CN1016842B - Handle the method for the continuously extruded tobacco-containing material that goes out - Google Patents

Abstract

Be filled into tobacco from the feed tank 7 of recipient 13, be filled into adhesive, be filled into water, extrude the continuity of the tobacco-containing material of foaming by extruder barrel 13 and constantly expect bar 20 from feed tank 11 from feed tank 8.In order to make material bar 20 can directly send into cigarette machine 4, earlier with it by microwave dryer 2, with vacuum (-tight) housing 25 volatile substance is removed, thereby is dried, expect that then bar 20 passes through along conveyer belt 6, the cold air that blows with fan 16 cools off.Its surface temperature is lowered under the bulk temperature, thereby produces the effect that shell hardening intensity improves.

Description

Handle the method for the continuously extruded tobacco-containing material that goes out

The present invention relates to handle and continuously extrudedly go out tobacco-containing material to make the method for smoking product with it.

US Patent specification 4,510 has been introduced one for No. 950 and has been made the tobacco product example with extrusion.The tobacco product that the document is introduced is generally cylindrical, makes the contained water of wet mixed feed of inserting the extruder die orifice change into steam, with this material of extruding under the condition of this expanded tobacco product that bubbles.These goods are whole, that is, if these goods are cigarette, the goods that extruding is come out are generally the sub-thread goods of diameter 8mm.

Another kind method is that moistening compound is pushed from the die orifice that some apertures are arranged, form multiply, be adhered together and be substantially cylindrical tobacco product, this tobacco product contains the material bar that some extruding are simultaneously come out, these material bar integral body are extended along the longitudinal axis of tobacco product, adhesion mutually simultaneously, preferably arbitrarily adhesion mutually is so that stay the flue gas circulation road along the tobacco product y direction between the material bar.This method once was illustrated in disclosed european patent application on January 8th, 1986, publication number is EP-A-0167370, the shape and the passage between foaming material of material bar provide enough heat transfer areas or enough holdup times, perhaps both all are equipped with, thereby make the flue-gas temperature of being inhaled by the smoker that hot flue gas to the tobacco product near-end cools down and the smoker being suited by near-end output.

These tobacco-containing materials that bubble, squeeze out are to make with tobacco particle, adhesive, water and optional filler or other required additive.When tobacco-containing material when die orifice pushes out, generally all be to scald hot, moistening, pliable and tough analog thermoplastic material.The material temperature that squeezes out is generally within 40-150 ℃ of scope.Can cause excessively or handle overdonely to the processing of material as handle this tobacco containing materials under too high temperature, this can reduce the quality of product.As this material of extruding under too low temperature, under the pressure of general extruder, material can not bubble, thereby causes product density excessive.Water capacity is with baking volatilization value (or OV value) metering, and generally within the 15-50% scope, this content depends on the prescription of product and the condition that preparation is handled.This water capacity is higher than and the about 10-15% of the water capacity of tobacco balance." water capacity " or OV value are meant the liquid that is mixed in the tobacco and other material before extruding, in general, this liquid is water, yet organic or pure class I liquid I is also available.

That this continuous profiled bubbles, strip-shaped materials is too warm, thereby too wet and too pliable and toughly the material bar directly can not be made tobacco product to send at a high speed to make in the smoking product maker of similar 8 type cigarette machines as Mao Lin company.These materials do not possess the enough structural strengths that can seal and make tobacco product with paper bag are arranged as without further processing.

A kind of known extruding post-processing approach to extruding material is the material drying that will squeeze out, and its OV value is reduced to about OV value with the tobacco balance.Usually allow the liquid in the slurry before the extruding,, under normal pressure or decompression,, make the material drying at air evaporation as water or all other liquid such as alcohols that if can impel evaporation.Can use vacuum equipment before dry, to remove solvent earlier in some cases.In other cases, can in the conventional drying case, use infrared heater, the material that steam or hot blast come drying to squeeze out.

These above-mentioned technology to be for this continuously extruded material that goes out, the material that especially bubbles, squeezes out can't carry out commercial applications fully, this is because these methods are oversize for the OV value of material is dropped to the used time of desired level.These technological means need bunkerage or drying oven (this kind equipment can reach hundreds of feet) so that the material sufficiently dry.And any this kind equipment is all impracticable in commercialization is implemented, and maintenance cost is very high.If low speed drying, or low temperature drying, the bubbler configuration of material bar can be destroyed under himself weight, thereby forms undesirable plane because of contacting with supporter, or causes product density irregular.This can influence the burning quality of tobacco product and cause the consumer not accept.As attempt Fast Heating billot, the especially billot of Qi Paoing and to cause the outer layer segment hardening crust of extrudate, thereby stoped inner abundant drying.The duricrust of forming can make doubly increase with index drying time, as being increased to several hours from a few minutes, or is increased to several days from several hours.Because the overdrying skin can cause product to become frangible for inner drying, overdrying also can cause product to crease, crack or too hard, and these all can not make the consumer accept.

The method of the continuously extruded tobacco-containing material that goes out of processing of the present invention is the pressing materials that adopts the microwave energy drying to come out from the extruder die orifice, it is characterized in that being reduced to balance OV value or below it with the method for the microwave drying OV value that the material that squeezes out is contained, cool off this material subsequently, so that its surface temperature is lower than bulk temperature, thereby the pressing materials that obtains has the enough structural strengths and the stability of profile, can directly be used for manufacturing tobacco product.

