A tobacco leaf winnowing apparatus and a tobacco leaf winnowing method

Abstract

The application discloses a tobacco wind selection device and a tobacco wind selection method. The device comprises a wind selection mechanism, which comprises a tobacco conveying pipe, a conveying fan, a wind selection tank and a gas injection mechanism. The device further comprises a centrifugal rotating mechanism, which comprises a rotating motor, a bottom disc arranged rotatably below the wind selection tank, a filter screen arranged horizontally in the bottom disc, the bottom disc and the filter screen being driven by the rotating motor, a gas storage device, an air inlet hole arranged on the bottom disc, an air inlet end of the air inlet hole being communicated with the gas storage device, an air outlet end of the air inlet hole being directed to the filter screen, the air inlet hole being arranged in multiple around the axis of the bottom disc, and the gas injection mechanism being arranged below the filter screen. In the process of separating stems, the tobacco is not subjected to rigid collision and extrusion, so that the tobacco breakage rate is reduced. In addition, compared with the combing roller in the prior art, the centrifugal rotating mechanism is obviously smaller in size, so that the compactness of the whole wind selection device is improved, and the floor area is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tobacco processing, and more particularly to a tobacco air separation device and a tobacco air separation method. Background Technology

[0002] After the tobacco is dried, the stems and twigs need to be separated, and clumps of tobacco need to be loosened. Current technology typically uses air separation equipment for this purpose. However, to ensure a high separation rate, existing air separation equipment usually employs multi-stage air separation combined with combing rollers. The combing rollers are relatively large, resulting in a large footprint for the air separation equipment. Furthermore, the rigid collision and compression of the tobacco during stem separation using the combing rollers can cause the tobacco to break.

[0003] Therefore, how to reduce the size of air separation equipment while reducing the tobacco breakage rate is a key problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size of the air separation equipment while reducing the tobacco breakage rate.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A tobacco shred air separation device includes an air separation mechanism, the air separation mechanism comprising: a tobacco shred conveying pipe; a conveying fan disposed at one end of the tobacco shred conveying pipe, the other end of the tobacco shred conveying pipe being a conveying port; an air separation tank disposed below the tobacco shred conveying pipe, the air separation tank communicating with the tobacco shred conveying pipe; and an air jetting mechanism disposed below the air separation tank for providing airflow to the air separation tank;

[0007] It also includes a centrifugal rotation mechanism, which comprises:

[0008] Rotary electric motor;

[0009] A chassis, which is rotatably disposed below the air classifier tank, and the space enclosed by the chassis is in communication with the air classifier tank;

[0010] A filter screen is horizontally disposed within the chassis, and both the chassis and the filter screen are driven by the rotary motor.

[0011] An air storage device is provided on the chassis, and the air inlet is gradually inclined downward in the horizontal direction from the outside of the chassis to the inside of the chassis. The air inlet end of the air inlet is connected to the air storage device, and the air outlet end of the air inlet points to the filter screen. The air inlet is a plurality of holes arranged around the axis of the chassis.

[0012] The jetting mechanism is located below the filter screen, with the jet nozzle of the jetting mechanism facing the filter screen.

[0013] Preferably, multiple rings of air intake holes are provided on the chassis along the axial direction of the chassis.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom end face of the air separator is provided with an installation groove, the groove opening of which faces downwards, and the chassis is slidably fitted into the installation groove by ball bearings.

[0015] Preferably, the centrifugal rotation mechanism further includes a support, an annular push plate, and a first cylinder; the lower end of the support is connected to the motor shaft of the rotary motor, and the upper end of the support is connected to the chassis; the annular push plate is slidably adapted to the chassis, the filter screen is fixedly disposed in the annular push plate, and the annular push plate is located below the air outlet end of the air inlet; the cylinder seat of the first cylinder is fixed on the support, the piston rod of the first cylinder is vertically upward, and the piston rod of the first cylinder is connected to the annular push plate.

[0016] Preferably, the upper surface of the annular pusher plate is a conical slope, which gradually slopes downwards along the direction close to the center of the filter screen.

[0017] Preferably, the gas storage device includes:

[0018] A gas storage tank, which is fixed to the outer surface of the air separator;

[0019] Rigid gas pipeline;

[0020] An annular air intake shell is provided, with both ends of the rigid air supply pipe connected to the air storage tank and the annular air intake shell respectively. The annular air intake shell is slidably fitted around the periphery of the chassis, and the space enclosed by the annular air intake shell and the chassis is connected to the air intake end of the air intake hole.

