EP0370489A1 - Method and apparatus for puffing humidified cut tobacco - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for puffing humidified cut tobacco Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0370489A1
EP0370489A1 EP89121565A EP89121565A EP0370489A1 EP 0370489 A1 EP0370489 A1 EP 0370489A1 EP 89121565 A EP89121565 A EP 89121565A EP 89121565 A EP89121565 A EP 89121565A EP 0370489 A1 EP0370489 A1 EP 0370489A1
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Prior art keywords
gas stream
flow
tobacco material
steam
tobacco
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EP89121565A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0370489B1 (en
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Laszlo Dr. Egri
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Comas SpA
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Comas SpA
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
    • A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
    • A24B3/04—Humidifying or drying tobacco bunches or cut tobacco
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
    • A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
    • A24B3/18—Other treatment of leaves, e.g. puffing, crimpling, cleaning
    • A24B3/182—Puffing

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for the expansion of cut, moistened tobacco material, in which the tobacco material is transported in a carrier gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas, to which a separately supplied gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas is mixed at several consecutive mixing points, which at the mixing points each has a speed component in the flow direction of the carrier gas stream, and on a device for carrying out the method.
  • the same is known from DE-OS 26 37 124.
  • restoring the moisture content of the tobacco to its original level should serve as the most important factor for achieving a good expansion effect.
  • the drying of the freshly harvested tobacco required for the general technology causes a shrinkage, particularly of the ribs, which leads to a loss of filling capacity.
  • the rewetting to For the purpose of swelling water is generally added, possibly with additional steam, to the tobacco, which usually takes a certain amount of time to ensure a uniform diffusion of moisture into the cells. The steam used is only partially absorbed by tobacco, the unused portion is lost through evaporation.
  • DE-OS 34 12 797 describes a vibratory conveyor in which the moistened, cut tobacco ribs are metered into a conveyor channel provided with holes, and through the holes is transverse to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor channel and to the transport movement of the tobacco, d. H. in the vertical direction, steam is supplied at a pressure of 2.5 to 25 bar and a temperature of 126 ° C to 400 ° C. An increased expansion effect is to be achieved through the heat of condensation and the mechanical vibration.
  • the heat transfer through condensation heat is suitable for converting the water impregnated in the tobacco cells into steam, but in practice it is hardly possible to treat each individual tobacco particle evenly.
  • increasing the temperature of the tobacco to the specified relatively high temperatures can lead to a loss in quality.
  • the initial moisture content of the tobacco is also relatively low.
  • the transport speed and the steam temperature in the expansion zone are not sufficient and the tobacco cannot achieve an increased expansion effect in the drying zone.
  • the flow channel, in which the tobacco is guided has a plurality of slots arranged one behind the other at a relatively close distance, through which moist hot gas is introduced into the flow channel in such a way that the tobacco movement is supported therein.
  • the tobacco is significantly accelerated in a venturi nozzle adjoining this flow channel.
  • the narrowing of the flow cross section caused by it can easily lead to the separation of tobacco dust in the flow channel.
  • a pneuma drying method is known from DE-AS 22 53 882, briefly cited at the beginning, according to which the tobacco is moistened to a moisture content of 50% and the treatment medium consisting of steam and air has a temperature between 120 ° C. and about 400 ° C. and a steam velocity of approx. 40 m / s, the treatment duration being approx. 0.5 s to less than 3 s.
  • DE-PS 31 47 846 describes a method for improving the fillability of tobacco material, in which the humidified tobacco material accelerates to a pressure drop of at least 50 m / s, then transported through a zone of approximately constant speed and then in a divergent flow under pressure increase is delayed, the residence time of the tobacco material in the expansion zone being less than about 0.1 s. Hot gas temperatures of up to 1000 ° C are used, which creates a risk of permanent damage to the tobacco material.
  • the object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages described and to provide a method and a device suitable for carrying it out, in which the negative effects of too high a tobacco temperature are eliminated, the deposition or risk of constipation is prevented and, by optimal use of the treatment medium, the gas for inflation necessary rapid heat transfer of the tobacco is made possible.
  • this object is achieved in that the speed of the supplied gas stream is greater than the speed of the carrier gas stream, thereby increasing the relative speed between the tobacco material and the gas flow carrying it, that the separately supplied gas stream surrounds the carrier gas stream at the mixing points, and that the transport speed of the tobacco material is then slowed down by widening the flow cross section .
  • a preferred embodiment of this method consists in that the separately supplied gas stream is fed concentrically to the carrier stream at the mixing points and that the separately supplied gas stream has a higher inlet pressure than the carrier gas stream in the region of the mixing points, the separately supplied gas stream preferably having a temperature between 100 ° C and 200 ° C.
  • the residual flow carrying the tobacco material is preferably dried.
  • the process according to the invention is preferably also carried out in such a way that the tobacco material in the carrier gas stream has a moisture content of 30% to 40% before the separately added gas stream is first admixed, and that the separately supplied gas stream is obtained as an exhaust gas stream during the humidification of the tobacco material, whereby the separately supplied gas stream expediently consists of hot air, steam or a mixture of both.
  • the invention also includes a device for carrying out the above method, comprising a flow channel in which the mixed flow of carrier gas flow and tobacco material carried by it is guided and which has a section of uniform cross-section which has openings for supplying the at least two points one behind the other in the flow direction to be fed separately Gas flow is provided, this device being characterized in that the openings essentially completely surround said flow section as slits or are designed as a plurality of nozzle openings arranged on the same circumferential line and the walls of the openings include acute angles with the longitudinal axis of said flow channel section.
  • the flow channel section is preferably surrounded by an outer chamber which has a gas inlet and from which all the slots or nozzle openings branch off.
  • the flow channel section expediently consists of a plurality of pipe pieces arranged coaxially one behind the other, at the connection points of which the slots or nozzle openings are formed, the ends of the pipe pieces facing one another preferably being provided with flange rings which are kept at a distance by spacers and form the slots with one another.
  • At least a portion of the treatment medium namely the carrier gas
  • the carrier gas is supplied to the tobacco material to be treated at various points in the course of the process, so that gas also surrounds the mixture of carrier gas and tobacco material carried therefrom on all sides as a jacket flow, around at least in a limited region to accelerate the aforementioned mixture and preferably its gas fraction additionally without a constriction in the entire flow cross-section occurring which could lead to deposits, as is the case, for example, when accelerating by means of a Venturi nozzle.
  • a jacket flow is preferably supplied at a plurality of points in a row, which increases the effect.
  • the separately supplied gas can be hot air, water vapor or a mixture of both and is preferably obtained as exhaust gas from the medium with which the tobacco material has previously been warmed and moistened. A particularly economical way of working is achieved in this way.
  • the jacket flows of the mixed flow of carrier gas and tobacco material carried therefrom should be supplied under increased pressure, so that the required speed difference between the merged flows results in an acceleration of the jacketed flow and thus in an increase in the relative speed between tobacco material and carrier gas flow.
  • the velocity of the flow is reduced, for example by expanding a flow channel leading it, and the tobacco is then dried. It is advantageous if the tobacco material subjected to the expansion treatment has a moisture content of 30% to 40% before combining with the jacket flow. Such a moisture content has proven to be sufficient, so that it also takes economic aspects into account.
  • the arrangement of several ring nozzles one behind the other significantly improves the heat transfer to the tobacco material by repeatedly increasing the relative speed between the tobacco material and the treating carrier gas flow, since after each acceleration in the ring nozzle zone there is a slowdown in the subsequent intermediate zone.
  • the process can be optimized by varying the number of ring nozzles and the length of the intermediate zones.
  • the concentric steam jacket also ensures a suitable temperature control of the walls of the flow channel, so that no condensation can occur there, which could make the tobacco material "flowy".
  • FIG. 1 shows a feed device 1 for tobacco ribs which doses the tobacco ribs into a horizontal transport channel 2 via a filling funnel and a metering device which has a cellular wheel.
  • the tobacco ribs are carried along by steam supplied laterally from a steam line 3 at a speed of approximately 40 m / s.
  • the tobacco ribs then reach a flow channel section 4 which is provided with a plurality of ring nozzles 5 arranged one behind the other.
  • the outlet of this flow channel section 4 is followed by a dryer 7, which brings the tobacco ribs to a final moisture content of 13% and delivers it to a conveyor belt 8.
  • the flow channel section 4 provided with the ring nozzles 5 is surrounded by a jacket 9, which is an annular chamber 10 forms, into which a steam inlet 11 opens and branch off from the three ring nozzles 5 in the example shown, which are connected to the interior of the flow channel section 4.
  • the chamber 10 is further provided with a steam outlet 12 through which the portion of the steam fed into the chamber 10 which is not discharged through the nozzles 5 is drawn off. This steam is preferably recovered and recirculated in the plant.
  • FIG. 2 A similar system, which differs only from the type of feeding the tobacco stems, is shown in FIG. 2.
  • the tobacco ribs pass via a first cell wheel onto an inclined oscillating base 13 in a metering and moistening device 14, to which water vapor is supplied via an inlet 15, and from there via a second cell wheel, which serves as a discharge lock the horizontal transport channel 2, to which a flow channel section 4 provided with ring nozzles 5 and a dryer 7 connect, from which the tobacco ribs are delivered to a conveyor belt 8.
  • the tobacco ribs are treated with saturated steam, the steam emitted from the dosing and moistening device 14 via a pressure maintaining device 16 being mixed with fresh superheated steam and hot air in a mixing valve 17 which opens into the horizontal transport channel 2.
  • the flow channel section 4 obtained in the two aforementioned systems and provided with ring nozzles 5 is shown in more detail in longitudinal section in FIG. 3.
  • a flow channel section 4 can be seen in FIG. 3, which is defined within the expansion device designated overall by 18 by a plurality of pipe sections 19, 20, 21 and 22 which are arranged coaxially one behind the other.
  • two adjacent ones of the aforementioned pipe sections form an annular gap 5 between them, which opens into the flow channel section 4.
  • the walls of the annular gaps are directed so that they each form acute angles with the axis 0 of the flow channel section 4.
  • the first and the last of the pipe sections 19 and 22 are provided with radially extending flanges 19a and 22a, from which tubular pipe sockets 19b and 22b extend to each other, and between them and the pipe sections 19 to 22 the aforementioned annular chamber 10 form from which the annular gaps 5 branch and into which the steam inlet 11 and the steam outlet 12 open.
  • the tubular pipe sockets 19b and 22b are surrounded by an insulation jacket 23.
  • the arrangement according to FIG. 3 in connection with the plants shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 brought about an improvement of 60% and 65% in filling capacity of the treated tobacco stems compared to untreated starting material with a corresponding moisture content of 13% of the end product and the untreated material.
  • the flow channel section 4 in the present case contains three concentrically aligned pipe sections 19, 20 and 21 and a connecting pipe section 25.
  • the facing ends of the pipe sections 19, 20 and 21 are each located in flange rings 26 and 27, on which they are sealed by O-rings 36 are.
  • Adjacent flange rings 26 and 27 are each kept at a distance by a spacer ring 28, which is supported on ring projections 31 on the flange rings 26 and 27.
  • the upstream flange rings 26 and the downstream flange rings 27 have cooperating annular surfaces 29 and 30 which run at an acute angle ⁇ and ⁇ to the longitudinal axis 0 of the flow channel section 4 and which run approximately parallel to one another at a narrow mutual distance, so that frustoconical-shaped ring nozzles 5 represent Gaps are formed between them.
  • the spacer rings 28 have a plurality of holes 32 distributed in the circumferential direction, through which the ring nozzles 5 are accessible from the outside.
  • the directions of the surfaces 29 and 30 are shown extended by dashed or dash-dotted lines to show that these surfaces with the longitudinal axis 0 of the flow channel 4 include relatively acute angles ⁇ and ⁇ , which are dimensioned such that the annular gap forming the annular nozzle 5 between the surfaces 29 and 30 is narrowed from the outside inwards.
  • the angles ⁇ and ⁇ mentioned are approximately 12 °
  • the surfaces 29 and 30 have a mutual spacing of approximately 0.2 mm with an inner diameter of the flow channel section 4 having a circular cross section of approximately 80 mm.
  • Other gap widths are possible in adaptation to the pressure of the hot gas supplied to the ring nozzles 5 and depending on the cross-sectional size of the flow channel section 4. For example, they can be up to 2 mm.
  • This arrangement is surrounded by a jacket tube 33, which forms an annular chamber 10 with the tube pieces 19, 20 and 21.
  • the casing tube 33 is attached at one end to a flange ring 34 fastened to the pipe section 19 and at the other end to a flange ring 35 fastened to the pipe section 21, to which the already mentioned connecting pipe section 25 is fastened.
  • the former flange ring 34 is provided with a steam inlet 11 and a steam outlet 12, which open into the chamber 10.
  • a plurality of tube pieces can optionally be provided to form a larger number of ring nozzles.
  • a plurality of nozzles can also be provided, each of which is arranged next to one another on a circumferential line.
  • a nozzle ring can be designed as a one-piece component to which the adjacent pipe sections of the flow channel section are connected, in particular plugged in, or they can, as in the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each be half-formed in flange rings.
  • the device has been described using the example of the treatment of tobacco ribs, it should be mentioned that it is also suitable for the treatment of cut leaf material or of a mixture of cut rib and leaf material.
  • a particular advantage of the device according to the invention is that due to the concentric, conical steam injection, a vapor cushion on the wall of the ver with the ring nozzles seen flow channel section forms, which prevents the deposits that have hitherto formed in expansion devices.

