Tobacco – Tobacco treatment – Puffing
Patent
1999-06-28
2000-04-25
Silverman, Stanley S.
Tobacco
Tobacco treatment
Puffing
131291, 131302, 131304, 131306, 131901, 131108, 1311093, 993234, 993238, 993239, A24B 318
Patent
active
060531746
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the enhancement of tobacco.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Tobacco undergoes several treatment steps before it is ready to be formed into cigarettes and the like. The shredded tobacco is fed to a tobacco enhancement apparatus which is used to increase the effective volume of the tobacco by causing it to expand or "puff".
In one method, the tobacco is passed over an elongate tray formed with a heated plenum having a closely spaced matrix of nozzle openings. The plenum is heated to a temperature of approximately 145.degree. C. by steam passing through the openings, thereby causing the tobacco shreds to expand. In the case of pressurized steam existing within the plenum at pressures of up to 1 MPa, the plenum can be heated to a temperature of up to 180.degree. C. The individual tobacco shreds tend to form a mat which comes into direct contact with the heated plenum and the high temperature steam in the region of the openings; this tends to adversely affect the quality of the tobacco. In addition, due to the large volume of steam passing through the nozzles in the matrix, and the free volume above the mat, the above described process is not extremely energy efficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a tobacco enhancement apparatus comprising a tunnel having a vibratory conveyor floor for advancing tobacco shreds, an inlet for receiving unexpanded tobacco shreds, a steaming and vortex creating station comprising an array of overhead steam nozzles arranged above the floor for steaming, swirling and expanding the shreds, and a conditioning station located downstream of the steaming station for prolonging the exposure of the expanded tobacco shreds to conditions of increased vapour pressure.
In a preferred form of the invention, the conditioning station comprises a venturi station, with the cross sectional area of the tunnel decreasing towards a minimum cross sectional area at the venturi station.
Preferably, the array of steam nozzles comprise a plurality of spaced apart steam manifolds extending transversely relative to the major axis of the tunnel, each of the steam manifolds having downwardly angled steam nozzles.
Conveniently, tilt angle adjustment means are provided for adjusting the downward tilt angles of the steam nozzles.
Advantageously, height adjustment means are provided for adjusting the height of the steam nozzles above the floor.
Preferably, area adjustment means are provided for varying the minimum cross sectional area at the venturi station by adjusting the effective height of the tunnel relative to the floor.
Typically, the pressure of steam exiting through the steam nozzles is adjustable via steam pressure adjustment means.
Control means are preferably provided for automatically controlling the operation of at least one of the adjustment means.
Conveniently, the control means includes a setpoint controller, and monitoring means are provided for monitoring and sensing the condition of at least one and preferably all of the controlled adjustment means.
In one form of the invention, a wetting station is located downstream of the inlet and upstream of the steaming station, the wetting station being arranged to pre-wet the tobacco shreds, and including at least one array of water nozzles.
The invention extends to a method of enhancing tobacco comprising the steps of feeding unexpanded tobacco shreds into an inlet of a tunnel having a vibratory conveyor floor for advancing the shreds, steaming and swirling the tobacco shreds at an overhead steaming and swirling station so as to expand the shreds, and conditioning the expanded tobacco shreds downstream of the steaming and swirling station by progressively decreasing the cross sectional area of the tunnel in the direction of travel of the expanded tobacco shreds to a minimum cross sectional area.
Preferably, the steaming and swirling station comprises a plurality of overhead steam manifolds having downwardly angled ste
REFERENCES:
patent: 4878422 (1989-11-01), McCullough et al.
patent: 4967769 (1990-11-01), Franklin et al.
Bakkes Johan
De Koker Kobus
Colaianni Michael P.
Silverman Stanley S.
Tobacco Research and Development Institute Limited
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