Drying apparatus, printing system and drying method that inject hot wind from nozzles to surface of recording medium

A drying method, comprising:

• a conveying step of conveying a printing medium having a recording surface to which an aqueous ink adhered and a non-recording surface opposite to the recording surface by a conveyor;
• a preceding-stage drying step of drying the printing medium being conveyed by the conveyor by a preceding-stage dryer;
• a next-stage drying step of drying the printing medium being conveyed by the conveyor by a next-stage dryer on a side downstream of the preceding-stage dryer in a moving direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveyor;
• and
• an exhausting step of exhausting air in a housing, by an exhaust unit, to outside of the housing, the housing accommodating the conveyor, the preceding-state dryer, the next-stage dryer, and the exhaust unit,
• wherein:
• the preceding-stage dryer includes a plurality of first nozzles arrayed in the moving direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveyor on a recording surface side of the printing medium and a plurality of rotary bodies arrayed in the moving direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveyor on a non-recording surface side of the printing medium,
• the first nozzles inject a hot wind of 60° C. or higher to the recording surface,
• the rotary bodies have peripheral surfaces configured to contact the non-recording surface of the printing medium and rotate, following the printing medium,
• the next-stage dryer includes a plurality of second nozzles arrayed in the moving direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveyor on the recording surface side of the printing medium and a plurality of third nozzles arrayed in the moving direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveyor on the non-recording surface side of the printing medium,
• the second nozzles inject the hot wind to the recording surface, and
• the third nozzles inject the hot wind to the non-recording surface.