THROUGH-FLOW DRYING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BINDER-CONTAINING INORGANIC FIBER MOLDED BODY USING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a through-flow drying apparatus having high drying efficiency when drying an inorganic fiber molded body; and to provide a method for producing a binder-containing inorganic fiber molded body using the same.SOLUTION: A drying apparatus 10 comprises: support means 1 which has many air holes 11 and supports an inorganic fiber molded body 100; through-flow drying means 53 in the thickness direction of the molded body 100; and holding means 2 for holding the side faces of the molded body 100. The holding means 2 comprises a movable jig 20 comprising: a support 21 which can be expanded and contracted in a direction orthogonal to the side face of the molded body 100; an abutting plate 22 which is connected to the tip of the support 21 and has a molded body-side flat plate face; and a plate-like lid part 23 which is arranged so as to be brought into contact with the lower end side of the abutting plate 22. By the jig 20, the abutting plate 22 and the lid part 23 are energized, according to the width and thickness of the inorganic fiber molded body 100, so as to be brought into contact with the side face thereof, so that an exposed region in the support means 1 can be efficiently sealed, and hot air is prevented from leaking from the exposed region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】無機繊維成形体を乾燥する際の、乾燥効率が高い通気乾燥装置と、それを用いたバインダー含有無機繊維成形体の製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】多数の通気孔１１を有し、無機繊維成形体１００の支持手段１、成形体１００の厚さ方向への通気乾燥手段５３、成形体１００の側面の挟持手段２と、から構成されており、そのうち、挟持手段２は、成形体１００の側面に対して直交方向に伸縮可能な支柱２１と、支柱２１の先端に連結された成形体側平板面を有する当て板２２と、当て板２２の下端辺と接して配置される板状の蓋部２３と、を備える可動式治具２０を有し、この治具２０により、当て板２２や蓋部２３が、無機繊維成形体１００の幅や厚さに応じてその側面と接するように付勢されるため、支持手段１の露出領域の封止を効率よく行うことができ、露出領域からの熱風のリークを防ぐことができる乾燥装置１０。【選択図】図１