[0021] Preferably, a partition is provided on the inner wall of the annular air intake shell, the partition extends horizontally toward the chassis, there is a ventilation space between the partition and the chassis, and the partition is a plurality of partitions arranged around the axis of the chassis.

[0022] Preferably, the jet mechanism includes a base and a jet nozzle, the base being connected to the bracket, and the jet nozzle being disposed on the base; the jet nozzle includes a first jet nozzle and a second jet nozzle;

[0023] The first air nozzle is disposed near the edge of the filter screen and is inclined toward the center of the filter screen. There are multiple first air nozzles arranged around the axis of the filter screen. The second air nozzle is disposed near the center of the filter screen and is inclined toward the edge of the filter screen. There are multiple second air nozzles arranged around the axis of the filter screen.

[0024] Preferably, the first nozzle is an inclined cylindrical shape, and the second nozzle is an inclined single-leaf hyperboloid shape.

[0025] Preferably, the second jet nozzle is higher than the first jet nozzle, and the second jet nozzle is staggered from the first jet nozzle.

[0026] Preferably, the air separation mechanism further includes a stop assembly, which includes a stop block and a second cylinder. The stop block is disposed on the upper part of the tobacco conveying pipe, and the tobacco conveying pipe is provided with a through hole adapted to the stop block. The second cylinder is fixed above the stop block, and the piston of the second cylinder is disposed downward and connected to the stop block. Under the drive of the second cylinder, the stop block can extend into the interior of the tobacco conveying pipe.

[0027] Preferably, the block has an exhaust hole inside, with the exhaust end of the exhaust hole formed on the upper surface of the block and the intake end of the exhaust hole formed on the side of the block, and the intake end is at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface of the block.

[0028] Preferably, the inner wall of the air classifier is provided with vertical guide grooves, and there are multiple vertical guide grooves arranged around the axis of the air classifier.

[0029] This invention also discloses a method for wind separation of tobacco shreds, comprising:

[0030] Air separation method: The tobacco to be separated is put into the air separation tank, the jetting mechanism and the conveying fan are turned on to perform air separation on the tobacco. The tobacco separated by the airflow sprayed by the jetting mechanism enters the tobacco conveying pipe through the air separation tank and is output from the output port of the tobacco conveying pipe.

[0031] Separation method: Turn off the jet mechanism and the conveying fan, turn on the rotary motor to drive the chassis to rotate, and move the tobacco to the edge of the filter screen. Turn off the rotary motor, start the first cylinder to push the filter screen upward through the annular push plate, so that the air storage device delivers compressed air to the air inlet, blowing the tobacco gathered at the edge of the filter screen to the center of the filter screen to separate the tobacco from the stem. At the same time, tobacco fragments fall through the filter screen.

[0032] Repeat the air separation method and the separation method to achieve cyclic air separation of tobacco shreds.

[0033] Preferably, in the separation method, the rotating motor drives the chassis to rotate specifically as follows: during the initial preset time of chassis rotation, after the chassis reaches a first rotation speed, the rotating motor controls the chassis to decelerate to a second rotation speed, and then accelerate back to the first rotation speed, repeating this process. Each time the chassis decelerates, the second air nozzle is opened to blow the tobacco. The flow rate of the second air nozzle is less than the flow rate of the second air nozzle in the air separation method. After the initial preset time has elapsed, the chassis reaches its maximum rotation speed until the current rotation duration is completed.

[0034] In this invention, after the tobacco to be air-separated is put into the air-separating canister, the tobacco will fall onto the filter screen under the action of gravity. If it is necessary to loosen the tobacco or separate the stems, the rotary motor is turned on to drive the chassis and filter screen to rotate, so that the tobacco moves to the edge of the filter screen under the action of centrifugal force. Then the rotary motor is stopped, the air storage device is turned on, and airflow is delivered to the filter screen through the air inlet on the chassis, so that the tobacco at the edge of the filter screen moves towards the center of the filter screen. Since the specific gravity difference between the tobacco and the stems is large, the tobacco and stems are fully separated during the movement. At the same time, tobacco debris can fall through the filter screen, reducing the debris content in the tobacco after air separation.

