How to dry honeysuckle that abandons traditional air drying?

Honeysuckle, also known as honeysuckle, can be used for medicinal purposes or as an ornamental plant. It is widely distributed in most parts of China and has been cultivated in many areas. Among them, it is most famous for being produced in Henan and Shandong, and is also produced in Japan and Korea. Honeysuckle is best with flower buds, and those mixed with open flowers or stem and leaf impurities have lower quality. Flower buds that are enlarged and have a greenish white color are better, usually harvested between May and June each year.

The traditional method of drying honeysuckle is to bake it in a soil oven, which has low drying efficiency, poor quality, and difficult temperature control. It cannot adapt to the scale, intensification, and modern development of the honeysuckle industry.

In order to achieve 24-hour continuous production and high drying efficiency of honeysuckle, Guoxin Group has invented an air source heat pump honeysuckle dryer, which uses air as the heat source and mainly uses air and a small amount of electricity as energy sources. It is an energy-saving and environmentally friendly drying equipment that is not affected by weather conditions.

The color and medicinal properties of honeysuckle dried with an air powered honeysuckle dryer determine its quality. Based on years of experience, the usage experience and drying temperature curve of honeysuckle dryer are summarized and shared as follows:

Phase 1: Initial drying, increasing dehumidification.

The initial temperature of the honeysuckle dryer should be preheated to around 35-40 degrees Celsius before placing the fresh flowers in the drying room. Then, the drying temperature of 40 degrees Celsius should be maintained for 4-6 hours and the dehumidification rate should be increased.

Phase 2: Medium low temperature drying, reaching 50% dryness

The temperature of the honeysuckle dryer gradually increases from 41 degrees Celsius to 48 degrees Celsius, and the increase time of this temperature difference is controlled within 5-7 hours. The temperature range must not exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Simultaneously ensuring the same dehumidification speed. Honeysuckle can be dried up to 50% through initial, moderate drying, and strong dehumidification.

Stage 3: Heat up and dry, reaching 80% dryness

The temperature should be controlled at 50-54 degrees Celsius, and the heating time should be controlled within 2-4 hours. During this stage, the dehumidification rate can be slightly reduced to facilitate temperature increase. After the third stage, honeysuckle can reach 80% dryness.

Stage 4: Strengthen drying and release from the furnace

Enhanced drying: The temperature range is 55-65 degrees Celsius, and the temperature should not exceed a high temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. The dehumidification rate should be appropriately reduced, and after 2-4 hours of forced drying, the dried honeysuckle can be observed in the observation hole for its color before being taken out of the furnace.