Heating – Tobacco barns
Patent
1995-12-06
1997-11-11
Bennett, Henry A.
Heating
Tobacco barns
34210, 34212, 34209, 34215, A24B 102
Patent
active
056857101
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The barn of procedure for Virginia type tobacco curing which are the objects of the present invention provide improved fuel efficiency and ease of management. The proposed procedure may be applied to existing tobacco curing barns, conveniently adapted, or to new constructions; the method of construction is immaterial. The procedure can be applied to any method of handling the tobacco in the curing units, whether the leaves are tied by hand on strings, in metal clips, in racks as used in bulk barns, or in boxes or containers.
BACKGROUND ART
Curing of Virginia type tobacco is carried out by passing heated air through the ripe leaves (Spanish patent with publication No. 8406174). The air may be moved by fans or by convection, depending on the type of curing structure and the tobacco handling method. The process starts with a warm and humid atmosphere of about 35.degree. C., and the temperature is increased gradually and the humidity decreased over a period of several days to a maximum of about 70.degree. C. at the end of the cure. Suitable ventilation has to be provided to ensure that the moisture in the leaves is removed in a closely controlled manner. Conventional Virginia type tobacco curing barns have until now consisted of individual units in which the tobacco is processed independently, each curing unit providing its own separately regulated environment. The particular problems associated with the process are the following: amount of energy is wasted in the air exhausted from the unit, even in the final step with 70.degree. C. heated air, thus limiting the thermal efficiency which can be attained. wrong combination of temperature and humidity may affect the tobacco adversely, thus requiring close attention to the degree of ventilation in relation to the temperature, humidity and state of the tobacco. the addition of sufficient moisture to soften it enough to allow it to be handled for removal from the barn. It is important that this step should be achieved rapidly to allow re-use of the barn, and is usually done by injecting water sprays or steam into the barn, both of which require additional mechanisms and control.
Some of these problems have been tried to be solved, for example, by providing the barn with a heat exchanger, so that the hot and humid air which leaves the curing unit warms the cold and dry air which enters the unit from outside (Spanish Utility Model with application No. U9103183). Thereby, the thermal efficiency of the process is improved but the other mentioned problems associated with the conventional barns for tobacco curing still remain unsolved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The barn for tobacco curing which is the object of the present invention, solves the problems already mentioned by connecting the curing units in such manner that the same air is passed sequentially through each unit in turn, creating a continous air flow. The air is heated to the required temperature before being introduced into the barn, and as it passes through the tobacco picks up moisture, which causes a decrease in temperature and increase in humidity. This creates temperature and humidity gradients within the curing units which correspond exactly with the requirements of the curing process. Each unit is, therefore, an integrated part of the whole barn. The means of heating the air is not relevant to the curing and may any suitable method provided the air remains clean and uncontaminated, for example gas burners.
The advantages of the Virginia type tobacco curing barn and procedure of the present invention are the relevant energy saving (25-50%) and the better control of the curing procedure. These advantages derive from the fact that the air flows through all the units integrated in the barn instead of being wasted as in the conventional barns, thus implying a significant energy saving. Similarly, because the temperature and humidity gradients affect all of the units simultaneously and are relatively stable because they are determined by the curing process itself, the
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Bernard Michael
Martinez Sagrera Jorge
Venturas Michael
Bennett Henry A.
Lu Jiping
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