The present invention directly sends into cigarette machine, makes under the condition of required tobacco product from the die orifice of extruder at the material that extruding is come out, the material that contains tobacco that rapid draing, cooling push out.The present invention both had been applicable to the material that the extruding that contains tobacco of foaming is come out, and also was applicable to containing of non-foaming of material tobacco, that extruding is come out.

The material drying that extruding is come out evaporates moisture content or other liquid in the extrded material earlier, whereby water capacity approximately is reduced to the balance OV value that contains tobacco product, preferably drops to below the balance OV value.When using foaming agent, by evaporation, gasify or decompose used foaming agent and come when dry, drying steps also can make material bubble or make material continue to bubble.When leaving and entering die orifice hole downstream atmospheric pressure environment the hyperbaric environment of the die orifice of extrded material in extruder, or after extruding, when material heats when making it bubble by hothouse, moisture, other foaming agent or gas contained in the pressing material are transformed into the gas that is roughly under the normal pressure from superheated liquid or Compressed Gas, thereby cause bubbling.The material of the drying that generates is to scald hot, pliable and tough, the sticking glutinous thermoplastic material in surface.

After the drying, coolant at once reduces the temperature of extrded material.At this, use 2 temperature definition, (1) surface temperature, the i.e. temperature of measuring at the material surface that squeezes out; (2) bulk temperature, the mean temperature after the temperature of promptly a selected amount of tobacco-containing material on calorimeter is steady.The extruded material of cool drying need reduce bulk temperature at least in a way and substantially reduce surface temperature, so that the material that squeezes out has enough structural strengths, make its surface viscosity reduce to bottom line, and make extrded material that certain fixed dimension be arranged, so that use the cigarette machine moulding subsequently.

For obtaining enough structural strengths must be the special component of thermoplasticity tobacco containing substance and the function of cooling rate with the temperature of the material cooled that squeezes out, this temperature concerning surface temperature roughly between approximately-196 ℃ to 85 ℃, concerning bulk temperature greatly between 20 ℃-90 ℃.Generally speaking, the temperature of cooling is low more, products obtained therefrom solid more good more.Cooling limitation mainly is the restriction of equipment, the quality of the heat absorption capacity of used cooling medium and the thermal insulation of materials degree that squeezes out.In the process of the material that is dried and cools off and ambient conditions or other controlled condition balance, be dried and the material that cools off will slightly change its volume continuously.

Cooling effect makes best bulk temperature reduce to about glass transition temperature, and surface temperature is significantly less than the glass transition temperature of material, forms the duricrust of one deck semihard like this, so that automatic cigarette rolling machine rolls.Be different from the prior art method, this layer duricrust do not influence the inside drying of material, do not influence the balance of manufactured goods and required condition yet, and this is because this material before producing duricrust, has been in the roughly state of balance (except that thermally-stabilised).

And, with material cooled below volatilization temperature, the flavor component volatilization during cooling that can prevent the natural flavor composition in the tobacco or dose.This has increased the aromatic property of finished product.Use foaming material, surface temperature and bulk temperature preferably drop under the flash-point of used foaming agent, thus, avoid continuing foaming at drying stage because drying or amount of residual heat will cause.

This cooling, drying then material can directly be sent into cigarette machine and remove to produce required tobacco product.The material that contains tobacco in one embodiment can be squeezed into sheet material, and after drying, the cooling, chopping is used as smokable filler as common tobacco leaf or reorganization tobacco.Another embodiment and be that embodiment is that material is squeezed into the strip with cylindrical cross-section preferably, and directly send into the opium pipe of cigarette machine available on the market from cooling device.Before sending into cigarette machine, above-mentioned material is cigarette package paper or cigar coat leaf or with the material that can form outer dressing arbitrarily, the bag leaf dressing of making by co-extrusion pressure or back extrusion technique.

A major advantage of the present invention is can constantly handle to scald the pliable and tough material that squeezes out of heat, makes it to become the directly material of tobacco curing.

In one embodiment, contain the cigarette material and comprise tobacco particle in the medium that is blended in the water class, make thick slurry then, thick slurry pushes again, and the material that extruding is come out carries out comprehensive drying with microwave energy to it during by suitable three-dimensional microwave box.The volume in case chamber and used microwave frequency are reserved in advance, obtain required penetration depth thus on specific place, cross section and material structure body, thus activation and volatile medium, with this material that comes drying to push out.The energy value that imports casing into is the extension speed according to extruding material, drying time and extruding material contained OV value (or medium content) and required factors such as OV value are selected when drying box comes out when entering drying box.Can also be in microwave drying oven or the next door add several openings steam and other volatile substance to be produced in the discharging dry run.Because the steam that produces has internally replenished the moisture content that falls from surface evaporation, the dry so equably material that squeezes out can make material obtain the density of uniformity, when overall OV value is dropped to required level, can not produce duricrust or not cause the material that squeezes out broken easily.