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  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are described for puffing cut tobacco, in which a flow of carrier gas and tobacco ribs entrained thereby in a flow duct section are enveloped at one or more points by a hot gas flow which is separately conducted therein, accelerating the abovementioned mixed flow. Preferably, the acceleration takes place at a plurality of points arranged in succession. The enveloping flow is fed in through annular nozzles, the cross-section of the flow duct being constant over the entire length of the said flow duct section. <IMAGE>

Description

Die Erfindung bezieht sich auf ein Verfahren zum Blähen von geschnittenem, befeuchtetem Tabakmaterial, bei dem das Tabak­material in einem Trägergasstrom aus Dampf oder Dampf und Heißgas transportiert wird, dem an mehreren hintereinander­liegenden Mischstellen ein gesondert zugeführter Gasstrom aus Dampf oder Dampf und Heißgas beigemischt wird, der an den Mischstellen jeweils eine Geschwindigkeitskomponente in Strö­mungsrichtung des Trägergasstroms hat, sowie auf eine Vor­richtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens. Dergleichen ist aus der DE-OS 26 37 124 bekannt.The invention relates to a method for the expansion of cut, moistened tobacco material, in which the tobacco material is transported in a carrier gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas, to which a separately supplied gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas is mixed at several consecutive mixing points, which at the mixing points each has a speed component in the flow direction of the carrier gas stream, and on a device for carrying out the method. The same is known from DE-OS 26 37 124.

Zur Expansion von geschnittenem Tabakmaterial, insbesondere Tabakrippen,wird dieses auf einen bestimmten Feuchtigkeits­gehalt befeuchtet und anschließend erhitzt, so daß das in den Tabakzellen diffundierte Wasser in Dampf umgewandelt wird, der als Blähmittel dient.To expand cut tobacco material, in particular tobacco ribs, this is moistened to a certain moisture content and then heated, so that the water diffused in the tobacco cells is converted into steam, which serves as a blowing agent.

Bei früheren Vorschlägen dieser Art lag der Feuchtigkeitsge­halt von Tabakrippen gemäß US-PS 3 357 436 bei 16 % bis 35 %, gemäß der genannten DE-OS 26 37 124 bei 25 % bis 35 %. Die Expansionswirkung betrug in diesem Fall lediglich 5 % bis 25 %. In der DE-AS 22 53 882 und in der DE-PS 30 37 885 sind Feuchtigkeitsgehalte von 40 % bis 55 % genannt, wobei die Ex­pansion eine erhöhte Wirkung zeigte.In previous proposals of this type, the moisture content of tobacco stems according to US Pat. No. 3,357,436 was 16% to 35%, according to the aforementioned DE-OS 26 37 124 25% to 35%. The expansion effect in this case was only 5% to 25%. In DE-AS 22 53 882 and in DE-PS 30 37 885 moisture contents of 40% to 55% are mentioned, the expansion having an increased effect.

