Method for producing a plant-based sheet

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a plant-based material sheet comprising: —providing a plant-based powder material and a cellulose-based sheet-forming agent, —determining a moisture content of the plant-based material, —mixing the plant-based powder material, the cellulose-based sheet-forming agent and an amount of water to form a slurry, —drying the slurry to form the plant-based sheet, —wherein the amount of water added for slurry formation is calculated based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material. Such a method allows the adjustment of the amount of water added for slurry formation based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material.

1 . A method for producing a plant-based material sheet comprising:
 providing a plant-based powder material and a cellulose-based sheet-forming agent,   determining a moisture content of the plant-based material,   mixing the plant-based powder material, the cellulose-based sheet-forming agent and an amount of water to form a slurry,   drying the slurry to form the plant-based sheet,   wherein the amount of water added for slurry formation is calculated based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the slurry has a predestined target water content range and wherein the amount of water added for slurry formation is calculated so that the slurry reaches a water content within the predestined target water content range. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plant material moisture detector is employed for determining the moisture content of the plant-based material, preferably wherein the plant material moisture detector in one of a microwave detector or an infrared detector. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the plant-based powder material is dispersed on a conveyor belt and wherein a radiation emitter of the plant material moisture detector is positioned on one side of the conveyor belt and a radiation receiver of the plant material plant material moisture detector is positioned on an opposing side of the conveyor belt for radiation of the plant material plant material moisture detector to pass through the plant-based powder material. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant-based powder material comprises tobacco powder. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plant-based powder material is adjusted to a particle size of between 20 μm to 200 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a particle size of the plant-based powder material is determined. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a water flow rate controller is employed, wherein the flow rate controller controls the amount of the water added for slurry formation based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulose-based sheet-forming agent comprises cellulose fibers, and a water/cellulose fibres pulp is prepared and mixed with the plant-based powder material. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the predestined target water content range of the slurry is between 55 weight percent to 85 weight percent water. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the slurry is dried to form the plant-based sheet, wherein the plant-based sheet has a moisture content of between 7 percent and 15 percent of dry weight of the sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the slurry has a predestined target water content range and wherein a sum of the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material and the amount of water added for slurry formation results in a water content of the slurry being within the target water content range. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein a moisture content of the cellulose-based sheet-forming agent is determined and wherein a sum of the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material, the amount of water added for slurry formation and the moisture content of the cellulose-based sheet-forming agent results in a water content of the slurry being within the target water content range. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus configured for producing a plant-based material sheet, the apparatus comprising
 a mixing tank including a stirrer, the mixing tank configured for mixing a plant-based powder material and a cellulose-based sheet-forming agent for forming a slurry,   a plant material moisture detector configured for determining a moisture content of the plant-based powder material,   a water flow rate controller configured for providing water to the mixing tank, wherein the water flow rate controller is further configured for providing an amount of water to the mixing tank for slurry formation, wherein the amount of water is calculated based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material, and   a drying device for drying the slurry to form the plant-based sheet.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , comprising an open loop control system, the open loop control system configured for adjusting a pump speed of the flow rate controller based on the determined moisture content of the plant-based powder material. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the plant-based powder material is tobacco powder and wherein the material sheet is a sheet of an aerosol-forming substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the particle size of the plant-based material is determined before determining the moisture content of the plant-based material. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the water/cellulose fibres pulp comprises cellulose fibres having a mean length of between 0.2 millimetres and 4 millimetres.