One preferably in the embodiment, can adopt the microwave drying oven of two tandems to come the dry material that therefrom passes through.Use two drying boxes can make steam between two casings and, and can control the used energy value of drying material more accurately in deferent segment that joins with dry section and the circulation of input section.And, distance between two drying boxes can be regulated, so that material carries out balance between twice microwave drying, equally, the orientation setting of two microwave drying ovens also can be selected, such as, be arranged in parallel, or a drying box is with respect to another drying box, around the longitudinal axis rotation of extruding material, with balanced microwave energy and form better can be in extruding material distribution.Like this, use two or more microwave drying ovens than adopting single microwave drying oven and come drying material, can dryly get and evenly also be easier to control.

After the drying steps, with the material cooled that squeezes out.In one embodiment, the material that squeezes out preferably adopts the mode of ventilation continuously by the cooling chamber cooling of blast-cold gas.In air-flow, also can comprise surrounding air.When adopting refrigerated air, cold air can be with common air-conditioning equipment with surrounding air by cooling coil, be cooled to about 4 ℃, or with dry ice or similarly thing refrigeration.Thereby the temperature of regulating cold air is based on the speed of extruding material and make the material that squeezes out when subsequent treatment, have enough bulk strengths for the surface that reduces extrded material and bulk temperature factor such as holdup time is selected in cooler bin.Like this, must be cooled to have can be with till the intensity of directly sending into reel machine and cigarette machine for material.

The material that squeezes out can preferably adopt the band of entrusting or drive in the wrong direction with holes to come to contact with the extruded material of heat so that change cold air (also can select surrounding air) continuously with any mode that makes its cooling by cooler bin.Other method is the material that comes bracketing to squeeze out with air cushion, makes it pass through cooler bin.The transmission means of other routine are also available.

In another embodiment, cooling step is performed such; Allow the material that squeezes out by having the wind-tunnel of a plurality of air nozzles, the high velocity air that gushes out from nozzle closely contacts the material that extruding is come out like this.This high velocity air can play liquid or moisture content and the fully effect of cooling extrded material of removing.

In another embodiment, with the hot material and the object of cooling that extruding is come out, for example one or more cooled rollers, the cooling conveyer belt of operation forward, or the particle that cools off continuously contacts and cools off.In yet another embodiment, can evaporate non-absorbent substantially liquid during available contact, as water or alcohol, nitrogen, or solid contact or spray the material that squeezes out as dry ice particles with the extruding material that scalds heat, cool off.In another embodiment, material is cooled off by the cryogenic box that has as liquid nitrogen and so on.Under any circumstance, select used contact temperature or be subjected to the quantity of cold material will consider to reach the desirable required whole holdup time of evenly cooling.Aforesaid any method can be used separately or several being used, thereby as long as the exospheric temperature that it can cool off extruding material rapidly makes it to obtain to be enough to send into the intensity of cigarette machine.And cooling chamber can partly soar at least to strengthen refrigeration.

Accompanying drawing is a schematic diagram of tobacco preparation system of the present invention.

Shown in the drawings is a kind of illustrated scheme of tobacco preparation system of the present invention. Equipment of the present invention comprises drying box 2 and cooler bin 3(series connection), they are positioned at the delivery outlet downstream of extruder 1 and recipient 13, and the section of tobacco curing equipment 4 upstreams. The tobacco material in small, broken bits flow with control from feed tank 7 is imported in the input bucket 12 of extruder 1. Binder is also with control The input bucket 12 of flow input extruder 1 in. Water is by keeping water capacity required in the blending bin to import the recipients 13 from supply tank 11. In some other embodiments, material mixes with in addition different orders and imports different input buckets, and this discusses when this specification is touched upon pre-hydration hybrid technology. The invention provides the material 20 that to squeeze out and carry the method and apparatus of super-dry case 2 and cooler bin 3. It is identical with the extruding rate of selecting that this conveying equipment carries the speed of pressing material 20 preferably to be adjusted to, and making between the contact component of pressing material 20 and conveying equipment or the support component does not have relative motion substantially. In addition, if need to make the material that squeezes out continue tension or compression, also can there be certain relative motion.

Conveying equipment can comprise one or more conveyer belts with same linear speed motion. Conveyer belt can be a bracketing band, amounts to the one-way tape that encases extruding material, also can keep and carry the retrograde band of material. After cooling section, can receive in the bucket 14 with the pressing material that pulling apparatus 5 is sent into the front end material limit of extruded stock 20 on common tobacco curing equipment 4 input ports. In case pressing material is directly sent into tobacco curing equipment 4, tractor 5 gets final product disconnection.

Method of the present invention comprises that the tobacco containing materials that moistening, pliable and tough extruding is come out is dried to its water capacity approximately or is lower than the water capacity of environment water capacity or other control in drying box 2, the pressing material that cool drying is crossed in cooler bin 3, thereby the surface temperature that makes pressing material be lower than its bulk temperature make contain tobacco material become have sufficient intensity can winding, cut-out, make the material of tobacco product. Surface temperature generally is reduced to approximately between-196 ℃-85 ℃, and bulk temperature is reduced between about 20 ℃ to 90 ℃. Cooling makes the structure that forms a kind of duricrust half heavily fortified point along the peripheral surface of extending of pressing material, and this is so that it can make tobacco product in tobacco curing equipment 4 subsequently.

