Method for conditioning comminuted tobacco material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for conditioning comminuted tobacco material by heating and moistening with water vapor, wherein the comminuted tobacco material free-falls down through a chamber operating in a continuous process and is treated during free-fall with water vapor via nozzles; a hyperbaric pressure is maintained in said chamber.

1 . A method for conditioning comminuted tobacco material by heating and moistening with water vapor, comprising the steps of: 
 a) allowing said comminuted tobacco material to free-falls down through a chamber operating in a continuous process; and    b) treating said comminuted tobacco material during said free-fall with water vapor via nozzles, wherein a hyperbaric pressure is maintained in said chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an absolute pressure of more than 1 bar is maintained in said chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an absolute pressure of 2 to 10 bars is maintained in said chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein saturated vapor is introduced into said chamber through nozzles.  
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein saturated vapor or superheated vapor with a temperature in the range 100° C. to 200° C. is introduced into said chamber.  
     
     
         6 . A method for conditioning comminuted tobacco material, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing said comminuted tobacco material into a chamber operating in a continuous process, wherein said comminuted tobacco material free falls down through said chamber; and,    treating said comminuted tobacco material during said free-fall with water vapor, wherein a hyperbaric pressure is maintained in said chamber.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein an absolute pressure of more than about 1 bar is maintained in said chamber  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said absolute pressure is from about 2 bars to about 10 bars.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said water vapor is introduced into said chamber through nozzles.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said nozzles are ring nozzles.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said water vapor with a temperature in a range of from about 100° C. to about 200° C. is introduced into said chamber.  
     
     
         12 . A method for conditioning comminuted tobacco, comprising the steps of: 
 preheating a tobacco conditioning drum using superheated vapor;    introducing said tobacco into said tobacco conditioning drum;    conveying said tobacco through said tobacco conditioning drum;    raising said tobacco's equilibrium temperature in a pressure proof chamber of said tobacco conditioning drum; and    drying said tobacco in a horizontal airflow dryer of said tobacco conditioning drum.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tobacco conditioning drum is preheated to more than about 152° C. at about 5 bars.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tobacco has a cut moistness of more than about 18% by mass when introduced into said tobacco conditioning drum.  
     
     
         15 . The method of clam  12 , wherein said tobacco is conveyed through said tobacco conditioning drum at a mass flow rate of about 200 kg/h.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tobacco is conveyed through said tobacco conditioning drum at a vapor pressure of about 5 bars.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tobacco's equilibrium temperature in said pressure proof chamber is raised to about 152° C.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said tobacco is dried to a discharge moistness of about 13% by mass.  
     
     
         19 . A method for conditioning comminuted tobacco, comprising the steps of: 
 introducing said tobacco into a vertically positioned tobacco expansion device;    allowing said tobacco to free fall through a feed sluice in said expansion device;    conditioning said tobacco at an absolute pressure in a pre-conditioning chamber in said expansion device;    moistening and heating said tobacco during free fall with superheated water vapor;    allowing said tobacco to free fall from said pre-conditioning chamber to a pressure proof chamber, from said pressure proof chamber to a discharge sluice, and from said discharge sluice to a dryer; and    drying said tobacco in said dryer.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said absolute pressure in said pre-conditioning chamber is maintained at more than about 1 bar.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said absolute pressure in said pre-conditioning chamber is maintained from about 2 bars to about 10 bars.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said superheated water vapor is about 100° C. to about 200° C.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said superheated water vapor is introduced into said pressure proof chamber through ring nozzles arranged flush with an inner surface of said pressure proof chamber.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said ring nozzles have a discharge direction inclining downwards.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said superheated water vapor is discharged into said pressure proof chamber at an angle.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said angle is 90° to a circumferential direction of said inner surface of said pressure proof chamber.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a heating jacket surrounds said pressure proof chamber, said heating jacket being injected with a water vapor of a slightly higher temperature than said superheated water vapor injected into said pressure proof chamber.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said pressure proof chamber expands downwardly in a tapered manner.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said discharge sluice conveys a higher volume of said tobacco than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said discharge sluice rotates faster than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said discharge sluice has a greater chamber volume than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said dryer is a horizontal airflow dryer providing a hot gas stream.  
     
     
         33 . A method for conditioning comminuted tobacco material comprising the steps of: 
 preheating a vertically positioned tobacco expansion device using superheated vapor;    introducing said tobacco into said expansion device through an upper inlet;    allowing said tobacco to free fall through a feed sluice within said expansion device;    conditioning said tobacco during free fall at an absolute pressure through a pre-conditioning chamber in said expansion device;    raising said tobacco's equilibrium and simultaneously moistening said tobacco with a superheated water vapor during free fall through a pressure proof chamber of said expansion device, wherein said pressure proof chamber is surrounded by a heating jacket;    injecting said heating jacket with a water vapor of a slightly higher temperature than said superheated water vapor injected into said pressure proof chamber;    allowing said tobacco to free fall through a discharge sluice to a dryer; and    drying said tobacco in said dryer.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said expansion device is preheated to about more than 152° C. at about 5 bars.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said tobacco has a cut moistness of more than about 18% by mass when introduced into said expansion device.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said absolute pressure in said pre-conditioning chamber is maintained at more than about 1 bar.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said absolute pressure in said pre-conditioning chamber is maintained from about 2 bars to about 10 bars.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said superheated water vapor is about 100° C. to about 200° C.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said tobacco is conveyed through said expansion device at a mass flow rate of about 200 kg/h.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said superheated water vapor is introduced into said pressure poof chamber through ring nozzles arranged flush with an inner surface of said pressure proof chamber.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said ring nozzles have a discharge direction inclining downwards.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said superheated water vapor is discharged into said pressure proof chamber at an angle.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said angle is 90° to a circumferential direction of said inner surface of said pressure proof chamber.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said pressure proof chamber expands downwardly in a tapered manner.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said discharge sluice conveys a higher volume of said tobacco than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said discharge sluice rotates faster than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said discharge sluice has a greater chamber volume than said feed sluice.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said tobacco is dried to a discharge moistness of about 13% by mass  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said dryer is a horizontal airflow dryer providing a hot gas stream.