Method for improving the filling ability of tobacco

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for improving the fillability of tobacco, as cut tobacco leaves or ribs and/or plant-based tobacco additives with cellular structure, by treating the tobacco material which has 8 to 16 wt. % initial moisture with a treatment gas consisting of nitrogen and/or argon at pressures of 50 to 1,000 bar in either one autoclave or with cascade-type switching in several autoclaves, followed by thermal after-treatment of the tobacco material discharged after decompression has occurred, which is characterised in that the decompression is carried out with at least one holding stage whose pressure corresponds to 3 to 60%, preferably 3 to 30% of the original maximum pressure and that the heating of the system whilst it is under residual pressure is carried out in such a way that the tobacco discharge temperature after pressure reduction is completed lies within the range 10 to 80° C. The temperature increase of the system whilst it is under residual pressure is effected by a holding time, circulation via a heat exchanger and/or by transfer of heated gas, with the reduction in pressure being carried out from the maximum pressure in each case to the pressure of the holding stage within an interval of 20 seconds to 5 minutes and the reduction of the residual pressure being carried out within an interval of 3 seconds to 3 minutes.

1 . Method for improving the fillability of tobacco, as cut tobacco leaves or ribs and/or plant-based tobacco additives with cellular structure, by treatment of the tobacco material which has 8-16 wt. % initial moisture with a treatment gas consisting of nitrogen and/or argon at pressures of 50 to 1,000 bar, in either one autoclave or with cascade-type switching, in several autoclaves, followed by thermal after-treatment of the tobacco material discharged after decompression has occurred, characterised in that the decompression is carried out with at least one holding stage, whose pressure corresponds to 3 to 60%, preferably 3 to 30% of the original maximum pressure and that the heating of the system whilst it is under residual pressure is carried out in such a way that the tobacco discharge temperature lies within the range 10 to 80° C. after pressure reduction is completed.  
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the initial moisture of the tobacco material lies within the range 10 to 14 wt. %.  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claims 1  to  2 , characterised in that the temperature increase of the system whilst it is under residual pressure is effected by a holding time.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claims 1  to  3 , characterised in that the temperature increase is effected by circulation of the gas under residual pressure via a heat exchanger.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claims 1  to  4 , characterised in that the temperature increase of the system whilst it is under residual pressure is effected by transfer of heated gas.  
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claims 1  to  5 , characterised in that the pressure reduction from the maximum pressure in each case to the pressure of the holding stage is carried out within an interval of 20 seconds to 5 minutes.  
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claims 1  to  6 , characterised in that the reduction of the residual pressure is carried out within an interval of 3 seconds to 3 minutes.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claims 1  to  7 , characterised in that the high-pressure treatment or the sequence of high-pressure treatment and thermal treatment is carried out several times with the same tobacco material.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claims 1  to  8 , characterised in that the thermal after-treatment of the tobacco material is carried out with saturated steam.