In one embodiment, method of the present invention comprise with tobacco in small, broken bits, adhesive, Water (or other solvent) and other required additive are mixed together in extruder 1, make well-mixed slurry, slurry is extruded from the die orifice of extruder blending bin or recipient 13 ends, make it to become sticking glutinous pressing material, the best cylindrical structure of pressing material, dry extrded material in drying box 2, in cooler bin 3, cool off extrded material, then extrded material is conveyed in the tobacco curing equipment 4, makes desirable tobacco product, for example make the basically identical tobacco product of thickness.

One preferably in the embodiment, method of the present invention is applicable to making foaming, the extruding tobacco product, this tobacco product contains (a) about 5-98 % by weight, granularity can be as big as about 5 purpose tobacco particles, (b) 0% filler to the about 350 μ m of the granularity of about 60 % by weight, (c) 0 % by weight is to the remaining foaming agent of about 1.0 % by weight, (d) adhesive of about 2-40 % by weight, adhesive can be selected from (1) hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium salt thereof, sylvite and ammonium salt, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium salt thereof, sylvite and ammonium salt, hydroxyethylcellulose, ethylhydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, the plain adhesive of this fiber of ethyl cellulose and their mixture thereof, (2) pectin and ammonia salt thereof, sodium salt and sylvite, starch, guar gum, chitin, chitosan, and derivative, hemicellulose, ton alcohol (Xanthan), Ke Telan (curdlan), ton alcohol (Xanthanmonas) glue salt, Kai Lajin sodium (carageenan), alginic acid and ammonia salt thereof, sodium salt and sylvite, chitosan and water-soluble salt thereof, oxycellulose, polyvinyl maleic acid polymer and ammonia salt thereof, sodium salt and sylvite, microcrystalline cellulose, the butyl diacid, dextrin, maltodextrin, fiberoptic fiber element and their this class natural glue of mixture, modified natural adhesive and composite adhesives; Or a kind of mixture of (3) cellulose, natural, natural modified or composite adhesives. Above composition is all in the dry weight base; (e) the about water of 5-20 % by weight, the density of these goods is greatly Between about 0.05-1.5g/cc.

The used tobacco of the present invention can be the tobacco of any kind, generally is smashed tobacco powder, and tobacco can be selected from Fo Jini hypotype tobacco, burley, east tobacco and smoking mixture thereof, the restructuring tobacco that grinds, the offal that grinds, scarp or offal and smoking mixture thereof. Tobacco can harden in advance or expanding treatment to increase its filling power. When the tobacco granularity of using during greater than 35 order, when the preparation wet mixed feed, be necessary to add a little multifunctional acids, for example citric acid or phosphoric acid and their ammonium salt, sodium salt and sylvite, so that the products appearance that squeezes out is good-looking, it is desirable to bubble. The addition of this multifunctional acid or its salt is between about 0.1-15 % by weight of tobacco product total amount, preferably contains about 2-10 % by weight. A kind of typical mixed adhesive is the hydroxypropyl cellulose of 5 % by weight, the starch of the carboxymethyl cellulose of 2.5 % by weight and 2.5 % by weight. Another kind of typical mixed adhesive is the hydroxypropyl cellulose of 1 % by weight, the starch of the hydroxypropyl guar gum of 4 % by weight and 5 % by weight.

These goods can contain any kind can with compound in other composition match, granularity is no more than the granular materials of about 350 μ m, as its filler. This class filler preferably is selected from calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesia, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, metallic aluminium, aluminium oxide, aluminium hydroxide, clay, diatomite, silica and composition thereof, wherein is preferably calcium carbonate.

Tobacco product after the dried or balance contains the OV value of about 5-20 % by weight, preferably 8-18 % by weight.

This tobacco product has the structure of porous, and this can keep the quiet combustion of tobacco product, and makes its plume that perforation is arranged (air-flow/aerosol) passage, leads to the smoker. The density of these goods is relevant with the opening pore space structure with its loose structure for the sub-thread extruded product, and is relevant for the pore size of generation between its density of product of multiply extruding and each strand. A kind of tobacco product has one Decide the density in the scope and have any one gas channel, the flue gas conductibility of good combustion rate and the needed cigarette of smoking can be arranged.

This tobacco product also can contain the alcohol that is used for the dissolving cellulos adhesive of about 0.001-1 % by weight. This class alcohol be selected from ethanol, methyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, just-propyl alcohol and mixed alcohol thereof. The alcohol that adds for the water capacity that reduces the extrudate of extruding from die orifice when the alcohol that exists in tobacco product can be from tobacco curing, or remaining alcohol during perfuming.

This tobacco product also can contain about 0.1-40 % by weight, preferably crosslinking agent or the curing agent of about 0.5-20 % by weight. Curing agent adds before being preferably in extruding, and crosslinked when extruding. Curing agent is selected from alginic acid, carboxymethyl chitosan, pectic acid, chitosan, its water-soluble salt of carboxymethyl chitosan, maltodextrin and their mixture. Also can use water-soluble Ca salt, the magnesium salts of about 0.1-10.0 % by weight, and/or aluminium salt.

