A device and method for curing cigar tobacco

Abstract

The application provides a cigar leaf airing device and method, a steel structure frame is fixed on a foundation plate; a wall plate is fixed on the steel structure frame, a top plate is fixed on the top of the steel structure frame to form a roof; at least one side of the wall plate is provided with at least one exhaust port fan, each exhaust port fan is adjusted by an electric angle actuator to adjust the angle of a fan baffle; the airing house is further provided with a hanging component, the hanging component is fixedly or detachably connected with the steel structure; at least one internal circulation fan is arranged on the upper side of the airing house; a network camera is arranged below the internal circulation fan and at a middle position of the airing house; a spraying pipeline is arranged above the hanging component and is fixed on the steel structure frame; a plurality of spraying heads are arranged on the spraying pipeline; and the spraying pipeline is provided with a humidifying fan. The application has the advantages of realizing a full-automatic cigar leaf airing process, accurately controlling each period and greatly reducing manual work.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco leaf drying technology, and particularly to a cigar tobacco leaf drying device and drying method. Background Technology

[0002] Cigar tobacco raw materials are categorized by their intended use into filler leaves, binder leaves, and wrapper leaves. The wrapper is the essence of the cigar, serving to protect, enhance, and improve flavor and average burning speed. The quality of the wrapper tobacco is a crucial factor in determining the quality and grade of a cigar. The filler and binder, on the other hand, are key factors in determining the aroma and taste of the cigar tobacco. However, due to deficiencies in breeding, cultivation, drying, and fermentation technologies, there is a severe shortage of high-quality domestic cigar tobacco raw materials, far from meeting the needs of domestic high-quality cigar production, seriously hindering the healthy development of my country's cigar industry. In recent years, major issues related to the breeding and cultivation of domestic cigar tobacco have been largely resolved, but the lack of excellent drying processes and efficient, reliable drying facilities leads to high labor costs and poor quality stability, severely delaying the development of domestic cigar tobacco.

[0003] The processing of cigar tobacco is essentially a coordinated process of dehydration and drying of the tobacco leaves with the transformation of their internal chemical substances, ultimately stabilizing various chemical components. Specifically, harvested cigar tobacco leaves are woven into poles and hung in specialized drying rooms. By carefully controlling the temperature and humidity within these rooms, the composition and appearance of the tobacco leaves undergo regular changes to obtain cigar tobacco leaves that meet industrial requirements in terms of internal quality, appearance, and combustion characteristics. In high-quality cigar tobacco producing regions abroad, the drying rooms are mostly made of wood. They rely primarily on manual, periodic inspections and checks. Workers use their experience to monitor and adjust the temperature and humidity by opening and closing doors and windows, using fires at the bottom of the drying room for heating, artificial misting, and watering the ground. This process is relatively outdated, consuming a huge amount of labor per unit weight of cigar tobacco leaves, and the leaves are prone to spoilage and mold during drying, especially during periods of low temperatures and continuous rain.

[0004] In my country, the traditional method of preparing cigar tobacco leaves mostly involves a combination of air-drying and sun-drying, with only a few using the fully air-drying method. The specific method involves weaving tobacco leaves into ropes and hanging them outdoors to complete the preparation process in the natural environment. However, this method is greatly affected by the environment, resulting in tobacco leaves with varying shades and poor color uniformity in individual leaves. Most leaves have dark tips and light-colored petioles, with many spots, a rough appearance, and poor elasticity. The resulting tobacco leaves do not possess the typical aroma characteristics of cigars.

[0005] To align with the quality and style characteristics of premium cigar tobacco leaves from abroad, the current domestic cigar tobacco drying process and drying room construction mainly refer to the models of foreign cigar tobacco producing regions, with local optimizations and modifications based on local conditions. Among the major cigar tobacco producing regions in China, Hainan's drying rooms are characterized by windows at the top but not at the bottom. This type of drying room easily leads to poor ventilation in the lower part, high humidity in certain areas, and a tendency for mold and rot. Furthermore, the use of fire pipes for heating results in significant energy waste. Hubei's drying rooms are mainly large, open-plan spaces with large capacities. Dehumidification and ventilation are achieved through a single duct at the bottom, which is not conducive to controlling the localized drying environment and is detrimental to the drying of high-quality cigar raw materials, especially premium wrappers. Yunnan's drying rooms are also mainly large, open-plan spaces, with dehumidification and ventilation achieved through windows at the bottom and top. Some drying rooms are equipped with heat pumps, boilers, atomizers, and other heating and humidification devices to regulate the temperature and humidity of the drying environment. However, it is difficult to achieve precise control of the drying environment. Although the investment in equipment and facilities is huge and the energy consumption is astonishing, the actual drying effect is not ideal.

[0006] Chinese invention patent application publication number CN110897183A disclosed in 2020 a solar-powered cigar tobacco drying room with automatic temperature and humidity control. However, the placement of doors and windows in this structure directly affects the tobacco leaves in the corresponding areas. Tobacco leaves in areas without windows will have poor ventilation, while those in areas with windows will be exposed to direct sunlight on sunny days, severely affecting the drying effect. Excessive fan arrangement can easily cause localized rapid dehydration of cigar tobacco leaves, resulting in a floating green color. The power-consuming equipment in the drying room requires a large number of solar panels for power, making the cost of the drying room too high and unsuitable for large-scale promotion in cigar producing areas.

