DRYING APPARATUS AND DRYING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drying apparatus enhanced in drying capacity without impairing the sealability of a hermetic treatment chamber.SOLUTION: A power transmission shaft 53 connected to the fan 51 within the treatment room 21 and to the power source outside the chamber 20 is inserted into the through hole 29 of the chamber 20. A pressure adjusting means switches over a first pressure state within the treatment room 21 higher than a normal pressure and a second pressure state inside the same lower than the normal pressure. A state switching means switches over an airtight state for fixing the space between the chamber 20 and the power transmission shaft 53 in an airtight state and a rotatable state for releasing the airtight state to enable the power transmission shaft 53 to rotate. A control means turns the interior of the treatment room 21 into the first pressure state, and releases the airtight state between the chamber 20 and the power transmission shaft 53 to allow the fan 51 to rotate at a high speed, causing an object to be dried to be rapidly heated by a high speed fluid gas. Furthermore, the control means turns the interior of the treatment room 21 into the second pressure state, and turns the space between the chamber 20 and the power transmission shaft 53 into an airtight state, causing the object to be dried to be dried in vacuum.