Hauni-werke Korber & Co Kg.

Peter Schwarz

Waldemar Wochnowski

Reinhard Hohm

Gerhard Graalmann

Wilfried Muhsil

Wolfgang Broscheit

A continuous stream of burley or greenleaf tobacco is transported through a first and thereupon through a second heating unit wherein the particles of tobacco are heated by ascending currents of hot air supplied at a pressure and rate such that the respective portions of the stream are fluidized. First and second detectors are provided to measure the temperature of tobacco downstream of the first and second heating units. Signals from the detectors are used to regulate the temperature of the respective air currents. The temperature of air current which is admitted into the second heating unit is further regulated in dependency on deviation of signals furnished by the detector behind the first heating unit from a reference signal denoting the desired temperature of once heated tobacco. The temperature of each current of hot air is further regulated in dependency on the monitored temperature of air which is about to enter the first and second heating units.

Method and apparatus for conditioning burley or greenleaf tobacco

Moist tobacco is conveyed through a rotating drum which is heated by steam circulating coils and wherein a current of hot air is caused to flow counter to the direction of tobacco transport. The moisture content of conditioned tobacco is monitored by a detector which produces a first signal when the monitored moisture content deviates from a desired moisture content. The first signal is used to rapidly change the temperature of the air current from a standard temperature by adjusting the position of a valve which mixes hot air with cooler air whereby the extent of adjustment corresponds to the extent of deviation of monitored moisture content from desired moisture content. A second signal whose intensity is indicative of the extent of valve adjustment is transmitted to the input of a proportional-plus-integral amplifier which immediately changes the steam pressure in the coils and additionally changes the steam pressure while the temperature of the hot air current deviates from the standard temperature. The valve is reset to a position corresponding to the standard temperature of the air current whereupon the deviation of monitored moisture content from desired moisture content is counteracted exclusively by the changed temperature of the drum and coils as a result of adjustment of steam pressure in the coils.

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Rellingen, Germany

Peter Schwarz