DRYING APPARATUS AND DRYING METHOD

摘要

An electrolyte membrane (2) coated with catalyst ink is sucked and transported by a suction roller (20). A drying furnace (40) is moved between a processing position where the drying furnace (40) covers a part of the outer circumferential surface of the suction roller (20) and a standby position where the drying furnace is isolated from the suction roller. The drying furnace (40) in the processing position dries the catalyst ink applied to the electrolyte membrane (2) transported by the suction roller by blowing hot air on the catalyst ink. If transport of the electrolyte membrane (2) is stopped for some reason, the drying furnace (40) is moved from the processing position to the standby position and continues operation under a processing condition same as that for heating process on the catalyst ink in the processing position. Thus, temperature control of the drying furnace (40) can be continued without causing nonuniformity of the temperature distribution of the suction roller (20).