Building and Construction Materials

In the building and construction industry, paper backing is used in the production of asphalt shingles. During the production of the paper backing, Kadant’s PT2X rotary joint and stationary syphon system is installed on rotating dryers, delivering reliable sealing, long service life, and simplified maintenance. Its spring-loaded piston design maintains balanced pressure on the seal ring for consistent performance. A stainless-steel shroud protects the seal cartridge from contaminants, while the high-visibility seal wear indicator enables predictive maintenance and planned downtime. Built for high-speed, high-temperature operation, the PT2X rotary joint handles angular misalignment and thermal expansion, even on the front side of the dryer cylinder.

Turbulator Tube bars are engineered to improve heat transfer and drying efficiency in cylindrical pressure vessels found in the production of paper backing. Installed inside steam-heated dryer cylinders, they create controlled turbulence in the condensate layer, breaking up the rimming film that limits heat transfer efficiency. This increases the rate of drying and ensures more uniform temperature distribution across the machine. Their patented axial design delivers consistent heat transfer along the entire cylinder length, reducing cross-machine temperature variation, and improving sheet moisture profiles.

The RX rotary union is engineered for reliable performance in demanding water and thermal oil applications. Its balanced mechanical seal, supported by precision ball bearings or optional tapered roller bearings, delivers smooth operation to demanding processes found throughout the building and construction industry. With a stainless-steel nipple and assembly plate and a design that extends bearing life, this robust solution enables corrosion-resistant sealing. Available in single- and dual-flow configurations from 3/8" to 6", it offers dependable, long-lasting fluid transfer for a wide range of industrial applications.

In rock wool production, the G rotary union ensures reliable fluid transfer under high-speed and high-vibration conditions. Designed for up to 10,000 RPM, this rotary union features a custom seal package for handling challenging media such as water and glue (binder). Its robust design supports continuous operation, minimizes unplanned downtime, and integrates easily into demanding industrial environments.

The SX rotary joint is a robust sealing solution designed to provide a positive, reliable connection between stationary piping and rotating cylinders in steam and thermal oil applications. Engineered with an optimized seal diameter, convex seal ring, and maximum carbon guide separation, it delivers extended seal life and reduced maintenance to building and construction material processing applications. Available in both through-flow and dual-flow configurations, it supports speeds up to 550 RPM and temperatures up to 650° F (343° C), making it ideal for asphalt shingle manufacturing, flooring production, and other demanding applications. Adjustable syphon clearance options and self-aligning seal technology improve joint and syphon support, ensuring consistent performance and application flexibility across a wide range of roll-heating systems.

The SNX rotary joint is purpose-built for demanding building and construction material processing applications, delivering enhanced reliability and long operating life through its innovative internal guide design. Featuring two widely spaced carbon guides, a convex seal ring, and a positive differential seal between the rotating nipple and spring shoulder, this robust solution offers excellent syphon support and self-aligning installation characteristics. Its wear-resistant construction and floating guide design help balance guide wear, extend seal life, and maintain system integrity in demanding processes. These features make it a dependable solution for high-performance, heavy-duty drying, and heating applications.

The ELSX rotary joint represents the next generation of extended-life, self-supported sealing technology for demanding steam and thermal oil applications. Engineered for high-pressure, high-speed, and high-vibration environments, this innovative rotary joint features a convex seal design that delivers up to 20% greater pressure-velocity (PV) capability and up to 15% longer seal ring life. Designed to support faster runnability and increased uptime, it provides reliable, long-lasting performance in challenging applications, such as flooring production and wallboard processing.

Kadant expansion joints and flexible metal hoses are essential components in the steam, condensate, and process piping systems that support the building and construction industry. Found in various locations throughout the production process, expansion joints manage thermal expansion, vibration, and equipment movement under high-temperature and pressure conditions. Expansion joints absorb thermal growth, reduce system stress, and prevent leaks in pipelines carrying steam, condensate, and exhaust gases, while flexible metal hoses compensate for misalignment and movement between critical equipment. Together, they ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation, extending equipment life and improving production uptime in key production processes, such as asphalt shingle manufacturing.

Kadant jet products are engineered to control steam pressure and temperature, recovering and reusing steam energy to improve efficiency, stability, and sustainability. Found throughout steam and condensate systems in the building and construction industry, these critical components play a vital role in optimizing heat transfer and process performance. Thermocompressors increase the pressure and temperature of low-energy blow-through steam by mixing it with high-pressure motive steam for reuse, while desuperheaters reduce the temperature of superheated steam through direct water injection to produce steam ideal for heat transfer and drying applications.

Kadant steam and condensate systems deliver precise heat control and energy efficiency, ensuring consistent sheet moisture, uniform temperature, and optimal drying performance in critical building and construction industry processes. Commonly found in paper backing production applications, cascade steam systems provide progressively lower steam pressures and temperatures for multi-section processes requiring controlled heat transfer and maximum energy recovery, while thermocompressor steam systems maintain constant steam pressure by recompressing recovered blow-through steam with motive steam to ensure stable temperatures, reduced energy consumption, and improved process efficiency.

Kadant’s experienced services team helps building and construction professionals maintain safe, reliable, and efficient operations across critical applications. Mechanical services include expert installation, repair, and maintenance of equipment to ensure peak performance and system reliability. Through detailed steam system studies, Kadant engineers analyze system design, energy efficiency, and equipment performance to identify opportunities for improvement and cost reduction. Nondestructive testing (NDT) and reel spool NDT services use advanced inspection technologies to detect early signs of wear or fatigue on pressure vessels and reels, preventing failures, reducing downtime, and supporting proactive maintenance.

Whether using a cascade, thermocompressor, or hybrid steam system Kadant’s intelligent control and automation technology maximizes performance, reliability, and energy efficiency. These integrated controls work seamlessly with rotary steam joints, syphon systems, and steam and condensate handling equipment. Automated control logic continuously adjusts steam setpoints based on product grade, basis weight, speed, and moisture, while built-in intelligence, such as anti-flooding protection, differential pressure management, thermocompressor anti-choke, and startup/shutdown automation, maintains system balance, optimizes energy use, and enables predictive maintenance for long-term performance.

In the production of paper backing, evaluating the performance of dryer sections can identify opportunities for improving energy efficiency, runnability, and productivity of the paper machine. Based on their evaluation of more than 1,000 dryer sections around the globe, Kadant offers expertise and insight into optimizing dryer section performance. A comprehensive report following the evaluation defines improvement opportunities and quantifies the benefits of operational equipment changes.