R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Keith Rowan Guy

Dale Bowman Poindexter

Hoyt Sturdivant Beard

Russell D Barnes

Douglas Edwin Wilhelm

Tony Dean Stewart

Harold Eugene Richardson

Ricky Harris Laurence

A method of and an apparatus for expanding tobacco, particularly tobacco impregnated with solid carbon dioxide are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an arcuate, generally C-shaped duct for conveying the tobacco material in a hot gaseous medium to sublimate the solid carbon dioxide and expand the tobacco. The duct has a non-circular cross-section, preferably a rectangular cross-section, with a high width-to-depth ratio and an increasing depth from the inlet to an intermediate portion of the duct then a decreasing depth from the intermediate portion to the outlet of the duct. A winnower device infeeds the tobacco material into the duct adjacent the throat of a venturi section connected to the inlet of the conveying duct. A tangential separator with an adjustable baffle at the inlet thereof for controlling velocity in the separator is used to separate the expanded tobacco from the gaseous medium.

Method of and apparatus for expanding tobacco

Tobacco cut filler is volume expanded using the DIET process and equipment. During depressurization of a pressure vessel containing a mixture of cut filler impregnated with liquid carbon dioxide, gaseous carbon dioxide is bubbled through the mixture to provide a mixture of decreased density and decreased integrity. Liquid water is introduced into the sublimator region of the equipment in order to act as a heat sink, causing tobacco cut filler in that region and related equipment components to not experience overly high exposure to heat. A vertically extending duct in the sublimator region has a relatively large inner diameter so as to allow adequate residence time of the tobacco cut filler in the expansion region. A spray of water applied to the expanded tobacco cut filler and atmosphere in the post expansion region of the DIET equipment moistens the cut filler and reduces the temperature experienced thereby.

Process and apparatus for expanding tobacco cut filler

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Keith Rowan Guy