[0007] Chinese invention patent application publication number CN110810883A disclosed in 2020 a cigar drying room. This room utilizes the different natural temperature and humidity distributions at the top, middle, and bottom of multiple drying racks. Withered and yellowing tobacco leaves are hung on the 1st and 2nd layers, browning tobacco leaves on the 3rd and 4th layers, and dry tobacco leaves on the 5th and 6th layers. An automatic control system is used to regulate the temperature and humidity of the drying room. However, this structure with too many layers increases the difficulty and danger of operation within the drying room. Furthermore, the fans are installed on the top layer for regulation, affecting only the upper space, while the lower spaces, which are high-humidity areas, often have low wind speeds or even no effective ventilation, resulting in poor dehumidification and easily causing mold or rot in the tobacco leaves.

[0008] Relevant research, literature review, and patent searches show that the current domestic cigar drying processes are largely similar. Production areas such as Hainan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Yunnan generally use a method of weaving tobacco stalks with the leaf backs touching, and the drying process is divided into withering, yellowing, browning, and brittle drying stages, before finally being removed from shelves for storage. However, these methods all have the following shortcomings:

[0009] Firstly, after the leaves are tied together, they appear to be intertwined. However, after the leaves wither and soften, they will naturally curl up, which can easily cause the leaves to squeeze and wrap around each other, resulting in severe local ventilation problems. This leads to abnormalities in the tobacco drying process, with some leaves turning brown or even drying out on one side while the other side continues to turn yellow. It can even directly cause the compressed and wrapped areas of the leaves to rot and become moldy, rendering them unusable.

[0010] Secondly, the excessive pursuit of temperature and humidity standards during the drying process neglects the fact that fresh cigar tobacco leaves are living organisms. Drying rooms are often constructed using sandwich panels and corrugated steel sheets, providing excellent sealing. While this sealing helps retain heat and moisture, it also blocks the supply of oxygen necessary for the tobacco cells' respiration and the release of carbon dioxide produced during respiration. This results in the fresh tobacco leaves being dried in a low-oxygen or even oxygen-deficient and high-carbon dioxide environment. Normal metabolism of the tobacco cells is hindered, and excessively high concentrations of carbon dioxide accumulated between and within cells can lead to cellular acidosis, causing leaf rot, mold, and abnormal coloring. Furthermore, the pursuit of fixed temperature and humidity inevitably results in additional resource waste.

[0011] Third, the process of drying tobacco leaves abroad is copied. The tobacco is loaded from the bottom of the drying room and then the loading height is gradually increased layer by layer. The labor consumption for drying each unit of tobacco leaf is huge. However, my country's labor cost is 5 to 10 times higher than that of most foreign cigar tobacco producing areas. This directly leads to a surge in the cost of cigar tobacco leaves in my country. Compared with foreign cigar tobacco leaves of the same quality level, China has a clear price disadvantage.

[0012] Fourth, the tobacco loading density in the drying rooms is too low. Currently, the drying room volume required for drying cigar tobacco leaves per mu (approximately 0.16 acres) is as high as about 210 cubic meters, with an average annual investment of about 55,000 yuan per mu. Calculated over a ten-year service life, plus daily maintenance costs, this single item alone results in a static cost of over 6,000 yuan per mu. Chinese invention patent publication number CN215958270U disclosed an automatic circulating drying device for cigar tobacco leaves in 2021. It replaced the traditional static drying rack with a conveyor chain and a vertical transfer mechanism, realizing semi-automatic tobacco loading and mechanized "pole lifting" functions. However, the cost of this device is more than three times higher than that of the traditional drying rack, and the tobacco loading density is not significantly improved. Although it can reduce some labor costs to a certain extent, it is not enough to offset the increased investment in the drying room and the rise in subsequent maintenance costs.

[0013] Fifth, the drying process mainly relies on the experience of professional technicians. Due to the large number of drying rooms, approximately 120-150 standard drying rooms are needed for every 10,000 mu of tobacco leaves. The drying cycle is 30-60 days. On the one hand, the labor consumption is huge. On the other hand, due to the differences in judgment standards, work status, and sense of responsibility among professional technicians, the drying results of each batch of tobacco leaves are significantly different, making it difficult to achieve homogenization of tobacco leaf quality. Summary of the Invention

[0014] The present invention provides a cigar tobacco drying device and method to overcome the defects of the prior art.

