Drying process for silkworm cocoons - comprises repeated heating and cooling cycles in air with varying moisture contents

摘要

A drying process for silkworm cocoons comprises a series of heating and cooling cycles in which the cocoons are first exposed to a heating medium at a temp. of 90-140 deg. C and having a moisture content of 100-150 g/kg dry air, then cooled by a medium having a temp. of 10-35 deg. C and a moisture content of 15-30 g/kg dry air. Each cycle lasts between 10 and 30 mins., the ratio of heating time to cooling time varying between 4/1 and 1/1, and the total number of cycles varies from 6 to 24. The process increases the speed of the drying process without impairing the quality of the silk and increases the yield of high-quality silk from the dried cocoons.