The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1987
Ravi Prasad, Midlothian, VA (US);
Harvey J Grubbs, Mechanicsville, VA (US);
Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A process is provided for the improved removal of nicotine from tobacco. An essentially nicotine-free solvent in the supercritical or liquid state is fed into a first end of an extraction flow system containing tobacco and a nicotine-rich solvent is discharged from a second end of the extraction flow system. Periodically a portion of extracted tobacco is discharged from the first end of the extraction system while simultaneously a portion of an unextracted tobacco is charged to the second end of the extraction system. Nicotine is then entrapped in an entrapment material or otherwise removed from the solvent and solvent is recycled through the extraction flow system. Various materials are provided as entrapment materials. Among the entrapment materials provided are aqueous solutions containing absorbent selected from various acids and salts. Among the acids and salts provided as entrapment materials are sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, glutamic acid and monopotassium citrate.