[0015] This invention provides a cigar tobacco drying device, comprising a drying chamber, a network camera 11, a spray pipe 17, and at least one set of detection components; the drying chamber includes: a steel frame 8, wall panels 22, a roof 6, and a door 5; the steel frame 8 is fixed to a floor slab; the wall panels 22 are fixed to the steel frame 8, and the roof 6 is fixed to the top of the steel frame 8 to form a roof; a door 5 is provided on one side of the wall panel 22; at least one exhaust fan 2 is provided on at least one side of the wall panel 22, and the angle of the fan baffle of each exhaust fan 2 is adjusted by an electric angle actuator 3; at least one rainproof air inlet cover 7 is provided on the roof 6; the drying chamber also includes a suspension component. The suspension components are fixedly or detachably connected to the steel structure 8; at least one internal circulation fan 9 is installed on the upper side of the drying room and fixed to the steel structure frame 8; the network camera 11 is installed below the internal circulation fan 9 and in the middle of the drying room; the network camera 11 is fixedly or slidably connected to the steel structure 8; the spray pipe 17 is installed above the suspension components and is fixed to the steel structure frame 8; several spray heads 30 are installed on the spray pipe 17; a humidifying fan 19 is installed on the spray pipe 17; each monitoring component includes: a temperature and humidity sensor 13, an ozone sensor 14, and a carbon dioxide sensor 15; each component of the monitoring component is fixed to the steel structure 8.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following features: the rainproof air inlet cover 7 includes: a rain cap 23, a servo cylinder 24, a sealing plate 25, and an air inlet pipe 40; the bottom of the air inlet pipe 40 is fixed on the top plate 6 and communicates with the drying room; the lower middle part of the air inlet pipe 40 has an air inlet hole 40a, and the side wall of the air inlet pipe 40 has several adjustment holes 40b, which are directly connected to the outside; the adjustment holes 40b are all located above the air inlet hole 40a; the rain cap 23 covers the air inlet pipe 40 and is fixedly connected to the top plate 6; the fixed end of the servo cylinder 24 is fixed on the rain cap 23, and the telescopic end is fixedly connected to the sealing plate 25.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following features: it also includes an ultraviolet disinfection lamp tube 10, which is fixed on the steel structure 8 and located on the internal circulation fan 9.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which further includes: a wind-collecting hood 27 and a fixed heat source 31; the top of the wind-collecting hood 27 is located above the suspension member; the lower part of the wind-collecting hood 27 is a rollable waterproof cloth 18.

[0019] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco leaf drying device, which has the following features: it further includes a control host; the control host is equipped with: a wilting period control unit, a yellowing period control unit, a browning period control unit, and a dry rib period control unit; the control host acquires images of the dried tobacco leaves based on the tobacco leaves captured by the network camera 11, and calculates the yellowing-browning rate PY of the tobacco leaves; the control host also acquires data from a weighing sensor and calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves: in the initial state, it directly enters the wilting period control unit. When the tobacco leaf moisture content is <70-80% and the yellowing rate is 10-20%, it enters the yellowing stage control unit; when the yellowing rate is greater than 80% and the moisture content is <65-75%, it enters the browning stage control unit; when the yellowing rate is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content is <45-65%, it enters the dry vein stage control unit; when the yellowing rate is greater than 95%, the veins are all brown, and the moisture content is <18-25%, the drying process ends.

[0020] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following characteristics: In the wilting period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the wilting period, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; when the average temperature is less than the rated temperature of the wilting period, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; under the condition of satisfying temperature control, in the wilting period control, when the humidity or average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity of the wilting period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 50%-100%; when the temperature or average temperature is less than the rated humidity of the wilting period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan 9 is not turned on, and the exhaust fan 2 is turned on.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following characteristics: In the yellowing period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the yellowing period, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; when the average temperature is less than the rated temperature of the yellowing period, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; under the condition of satisfying temperature control, in the yellowing period control unit, when the humidity or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated humidity of the yellowing period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 50%-100%; when the average temperature is less than the rated humidity of the yellowing period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan is not turned on, and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

[0022] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following characteristics: In the browning period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature for the browning period, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; when the temperature or average temperature is less than the rated temperature for the browning period, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at a fixed time interval of 10%-90%; under the condition of satisfying temperature control, in the browning period control unit, when the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity for the browning period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is not turned on; when the humidity or average humidity is less than the rated humidity for the browning period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan is not turned on, and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

[0023] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a cigar tobacco drying device, which has the following characteristics: In the drying stage control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the drying stage, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on intermittently at 10%-90% intervals; when the average temperature or humidity is less than the rated temperature of the drying stage, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on intermittently at 10%-90% intervals; under the condition of satisfying temperature control, in the drying stage control unit, when the humidity or average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity of the drying stage, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is 100% turned on), and the exhaust fan is not turned on; when the humidity or average humidity is less than the rated humidity of the drying stage, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at 10-90% intervals), and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

[0024] In addition, the present invention provides a method for drying cigar tobacco leaves, including the following steps: Step A, lowering the waterproof cloth that can be rolled up on both sides of the air collecting hood to a height lower than the bottom of the bottom layer of tobacco leaves;

[0025] Step B: Close all doors, windows and vents, that is, door 5 and vent fan 2 are both closed;

[0026] Step C: Initialize the control host and directly enter the wilting period control unit. Start the internal circulation fan so that the internal airflow flows from the top of the drying room through the air collection hood to the bottom of the drying room, then flows to both sides of the air collection hood, and then flows back to the top of the drying room from the bottom of the smoke hanging area, forming an internal circulation.

[0027] The temperature and humidity sensor placed at the top of the smoke hanging area collects the temperature and humidity data inside the drying room and transmits it to the control host. When the temperature and humidity value exceeds the rated value, the host sends a signal to the electrically controlled exhaust vent to open the exhaust vent and discharge some humid or hot air. At the same time, fresh air will automatically enter the drying room through the windproof and rainproof air inlet at the top of the drying room.

