PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drying method capable of achieving high-quality drying in a short time by combining microwave drying and freeze-drying techniques and a device employing the drying method.SOLUTION: In a composite drying method, a microwave decompression drying step at a normal temperature is executed before and after a freeze-drying step. In a preferable method, preliminary drying is performed so that a drying rate does not exceed 5% in microwave decompression drying performed before freeze-drying, then drying is performed until the drying rate becomes 70 to 80% by freeze-drying, and microwave decompression drying is performed again thereafter.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】マイクロ波乾燥と凍結乾燥技術を組み合わせて、短時間で高品質な乾燥を実現することのできる乾燥方法と、そのための装置を提供すること。【解決手段】凍結乾燥工程の前後に、常温でのマイクロ波減圧乾燥工程を組合わせて実施することを特徴とする複合乾燥法である。凍結乾燥の前に行うマイクロ波減圧乾燥で、乾燥率が5%を超えないまでに予備的に乾燥し、次に、凍結乾燥により乾燥率が70~80%になるまで乾燥し、その後、再度、マイクロ波減圧乾燥を行う方法が好ましい。【選択図】図1
