Claims
- 1. A process for the production of cut and expanded tobacco particles from whole tobacco stems which comprises:
- (a) opening the cellular structure of said stems to the infusion of moisture without significant physical degradation of said cellular structure;
- (b) inducing moisture into said cellular structure in an amount in the range of from 20 to 40 weight percent, said range being a first induced moisture content and simultaneously therewith, heating said stems to a temperature of at least 120.degree. F.;
- (c) equilibrating the moisture content in said opened and induced stems;
- (d) moisturizing said equilibrated stems to a second induced moisture content in the range of from 30 to 60 weight percent at a temperature of at least 160.degree. F.;
- (e) cutting said stems after step (d) above, at said second induced moisture content, into a plurality of moisturized tobacco stem particles;
- (f) expanding said cut particles; and
- (g) drying said expanded particles to a final moisture content in the range of from 13 to 25 weight percent.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of opening said cellular structure and the step of inducing moisture into said stems to said first induced moisture content comprises simultaneously applying water and steam to said stems.
- 3. The process of claim 2 wherein the step of inducing moisture into said stems to said first induced moisture content includes heating said stems to a temperature in the range of from 120.degree. to 160.degree. F.
- 4. The process of claim 2 wherein the step of simultaneously applying water and steam includes applying said water at a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F. to said stems.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the steps of opening said stems to the infusion of moisture and moisturizing said stems to said first induced moisture content comprise passing said stems through an inclined rotating cylinder while simultaneously directing steam and water solely toward said stems.
- 6. The process of claim 5 wherein the step of inducing moisture into said stems to said first induced moisture content includes heating said stems to a temperature in the range of from 120.degree. to 160.degree. F.
- 7. The process of claim 5 wherein the step of simultaneously applying water and steam includes applying said water at a temperature of approximately 180.degree. F.
- 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of inducing moisture into said stems results in said stems having a first induced moisture content in the range of from 30 to 32 weight percent.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein said equilibrating step comprises confining said stems at said first induced moisture content within a moisture impervious closed container for a time in excess of 10 minutes.
- 10. The process of claim 9 wherein said equilibrating step comprises confining said stems at said first induced moisture content within a moisture impervious closed container for a time of approximately 15 minutes.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of moisturizing said stems to said second induced moisture content comprises passing the equilibrated stems through a vertically disposed conduit having upper and lower portions, said conduit having a plurality of orifices in the lower portion thereof, initially applying water to said stems in the upper portion of said conduit and subsequently applying water and steam simultaneously through said orifices to said stems passing through the lower portion of said conduit.
- 12. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of moisturizing said stems to said second induced moisture content results in said stems having a moisture content of approximately 44 weight percent.
- 13. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of simultaneously applying water and steam to said stems to achieve said second induced moisture content utilizes water and steam at 212.degree. F.
- 14. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of initially applying water to said stems comprises applying water to said stems as they free fall within the upper portion of said conduit.
- 15. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of simultaneously applying water and steam includes moving said stems through said conduit as a column.
- 16. The method of claim 11 wherein the moisturizing of the equilibrated stems to the second induced moisture content is accomplished in stages of ever decreasing amounts to trim the moisture content to the desired level while effecting a uniform diffusion of moisture through the stems and from stem to stem.
- 17. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of initially introducing water to said stems increases the moisture content of said equilibrated stems approximately ten percent.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of moisturizing said stems to said second induced moisture content includes applying said mixture to said conduit at three spacially separate portions along the length of said conduit, the uppermost portion of said conduit receiving said mixture at a flow rate sufficient to increase the moisture content of said stems approximately three percent, the middle portion of said conduit receiving said mixture at a flow rate sufficient to increase the moisture content of said stems approximately one percent and the lowermost portion of said conduit receiving said mixture at a flow rate sufficient to increase the moisture content of the stems less than one percent achieving the desired second induced moisture content.
- 19. The method of claim 11 including the step of increasing the temperature of said stems as said stems progress through said conduit.
- 20. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of expanding said particles comprises passing said particles through an inclined rotating cylinder and applying steam solely to said particles.
- 21. The process of claim 20 wherein the step of expanding said particles results in said expanded particles having a moisture content of approximately 47 weight percent prior to said drying step.
- 22. An apparatus for forming whole tobacco stems into a plurality of expanded tobacco particles suitable for inclusion in smoking articles, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) means for opening the cellular structure of said stems to the infusion of moisture by the simultaneous application of water and steam;
- (b) means of equilibrating the moisture content within said stems;
- (c) means for further moisturizing said equilibrated stems by sequentially applying water and thereafter water and steam to said stems;
- (d) means for cutting said stems into a plurality of particles;
- (e) means for expanding said particles; and
- (f) means for drying said expanded particles.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the means for opening the cellular structure of said stems comprises an inclined rotating cylindrical member for receiving said stems at the upper end thereof, said stems being induced to occupy a portion of the cross-section of said cylindrical member by the rotation and inclination of said member, means for directing steam to a limited portion of said stems, and means for directing water to a limited portion of said stems within said cylindrical member.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said expanding means comprises: an inclined rotating cylindrical member for receiving said particles at the upper end thereof, said particles being induced to occupy a portion of the cross-section along the length of said cylindrical member by the rotation and inclination of said member, said member including a central axial conduit disposed within said member at its approximate axis of rotation, said central conduit having a plurality of orifices therein, said orifices being disposed to direct steam passing therethrough solely to the location in said member where said tobacco particles are located.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said equilibrating means is a moisture impervious closed container.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the means for further moisturizing said equilibrated stems comprise:
- (a) a vertically disposed conduit including a plurality of orifices passing through its lower portion;
- (b) means at the upper portion of said conduit for applying water in the form of a spray to said stems within said upper portion of said conduit; and
- (c) a plurality of chambers surrounding the lower portion of said conduit, said chambers being in flow communication with the interior of said conduit through said orifices, said chambers being disposed to distribute and apply water and steam supplied to said chambers to said stems pasing through the interior of said conduit.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the means for supplying the mixture of water and steam include a plurality of chambers disposed along the length of the lower portion of said conduit, said chambers surrounding said conduit and in flow communication with said stems through said permeable walls, and means for introducing said steam and water to said chambers.
- 28. The improvement of claim 27 wherein said apparatus includes three chambers.
- 29. The improvement of claim 26 wherein said conduit is cylindrical with said chambers being defined by a substantially concentric member surrounding said conduit and a plurality of radially dispoed separating members connecting said concentric member and said conduit.
- 30. The improvement of claim 29 including means for preventing localized application of steam to an outer surface of said conduit which comprise baffles interposed between the means for supplying said steam and said outer surface, said baffles allowing flow of said steam around said baffles and through said permeable walls.
- 31. The improvement of claim 30 wherein said conduit is cylindrical with said baffles being substantially concentric with said conduit.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 705,740, filed July 15, 1976 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
705740 |
Jul 1976 |
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