[0028] Similarly, ozone and carbon dioxide sensors collect temperature and humidity data inside the drying room and transmit them to the control host.

[0029] The control host calculates the browning rate based on tobacco leaf images captured by network cameras and calculates the moisture content of tobacco leaves based on the total amount obtained by the weight sensor.

[0030] The control host calculates the tobacco leaf moisture content based on the weighing sensor throughout the process; when the tobacco leaf moisture content is <70-80% and the brown-yellow content is 10-20%, step D is executed.

[0031] Step D: The control host enters the yellowing period control unit.

[0032] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is <65-75%, proceed to step E.

[0033] Step E: The control host enters the browning period control unit.

[0034] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is <45-65%, proceed to step F.

[0035] Step F: The control host enters the dry rib color period control unit.

[0036] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves exceeds 95% and the veins are completely brown, and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is <18-25%, the drying process of the tobacco leaves is ended. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a half-sectional view of the cigar tobacco drying device in the embodiment.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the rear structure of the cigar tobacco drying device in the embodiment.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the windproof and rainproof air inlet hood of the cigar tobacco drying device in the embodiment.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a parameter control chart of the control unit during the wilting period in the embodiment.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a parameter control chart of the yellowing period control unit in the embodiment.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a parameter control chart of the browning period control unit in the embodiment.

[0043] Figure 7 This is a parameter control chart of the control unit during the dry-boning stage in the embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0045] Example

[0046] In this embodiment, a cigar tobacco drying device includes a drying room and a control host.

[0047] The drying room includes a steel frame 8, wall panels 22, a roof panel 6, and a door 5. The steel frame 8 is fixed to the floor slab 1, providing fixed support for the entire drying room and other components. The wall panels 22 are fixed to the steel frame 8, and the roof panel 6 is fixed to the top of the steel frame 8 to form the roof. A door 5 is provided on one side of the wall panel 22, and a door handle 4 is provided on the door. In this embodiment, the wall panel 22 is an insulated sandwich panel used to isolate the drying room from the outside temperature. The roof panel 6 is also an insulated sandwich panel. The door 5 is an insulated and sealed sandwich door.

[0048] Two exhaust fans 2 are installed at the lower part of each of the symmetrical wall panels 22. Each exhaust fan 2 is adjusted by an electric angle actuator 3 to adjust the angle of the fan baffle, thereby controlling the size of the air vent. In this embodiment, the two exhaust fans 2 are located on both sides of the door 5. Five rainproof air inlet covers 7 are installed on the top panel 6.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rainproof air inlet cover 7 includes: a rain cap 23, a servo electric cylinder 24, a sealing plate 25, and an air inlet pipe 40.

[0050] The bottom of the air inlet duct 40 is fixed to the top plate 6 and connects to the drying room. The lower middle part of the air inlet duct 40 has an air inlet hole 40a, and the side wall of the air inlet duct 40 has several adjustment holes 40b, which open directly to the outside. All adjustment holes 40b are located above the air inlet hole 40a. A rain cap 23 covers the air inlet duct 40 and is fixedly connected to the top plate 6. The fixed end of the servo electric cylinder 24 is fixed to the rain cap 23, and the telescopic end is fixedly connected to the sealing plate 25.

[0051] When the telescopic end of the servo cylinder 24 moves downward to its extreme position, it causes the sealing plate 25 to press precisely against the air inlet 40a, and the rainproof air inlet cover 7 is in a completely closed state. As the telescopic end of the servo cylinder 24 moves upward, it causes the sealing plate 25 to move away from the air inlet 40a and gradually move to the partial-to-full adjustment hole 40b. At this point, the air inlet 40a and the adjustment hole 40b are connected, allowing outside air to enter the drying room.

[0052] During the drying process, the sealing plate 25 is in the open state, and the servo electric cylinder 24 adjusts the height of the sealing plate 25 according to the wind force of the day to control the air intake within a rated range. The wind force of the day can be set according to the local weather forecast or the parameters obtained by a wind speed detector set at any location outside the drying room.

[0053] Five internal circulation fans 9 are installed on the upper side of the drying room and can be fixed to the steel structure frame 8. Ultraviolet disinfection lamps 10 are installed on the internal circulation fans 9 and can also be fixed to the steel structure 8. A network camera 11 is located below the internal circulation fans 9, in the middle of the drying room. The network camera 11 can be fixed to or slidably connected to the steel structure 8. In this embodiment, a guide rail bracket 26 is fixed in the middle of the steel structure 8, and a horizontal guide rail 12 is fixed to the guide rail bracket. The network camera 11 has a slider that can slide left and right on the horizontal guide rail 12, thereby driving the network camera 11 to take pictures of tobacco leaves at different positions.

[0054] In this embodiment, the cigar tobacco drying device further includes five sets of monitoring components for monitoring the air quality inside the drying room. Each set of monitoring components includes a temperature and humidity sensor 13, an ozone sensor 14, and a carbon dioxide sensor 15. The components of the monitoring system can also be fixed to the steel structure 8; in this embodiment, they are all fixed below the horizontal guide rail 12.