[0035] During the separation of tobacco stems, there is no rigid collision or compression of the tobacco shreds, thus reducing the breakage rate. Furthermore, the centrifugal rotation mechanism in this invention is significantly smaller in size compared to the combing rollers in existing technologies, thereby improving the compactness of the entire air-separation equipment and reducing its floor space. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tobacco air separation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 A top view of the jet mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 A plan view of the second jet nozzle provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a top view of the annular air intake housing provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The meanings of the various reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0042] 1 is the air separator, 2 is the feed pipe, 3 is the mounting groove, 4 is the chassis, 5 is the rotary motor, 6 is the bracket, 7 is the filter screen, 8 is the annular push plate, 9 is the conical inclined surface, 10 is the first cylinder, 11 is the air inlet, 12 is the annular air inlet shell, 13 is the first sealing strip, 14 is the air storage tank, 15 is the rigid air conveying pipe, 16 is the tobacco conveying pipe, 17 is the conveying fan, 18 is the baffle, 19 is the second cylinder, 20 is the first jet nozzle, 21 is the second jet nozzle, 22 is the base, 23 is the guide vane, 24 is the partition plate, 25 is the exhaust hole, 26 is the second sealing ring, and 27 is the vertical guide groove. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The core of this invention is to provide a tobacco shred air separation device to reduce the tobacco shred breakage rate and reduce the size of the air separation device.

[0044] Another core aspect of this invention is to provide a method for air-separating tobacco shreds.

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] Please refer to the attached document. Figure 1 The present invention discloses a tobacco shred air separation device, which includes an air separation mechanism and a centrifugal rotation mechanism.

[0047] The air separation mechanism includes: a tobacco conveying pipe 16, a conveying fan 17, an air separation tank 1, and an air jetting mechanism. The tobacco conveying pipe 16 is horizontally oriented. The conveying fan 17 is located at one end of the tobacco conveying pipe 16, and the other end of the tobacco conveying pipe 16 is the conveying port. The conveying fan 17 blows the tobacco entering the tobacco conveying pipe 16 toward the conveying port. The air separation tank 1 is located below the tobacco conveying pipe 16 and is connected to the tobacco conveying pipe 16. Preferably, the diameter ratio of the air separation tank 1 to the tobacco conveying pipe 16 is 1:2 to 2:3. A feed pipe 2 is provided on the side of the air separation tank 1. The air jetting mechanism is located below the air separation tank 1 and delivers an upward airflow to the air separation tank 1 to blow the tobacco in the air separation tank 1 into the tobacco conveying pipe 16.

[0048] The centrifugal rotation mechanism includes: a rotary motor 5, a chassis 4, a filter screen 7, and an air storage device. The chassis 4 is rotatably mounted below the air separator tank 1, and the space enclosed by the chassis 4 communicates with the inner cavity of the air separator tank 1. The filter screen 7 is horizontally arranged and fitted inside the chassis 4. Both the chassis 4 and the filter screen 7 are driven by the rotary motor 5. The chassis 4 is provided with inclined air inlets 11. In the horizontal direction, and along the direction from the outside to the inside of the chassis 4, the air inlets 11 gradually slope downwards. The air inlet end of the air inlet 11 communicates with the air storage device, and the air outlet end of the air inlet 11 points towards the filter screen 7, and the air outlet end of the air inlet 11 is located above the filter screen 7. There are multiple air inlets 11 arranged around the axis of the chassis 4. The jetting mechanism is located below the filter screen 7, and the jet nozzle of the jetting mechanism faces the filter screen 7.

[0049] After the tobacco shreds to be air-separated are fed into the air-separating tank 1 through the feed pipe 2, the tobacco shreds will fall onto the filter screen 7 under the action of gravity. If it is necessary to loosen the tobacco shreds or separate the stems, then the rotary motor 5 is turned on to drive the chassis 4 and the filter screen 7 to rotate, so that the tobacco shreds move to the edge of the filter screen 7 under the action of centrifugal force. Then the rotary motor 5 is stopped, the air storage device is turned on, and airflow is delivered to the filter screen 7 through the air inlet 11 on the chassis 4, so that the tobacco shreds at the edge of the filter screen 7 move towards the center of the filter screen 7. Since the specific gravity difference between the tobacco shreds and the stems is large, the tobacco shreds and stems are fully separated during the movement. At the same time, tobacco debris can fall through the filter screen 7, reducing the debris content in the tobacco shreds after air separation.