Nach mehreren Vorschlägen sollte die Wiederherstellung des Feuchtigkeitsgehalts des Tabaks auf das ursprüngliche Niveau, wie dies bei frisch geerntetem, noch nicht getrocknetem Tabak herrscht, als der wichtigste Faktor für die Erreichung eines guten Expansionseffekts dienen. Durch die für die allgemeine Technologie erforderliche Trocknung des frisch geernteten Tabaks ist eine Schrumpfung insbesondere der Rippen bedingt, die zum Füllfähigkeitsverlust führt. Das Wiederbefeuchten zum Zwecke des Aufquellens geschieht im allgemeinen mittels Zu­gabe von Wasser, gegebenenfalls zusätzlich Dampf zum Tabak, was zumeist eine gewisse Zeit benötigt, um eine gleichmäßige Diffusion der Feuchtigkeit in die Zellen sicherzustellen. Der dabei verwendete Dampf wird nur teilweise vom Tabak aufgenom­men, der nicht verbrauchte Anteil geht durch Evaporation ver­loren.According to several proposals, restoring the moisture content of the tobacco to its original level, as is the case with freshly harvested tobacco that has not yet dried, should serve as the most important factor for achieving a good expansion effect. The drying of the freshly harvested tobacco required for the general technology causes a shrinkage, particularly of the ribs, which leads to a loss of filling capacity. The rewetting to For the purpose of swelling, water is generally added, possibly with additional steam, to the tobacco, which usually takes a certain amount of time to ensure a uniform diffusion of moisture into the cells. The steam used is only partially absorbed by tobacco, the unused portion is lost through evaporation.

Es sind mehrere Vorschläge bekannt, die Expansion in einem sogenannten Schwingförderer durchzuführen, wie beispielsweise in der DE-OS 28 31 253 beschrieben. Dabei werden die ge­schnittenen, befeuchteten Tabakrippen in einen Strom aus heißer, feuchter Luft eingetragen. Die von der Luft mitge­führten Tabakpartikel werden durch eine Vielzahl von vertikal angeordneten Kammern und Verbindungsleitungen geleitet. Durch einen schwingenden Boden wird der Tabak vorwärtsgeführt, vom heißen Luft/Dampf-Gemisch getrennt und getrocknet.There are several proposals known to carry out the expansion in a so-called vibratory conveyor, as described for example in DE-OS 28 31 253. The cut, moistened tobacco ribs are introduced into a stream of hot, humid air. The airborne tobacco particles are passed through a multitude of vertically arranged chambers and connecting lines. The tobacco is guided through a vibrating floor, separated from the hot air / steam mixture and dried.

Die DE-OS 34 12 797 beschreibt einen Schwingförderer, in wel­chem die befeuchteten, geschnittenen Tabakrippen in einen mit Löchern versehenen Förderkanal eindosiert werden, und durch die Löcher wird quer zur Längserstreckung des Förderkanals und zur Transportbewegung des Tabaks, d. h. in vertikaler Richtung, Dampf mit einem Druck von 2,5 bis 25 bar und einer Temperatur von 126°C bis 400°C zugeführt. Durch die Konden­sationswärme und die mechanische Vibration soll ein erhöhter Expansionseffekt erreicht werden.DE-OS 34 12 797 describes a vibratory conveyor in which the moistened, cut tobacco ribs are metered into a conveyor channel provided with holes, and through the holes is transverse to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor channel and to the transport movement of the tobacco, d. H. in the vertical direction, steam is supplied at a pressure of 2.5 to 25 bar and a temperature of 126 ° C to 400 ° C. An increased expansion effect is to be achieved through the heat of condensation and the mechanical vibration.

Prinzipiell ist zwar die Wärmeübertragung durch Kondensa­tionswärme geeignet, das in den Tabakzellen imprägnierte Wasser in Dampf umzuwandeln, es ist jedoch in der Praxis kaum möglich, jedes einzelne Tabakpartikel gleichmäßig zu behan­deln. Außerdem kann die Temperaturerhöhung des Tabaks auf die angegebenen relativ hohen Temperaturen zu Qualitätseinbußen führen.In principle, the heat transfer through condensation heat is suitable for converting the water impregnated in the tobacco cells into steam, but in practice it is hardly possible to treat each individual tobacco particle evenly. In addition, increasing the temperature of the tobacco to the specified relatively high temperatures can lead to a loss in quality.

Eine andere Art zur Expansion von befeuchteten, geschnittenen Tabakrippen ist das Stromtrockner- oder Pneuma-System. Dabei wird der Tabak durch einen heißen Luft- und/oder Dampfstrom mitgerissen und beschleunigt, wie in der US-PS 33 57 436 be­schrieben. Mit den dort angegebenen Feuchtigkeiten von weni­ger als 35 %, dem Dampfgehalt des Behandlungsmediums sowie dessen Strömungsgeschwindigkeit und Temperatur ist jedoch die erreichte Expansion nur mäßig.Another way to expand humidified, cut Tobacco Ribs is the Electricity Dryer or Pneuma System. The tobacco is entrained and accelerated by a hot air and / or steam flow, as described in US Pat. No. 3,357,436. With the moisture content of less than 35% specified there, the vapor content of the treatment medium and its flow rate and temperature, however, the expansion achieved is only moderate.

Bei dem Verfahren nach der eingangs genannten DE-OS 26 37 124 ist die Anfangsfeuchtigkeit des Tabaks ebenfalls relativ ge­ring. Die Transportgeschwindigkeit und die Dampftemperatur in der Expansionszone sind nicht ausreichend, und der Tabak kann in der Trockungszone keinen erhöhten Expansionseffekt errei­chen. Dort weist der Strömungskanal, in dem der Tabak geführt wird, eine Vielzahl in relativ engem Abstand hintereinander angeordnete Schlitze auf, durch die feuchtes Heißgas so ge­richtet in den Strömungskanal eingeführt wird, daß die Fort­bewegung des Tabaks darin unterstützt wird. Eine wesentliche Beschleunigung erfährt der Tabak in einer sich an diesen Strömungskanal anschließenden Venturidüse. Die durch sie be­dingte Verengung des Strömungsquerschnitts kann indessen leicht zu Abscheidungen von Tabakstaub im Strömungskanal füh­ren.In the process according to DE-OS 26 37 124 mentioned at the outset, the initial moisture content of the tobacco is also relatively low. The transport speed and the steam temperature in the expansion zone are not sufficient and the tobacco cannot achieve an increased expansion effect in the drying zone. There, the flow channel, in which the tobacco is guided, has a plurality of slots arranged one behind the other at a relatively close distance, through which moist hot gas is introduced into the flow channel in such a way that the tobacco movement is supported therein. The tobacco is significantly accelerated in a venturi nozzle adjoining this flow channel. The narrowing of the flow cross section caused by it, however, can easily lead to the separation of tobacco dust in the flow channel.

Aus der eingangs schon kurz zitierten DE-AS 22 53 882 ist ein Pneuma-Trocknungsverfahren bekannt, gemäß welchem der Tabak auf 50 % Feuchtigkeitsgehalt befeuchtet und das aus Dampf und Luft bestehende Behandlungsmedium eine Temperatur zwischen 120°C und etwa 400°C sowie eine Dampfgeschwindigkeit von ca. 40 m/s aufweist, wobei die Behandlungsdauer ca. 0,5 s bis weniger als 3 s betragen soll.A pneuma drying method is known from DE-AS 22 53 882, briefly cited at the beginning, according to which the tobacco is moistened to a moisture content of 50% and the treatment medium consisting of steam and air has a temperature between 120 ° C. and about 400 ° C. and a steam velocity of approx. 40 m / s, the treatment duration being approx. 0.5 s to less than 3 s.

Als Nachteil hat sich jedoch erwiesen, daß die ganze Behand­lung, d. h. die Expansion und Trocknung im gleichen Pneuma-­Rohr unter den genannten sehr kritischen Bedingungen zu einer beträchtlichen Bruchbildung führt, insbesondere wenn der Tabak in seinem trockeneren Stadium einer zu hohen Transport­geschwindigkeit und Turbulenz ausgesetzt ist.However, it has proven to be a disadvantage that the entire treatment, ie the expansion and drying in the same pneumatic tube under the very critical conditions mentioned, leads to considerable fracture formation, especially if the Tobacco in its drier stage is subject to excessive transport speed and turbulence.

