Combination air bar and hole bar flotation dryer

Apparatus and process for the non-contact drying of a web of material. The apparatus includes air flotation nozzles for floating the web, and direct air impingement nozzles for enhanced drying of the web. A plurality of air flotation nozzles or air bars are mounted in one or more sections of a dryer enclosure in air-receiving communication with headers, preferably both above and below the web for the contactless convection drying of the web. In conjunction with these air flotation nozzles, one or more sections of the dryer also includes direct impingement nozzles such as hole-array bars or slot bars. The drying surface of the web is thus heated by both air issuing from the air flotation nozzles and from the direct impingement nozzles. As a result, the dryer has a high rate of drying in a small, enclosed space while maintaining a comfortable working environment.