[0055] The drying room is also equipped with a hanging component. In this embodiment, the hanging component is a diamond-shaped mesh 20, which is fixedly or detachably connected to the middle transverse support rod of the steel structure 8 on both sides. The bottom of the diamond-shaped mesh 20 has a support bracket 16, which is fixedly or detachably connected to the bottom steel structure 8. The tobacco leaves are threaded onto the tobacco leaf support rod 21, which can be inserted into the mesh of the diamond-shaped mesh 20 to suspend the tobacco leaves.

[0056] The spray pipe 17 is positioned above the diamond-shaped mesh 20 and can be fixed to the steel frame 8. Several spray heads 30 are installed on the spray pipe 17 to humidify the tobacco leaves. A humidifying fan 19 is also installed on the spray pipe 17 to increase the uniformity of the spray.

[0057] In this embodiment, a cigar tobacco drying device further includes: a wind-collecting hood 27, the top of which is located above the diamond-shaped mesh 20. The lower part of the wind-collecting hood 27 is a rollable waterproof cloth 18. A fixed heat source 31 is disposed inside the wind-collecting hood 27.

[0058] In this embodiment, a cigar tobacco drying device further includes a weighing sensor 28 and a pressure sensor 29. The weighing sensor 28 is disposed at the bottom of the rhomboid mesh 20 and can obtain the weight of the rhomboid mesh 20 and the tobacco support rod 21 on which the tobacco leaves are threaded. The pressure sensor 29 is disposed within the mesh openings of the rhomboid mesh 20 and can obtain the weight of a single tobacco support rod 21 within the corresponding mesh opening.

[0059] The control unit is equipped with: a wilting stage control unit, a yellowing stage control unit, a browning stage control unit, and a dry rib stage control unit.

[0060] 1. The specific control unit for the wilting period is as follows:

[0061] The wilting period control unit reads the temperature from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature for the wilting period, the fixed heat source 31 is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated temperature for the wilting period, the fixed heat source 31 is turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time. In this embodiment, the rated temperature for the wilting period is 20℃.

[0062] The wilting period control unit also reads the humidity from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity for the wilting period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are not turned on, while the dehumidification component is turned on: the internal circulation fan 100% is turned on, and the exhaust fan 2 is turned on at 50%-100% opening, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated humidity for the wilting period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are turned on, while the dehumidification component is not turned on; that is, the internal circulation fan 9 is not turned on, and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. In this embodiment, the rated humidity for the wilting period is 80%.

[0063] The control unit during the wilting period also reads the ozone content from the ozone sensor 14 and calculates its average value. When the average ozone content is greater than or equal to the rated ozone level during the wilting period, the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently at 10%-90% for a set period, increasing by 10% every hour. The exhaust fan 2 remains off. When the average ozone content is less than the rated ozone level during the wilting period, the internal circulation fan operates at 100% capacity, and the exhaust fan 2 operates at 10%-100% capacity, increasing by 10% every hour. In this embodiment, the rated ozone level during the wilting period is 15%.

[0064] The control unit for the wilting period also reads the carbon dioxide content from the carbon dioxide sensor 14 and calculates its average value. When the average carbon dioxide content is greater than or equal to the rated carbon dioxide level for the wilting period, the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 10%-90%, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average carbon dioxide content is less than the rated carbon dioxide level for the wilting period, the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at 10%-90% intervals, increasing by 10% every hour, and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. In this embodiment, the rated carbon dioxide level for the wilting period is 5000 ppm.

[0065] The UV sterilization lamp 10 and ozone generator 14 are always on.

[0066] 2. The specific control unit for the yellowing period is as follows:

[0067] The yellowing period control unit reads the temperature from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature for the yellowing period, the fixed heat source 31 is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated temperature for the yellowing period, the fixed heat source 31 is turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time. In this embodiment, the rated temperature for the yellowing period is 25℃.

[0068] The yellowing period control unit also reads the humidity from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity for the yellowing period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are not turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is 100% on), and the exhaust fan 2 is opened at 50%-100%, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated humidity for the yellowing period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are turned on, the dehumidification component is not turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is not on), and the exhaust fan 2 is not on. In this embodiment, the rated humidity for the yellowing period is 85%.

[0069] The yellowing period control unit also reads the ozone content from ozone sensor 14 and calculates its average value. When the average ozone content is greater than or equal to the rated ozone level for the yellowing period, the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently at 10%-90% for a set period, increasing by 10% every hour; the exhaust fan 2 remains off. When the average ozone content is less than the rated ozone level for the yellowing period, the internal circulation fan operates at 100% capacity, and the exhaust fan 2 operates at 10%-100% capacity, increasing by 10% every hour. In this embodiment, the rated ozone level for the yellowing period is 20%.

[0070] The yellowing period control unit also reads the carbon dioxide content from the carbon dioxide sensor 15 and calculates its average value. When the average carbon dioxide content is greater than or equal to the rated carbon dioxide value for the yellowing period, the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 10%-90%, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average carbon dioxide content is less than the rated carbon dioxide value for the yellowing period, the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at 10%-90% intervals, increasing by 10% every hour; the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. In this embodiment, the rated carbon dioxide value for the yellowing period is 3000 ppm.

[0071] The UV sterilization lamp 10 and ozone generator 14 are always on.

