The invention discloses an air volume control device and method for mercury catalyst drying systems. The device comprises a sedimentation system, the drying system A and the drying system B, wherein the drying system A and the drying system B are arranged in a parallel connection mode. The drying system A is composed of an air blower A, an electric hot air furnace A, a drying furnace A and a pre-drying furnace A, wherein the air blower A, the electric hot air furnace A, the drying furnace A and the pre-drying furnace A are sequentially connected, and the outlet end of the pre-drying furnace A is connected with a draft fan A. The drying system B is composed of an air blower B, an electric hot air furnace B, a drying furnace B and a pre-drying furnace B, wherein the air blower B, the electric hot air furnace B, the drying furnace B and the pre-drying furnace B are sequentially connected, and the outlet end of the pre-drying furnace B is connected with a draft fan B. The outlet end of the draft fan A and the outlet end of the draft fan B are connected with the sedimentation system. The air volume control method mainly comprises the steps of air suction, air volume control during the earlier drying period and air volume control during the later drying period. According to the air volume control device and method, by adjusting the air volume, moisture in a mercury catalyst can be slowly removed, good adsorption of mercuric chloride in active carbon can be kept, the product quality can be improved, the total mercury emission can be decreased, the power consumption can be lowered, and therefore good economic and social benefits can be achieved.