the increase in height can be accomplished by stacking of coal and pressing or adding of coal compacts, with it also being envisaged to omit the pressing cycle so as to obtain a recess with a lower coal cake density which also has less heat radiation.

The loading device according to the invention comprises a magazine for receiving at least one printing plate and transferring it from the magazine to the plate cylinder. It also comprises at least one guide rail to guide a printing plate during transfer thereof by cooperation with a notch of a front edge of the printing plate, the notch sliding along the guide rail during the transfer.

A method of transferring a transfer foil having an image forming layer through a transfer gap of a printing press under a foil cycle timing control that is selectively changeable such that it can be turned on, turned off, or is adjustable in its frequency and period of operation as a function of operating parameters of the press.

A data storage system, having a data processor operable to convert digital data signals into ink dot patterns, and a data processor operable to receive the ink dot patterns and convert them into digital signals, the system having at least one print media receiving carrier or panel, a printing member operable to deposit ink dot patterns in a print medium on the carrier panel, and a print media reader operable to read the ink dot patterns and create data signals there from, and a method of storing and retrieving data.

An apparatus and method for positioning and aligning one or more pre-punched printing plates on a cylinder for imaging a plate in a computer-to-plate drum imaging device. The apparatus includes an imaging cylinder and a registration device connectable to the cylinder. The apparatus includes at least one groove and one pair of register pins, with a first register pin in a fixed position, and a second register pin movable in the groove to a second position, and collinear with the first register pin in the axial direction of the cylinder, arranged such that when connected to the cylinder, the registration device allows a plurality of pre-punched printing plates with variable widths to be positioned and aligned on the cylinder with simplicity.

Apparatus and method for applying a water-based emulsion of silicone fluid to a printed web required to be cooled, such that evaporative cooling of the web is promoted in addition to coating of said web with a silicone material. Water evaporated following the application of the silicone fluid to the web is recovered by condensation on the applicator(s) and reapplied to the web, thus economizing the amount of silicone fluid mixture necessary to provide both cooling and enhanced slip characteristics necessary for further handling and processing of the web. The condensation step is effected by containing the evaporated water from the web within a compact enclosure enveloping both the applicator(s) and the web, and optionally chilling said applicator(s) with a cooling medium, preferably water, by means of said cooling medium flowing through at least one of the applicators. In certain embodiments, in addition to condensing the evaporated water, the airborne silicone mist created in the coating step is captured and is returned to the fluid applicator.

A system for dampening fluid recovery in an ink-based digital printing system includes a seal manifold having a front seal portion, the front seal portion having an upper wall facing the imaging surface, the upper wall being configured to define an air flow channel with the imaging surface, the upper wall being contoured to form a distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at an evaporation location that is less than distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at locations interposing the evaporation location and a vacuum inlet channel of the seal manifold.