This tobacco product be squeezed into the about 2-35 millimeter of diameter preferably approximately the goods of columniform, sticking glutinous, the sub-thread of 4-25 millimeter or multiply for well. The goods of other cross sectional shape can be with suitable die orifice, and for example die orifice manufacturing of oval die orifice, star die orifice, cylindrical die orifice etc. shape, or additional together processing after extruding are suitably moulding with it. These material strips are made generally in common cigarette or cigar is so long, available cigarette paper bag envelope, or seal with wrapper, or with pushing simultaneously the shell sheath dressing that comes out, made by combustible, or use the analog dressing. This moment, product namely can be used as no mouth cigarette or cigar is sold in market. Common filter tip can join with this tobacco product with tip paper and make band mouth cigarette.

Spices and/or wetting agent that various tobacco curings are commonly used all can add before extruding or add after extruding, for example add after cooling step. One is applicable to of the present inventionly, and spiced embodiment is recorded in disclosed No. 85305139.9 european patent applications on February 26th, 1986 in sending into cigarette machine forward direction tobacco curing material, and publication number is 0172654. Other this professional technique The known method of personnel also can be used.

These contain preferably like this preparation of tobacco product: with tobacco particle and adhesive, filler, blowing agent, crosslinking agent or curing agent and other required composition add water or other liquid is mixed together or fusion, make moistening compound, push moistening compound by one of following condition by the die orifice that chooses: when (1) moistening compound is extruded, thereby contained moisture content or other foaming agent are transformed into steam or other gaseous product and the extruded material that comes out from the extruder die orifice are extruded by expanded (2) wet mixed feed form some material strips in the compound, contained moisture content or other foaming agent of material that squeezes out is transformed under the condition of steam or other gas, the material strip that squeezes out is processed in drying box, material is bubbled. If what form is the multiply extrudate, per share all must bubble and because the effect of bubbling or used adhesive when pushing post processing, per share material strip longitudinally at random is adhered together with adjacent material strip.

Mixing can be carried out in conventional mixing arrangement, and the gained mixture should be the moisture content that approximately contains the 15-50 % by weight.

As shown in the figure, the material that squeezes out can be by the preparation of following method: (a) do tobacco particle and adhesive, filler, foaming agent, crosslinking agent or curing agent and other required composition mixed; (b) dry blend and water are mixed and made into wet mixed feed; (c) according to one of those extruding conditions that bubble when making the material that squeezes out leave die orifice mentioned above, wet mixed feed is come out by extruding in the die orifice with one or more nibs.

Other method is that extrded material can prepare like this: (1) is done tobacco particle and filler, foaming agent, crosslinked or curing agent and other required composition and is mixed, (2) water or the similar pre-hydration jointing material of solvent are with the viscosity of activated adhesive, (3) adhesive of dry blend with pre-hydration mixed, make wet mixed feed, (4) under above-mentioned arbitrary condition of bubbling when making the material that squeezes out leave die orifice by die orifice extruding wet mixed feed.

Will be with the extruder of twin-screw forward extrusion when adopting this technology with multiple feed inlet (not shown).Pre-hydration step (2) is performed such: add jointing material from first charging aperture of extruder, add water or similar solvent from second charging aperture of first charging aperture below, one segment distance, owing to add adhesive, along with being pushed in recipient, it advances, adhesive is processed, be sheared, by homogenizing.When it passes through second charging aperture, mix with water, in it was pushed ahead in recipient, adhesive was by pre-hydration.Step (1) is done in conventional mixing apparatus and is mixed tobacco, filler and other material, with the three charging aperture adding recipient of its admixture from a segment distance below second charging aperture.The pre-hydration jointing material of such second step preparation constantly mixes with tobacco and other material of first step preparation.Selection process is handled and the required power of extruding tobacco product because some extruder and mixing apparatus can not produce, so be preferably in dried a spot of tobacco material of sneaking in the adhesive, its addition with the amount of tobacco that is no more than 5 weight % for well, a spot of filler or other add composition, and then pre-hydration mixed adhesive and tobacco or other composition.Low when not adding tobacco or other composition in the ratio of viscosities adhesive of resulting wet mixed feed, thus be easier to handle, and need not to roll up the moisture content of expecting group.

Equally also because the adhesive of pre-hydration can become very sticking, and adhere on the mixing apparatus, dried in the adhesive to infiltrate a spot of tobacco particle, filler or tobacco filled so be preferably in.The addition of tobacco with about 5 weight % of being no more than the tobacco total amount for well.With the pre-hydration of dry blend, the tendency of resulting wet mixed feed binder-treatment equipment weakens then, thereby comparatively speaking in material processing step by step, is easy to evenly processed.

Another kind method is with the part adhesive and tobacco is dried mixes the pre-hydration of all the other adhesives.Because water or the similar relative excess of solvent (water of excess or similar solvent will be done the tobacco and the adhesive that mix thereafter and absorb), its viscosity is lower, is easy to dispose.Although the OV value than not do not hand over mix tobacco and adhesive (as step (1) and step (2)) not higher, the more effective active of adhesive can make not hydration adhesive drier, more solid in advance of extrudate ratio.

Also can select to add foaming agent in mixture, reasonable is to select in following material: fluorocarbons, pyrroles, acetone, ethanol, peroxide and the azo dicarbonamide of air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, carbonic acid ammonia, carbamic acid ammonia ester, two carbonic acid ammonia and/or two sodium carbonate or two potash, azide, hydrazides, pentane, hexane, heptane, halo.Above-mentioned partly foamed dose may need to add acid or alkali and help it to decompose, and needs to have used bubble stabilizer and/or such as the surfactant of Radix Glycyrrhizae, yucca or classes such as yucca extract, lauryl sodium sulfate.

