A mathematical model was constructed and solved in order to describe quantitatively the dynamic behavior of the primary and secondary drying stages of the freeze-drying of pharmaceuticals in trays. The theoretical results were compared with the experimental data of the freeze-drying of skim milk, and the agreement between the experimental data and the theoretical results is good. Detailed model calculations have indicated that the contribution of the removal of hound (unfrozen) water to the total mass flux of the water removed during primary drying, is not significant. For this reason, it was found that one could not