In der DE-PS 30 37 885 ist beschrieben, die Expansion und Trocknung getrennt auszuführen, so daß die Trocknung unter schonenderen Bedingungen, d. h. mit niedrigerer Temperatur und geringerer Transportgeschwindigkeit ausgeführt werden kann. Außerdem wird in der Puffingphase durch seitlich ver­setzte Dampfeinblasstellen die Relativgeschwindigkeit und Turbulenz des Tabaks verbessert, was zu einer besseren Wärme­übertragung und einem gleichmäßigeren Produkt führt. Nachtei­lig daran ist jedoch, daß dabei der feuchte, warme Tabak in der Vorrichtung zu Ablagerungen neigt.In DE-PS 30 37 885 it is described to carry out the expansion and drying separately, so that the drying under gentler conditions, i. H. can be carried out with a lower temperature and lower transport speed. In addition, in the puffing phase, laterally offset steam injection points improve the relative speed and turbulence of the tobacco, which leads to better heat transfer and a more uniform product. A disadvantage of this, however, is that the moist, warm tobacco tends to form deposits in the device.

In der DE-PS 31 47 846 ist ein Verfahren zur Verbesserung der Füllfähigkeit von Tabakmaterial beschrieben, bei dem das an­gefeuchtete Tabakmaterial unter Druckabfall auf mindestens 50 m/s beschleunigt, dann durch eine Zone annähernd konstanter Geschwindigkeit transportiert und anschließend in einer di­vergenten Strömung unter Druckanstieg verzögert wird, wobei die Verweildauer des Tabakmaterials in der Expansionszone weniger als etwa 0,1 s beträgt. Dabei wird mit Heißgastempe­raturen von bis zum 1000°C gearbeitet, was eine Gefahr einer bleibenden Schädigung des Tabakmaterials heraufbeschwört.DE-PS 31 47 846 describes a method for improving the fillability of tobacco material, in which the humidified tobacco material accelerates to a pressure drop of at least 50 m / s, then transported through a zone of approximately constant speed and then in a divergent flow under pressure increase is delayed, the residence time of the tobacco material in the expansion zone being less than about 0.1 s. Hot gas temperatures of up to 1000 ° C are used, which creates a risk of permanent damage to the tobacco material.

Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, die beschriebenen Nachteile zu vermeiden und ein Verfahen sowie eine zu dessen Durchführung geeignete Vorrichtung anzugeben, bei denen die negativen Auswirkungen einer zu hohen Tabaktemperatur besei­tigt, die Ablagerung bzw. Verstopfungsgefahr verhindert und durch optimale Ausnutzung des Behandlungsmediums die zum Blähen des Tabaks notwendige rasche Wärmeübertragung ermög­licht wird.The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages described and to provide a method and a device suitable for carrying it out, in which the negative effects of too high a tobacco temperature are eliminated, the deposition or risk of constipation is prevented and, by optimal use of the treatment medium, the gas for inflation necessary rapid heat transfer of the tobacco is made possible.

Diese Aufgabe wird hinsichtlich des erfindungsgemäßen Verfah­rens dadurch gelöst, daß die Geschwindigkeit des gesondert zugeführten Gasstroms größer als die Geschwindigkeit des Träger­gasstroms ist, um dadurch die Relativgeschwindigkeit zwischen dem Tabakmaterial und der dieses tragenden Gasströmung zu er­höhen, daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom den Trägergas­strom an den Mischstellen ummantelt, und daß anschließend durch Erweiterung des Strömungsquerschnitts die Transportge­schwindigkeit des Tabakmaterials verlangsamt wird.With regard to the method according to the invention, this object is achieved in that the speed of the supplied gas stream is greater than the speed of the carrier gas stream, thereby increasing the relative speed between the tobacco material and the gas flow carrying it, that the separately supplied gas stream surrounds the carrier gas stream at the mixing points, and that the transport speed of the tobacco material is then slowed down by widening the flow cross section .

Eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform dieses Verfahrens besteht darin, daß an den Mischstellen der gesondert zugeführte Gas­strom jeweils konzentrisch zum Trägerstrom zugeführt wird und daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom einen höheren Ein­trittsdruck hat als der Trägergasstrom im Bereich der Misch­stellen, wobei der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom vorzugsweise eine Temperatur zwischen 100°C und 200°C aufweist.A preferred embodiment of this method consists in that the separately supplied gas stream is fed concentrically to the carrier stream at the mixing points and that the separately supplied gas stream has a higher inlet pressure than the carrier gas stream in the region of the mixing points, the separately supplied gas stream preferably having a temperature between 100 ° C and 200 ° C.

Im Anschluß an eine teilweise Abtrennung des das Tabakmate­rial tragenden Gases aus der Strömung wird die das Tabakma­terial tragende Restströmung vorzugsweise getrocknet.Following a partial separation of the gas carrying the tobacco material from the flow, the residual flow carrying the tobacco material is preferably dried.

Das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren wird vorzugsweise auch so durchgeführt, daß das Tabakmaterial in dem Trägergasstrom vor dem erstmaligen Beimischen des gesondert zugeführten Gas­stroms einen Feuchtigkeitsgehalt von 30 % bis 40 % aufweist, und daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom als Abgasstrom bei der Befeuchtung des Tabakmaterials gewonnen wird, wobei der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom zweckmäßigerweise aus Heißluft, Wasserdampf oder einem Gemisch aus beidem besteht.The process according to the invention is preferably also carried out in such a way that the tobacco material in the carrier gas stream has a moisture content of 30% to 40% before the separately added gas stream is first admixed, and that the separately supplied gas stream is obtained as an exhaust gas stream during the humidification of the tobacco material, whereby the separately supplied gas stream expediently consists of hot air, steam or a mixture of both.

Zur Erfindung gehört auch eine Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des obigen Verfahrens, enthaltend einen Strömungskanal, in welchem die Mischströmung aus Trägergasstrom und von diesem mitgeführtem Tabakmaterial geführt wird und der einen Ab­schnitt gleichförmigen Querschnitts aufweist, der an wenig­stens zwei in Strömungsrichtung hintereinanderliegenden Stel­len mit Durchbrüchen zum Zuführen der gesondert zuzuführenden Gasströmung versehen ist, wobei diese Vorrichtung dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, daß die Durchbrüche den genannten Strö­mungsabschnitt jeweils als Schlitze im wesentlichen vollstän­dig umgeben oder als eine Vielzahl auf gleicher Umfangslinie angeordneter Düsenöffnungen ausgebildet sind und die Wände der Durchbrüche mit der Längsachse des genannten Strömungs­kanalabschnitts spitze Winkel einschließen.The invention also includes a device for carrying out the above method, comprising a flow channel in which the mixed flow of carrier gas flow and tobacco material carried by it is guided and which has a section of uniform cross-section which has openings for supplying the at least two points one behind the other in the flow direction to be fed separately Gas flow is provided, this device being characterized in that the openings essentially completely surround said flow section as slits or are designed as a plurality of nozzle openings arranged on the same circumferential line and the walls of the openings include acute angles with the longitudinal axis of said flow channel section.

Der Strömungskanalabschnitt ist dabei vorzugsweise von einer äußeren Kammer umgeben, die einen Gaseinlaß aufweist und von der alle Schlitze bzw. Düsenöffnungen abzweigen. Zweckmäßi­gerweise besteht der Strömungskanalabschnitt aus mehreren, hintereinander koaxial angeordneten Rohrstücken, an deren Verbindungsstellen die Schlitze bzw. Düsenöffnungen ausgebil­det sind, wobei die einander zugewandeten Enden der Rohr­stücke vorzugsweise mit Flanschringen versehen sind, die durch Distanzstücke auf Abstand gehalten sind und miteinander die Schlitze ausbilden.The flow channel section is preferably surrounded by an outer chamber which has a gas inlet and from which all the slots or nozzle openings branch off. The flow channel section expediently consists of a plurality of pipe pieces arranged coaxially one behind the other, at the connection points of which the slots or nozzle openings are formed, the ends of the pipe pieces facing one another preferably being provided with flange rings which are kept at a distance by spacers and form the slots with one another.