[0072] 3. The specific control unit for the browning period is as follows:

[0073] The browning period control unit reads the temperature from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature for the browning period, the fixed heat source 31 is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated temperature for the browning period, the fixed heat source 31 is turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time, increasing by 10% every hour. In this embodiment, the rated temperature for the browning period is 20℃.

[0074] The browning period control unit also reads the humidity from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity for the browning period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are not turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan 100% is on), and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. When the average temperature is less than the rated humidity for the browning period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are turned on, the dehumidification component is not turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is not on), and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. In this embodiment, the rated humidity for the browning period is 75%.

[0075] The browning period control unit also reads the ozone content from ozone sensor 14 and calculates its average value. When the average ozone content is greater than the rated ozone level for the browning period, the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently at 10%-90% for a set period, while the exhaust fan 2 remains off. When the average ozone content is less than the rated ozone level for the browning period, the internal circulation fan operates at 100%, and the exhaust fan 2 operates at 10%-100% opening, increasing by 10% every hour. In this embodiment, the rated ozone level for the browning period is 25%.

[0076] The browning stage control unit also reads the carbon dioxide content from the carbon dioxide sensor 15 and calculates its average value. When the average carbon dioxide content is greater than or equal to the rated carbon dioxide value for the yellowing stage, the internal circulation fan 9 is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 10%-100%, increasing by 10% every hour. When the average carbon dioxide content is less than the rated carbon dioxide value for the browning stage, the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently at 10%-90% intervals, increasing by 10% every hour, and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. In this embodiment, the rated carbon dioxide value for the browning stage is 5000 ppm.

[0077] The UV sterilization lamp 10 is always on, and the ozone generator 14 is always off.

[0078] 4. The specific control unit during the drying stage is as follows:

[0079] The control unit during the drying period reads the temperature from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature during the drying period, the fixed heat source 31 is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time, increasing the interval by 10% every hour. When the average temperature is less than the rated temperature during the drying period, the fixed heat source 31 is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan 9 operates intermittently for 10%-90% of its rated time. In this embodiment, the rated temperature during the drying period is 20℃.

[0080] During the first three stages of control, the temperature has reached the predetermined target, and the moisture content is within 18%-25%. At this point, it is only necessary to turn on the internal circulation fan at 10%-90% capacity, increasing the frequency by 10% every hour. Therefore, no additional heating is needed if the temperature is below the rated temperature during the drying stage.

[0081] The control unit during the drying period also reads the humidity from the temperature and humidity sensor 13 and calculates its average value. When the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity during the drying period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are not turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is 100% on), and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. When the average temperature is less than the rated humidity during the drying period, the spray pipe 17 and humidifying fan 19 are turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is 10-90% intermittently on a timer), and the exhaust fan 2 is not turned on. The dehumidification component is mainly for increasing air circulation, so humidification and dehumidification are turned on simultaneously. In this embodiment, the rated humidity during the drying period is 65%.

[0082] The control unit during the dry rib stage also reads the ozone content from ozone sensor 14 and calculates its average value. When the average ozone content is greater than or equal to the rated ozone value during the browning stage, the internal circulation fan 9 and the exhaust fan 2 are not turned on. When the average ozone content is less than the rated ozone value during the dry rib stage, the internal circulation fan is 100% off, and the exhaust fan 2 operates at an opening of 10%-100%, increasing by 10% per hour. In this embodiment, the rated ozone level during the dry rib stage is 25%.

[0083] The UV sterilization lamp 10 and ozone generator 14 are kept off throughout the process.

[0084] It should be noted that in this embodiment, five temperature and humidity sensors 13, ozone sensors 14, and carbon dioxide sensors 14 are provided, one between each of two adjacent diamond-shaped mesh panels 20. Therefore, the control host controls the system based on the average value of the five sensors. If the drying room is small, only one of each sensor can be provided, and the control host can directly control the system based on the parameters of that sensor without calculating the average value.

[0085] In addition, the control parameters for all four cycles are determined by four factors: temperature, humidity, O2 concentration, and CO2 concentration. The control priority is in the order of decreasing temperature, humidity, O2 concentration, and CO2 concentration; that is, the temperature control condition is met first, then the humidity control condition is adjusted, then the O2 concentration is adjusted, and finally the CO2 concentration condition is controlled.

[0086] In this embodiment, the control host acquires images of the tobacco leaves being dried based on the images captured by the network camera 11, converts the images into the LAB color space, calculates the number of pixels M of the image with A value < 0, and M / total number of pixels N of the image is the green content ratio of the tobacco leaves PA = M / N; the rate of the tobacco leaves turning brownish-yellow PY = 1 - PA.

[0087] In this embodiment, the control host acquires data from the weighing sensor and the pressure sensor, first calculates their average values, and then calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves according to the following calculation method:

[0088] The initial weight of fresh tobacco leaves is W0. After a period of time, the sensor weight of tobacco leaves is W1. Then, the water loss rate of tobacco leaves is W2 = W0 - W1 / W0, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is W3 = W0 * k - W0 - W1 / W0 = k - W2. Take k as a constant. The specific calculation method is to take 3kg of fresh tobacco leaves and directly use an oven to calculate the actual moisture content constant k, which is used as the initial value of the moisture content of the whole batch of tobacco leaves.