[0050] During the separation of tobacco stems, there is no rigid collision or compression of the tobacco shreds, thus reducing the breakage rate. Furthermore, the centrifugal rotation mechanism in this invention is significantly smaller in size compared to the combing rollers in existing technologies, thereby improving the compactness of the entire air-separation equipment and reducing its floor space.

[0051] Please continue to refer to the appendix. Figure 1 Along the axis of the chassis 4, there are two rings of air inlets 11. The inlets 11 in the upper and lower rings have the same inclination angle. The tobacco is swept from the edge of the filter screen 7 to the center of the filter screen 7 by the air inlet 11 below. After moving a certain distance, the airflow in the lower air inlet 11 is weakened in the horizontal direction and can no longer drive the tobacco to move. At this time, the upper air inlet 11 takes over and drives the tobacco to continue moving towards the center of the filter screen 7, so that the tobacco is fully separated from the stem.

[0052] The sliding connection between the chassis 4 and the air separator 1 is as follows: a recessed mounting groove 3 is provided on the bottom end face of the air separator 1, with the groove opening facing downwards. The upper end of the chassis 4 is slidably fitted into the mounting groove 3 via ball bearings. This sliding fit between the upper end face of the chassis 4 and the bottom end face of the air separator 1 not only ensures that the chassis 4 rotates smoothly relative to the air separator 1, but also prevents tobacco from leaking out from the gap between the chassis 4 and the air separator 1 to a certain extent.

[0053] The centrifugal rotation mechanism also includes a support 6, an annular push plate 8, and a first cylinder 10. A rotary motor 5 is located below the chassis 4. The support 6 is positioned between the rotary motor 5 and the chassis 4. The lower end of the support 6 is connected to the motor shaft of the rotary motor 5, and the upper end of the support 6 is connected to the chassis 4. The annular push plate 8 is fitted into the chassis 4 and can move up and down relative to the chassis 4. The filter screen 7 is fixedly installed within the annular push plate 8. The first cylinder 10 is located below the annular push plate 8. The cylinder seat of the first cylinder 10 is connected to the support 6, and the piston of the first cylinder 10 faces vertically upwards and is connected to the annular push plate 8. Under the driving action of the first cylinder 10, the filter screen 7 can move up and down.

[0054] When the rotary motor 5 rotates, the filter screen 7 is in a low position, far from the air outlet of the air inlet 11 on the chassis 4, to prevent tobacco shreds on the filter screen 7 from clogging the air inlet 11 or leaking out from the air inlet 11. After rotation ends, the piston of the first cylinder 10 extends upward to drive the filter screen 7 to a high position. At this time, the filter screen 7 is closer to the air outlet of the air inlet 11 on the chassis 4, so that the airflow output from the air inlet 11 can effectively sweep away the tobacco shreds at the edge of the filter screen 7.

[0055] The present invention also sets the upper end surface of the annular pusher plate 8 as a conical inclined surface 9, which gradually slopes downward along the direction close to the center of the filter screen 7. Thus, the tobacco that moves to the annular pusher plate 8 is kept inside the annular pusher plate 8 by the action of the conical inclined surface 9, and will not cross the annular pusher plate 8 and enter the gap between the annular pusher plate 8 and the chassis 4. The angle between the axis of the air inlet 11 and the conical inclined surface 9 is 15°-20°.

[0056] The air storage device includes an air storage tank 14, a rigid air supply pipe 15, and an annular air inlet shell 12. The air storage tank 14 is fixedly mounted on the outer surface of the air separator 1. One end of the rigid air supply pipe 15 is connected to the air storage tank 14, and the other end is connected to the annular air inlet shell 12. The annular air inlet shell 12 is suspended from the air storage tank 14 via the rigid air supply pipe 15. The annular air inlet shell 12 is slidably fitted onto the periphery of the chassis 4. The annular air inlet shell 12 is a stationary component, while the chassis 4 is a rotatable component. The space enclosed by the annular air inlet shell 12 and the chassis 4 communicates with the air inlet end of the air inlet port 11. The air storage tank 14 supplies compressed air to the space between the annular air inlet shell 12 and the chassis 4 via the rigid air supply pipe 15, and then the compressed air is blown onto the tobacco on the filter screen 7 through the air inlet port 11.