Gemäß der Erfindung wird demnach mindestens ein Teil des Be­handlungsmediums, nämlich des Trägergases, dem zu behandeln­den Tabakmaterial an verschiedenen Stellen im Prozeßverlauf zugeführt, so daß Gas auch mindestens in einem begrenzten Teilbereich das Gemisch aus Trägergas und davon mitgeführtem Tabakmaterial allseitig als Mantelströmung umgibt, um das vorgenannte Gemisch und bevorzugt dessen Gasanteil zusätzlich zu beschleunigen, ohne daß dabei eine Verengung im gesamten Strömungsquerschnitt auftritt, die zu Ablagerungen führen könnte, wie es beispielsweise bei einer Beschleunigung mit­tels einer Venturidüse der Fall ist.According to the invention, at least a portion of the treatment medium, namely the carrier gas, is supplied to the tobacco material to be treated at various points in the course of the process, so that gas also surrounds the mixture of carrier gas and tobacco material carried therefrom on all sides as a jacket flow, around at least in a limited region to accelerate the aforementioned mixture and preferably its gas fraction additionally without a constriction in the entire flow cross-section occurring which could lead to deposits, as is the case, for example, when accelerating by means of a Venturi nozzle.

Vorzugsweise erfolgt eine Zuführung einer Mantelströmung an mehreren hintereinanderliegenden Stellen, was die Wirkung er­höht. Das gesondert zugeführte Gas kann Heißluft, Wasserdampf oder ein Gemisch aus beiden sein und ist vorzugsweise als Ab­gas aus jenem Medium gewonnen, mit welchem das Tabakmaterial zuvor erwärmt und befeuchtet worden ist. Auf diese Weise wird eine besonders wirtschaftliche Arbeitsweise erzielt.A jacket flow is preferably supplied at a plurality of points in a row, which increases the effect. The separately supplied gas can be hot air, water vapor or a mixture of both and is preferably obtained as exhaust gas from the medium with which the tobacco material has previously been warmed and moistened. A particularly economical way of working is achieved in this way.

Es versteht sich, daß die Mantelströmungen der Mischströmung aus Trägergas und davon mitgeführtem Tabakmaterial unter erhöhtem Druck zugeführt werden sollte, damit sich die erfor­derliche Geschwindigkeitsdifferenz zwischen den miteinander vereinigten Strömungen ergibt, die zu einer Beschleunigung der ummantelten Strömung und somit zu einer Erhöhung der Re­lativgeschwindigkeit zwischen Tabakmaterial und Trägergas­strömung führt.It is understood that the jacket flows of the mixed flow of carrier gas and tobacco material carried therefrom should be supplied under increased pressure, so that the required speed difference between the merged flows results in an acceleration of the jacketed flow and thus in an increase in the relative speed between tobacco material and carrier gas flow.

Im Anschluß an die Beschleunigung in mehreren Stufen wird die Geschwindigkeit der Strömung vermindert, beispielsweise durch Erweiterung eines sie führenden Strömungskanals, und dann wird der Tabak getrocknet. Es ist vorteilhaft, wenn das der Expansionsbehandlung unterworfene Tabakmaterial vor dem Ver­einigen mit der Mantelströmung einen Feuchtigkeitsgehalt von 30 % bis 40 % aufweist. Ein solcher Feuchtigkeitsgehalt hat sich als ausreichend erwiesen, so daß auch dadurch Wirt­schaftlichkeitsgesichtspunkten Rechnung getragen ist.Following the acceleration in several stages, the velocity of the flow is reduced, for example by expanding a flow channel leading it, and the tobacco is then dried. It is advantageous if the tobacco material subjected to the expansion treatment has a moisture content of 30% to 40% before combining with the jacket flow. Such a moisture content has proven to be sufficient, so that it also takes economic aspects into account.

Durch die Anordnung mehrerer Ringdüsen hintereinander wird die Wärmeübertragung auf das Tabakmaterial durch wiederholte Erhöhung der Relativgeschwindigkeit zwischen Tabakmaterial und behandelnder Trägergasströmung erheblich verbessert, da nach jeder Beschleunigung in der Ringdüsenzone eine Verlang­samung in der sich anschließenden Zwischenzone erfolgt. Durch Variieren der Anzahl der Ringdüsen und der Länge der Zwi­schenzonen ist eine Prozeßoptimierung möglich.The arrangement of several ring nozzles one behind the other significantly improves the heat transfer to the tobacco material by repeatedly increasing the relative speed between the tobacco material and the treating carrier gas flow, since after each acceleration in the ring nozzle zone there is a slowdown in the subsequent intermediate zone. The process can be optimized by varying the number of ring nozzles and the length of the intermediate zones.

Der konzentrische Dampfmantel gewährleistet außerdem eine ge­eignete Temperierung der Wände des Strömungskanals, so daß dort keine Kondensation auftreten kann, die das Tabakmaterial "flutschig" machen könnte.The concentric steam jacket also ensures a suitable temperature control of the walls of the flow channel, so that no condensation can occur there, which could make the tobacco material "flowy".

Die Erfindung wird nachfolgend unter Bezugnahme auf die Zeichnungen näher erläutert. Es zeigt:

  • Fig. 1 eine vollständige Expansionsanlage zur Durchführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;
  • Fig. 2 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Expansionsan­lage zur Ausführung der Erfindung;
  • Fig. 3 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines wesentli­chen Elementes der Anlage nach Fig. 1, in welchem die eigentliche Expansion der Tabakrippen ausgeführt wird, im Längsschnitt;
  • Fig. 4 einen Längsschnitt durch eine Anordnung ähnlich Fig. 3, aus dem konstruktive Einzelheiten zu erkennen sind, und
  • Fig. 5 eine Einzelheit aus Fig. 4, in vergrößertem Maßstab, im Längsschnitt.
The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:
  • 1 shows a complete expansion system for carrying out the method according to the invention;
  • 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of an expansion system for carrying out the invention;
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an essential element of the plant of Figure 1, in which the actual expansion of the tobacco ribs is carried out, in longitudinal section.
  • Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through an arrangement similar to FIG. 3, from which structural details can be seen, and
  • Fig. 5 shows a detail of Fig. 4, on an enlarged scale, in longitudinal section.

In Fig. 1 erkennt man eine Zuführeinrichtung 1 für Tabakrip­pen, die die Tabakrippen über einen Einfülltrichter und eine Dosiereinrichtung, die ein Zellenrad aufweist, in einen hori­zontalen Transportkanal 2 eindosiert. Hier werden die Tabak­rippen durch seitlich von einer Dampfleitung 3 zugeführten Dampf mit einer Geschwindigkeit von etwa 40 m/s mitgenommen. Die Tabakrippen gelangen dann in einen Strömungskanalab­schnitt 4, der mit mehreren hintereinander angeordneten Ring­düsen 5 versehen ist. Dem Ausgang dieses Strömungskanalab­schnitts 4 ist ein Trockner 7 nachgeschaltet, der die Tabak­rippen auf einen Endfeuchtigkeitsgehalt von 13 % bringt und ihn an ein Transportband 8 abgibt.1 shows a feed device 1 for tobacco ribs which doses the tobacco ribs into a horizontal transport channel 2 via a filling funnel and a metering device which has a cellular wheel. Here the tobacco ribs are carried along by steam supplied laterally from a steam line 3 at a speed of approximately 40 m / s. The tobacco ribs then reach a flow channel section 4 which is provided with a plurality of ring nozzles 5 arranged one behind the other. The outlet of this flow channel section 4 is followed by a dryer 7, which brings the tobacco ribs to a final moisture content of 13% and delivers it to a conveyor belt 8.

Der mit den Ringdüsen 5 versehene Strömungskanalabschnitt 4 ist von einem Mantel 9 umgeben, der eine ringförmige Kammer 10 ausbildet, in die ein Dampfeinlaß 11 einmündet und von der im dargestellten Beispiel drei Ringdüsen 5 abzweigen, die mit dem Innenraum des Strömungskanalabschnitts 4 in Verbindung stehen. Die Kammer 10 ist weiterhin mit einem Dampfauslaß 12 versehen, durch den der nicht durch die Düsen 5 abgegebene Anteil des in die Kammer 10 zugeführten Dampfes abgezogen wird. Dieser Dampf wird vorzugsweise wiedergewonnen und in der Anlage rezirkuliert.The flow channel section 4 provided with the ring nozzles 5 is surrounded by a jacket 9, which is an annular chamber 10 forms, into which a steam inlet 11 opens and branch off from the three ring nozzles 5 in the example shown, which are connected to the interior of the flow channel section 4. The chamber 10 is further provided with a steam outlet 12 through which the portion of the steam fed into the chamber 10 which is not discharged through the nozzles 5 is drawn off. This steam is preferably recovered and recirculated in the plant.