[0089] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the weighing sensor calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves on two adjacent diamond-shaped mesh sheets 20, which serves as the judgment standard for the control host. The pressure sensor calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves on a single tobacco leaf support rod 21 for verification purposes; that is, the moisture content calculated by the average value of the pressure sensor and the average value of the weighing sensor are within a set error range. If the error exceeds the set error range, it indicates that the weight data obtained by the pressure sensor or the weighing sensor is inaccurate, possibly due to sensor malfunction or damage. Data is then collected again for the above calculation. If the error still exceeds the set error range after multiple calculations, the control host issues an alarm, requiring manual intervention to check the sensor.

[0090] In the initial state, the system directly enters the wilting stage control unit. The control host calculates the yellowing rate based on the tobacco leaf images taken by the network camera 11 and calculates the tobacco leaf moisture content based on the total amount obtained by the weight sensor. When the tobacco leaf moisture content is <70-80% and the yellowing rate is 10-20%, the system enters the yellowing stage control unit.

[0091] When the rate of yellowing and browning of tobacco leaves is greater than 80% and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is less than 65-75%, the tobacco leaves enter the browning stage control unit.

[0092] When the rate of yellowing to brown in the tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is less than 45-65%, the tobacco leaves enter the dry rib stage control unit.

[0093] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 95%, the veins are completely brown, and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is less than 18-25%, the drying process is stopped.

[0094] The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves includes the following steps:

[0095] Preparation Step 1: Thread the tobacco leaves onto the tobacco support rod 21.

[0096] Preparation step-2: Insert the tobacco support rod 21 with tobacco leaves on it into the mesh of the diamond mesh 20, hang the tobacco leaves up, and fill the drying room at once.

[0097] Step A: Lower the wind collection cover 27 so that the waterproof cloth 18 can be rolled up on both sides until it is lower than the bottom of the tobacco leaves.

[0098] Step B: Close all doors, windows and vents, that is, door 5 and vent fan 2 are both closed.

[0099] Step C: Initialize the control host and directly enter the wilting period control unit. Start the internal circulation fan 9 so that the internal airflow flows from the top of the drying room through the air collection hood 27 to the bottom of the drying room, then flows to both sides of the air collection hood, and then flows back to the top of the drying room after passing through the bottom of the smoke hanging area. This forms an internal circulation.

[0100] The temperature and humidity sensor 13, located at the top of the smoke-hanging area, collects temperature and humidity data inside the drying room and transmits it to the control host. When the temperature and humidity values ​​exceed the rated values, the host sends a signal to the electrically controlled exhaust vent 2, opening the exhaust vent 2 to expel some humid or hot air. At the same time, fresh air automatically enters the drying room through the weatherproof air inlet 7 at the top of the drying room, achieving pressure balance inside and outside the drying room and adjusting the temperature or humidity inside the drying room.

[0101] Similarly, ozone and carbon dioxide sensors collect data from inside the drying room and transmit it to the control host. Based on the conditions set by the control unit during the wilting period, the corresponding components are adjusted to control the ozone and carbon dioxide content inside the drying room.

[0102] The control host calculates the brown-yellow ratio based on the tobacco leaf images captured by the network camera 11, and calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves based on the total amount obtained by the weight sensor.

[0103] The control unit calculates the tobacco leaf moisture content based on the weighing sensor 28 throughout the process. When the tobacco leaf moisture content is <70-80% and the brown-yellow ratio is 10-20%, step D is executed.

[0104] Step D: The control host enters the yellowing period control unit.

[0105] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is <65-75%, proceed to step E.

[0106] Step E: The control host enters the browning period control unit.

[0107] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is <45-65%, proceed to step F.

[0108] Step F: The control host enters the dry rib color period control unit.

[0109] When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves exceeds 95% and the veins are completely brown, and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is <18-25%, the drying process of the tobacco leaves is ended.