Extruder 1 can be any extruder commonly used, and it has blending bin or the recipient 13 and the output die orifice of composition in material input hole, the abundant smoking mixture slurry of energy.Typical extruder comprises, for example, ten thousand joint models are the single screw rod grog of (Wenger) Model X-20 machine/extruder, full sharp (Manley) telescopic extruder, or the twin (double) screw extruder (model MPF-50D and MPF-50L) of fertile Buddhist nun and Fei Luoyidee C.L. XiMen Co., Ltd and the production of Bake Bo Jinsi company.

Each composition that contains the slurry of selecting tobacco mixes by any one technology, is squeezed into the material of adhesion, preferably the product of Qi Paoing.The material that extruding is come out, no matter be bubble or do not bubble, all be moistening, pliable and tough, general OV value is within the 17-28% scope, the height of OV value depends on used treatment conditions.Concrete method, other prescription and be illustrated in No. 4510950 patents of the U.S. and european patent application specification EP-A-0167370 number about the further details of the extrded material that bubbles.

The foaming extrded material of being advised is to bubble when leaving die orifice, at this moment, emits a large amount of steam, makes the material that squeezes out that slight cooling effect be arranged, but bulk temperature also may just be lower than flash-point generally about the flash-point of used liquid.These hot and wet strengths of materials are extremely low or do not have intensity, adhere in the surface.They are easily deformable, can not wrap paper or make tobacco product.

According to the present invention, these materials of extruding at once by drying box 2 its water capacity is reduced to or is lower than the level of equilibrium moisture content.Microwave drying is better because (1) it can be fast even drying material; (2) it can make any foaming agent in the material or the volatilization of residual foaming agent and the foaming dilated product, or strengthens the expanded or more abundant foaming dilated product of foaming; (3) it can the rapid draing material, and in case bubble and all finish, it can not have bad influence to playing a bubble structure; (4) it can use the dry material that pushes out at a high speed of equipment of floor space little (as 3 meters), as the material that pushes out with the speed of per minute 60-250 rice at short notice; (5) it is than energy-conservation with oven drying in the prior art, and this is because the required heat of drying material directly acts on material with essential energy density, and need not remove the air of heated oven or significant volume, thus the waste energy.

One preferably among the embodiment, the last diameter of the about 12mm(of diameter was 8mm when the material that squeezes out left die orifice), use two essentially identical microwave energies and drying box, such as the Model 56 F type microwave machines that use Ke Bo company to make.The microwave machine of this style number all has the power of about 6kw, and operating frequency is 2450MHz.The volume of microwave box is also all identical, is approximately 127mm * 82.55mm * 146.05mm, on two casees axially parallel positions input and output hole is arranged.The output wall of two adjacent casings and input wall be at a distance of 990.6mm, similar in addition model or have single microwave machine of equal general power also can use.To the extruded material of other shape, as sheet shape, the material that squeezes out for abundant drying needs bigger energy, and this can rule of thumb decide.

Other can activate water contained in the extrded material, and other liquid or foaming agent molecule reach resonance and make the given frequency of its volatilization also available.Ventilating opening 25 is set is to discharging moisture content dry and that bubble phases is evaporated, liquid or other foaming agent, thus be convenient to drying.Can adopt endless belt 17 to come the bracketing extrded material, by drying box, this conveyer belt is made with the non-conductive material of not disturbing microwave energy to penetrate, for example uses polyester, and nylon etc. are manufactured.

Cooler bin 3 has air-conditioner 15, fan 16 and conveyer belt 6.Air-conditioner 15 can be any can provide cold air the conventional air-conditioning device, 3 tons of air-conditioners of Kang Fute Ai Er (Comfort Aire) of producing such as: Jackson city, U.S. Mi Zhian state heating exchanger company.When the setting of fan should make extrded material be fed forward with endless belt 6 cold air is vertically blowed by the route of selected speed along material 20 processes.Conveyer belt 6 is preferably with holes.Blowing of cold wind can be that reinforcement so that stronger or colder than the wind at a place along cooler bin 3, one places more uniformly or gradually.In another selectable embodiment, the flow direction of cold wind can be oblique or parallel.Fan 16 and air-conditioner 15 can unite two into one.

In another alternative embodiment, cooler bin 3 can be a wind-tunnel, for example the cream-coloured wind-tunnel of Ai Er of this machine manufacturing company manufacturing of your Hughes's base of a fruit of Rhode Island's Brister.This kind equipment can blow the surface of hitting extrded material by several nozzle ejection high velocity airs, thus dry extrded material.Other types of cooling also can adopt, and for example: low temperature is bathed, contact cooling object and other technology that can reduce phlegm and internal heat from extrded material.

In embodiment preferably, dry and cooling is coordinated to carry out, so that the OV value of last product is lower than balance OV value.The material that squeezes out can be with common reel machine winding, so because material is done when the material balance that squeezes out, material can absorb a little moisture content and expansion slightly, thereby tightens bag paper.This can prevent to wrap paper and tobacco product disengagement under low-humidity environment, and this makes its outward appearance and sense of touch all resemble the tobacco product that common tobacco is filled cutting.