Die übrigen Elemente der dargestellten Anlage sind bekannter Natur und brauchen daher an dieser Stelle nicht besonders er­läutert zu werden.The other elements of the system shown are of a known nature and therefore do not need to be specifically explained at this point.

Eine ähnliche Anlage, die sich nur von der Art der Zuführung der Tabakrippen unterscheidet, ist in Fig. 2 dargestellt. Über eine Zuführeinrichtung 1 und einen Einfülltrichter ge­langen die Tabakrippen über ein erstes Zellrad auf einen ge­neigten Schwingboden 13 in einem Dosier- und Befeuchtungsge­rät 14, dem über einen Einlaß 15 Wasserdampf zugeführt wird, und von dort über ein zweites Zellrad, das als Austrags­schleuse dient, in den horizontalen Transportkanal 2, an den sich ein mit Ringdüsen 5 versehener Strömungskanalabschnitt 4 und ein Trockner 7 anschließen, von dem die Tabakrippen an ein Transportband 8 abgegeben werden.A similar system, which differs only from the type of feeding the tobacco stems, is shown in FIG. 2. Via a feed device 1 and a filling funnel, the tobacco ribs pass via a first cell wheel onto an inclined oscillating base 13 in a metering and moistening device 14, to which water vapor is supplied via an inlet 15, and from there via a second cell wheel, which serves as a discharge lock the horizontal transport channel 2, to which a flow channel section 4 provided with ring nozzles 5 and a dryer 7 connect, from which the tobacco ribs are delivered to a conveyor belt 8.

In dem Dosier- und Befeuchtungsgerät 14 werden die Tabakrip­pen mit Sattdampf behandelt, wobei der aus dem Dosier- und Befeuchtungsgerät 14 über eine Druckhaltevorrichtung 16 ab­gegebene Dampf mit frischem Heißdampf und Heißluft in einer Mischarmatur 17 versetzt wird, die in den horizontalen Trans­portkanal 2 mündet.In the dosing and moistening device 14, the tobacco ribs are treated with saturated steam, the steam emitted from the dosing and moistening device 14 via a pressure maintaining device 16 being mixed with fresh superheated steam and hot air in a mixing valve 17 which opens into the horizontal transport channel 2.

Der in den beiden vorgenannten Anlagen erhaltene, mit Ring­düsen 5 versehene Strömungskanalabschnitt 4 ist detaillierter im Längsschnitt in Fig. 3 dargestellt.The flow channel section 4 obtained in the two aforementioned systems and provided with ring nozzles 5 is shown in more detail in longitudinal section in FIG. 3.

Man erkennnt in Fig. 3 einen Strömungskanalabschnitt 4, der innerhalb der insgesamt mit 18 bezeichneten Expansionsvor­richtung durch mehrere Rohrstücke 19, 20, 21 und 22 definiert ist, die koaxial hintereinander angeordnet sind. Jeweils zwei benachbarte der vorgenannten Rohrstücke bilden zwischen sich einen ringförmigen Spalt 5 aus, der sich in den Strömungska­nalabschnitt 4 öffnet. Die Wände der Ringspalte sind so ge­richtet, daß sie mit der Achse 0 des Strömungskanalabschnitts 4 jeweils spitze Winkel ausbilden. Das erste und das letzte der Rohrstücke 19 bzw. 22 sind mit radial erstreckten Flan­schen 19a bzw. 22a versehen, von denen aus sich tubusförmige Rohrstutzen 19b bzw. 22b zueinander erstrecken, die zwischen sich und den Rohrstücken 19 bis 22 die schon erwähnte ring­förmige Kammer 10 ausbilden, von denen die Ringspalte 5 ab­zweigen und in die der Dampfeinlaß 11 und der Dampfauslaß 12 münden. Nach außen sind die tubusförmigen Rohrstutzen 19b und 22b von einem Isolationsmantel 23 umgeben.A flow channel section 4 can be seen in FIG. 3, which is defined within the expansion device designated overall by 18 by a plurality of pipe sections 19, 20, 21 and 22 which are arranged coaxially one behind the other. In each case, two adjacent ones of the aforementioned pipe sections form an annular gap 5 between them, which opens into the flow channel section 4. The walls of the annular gaps are directed so that they each form acute angles with the axis 0 of the flow channel section 4. The first and the last of the pipe sections 19 and 22 are provided with radially extending flanges 19a and 22a, from which tubular pipe sockets 19b and 22b extend to each other, and between them and the pipe sections 19 to 22 the aforementioned annular chamber 10 form from which the annular gaps 5 branch and into which the steam inlet 11 and the steam outlet 12 open. On the outside, the tubular pipe sockets 19b and 22b are surrounded by an insulation jacket 23.

Wenn durch den Dampfeinlaß 11 Dampf unter Druck in die Kammer 10 eingeleitet wird, dann ergeben sich kegelförmige Dampf­strahlen in dem Strömungskanalabschnitt 4, die in Fig. 3 mit 24 bezeichnet sind. Diese weisen Geschwindigkeitskomponenten in der Richtung des durch den Strömungskanalabschnitt 4 strö­menden Gemischs aus Trägergas und Tabakrippen auf, dessen Strömungsrichtung mit A bezeichnet ist. Die durch die Ring­düsen 5 eingeleiteten Dampfstrahlen ummanteln das vorgenannte Strömungsgemisch und beschleunigen dieses an mehreren hinter­einanderliegenden Stellen.If steam under pressure is introduced into the chamber 10 through the steam inlet 11, then conical steam jets result in the flow channel section 4, which are denoted by 24 in FIG. 3. These have speed components in the direction of the mixture of carrier gas and tobacco ribs flowing through the flow channel section 4, the flow direction of which is designated by A. The steam jets introduced through the ring nozzles 5 surround the aforementioned flow mixture and accelerate it at several points lying one behind the other.

Die Anordnung nach Fig. 3 brachte im Zusammenhang mit den in den Figuren 1 und 2 dargestellten Anlagen eine Verbesserung von 60 % bzw. 65 % an Füllfähigkeit der behandelten Tabakrip­pen gegenüber unbehandeltem Ausgangsmaterial bei übereinstim­mendem Feuchtigkeitsgehalt von 13 % des Endproduktes bzw. des unbehandelten Materials.The arrangement according to FIG. 3 in connection with the plants shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 brought about an improvement of 60% and 65% in filling capacity of the treated tobacco stems compared to untreated starting material with a corresponding moisture content of 13% of the end product and the untreated material.

Eine praktische Konstruktion einer Expansionsvorrichtung 18 mit zwei Ringdüsen wird nun anhand der Fig. 4 und 5 erläu­tert. Der Strömungskanalabschnitt 4 enthält im vorliegenden Falle drei konzentrisch aufeinander ausgerichtete Rohrstücke 19, 20 und 21 sowie ein Anschlußrohrstück 25. Die einander zugewandeten Enden der Rohrstücke 19, 20 und 21 sitzen je­weils in Flanschringen 26 und 27, an denen sie durch O-Ringe 36 abgedichtet sind. Benachbarte Flanschringe 26 und 27 sind jeweils durch einen Distanzring 28 auf Abstand gehalten, der sich an Ringansätzen 31 an den Flanschringen 26 und 27 ab­stützt. Die stromaufwärtigen Flanschringe 26 und die stromab­wärtigen Flanschringe 27 weisen zusammenwirkende, im spitzen Winkel α bzw. β zur Längsachse 0 des Strömungskanalabschnitts 4 verlaufende Ringflächen 29 bzw. 30 auf, die annähernd parallel zueinander in engem gegenseitigen Abstand verlaufen, so daß kegelstumpfmantelförmige, Ringdüsen 5 darstellende Spalte zwischen ihnen ausgebildet werden. Die Distanzringe 28 weisen in Umfangsrichtung verteilt mehrere Löcher 32 auf, durch die die Ringdüsen 5 von außen zugänglich sind.A practical construction of an expansion device 18 with two ring nozzles will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The flow channel section 4 in the present case contains three concentrically aligned pipe sections 19, 20 and 21 and a connecting pipe section 25. The facing ends of the pipe sections 19, 20 and 21 are each located in flange rings 26 and 27, on which they are sealed by O-rings 36 are. Adjacent flange rings 26 and 27 are each kept at a distance by a spacer ring 28, which is supported on ring projections 31 on the flange rings 26 and 27. The upstream flange rings 26 and the downstream flange rings 27 have cooperating annular surfaces 29 and 30 which run at an acute angle α and β to the longitudinal axis 0 of the flow channel section 4 and which run approximately parallel to one another at a narrow mutual distance, so that frustoconical-shaped ring nozzles 5 represent Gaps are formed between them. The spacer rings 28 have a plurality of holes 32 distributed in the circumferential direction, through which the ring nozzles 5 are accessible from the outside.