[0057] In this invention, the gas storage device is a stationary component. If the gas storage device is mounted on the chassis 4 and rotates with the chassis 4, the energy consumption of the rotary motor 5 will increase. Secondly, if the gas storage device is mounted on one side of the chassis 4, an imbalance will occur when the chassis 4 rotates, reducing operational safety.

[0058] To improve sealing and prevent compressed air from leaking from the gap between the annular air intake shell 12 and the chassis 4, the present invention provides a first sealing strip 13 between the upper end of the annular air intake shell 12 and the chassis 4, and also provides a first sealing strip 13 between the lower end of the annular air intake shell 12 and the chassis 4. Both first sealing strips 13 are connected to the annular air intake shell 12.

[0059] As described above, each ring of air inlets 11 includes multiple air inlets 11 arranged around the axis of the chassis 4. Ideally, when blowing tobacco onto the filter 7 through the air inlets 11, each air inlet 11 in a ring should receive the same amount of compressed air to improve the uniformity of the blowing. To achieve this ideal state, the annular air inlet housing 12 is configured as follows: a baffle 24 is provided on the inner wall of the annular air inlet housing 12. The baffle 24 extends horizontally towards the chassis 4, but does not contact the chassis 4; instead, it forms a ventilation space between the baffle 24 and the chassis 4. Multiple baffles 24 are spaced apart around the axis of the chassis 4. Airflow entering the annular air inlet housing 12, upon encountering the baffles 24, will rapidly flow through the ventilation space between the baffles 24 and the chassis 4, quickly filling the entire space to improve the uniformity of airflow distribution. Furthermore, the air inlets 11 and baffles 24 are arranged alternately in each ring, with an air inlet 11 between every two adjacent baffles 24. This facilitates airflow.

[0060] The jetting mechanism includes a base 22 and jet nozzles. The base 22 is connected to a bracket 6, and the jet nozzles are disposed on the base 22. The jet nozzles include a first jet nozzle 20 and a second jet nozzle 21. The first jet nozzle 20 is disposed near the edge of the filter screen 7, and the first jet nozzle 20 points towards the center of the filter screen 7 along an inclined direction. Multiple first jet nozzles 20 are arranged around the axis of the filter screen 7. Multiple second jet nozzles 21 are also arranged around the axis of the filter screen 7. Compared to the first jet nozzles 20, the second jet nozzles 21 are disposed closer to the center of the filter screen 7. That is, a ring of second jet nozzles 21 is disposed inside a ring of first jet nozzles 20. The second jet nozzles 21 point towards the edge of the filter screen 7 along an inclined direction.

[0061] The air separation device in this invention operates in two steps: air separation and separation. Air separation refers to the process where, under the action of the jetting mechanism, the tobacco shreds in the air separation tank 1 are blown into the tobacco conveying pipe 16, and then, under the action of the conveying fan 17, the tobacco shreds are output through the conveying port. Separation refers to the process where, driven by the rotary motor 5, the tobacco shreds on the filter screen 7 move to the edge of the filter screen 7, and then, under the blowing action of the air inlet 11, the tobacco shreds move towards the center of the filter screen 7, achieving separation of the tobacco shreds from the stems during the movement process.

[0062] During air separation, the first nozzle 20 plays the primary role, while the second nozzle 21 plays an auxiliary role, maintaining the shape of the tobacco column in the air separation tank 1. The first nozzle 20 sprays compressed air inward at a small angle, thereby driving the tobacco located at the edge of the chassis 4 to move inward while axially sweeping the tobacco for air separation. The second nozzle 21 sprays air outward at a large angle, used to blow the tobacco located in the center of the chassis 4 outward. With the cooperation of the first nozzle 20 and the second nozzle 21, the tobacco in the chassis 4 not only achieves air separation but also generates internal and external circulation and tumbling, thereby accelerating the decomposition of the tobacco clump.

[0063] Meanwhile, the total flow rate of the first jet nozzle 20 is limited to 4-5 times the total flow rate of the second jet nozzle 21. Since the airflow generated by the first jet nozzle 20 is greater than that generated by the second jet nozzle 21, the tobacco shreds will move up and down repeatedly while circulating internally and externally, thereby further accelerating the loosening of the tobacco shreds and improving the air separation effect.

