TAPPI’s Yankee Dryer Safety and Reliability Committee met Nov. 5-6, 2013, in Neenah, Wis., USA, to discuss safe practices and technical challenges to operating yankee dryers. More than 50 yankee owner/users and supplier/consultants were present. During the meeting, several new work groups were formed to address the following areas:

• Yankee Dryer Bearings (chair: Scott Thompson, Airtherm)—design and installation, storage, lubrication, preventive maintenance, warm-up/cool down, failures, insurance, and record keeping.
• Steam and Condensate Systems (chair: Yee Tak Ngan, Swagelok)—corrosion control, steam related interlocks, troubleshooting/evacuation issues, internal maintenance. The group is looking for some help from chemists or chemical engineers.
• Yankee Hoods/Cylinders and Air Systems (chair: Neil Arafat, Enerquin )—three supplier companies have provided their standard procedures for startup/shutdown of yankee dryers, and the group is taking this information and developing a combined list of information. They will also look at startup/shutdown procedures for hoods.  
• Yankee Surface Reliability (chair: Sam Archer, Nalco)—developing standards for blades, blade holders, and best practices for yankee coatings. The group has also improved/updated the yankee knowledge database (online for TAPPI members) and is optimizing the search capabilities for yankee information in TAPPI’s e-library.   

The group also heard "tech talks" on yankee coatings, yankee cleaning, and participated in some troubleshooting exercises lead by Committee Chair Blaine Waybright of Kimberly-Clark.  

The next meeting is scheduled for April 30-May 1, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn., immediately following the TAPPI Tissue360° Forum. More information is available online or by contacting Scott Springmier.