In der Zeichnung sind die Richtungen der Flächen 29 und 30 durch gestrichelte bzw. strichpunktierte Linien verlängert dargestellt, um zu zeigen, daß diese Flächen mit der Längs­achse 0 des Strömungskanals 4 relativ spitze Winkel α und β miteinander einschließen, die derart dimensioniert sind, daß sich der die Ringdüse 5 bildende Ringspalt zwischen den Flä­chen 29 und 30 von außen nach innen verengt. Im praktischen Beispiel liegen die genannten Winkel α und β bei etwa 12°, und die Flächen 29 und 30 haben einen gegenseitigen Abstand von etwa 0,2 mm bei einem Innendurchmesser des Strömungs­kanalabschnitts 4 kreisförmigen Querschnitts von etwa 80 mm. Andere Spaltbreiten sind, in Anpassung an den jeweils ver­wendeten Druck des den Ringdüsen 5 zugeführten Heißgases und in Abhängigkeit von der Querschnittsgröße des Strömungskanal­abschnitts 4 möglich. Sie können beispielsweise bis 2 mm be­tragen.In the drawing, the directions of the surfaces 29 and 30 are shown extended by dashed or dash-dotted lines to show that these surfaces with the longitudinal axis 0 of the flow channel 4 include relatively acute angles α and β, which are dimensioned such that the annular gap forming the annular nozzle 5 between the surfaces 29 and 30 is narrowed from the outside inwards. In the practical example, the angles α and β mentioned are approximately 12 °, and the surfaces 29 and 30 have a mutual spacing of approximately 0.2 mm with an inner diameter of the flow channel section 4 having a circular cross section of approximately 80 mm. Other gap widths are possible in adaptation to the pressure of the hot gas supplied to the ring nozzles 5 and depending on the cross-sectional size of the flow channel section 4. For example, they can be up to 2 mm.

Diese Anordnung ist von einem Mantelrohr 33 umgeben, das mit den Rohrstücken 19, 20 und 21 eine ringförmige Kammer 10 aus­bildet. Das Mantelrohr 33 ist am einen Ende an einem auf dem Rohrstück 19 befestigten Flanschring 34 und am anderen Ende an einem mit dem Rohrstück 21 befestigten Flanschring 35 be­festigt, an welchem das schon erwähnte Anschlußrohrstück 25 befestigt ist.This arrangement is surrounded by a jacket tube 33, which forms an annular chamber 10 with the tube pieces 19, 20 and 21. The casing tube 33 is attached at one end to a flange ring 34 fastened to the pipe section 19 and at the other end to a flange ring 35 fastened to the pipe section 21, to which the already mentioned connecting pipe section 25 is fastened.

Der erstgenannte Flanschring 34 ist mit einem Dampfeinlaß 11 und einem Dampfauslaß 12 versehen, die in die Kammer 10 mün­den.The former flange ring 34 is provided with a steam inlet 11 and a steam outlet 12, which open into the chamber 10.

Man erkennt, daß bei geeigneter Wahl der Länge des Mantel­rohres 33 gegebenenfalls mehrere Rohrstücke zur Ausbildung einer größeren Vielzahl von Ringdüsen vorgesehen werden kön­nen.It can be seen that, with a suitable choice of the length of the casing tube 33, a plurality of tube pieces can optionally be provided to form a larger number of ring nozzles.

Es sei erwähnt, daß anstelle von Ringdüsen, die den Strö­mungskanalabschnitt geschlossen umgeben, auch eine Vielzahl von Düsen vorgesehen sein können, die jeweils auf einer Um­fangslinie nebeneinander angeordnet sind. Ein solcher Düsen­kranz kann als ein einstückiges Bauteil ausgebildet sein, an das die benachbarten Rohrstücke des Strömungskanalabschnitts angeschlossen, insbesondere angesteckt sind, oder sie können, wie in dem in den Fig. 4 und 5 dargestellten Beispiel, je­weils hälftig in Flanschringen ausgebildet sein.It should be mentioned that instead of ring nozzles which surround the flow channel section in a closed manner, a plurality of nozzles can also be provided, each of which is arranged next to one another on a circumferential line. Such a nozzle ring can be designed as a one-piece component to which the adjacent pipe sections of the flow channel section are connected, in particular plugged in, or they can, as in the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each be half-formed in flange rings.

Obgleich die Vorrichtung am Beispiel der Behandlung von Tabakrippen beschrieben worden ist, sei doch erwähnt, daß sie auch für die Behandlung von geschnittenem Blattmaterial oder von einem Gemisch aus geschnittenem Rippen- und Blattmaterial geeignet ist.Although the device has been described using the example of the treatment of tobacco ribs, it should be mentioned that it is also suitable for the treatment of cut leaf material or of a mixture of cut rib and leaf material.

Ein besonderer Vorteil der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung ist, daß durch die konzentrische, konusförmige Dampfeinblasung sich ein Dampfpolster an der Wand des mit den Ringdüsen ver­ sehenen Strömungskanalabschnitts ausbildet, was die sich bislang in Expansionsvorrichtungen bildenden Ablagerungen verhindert.A particular advantage of the device according to the invention is that due to the concentric, conical steam injection, a vapor cushion on the wall of the ver with the ring nozzles seen flow channel section forms, which prevents the deposits that have hitherto formed in expansion devices.

Claims (12)