[0064] The duration of each air separation cycle by the jetting mechanism is 1–2 minutes, and the jetting flow rate is determined based on the moisture content of the tobacco.

[0065]

[0066] Among them, W 标准 Q represents the preset standard moisture content of tobacco shreds. 标准 According to W 标准 The set standard jet flow rate, W 实际 Q represents the actual moisture content of the tobacco shreds. 实际 The actual jet flow rate is given by k, which is a proportionality coefficient ranging from 1.05 to 1.1. The conveying air volume of the conveying fan 17 is 1.2 to 1.5 times the jet flow rate of the jet mechanism.

[0067] When the moisture content of the tobacco raw material changes and it is necessary to adjust the air flow rate of the air jet mechanism, the flow rate of the first air jet nozzle 20 is adjusted first. When the ratio of the flow rate of the second air jet nozzle 21 to the flow rate of the first air jet nozzle 20 exceeds the set range (the total flow rate of the first air jet nozzle 20 is 4 to 5 times the total flow rate of the second air jet nozzle 21), the flow rate of the second air jet nozzle 21 is adjusted to meet the above preset conditions.

[0068] During separation, as the rotary motor 5 drives the filter screen 7 to rotate, the second jet nozzle 21 blows a small airflow to ensure that the tobacco shreds move evenly to the edge of the filter screen 7, ensuring the uniformity of the tobacco shreds distribution at the edge of the filter screen 7, thereby improving the separation effect of the stems and sticks during the subsequent blowing process of the air inlet 11.

[0069] The second nozzle 21 is designed as an inclined, single-blade hyperboloid. The larger opening of the hyperboloid nozzle results in a lower gas flow velocity and a larger coverage area. A guide vane 23 can also be installed inside the second nozzle 21 to direct the airflow towards the edge of the filter 7. When using the second nozzle 21 for small-airflow purging, the large opening of the second nozzle 21 and the guide vane 23 effectively direct the airflow from the second nozzle 21 towards the edge of the filter 7, thereby separating tobacco debris from high-quality tobacco.

[0070] The second jet nozzle 21 is higher than the first jet nozzle 20, and the second jet nozzle 21 is offset from the first jet nozzle 20, which can prevent the airflow from colliding and becoming turbulent.

[0071] Preferably, the angle between the first jet nozzle 20 and the axis of the air classifier 1 is 25°, and the angle between the second jet nozzle 21 and the axis of the air classifier 1 is 80°.

[0072] During air separation, when tobacco shreds are suspended in the air separator 1 but cannot enter the tobacco conveying pipe 16, the air separation flow rate of the jetting mechanism cannot be simply increased, because increasing the air separation flow rate may bring a large number of stems into the tobacco conveying pipe 16. At the same time, there is an optimal matching ratio between the conveying air volume of the conveying fan 17 and the jetting flow rate of the jetting mechanism, so the conveying air volume of the conveying fan 17 cannot be simply increased.

[0073] To address the problem of tobacco shreds being suspended in the air separator 1 and unable to enter the tobacco conveying pipe 16, this invention incorporates a stop assembly in the air separator mechanism. Specifically, the stop assembly includes a stop block 18 and a second cylinder 19. The stop block 18 is positioned above the tobacco conveying pipe 16, with its center coinciding with the axis of the air separator 1. A through-hole is provided on the tobacco conveying pipe 16, which is adapted to fit the stop block 18. The stop block 18 can move up and down within the through-hole. The second cylinder 19 is fixed above the stop block 18. The piston of the second cylinder 19 is positioned downwards and connected to the stop block 18. Driven by the second cylinder 19, the stop block 18 can extend into the tobacco conveying pipe 16 and retract to its original position.

[0074] When tobacco shreds are suspended in the air classifier 1 and unable to enter the tobacco conveying pipe 16, the second cylinder 19 is activated to lower the baffle 18, causing its lower part to extend into the tobacco conveying pipe 16. This temporarily reduces the airflow cross-sectional area at the connection between the tobacco conveying pipe 16 and the air classifier 1, increasing the local airflow velocity and thus improving the ability to drive and carry the suspended tobacco shreds. Once the suspended tobacco shreds enter the tobacco conveying pipe 16, the second cylinder 19 retracts the baffle 18 to ensure normal air classification efficiency.

