Abstract
Two different drying regimes were observed in air-free condenser drying of solvent-polymer solution coatings. The measured solvent drying rate for the constant rate period increases with an increasing solvent partial pressure gradient in the low pressure gradient regime. This drying behavior was quantitatively consistent with the previously proposed one-dimensional theory. At higher pressure gradients above a critical value, however, the solvent evaporation rate reaches a constant value, showing a particular drying-rate limit. The experiments revealed that the configuration of the grooves, on which the condensed solvent forms a continuous liquid layer, plays a key role in the retarded solvent diffusion in the condenser drying system.
