Based on the air drying theory of porous media,a mathematical model describing the through-air drying（TAD） process of paper was built and numerically analyzed.Then,the reliability of the model was validated by hot-air drying experiments using a self-developed experimental device.The results show that the calculated paper moisture and temperature varying with the drying time accord well with the measured ones,and that,in the normal drying period and the decreasing period,the calculated values are only 4 percent higher than the measured ones.It is thus concluded that the proposed mathematical model and numerical calculation method are both reliable,which provides a theoretical basis for the design and operation optimization of TAD of paper