The present invention especially be fit to keep the spices of tobacco and original characteristics is arranged, and all because of extruding with heat, tobacco flavor is volatilized and lost in this processing method so far before.After drying, cool off the material that squeezes out rapidly, with this temperature is reduced to below the spices volatilization temperature, thereby has kept spices.This is reduced to bottom line with fragrance emanation, and spices had all lost in the past.And those can not stand or be unable to undergo to push, bubble and dry condition and spices or other additive of temperature can add after cooling at once, and do not lose in a large number because of volatilization.Available conventional equipment is measured the effective dose of the additive that contains in the extruding material that passes through, thereby determines this class additive.

The product that bubbles produces one deck thermal conductance obstacle, and this has hindered the cooling of extrded material inside to a certain extent.Cooling is outer rapidly, can produce a temperature gradient along tangent plane.Like this, keep outer lower relatively than internal temperature, the original tobacco and the natural perfume material of additive and the spices of adding can be preserved in the colder skin of extrded material at least.Therefore, the spices of the internal losses that the material of extruding is deep is not too important, and can correspondingly be compensated.

Tobacco curing equipment 4 can be the cigarette machine that any commercialization is used, and through suitably repacking, removes feed hopper and gets final product.For example, Mark 8 or Mark 9 cigarette machines that Mo Lin company makes, or equal with it Hauni type cigarette machine.Other tobacco product former (not shown) can comprise such as devices such as grinding tool cutting knife, shredding machines, or be used for dry, cooled extruding material, and be common tobacco product with this forming materials, for example tobacco pipe pipe tobacco, smokeless pipe tobacco, cigarette or cigar pipe tobacco.

In embodiment preferably, the material that squeezes out directly is delivered to the Mark8 cigarette machine opium pipe from cooler bin 3, and this cigarette machine has removed the chimney section through repacking, changes funnel 14 in order to receive sub-thread or the cylindric extruding billot of multiply.Cylindrical billot is sent in the cigarette rifle before and after the routine bag paper carrying out, and by after the opium pipe, is cut into the tobacco product that is shaped to of even length with parting tool, is sent by the output wheel of rotation subsequently.And tobacco curing method and carry out subsequent treatment routinely with conventional tobacco curing equipment.

Pulling equipment 5 can be a pinch roll feeding type tractor, or two reverse endless belts that advance, and the setting of this equipment and use are to be used for funnel 14 being sent on the material end limit that squeezes out when it during at starting state.Pulling equipment 5 is when starting to work, and when cooler bin 3 was passed through in the material traction that squeezes out, the material that keeps squeezing out was tightened slightly,, is bitten the generally promptly disconnected connection of pulling equipment 5 in case the cylinder bar that squeezes out is admitted to funnel 14 by opium pipe and enter opium pipe.Reverse conveyer belt promptly separates with material, in order to avoid owing to material acts on the material that the power damage of material squeezes out forward.The tractor that has on the existing market can be from the fertile Sa machine manufacturing department acquisition of the Foster in New Jersey Sa Moweier city and Alan company, for example CM22 type tractor.

All available revolution counter (not shown) of driving arrangement, conveyer belt 17, conveyer belt 6, tractor 5, tobacco curing equipment 4 and extruder 1 or suitable timing means and the drying capacity of microwave box 2 are got up synchronously.Drying capacity can be regulated by desirable treatment conditions and the required humidity characteristic of extrded material, and regulating measure mainly is to change the microwave energy that imports in the microwave box.When adopting big power microwave energy drying material, and during with high-speed production, may need additional cooling device, so the material that squeezes out advances with given pace, this material keeps the corresponding holdup time in microwave heating box, can reach desirable OV value.For example, the dry about 8.0 ± 0.1mm of extrded material diameter, and advance for about 182 meters with per minute is that the energy of 10kw can be dried to the OV value of material and is lower than 6% from 20% with total amount.The energy distribution of 10kw uses the energy of 9kw the OV value of material can be dried to about 8% in two microwave box.

But method of the present invention and then auxiliary work make the said equipment carry out aforesaid operations at a high speed, continuously the tobacco slurry composition is mixed in the job site, a place of same factory, extruding, dry, cool off, make tobacco product.In the suggestion embodiment, the extrded material of foaming is the cylindrical of the about 8mm of diameter, with 0 meter of per minute in addition surpass about 200 meters speed production.These speed are fully within the ability of common tobacco curing equipment.

Embodiment

In order to further specify the present invention, the spy provides following this representative example.

Tobacco particle in small, broken bits in the prescription, jointing material and water are added in each input bucket of Parker, Bo Jinsi twin-screw MPF-50L type extruder, tobacco particle adds with the about 0.82 kilogram speed of per minute.Binder combination contains 1%Klucel, 4% hydroxypropyl ear glue and 5% starch, and compound is made in premixed, and its speed with 0.09 kilogram of per minute is added.Tobacco and adhesive are mixed together, and join in the same feed hopper of extruder mixing drum.Water adds from the downstream, and adding speed is so that the OV value in the extruder mixing drum remains on about 20-23% exceeds.When extrded material left die orifice at it, the OV value that records was approximately 17.2%.About 130 ℃ of bulk temperature, about 95 ℃ of surface temperature.Being extruded material is about 124 meters of per minute by two microwave box speed.Drying box comprises first microwave box and second microwave box, and the general power of first, second case is decided to be 7kw.The OV value of the material that squeezes out when drying box comes out is about 10.9%.The surface temperature of extrded material is 61.7 ℃, and bulk temperature is 91.7 ℃.Dried extrded material intensity is very little or do not have, and handles or send into cigarette machine and can not wrap paper continuously.