1. Verfahren zum Blähen von geschnittenem, befeuchtetem Ta­bakmaterial, bei dem das Tabakmaterial in einem Trägergas­strom aus Dampf oder Dampf und Heißgas transportiert wird, dem an mehreren hintereinanderliegenden Mischstellen ein ge­sondert zugeführter Gasstrom aus Dampf oder Dampf und Heiß­gas beigemischt wird, der an den Mischstellen jeweils eine Geschwindigkeitskomponente in Strömungsrichtung des Träger­gasstroms hat, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Geschwindig­keit des gesondert zugeführten Gasstroms größer als die Ge­schwindigkeit des Trägergasstroms ist, um dadurch die Rela­tivgeschwindigkeit zwischen dem Tabakmaterial und der dieses tragenden Gasströmung zu erhöhen, daß der gesondert zuge­führte Gasstrom den Trägergasstrom an den Mischstellen umman­telt, und daß anschließend durch Erweiterung des Strömungs­querschnitts die Transportgeschwindigkeit des Tabakmaterials verlangsamt wird.1.Method for expanding expanded, moistened tobacco material, in which the tobacco material is transported in a carrier gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas, to which a separately supplied gas stream of steam or steam and hot gas is mixed at several consecutive mixing points, each at the mixing points has a velocity component in the direction of flow of the carrier gas stream, characterized in that the velocity of the separately supplied gas stream is greater than the velocity of the carrier gas stream, thereby increasing the relative velocity between the tobacco material and the gas stream carrying it, so that the separately supplied gas stream transfers the carrier gas stream to the Mixing points covered, and that the transport speed of the tobacco material is then slowed down by widening the flow cross section. 2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß an den Mischstellen der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom jeweils konzentrisch zum Trägergasstrom zugeführt wird.2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the separately supplied gas stream is fed concentrically to the carrier gas stream at the mixing points. 3. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom einen höheren Eintrittsdruck hat als der Trägergasstrom im Bereich der Mischstellen.3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separately supplied gas stream has a higher inlet pressure than the carrier gas stream in the region of the mixing points. 4. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom eine Temperatur zwischen 100°C und 200°C aufweist.4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separately supplied gas stream has a temperature between 100 ° C and 200 ° C. 5. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß anschließend an eine teilweise Ab­trennung des das Tabakmaterial tragenden Gases aus der Strö­mung die das Tabakmaterial tragende Restströmung getrocknet wird.5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that subsequent to a partial separation of the gas carrying the tobacco material from the flow, the residual flow carrying the tobacco material is dried. 6. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß das Tabakmaterial in dem Trägergas­strom vor dem erstmaligen Beimischen des gesondert zugeführ­ten Gasstroms einen Feuchtigkeitsgehalt von 30 % bis 40 % aufweist.6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tobacco material in the carrier gas stream has a moisture content of 30% to 40% before the first addition of the separately supplied gas stream. 7. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom als Abgasstrom bei der Befeuchtung des Tabakmaterials gewon­nen wird.7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separately supplied gas stream is obtained as an exhaust gas stream in the humidification of the tobacco material. 8. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, da­durch gekennzeichnet, daß der gesondert zugeführte Gasstrom aus Heißluft, Wasserdampf oder einem Gemisch aus beidem be­steht.8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separately supplied gas stream consists of hot air, steam or a mixture of both. 9. Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens nach Anspruch 1, enthaltend einen Strömungskanal, in welchem die Mischströ­mung aus Trägergasstrom und von diesem mitgeführtem Tabak­material geführt wird und der einen Abschnitt gleichförmigen Querschnitts aufweist, der an wenigstens zwei in Strömungs­richtung hintereinanderliegenden Stellen mit Durchbrüchen zum Zuführen der gesondert zuzuführenden Gasströmung versehen ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Durchbrüche (5) den ge­nannten Strömungskanalabschnitt (4) jeweils als Schlitze im wesentlichen vollständig umgeben oder als eine Vielzahl auf gleicher Umfangslinie angeordneter Düsenöffnungen ausgebildet sind und die Wände (29, 39) der Durchbrüche (5) mit der Längsachse (0) des genannten Strömungskanalabschnitts (4) spitze Winkel ( α, β) einschließen.9. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising a flow channel in which the mixed flow of carrier gas stream and tobacco material carried by it is guided and which has a section of uniform cross section which has openings at least two in the flow direction with openings for supplying the separately The gas flow to be supplied is characterized in that the openings (5) substantially completely surround said flow channel section (4) as slits or as a plurality of nozzle openings arranged on the same circumferential line and the walls (29, 39) of the openings (5 ) Include acute angles (α, β) with the longitudinal axis (0) of said flow channel section (4). 10. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der genannte Strömungskanalabschnitt (4) von einer äußeren Kammer (10) umgeben ist, die einen Gaseinlaß (11) aufweist, und von der alle Schlitze (5) bzw. Düsenöffnungen abzweigen.10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that said flow channel section (4) is surrounded by an outer chamber (10) which has a gas inlet (11), and from which all slots (5) or nozzle openings branch off. 11. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 9 oder 10, dadurch gekenn­zeichnet, daß der genannte Strömungskanalabschnitt (4) aus mehreren, hintereinander koaxial angeordneten Rohrstücken (19, 20, 21, 22) besteht, an deren Verbindungsstellen die Schlitze (5) bzw. Düsenöffnungen ausgebildet sind.11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said flow channel section (4) consists of several, one behind the other coaxially arranged pipe sections (19, 20, 21, 22), at the junctions of which the slots (5) or nozzle openings are formed . 12. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die einander zugewandten Enden der Rohrstücke (19, 20, 21) mit Flanschringen (26, 27) versehen sind, die durch Distanzstücke (28) auf Abstand gehalten sind und miteinander die Schlitze (5) ausbilden.12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the mutually facing ends of the tube pieces (19, 20, 21) are provided with flange rings (26, 27) which are kept at a distance by spacers (28) and the slots (5 ) train.
EP89121565A 1988-11-23 1989-11-21 Method and apparatus for puffing humidified cut tobacco Expired - Lifetime EP0370489B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT89121565T ATE85187T1 (en) 1988-11-23 1989-11-21 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLAGING CUT, MOISTENED TOBACCO MATERIAL.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3839529A DE3839529C1 (en) 1988-11-23 1988-11-23
DE3839529 1988-11-23

Publications (2)

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EP0370489A1 true EP0370489A1 (en) 1990-05-30
EP0370489B1 EP0370489B1 (en) 1993-02-03

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EP89121565A Expired - Lifetime EP0370489B1 (en) 1988-11-23 1989-11-21 Method and apparatus for puffing humidified cut tobacco

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US (1) US5060670A (en)
EP (1) EP0370489B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH0659197B2 (en)
KR (1) KR950001182B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1015293B (en)
AR (1) AR244518A1 (en)
AT (1) ATE85187T1 (en)
AU (1) AU617896B2 (en)
BR (1) BR8905916A (en)
CA (1) CA2003729C (en)
DE (2) DE3839529C1 (en)
ES (1) ES2039061T3 (en)
GR (1) GR3007365T3 (en)
RU (1) RU1829917C (en)
ZA (1) ZA898726B (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0484899A1 (en) * 1990-11-07 1992-05-13 Japan Tobacco Inc. Method and system for expanding tobacco
EP0528227A1 (en) * 1991-08-19 1993-02-24 Körber Ag Device for introducing particles of tobacco in a drying stream

Families Citing this family (8)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH683226A5 (en) * 1991-12-09 1994-02-15 Egri Laszlo Expanding and drying tobacco.
GB9922746D0 (en) * 1999-09-24 1999-11-24 Rothmans International Ltd Tobacco processing
US7556047B2 (en) * 2003-03-20 2009-07-07 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Method of expanding tobacco using steam
GB0902629D0 (en) * 2009-02-17 2009-04-01 Dickinson Legg Ltd Tabacco drying apparatus
ITVE20110075A1 (en) * 2011-11-23 2013-05-24 Comas Costruzioni Macchine Specia Li S P A METHOD OF EXPANSION AND DRYING OF TOBACCO
DE102016107125A1 (en) * 2016-04-18 2017-10-19 Hauni Maschinenbau Gmbh Delivery nozzle and conveying device with at least one delivery nozzle
CN106731918B (en) * 2016-12-29 2023-08-29 中国航天空气动力技术研究院 Sectional combined mixing chamber
CN112265668A (en) * 2020-12-04 2021-01-26 河北白沙烟草有限责任公司 Method for reducing tobacco powder clamped by small environment-friendly lining paper box

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DE3147846C2 (en) * 1981-09-05 1984-07-19 B.A.T. Cigaretten-Fabriken Gmbh, 2000 Hamburg Process for improving the filling capacity of tobacco material
FR2561077A1 (en) * 1984-03-14 1985-09-20 Korea Ginseng Tobacco Research Process for the expansion of tobacco leaves and apparatus for carrying out this process.
EP0285811A1 (en) * 1987-03-31 1988-10-12 British-American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH Device for expanding cut tobacco

Cited By (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0484899A1 (en) * 1990-11-07 1992-05-13 Japan Tobacco Inc. Method and system for expanding tobacco
US5379780A (en) * 1990-11-07 1995-01-10 Japan Tobacco Inc. Method and system for expanding tobacco
EP0528227A1 (en) * 1991-08-19 1993-02-24 Körber Ag Device for introducing particles of tobacco in a drying stream

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5060670A (en) 1991-10-29
ES2039061T3 (en) 1993-08-16
CN1043075A (en) 1990-06-20
KR950001182B1 (en) 1995-02-14
KR900007351A (en) 1990-06-01
JPH0659197B2 (en) 1994-08-10
JPH02219564A (en) 1990-09-03
CA2003729A1 (en) 1990-05-23
ZA898726B (en) 1990-08-29
EP0370489B1 (en) 1993-02-03
AR244518A1 (en) 1993-11-30
DE3839529C1 (en) 1990-04-12
BR8905916A (en) 1990-06-19
CN1015293B (en) 1992-01-15
GR3007365T3 (en) 1993-07-30
AU617896B2 (en) 1991-12-05
DE58903453D1 (en) 1993-03-18
ATE85187T1 (en) 1993-02-15
AU4472889A (en) 1990-05-31
CA2003729C (en) 1995-07-25
RU1829917C (en) 1993-07-23

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