[0110] The embodiments described above are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for drying cigar tobacco leaves, characterized in that: The tobacco leaves are dried using a cigar tobacco drying device; The cigar tobacco drying device includes a drying room, a network camera (11), a spray pipe (17), at least one set of detection components, and a control host; The drying room includes: a steel frame (8), wall panels (22), a roof panel (6), and a door (5); the steel frame (8) is fixed on the ground substrate; the wall panels (22) are fixed on the steel frame (8), and the roof panel (6) is fixed on the top of the steel frame (8) to form a roof; a door (5) is opened on one side of the wall panel (22). At least one side of the wall panel (22) is provided with at least one exhaust fan (2), and each exhaust fan (2) is adjusted by an electric angle actuator (3) to adjust the angle of the fan baffle; at least one rainproof air inlet cover (7) is provided on the top panel (6). The drying room is also equipped with a hanging component, which is fixedly or detachably connected to the steel structure frame (8); At least one internal circulation fan (9) is installed on the upper side of the drying room and fixed to the steel structure frame (8). The network camera (11) is located below the internal circulation fan (9) in the middle of the drying room; the network camera (11) is fixed or slidably connected to the steel structure (8); The spray pipe (17) is located above the suspension component and is fixed to the steel structure frame (8); several spray heads (30) are installed on the spray pipe (17); a humidifying fan (19) is installed on the spray pipe (17). Each monitoring component includes: a temperature and humidity sensor (13), an ozone sensor (14), and a carbon dioxide sensor (15); each component of the monitoring component is fixed on a steel frame (8); The control unit is equipped with: a wilting stage control unit, a yellowing stage control unit, a browning stage control unit, and a dry rib stage control unit; The drying method includes the following steps: Step A: Lower the waterproof cloth rolls on both sides of the air collecting hood to a height lower than the bottom of the lowest tobacco leaves; Step B: Close all doors, windows and vents, that is, the room door (5) and the vent fan (2) are both closed; Step C: Initialize the control host and directly enter the wilting period control unit. Start the internal circulation fan so that the internal airflow flows from the top of the drying room through the air collection hood to the bottom of the drying room, then flows to both sides of the air collection hood, and then flows back to the top of the drying room from the bottom of the smoke hanging area, forming an internal circulation. The temperature and humidity sensor placed at the top of the smoke hanging area collects the temperature and humidity data inside the drying room and transmits it to the control host. When the temperature and humidity value exceeds the rated value, the control host sends a signal to the electrically controlled exhaust vent to open the exhaust vent and discharge some humid or hot air. At the same time, fresh air will automatically enter the drying room through the rainproof air inlet cover and air inlet pipe at the top of the drying room. Similarly, ozone and carbon dioxide sensors collect data from inside the drying room and transmit it to the control host. The control host calculates the browning rate based on the tobacco leaf images taken by the network camera and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves based on the weight obtained by the weighing sensor. The control host calculates the moisture content of the tobacco leaves based on the weighing sensor throughout the process; when the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is 70-80% and the brown-yellow content is 10-20%, step D is executed; Step D: The control unit enters the yellowing period control unit; When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is 65-75%, proceed to step E; Step E: The control host enters the browning period control unit; When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves is greater than 80%, the veins are all yellow or brown, and the moisture content of tobacco leaves is 45-65%, proceed to step F; Step F: Control the host to enter the dry rib color period control unit; When the yellowing rate of tobacco leaves exceeds 95% and the veins are completely brown, and the moisture content of the tobacco leaves is 18-25%, the drying process of the tobacco leaves is ended.

2. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: in, The rainproof air inlet cover (7) includes: rain cap (23), servo electric cylinder (24), sealing plate (25), and air inlet pipe (40); The bottom of the air inlet pipe (40) is fixed on the top plate (6) and connected to the drying room; the lower middle part of the air inlet pipe (40) has an air inlet hole (40a), and the side wall of the air inlet pipe (40) has several adjustment holes (40b), which are directly connected to the outside; the adjustment holes (40b) are all located above the air inlet hole (40a); the rain cap (23) covers the air inlet pipe (40) and is fixedly connected to the top plate (6); the fixed end of the servo electric cylinder (24) is fixed on the rain cap (23), and the telescopic end is fixedly connected to the sealing plate (25).

3. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes ultraviolet disinfection lamp tubes (10), which are fixed on the steel structure frame (8) and located on the internal circulation fan (9).

4. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes: a wind collector hood (27) and a fixed heat source (31); The top of the air collecting hood (27) is located on the upper side of the suspension member; the lower part of the air collecting hood (27) is a rollable waterproof cloth (18).

5. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the wilting period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the wilting period, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time; when the average temperature is less than the rated temperature of the wilting period, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time. Under the condition of temperature control, during the wilting period control, when the humidity or average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity of the wilting period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is turned on at 100%, and the exhaust fan is turned on at 50%-100%; when the temperature or average temperature is less than the rated humidity of the wilting period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan (9) is not turned on, and the exhaust fan (2) is turned on.

6. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the yellowing period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the yellowing period rated temperature, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan (9) is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of a fixed time; when the average temperature is less than the yellowing period rated temperature, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan (9) is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of a fixed time. Under the condition of temperature control, when the average humidity or temperature is greater than or equal to the rated humidity during the yellowing period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is 100% turned on, and the exhaust fan is 50%-100% open in the yellowing period control unit; when the average temperature is less than the rated humidity during the yellowing period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan is not turned on, and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

7. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the browning period control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the browning period, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time; when the temperature or average temperature is less than the rated temperature of the browning period, the fixed heat source is turned on, and the internal circulation fan (9) is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time. Under the condition of temperature control, when the average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity during the browning period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the internal circulation fan is 100% turned on, and the exhaust fan is not turned on; when the humidity or the average humidity is less than the rated humidity during the browning period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the internal circulation fan is not turned on, and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

8. The method for drying cigar tobacco leaves as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the dry-bonding stage control unit, when the temperature or average temperature is greater than or equal to the rated temperature of the dry-bonding stage, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan (9) is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time; when the average temperature or humidity is less than the rated temperature of the dry-bonding stage, the fixed heat source is not turned on, and the internal circulation fan (9) is turned on intermittently for 10%-90% of the time. Under the condition of meeting temperature control, when the humidity or average humidity is greater than or equal to the rated humidity of the drying period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are not turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is 100% turned on), and the exhaust fan is not turned on; when the humidity or average humidity is less than the rated humidity of the drying period, the spray pipe and humidifying fan are turned on, the dehumidification component is turned on (i.e., the internal circulation fan is turned on intermittently from 10-90% timed), and the exhaust fan is not turned on.

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