The material that squeezes out subsequently is by one section about 4.6 meters long cooling zone.Vertically brush the material that squeezes out with the cold air that is cooled to 15.5 ℃ with the speed of 104 meters of per minutes.The surface temperature of the material that squeezes out is cooled to about 46.7 ℃, bulk temperature to 85 ℃, the OV value is reduced to 9.9%.This moment, the material that squeezes out has is enough to the intensity of cutting, wrapping paper with improved Mark 8 type cigarette machines.Bulk temperature when dry, cooled squeeze wood material package paper is made plume is about 57 ℃.

The microwave energy total amount of finding the extrded material absorption in experimentation is than whether two microwave box provide more power important with same power or which.For example: adopt 3kw when first the case, when adopting 4kw second the case and adopt 4kw first the case, the result when adopting 3kw second case is the same substantially.It is 2kw that power is divided into one the case, and one the case is 5kw, and the result is also similar.Also find simultaneously, every microwave energies that absorb 1 kilowatt more, the OV value will descend about 1.2%.Corresponding reduction power can cause higher OV value.The speed of this tobacco containing materials preferably of general extruding 270-455 rice/minute between.Can to the microwave energy of 10kw these materials be dried to about 8% to 14% desirable like this water capacity with the about 5kw that is allocated between two microwave box.With being cooled to about 1 ℃ of cold air to 16 ℃ of temperature ranges, with about 50-150 rice/minute speed blow over extrded material, the material cooled that promptly is enough to drying is squeezed out is to the degree that can wrap paper and tobacco curing.

Claims (11)

1, handles the method for continuously extruded tobacco-containing material, the material that this method adopts the microwave energy drying to extrude from the extruder die orifice, so that the OV value of pressing materials is reduced to balance OV value, it is characterized in that cooling off subsequently pressing materials, make its surface temperature be lower than bulk temperature, be enough to be used for manufacturing the structural strength of tobacco product and the stability of profile thereby pressing materials is had.

2, the described method of claim 1 is characterized in that, the OV value of extruded material is reduced to below the balance OV value.

3, the described method of claim 1 is characterized in that, makes pressing materials carry out microwave drying by the microwave drying oven that two or more have controlled power in succession.

4, the described method of claim 3 is characterized in that, pressing materials is under the effect of microwave energy and the gaseous product that produces discharges between adjacent drying box.

5, claim 1, any one described method in 2,3 and 4 is characterized in that, thereby cools off with the following blows air over pressing materials of cool to room temperature.

6, claim 1, any one described method in 2,3 and 4 is characterized in that, the step of cooling material comprise surface temperature dropped to approximately-196 ℃-85 ℃ between, bulk temperature is dropped between about 20 ℃-90 ℃.

7, the described method of claim 1 is characterized in that, this method the cooling after, make before the tobacco product, with common coil paper material with the material bag paper that squeezes out.

8, the described method of claim 7 is characterized in that, before bag paper pressing materials is dried to its water capacity and is lower than equilibrium moisture content, thereby when the pressing materials balance, expand, and tightens cigarette paper, forms and wraps up goods closely.

9, claim 1, any one described method in 2,3,4,7 and 8 is characterized in that, this method also be included in pressing materials be cooled to the additive volatilization temperature following after, add additive, this additive can improve the characteristic of gained tobacco product.

10, claim 1,2,3,4, any one described method in 7 and 8, it is characterized in that with preparing pressing materials in the following manner: with 5-98 weight %, granularity can be as big as the tobacco particle of 5 orders, OV value 3-20%, 0-60 weight %, granularity can be as big as the filler of 350 μ m, the foaming agent of 0-50 weight % (foaming agent comprises any solvent or the carrier beyond dewatering), the adhesive of 2-40 weight %, (above material is all in the dry weight base) is mixed together, and adds the wet mixed feed that moisture 15-50 weight % is made in entry.

11, claim 1,2,3,4, any one described method in 7 and 8, it is characterized in that, wherein said wet mixed feed is made as follows: with 5-98 weight %, granularity can be as big as the tobacco particle of 5 orders, OV value 3-20%, 0-60 weight %, granularity can be as big as the filler of 350 μ m, the foaming agent of 0-50 weight % (foaming agent comprises any solvent or the carrier beyond dewatering), the adhesive of 2-40 weight %, (above material is all in the dry weight base), be mixed together, add the wet mixed feed that moisture 15-50 weight % is made in entry; Make above-mentioned wet mixed feed under certain extrusion temperature and pressure condition, push out by die orifice, this condition will make moisture content contained in the wet mixed feed or other foaming agents can change steam or other gaseous products into when material is extruded, thereby can bubble expanded pressing materials.

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