A drying unit and method of drying for a liquid electrophotographic
printing apparatus, the drying unit that is equipped in the printing
apparatus comprising a developing unit that develops an image on an
photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator and a transfer
unit that transcribes the developed image on a printing paper, so that the
liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried. The
drying unit for the liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus is
positioned near the photosensitive medium and includes a manifold having
an inlet and an outlet; an inlet-outlet channel being between the inlet
and the outlet and connecting them; a gas flowing unit by which the gas in
the manifold is discharged through the outlet and gas flows in the
manifold through the inlet; a condenser that condenses the evaporated
carrier discharged through the outlet; and a heater that heats the gases
flowing in the manifold through the inlet. Also, the liquid carrier drying
method includes determining the injection condition; heating injection air
according to the determined gas injection condition and evaporating the
carrier on the photosensitive medium by injecting the heated gas at a
predetermined speed in the manifold; discharging out of the manifold the
carrier evaporated from the photosensitive medium and the air flowing in;
and condensing the evaporated carrier at the manifold, of reheating the
gas that is not condensed, injecting the gas at a predetermined speed into
the manifold.