Methods and apparatus for expanding tobacco
AssigneeAirco, Inc.
InventorRonald D. Rothchild
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tobacco impregnated with solid carbon dioxide is heated in a chamber to expand the same by sublimation of solid CO.sub.2 and expulsion of CO.sub.2 gas from the tobacco. The expanded tobacco is separated from the internal atmosphere of the expansion device and the tobacco is discharged through an outlet through which gas flows are substantially precluded. The evolved CO.sub.2 gas and other volatile components are removed from the chamber and a portion of the removed gas is heated and returned to the chamber as the expansion medium. The necessity for external steam is avoided as an atmosphere of high thermal diffusivity is maintained in the expansion chamber by precluding the entry of ambient air.
Claims9
A method of expanding tobacco comprising the steps of introducing solid carbon dioxide containing tobacco into an expansion chamber through an inlet thereof;
- heating said tobacco to expand the same by subliming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere of said chamber;
- passing said expanded tobacco together with said chamber atmosphere to a separating device;
- separating said expanded tobacco and chamber atmosphere in said separating device;
- and discharging said expanded tobacco through an outlet of said separating device while substantially precluding gas flows through said outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.