[0075] The baffle 18 also has an exhaust port 25 inside. The outlet end of the exhaust port 25 is formed on the upper surface of the baffle 18, and the inlet end is formed on the side of the baffle 18. The inlet end of the exhaust port 25 is at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface of the baffle 18. When the baffle 18 is in its original position, the bottom surface of the baffle 18 is flush with the inner upper surface of the tobacco conveying tube 16. At this time, the inlet end of the exhaust port 25 is located outside the tobacco conveying tube 16 and is not connected to the inner cavity of the tobacco conveying tube 16. The lower part of the baffle 18 completely blocks the through hole of the tobacco conveying tube 16. When the lower part of the baffle 18 extends into the tobacco conveying tube 16, the inlet end of the exhaust port 25 is located inside the tobacco conveying tube 16 and is connected to the inner cavity of the tobacco conveying tube 16. The exhaust port 25 discharges part of the airflow near the baffle 18 to the outside to reduce turbulence near the baffle 18. There can be multiple exhaust ports 25.

[0076] To improve the sealing between the baffle 18 and the tobacco conveying pipe 16, a second sealing ring 26 can be provided around the through hole. The second sealing ring 26 is in close contact with the baffle 18 and is fixedly provided on the upper surface of the tobacco conveying pipe 16.

[0077] This invention provides vertical flow guide grooves 27 on the inner wall of the air classifier 1, with multiple vertical flow guide grooves 27 arranged around the axis of the air classifier 1. The vertical flow guide grooves 27 can reduce the probability of turbulence generated by the first air nozzle 20 and the second air nozzle 21 within the air classifier 1, thereby improving the driving ability for suspended tobacco shreds. This invention also discloses a tobacco shred air classification method, including an air classification method and a separation method.

[0078] Air separation method: The tobacco to be separated is put into the air separation tank 1, and the jetting mechanism and conveying fan 17 are turned on to perform air separation on the tobacco. The tobacco separated by the airflow sprayed by the jetting mechanism enters the tobacco conveying pipe 16 through the air separation tank 1 and is output from the output port of the tobacco conveying pipe 16.

[0079] Separation method: Turn off the jet mechanism and conveyor fan 17, turn on the rotary motor 5 to drive the chassis 4 to rotate, the tobacco moves to the edge of the filter screen 7, turn off the rotary motor 5, start the second cylinder 19, push the filter screen 7 upward through the annular push plate 8, so that the air storage device delivers compressed air to the air inlet 11, blowing the tobacco gathered at the edge of the filter screen 7 towards the center of the filter screen 7, so as to separate the tobacco from the stem, and at the same time, the tobacco fragments fall through the filter screen 7.

[0080] When the rotating motor 5 drives the chassis 4 to rotate, the tobacco shreds will move to the edge of the filter screen 7. After the rotating motor 5 is turned off, the second cylinder 19 first lifts the filter screen 7 to a high position, close to the air outlet of the air inlet 11. Then, airflow is sprayed onto the filter screen 7 through the air inlet 11, causing the tobacco shreds to move from the edge of the filter screen 7 towards the center. During this movement, the tobacco shreds separate from the stems, thus loosening the tobacco shreds. In addition, tobacco fragments can fall through the filter screen 7, reducing the content of broken tobacco shreds in the tobacco after air separation.

[0081] Repeated air separation and separation methods are used to achieve cyclic air separation of tobacco shreds. After a period of air separation and separation, filter screen 7 is removed to clean the stems and tobacco fragments.

[0082] In the separation method, the rotating motor 5 drives the chassis 4 to rotate specifically as follows: the chassis 4 rotates for 2-3 minutes, and the maximum rotation speed of the chassis 4 is 300-400 rad / min. During the first 30 seconds of chassis 4 rotation, after reaching 300 rad / min, the speed is reduced to 100 rad / min, then accelerated back to 300 rad / min, and this process is repeated. During each deceleration, the second air nozzle 21 is opened to purge the tobacco, with the purge airflow not exceeding 20% ​​of the flow rate of the second air nozzle 21 during air separation. After the chassis 4 has rotated for more than 30 seconds, the maximum rotation speed is maintained until the current rotation duration is completed. During the first 30 seconds of centrifugal rotation, the repeated acceleration and deceleration, combined with the low-flow purge by the second air nozzle 21, improves the uniformity of tobacco distribution on the conical inclined surface 9, thereby improving the separation effect of the tobacco stems during the subsequent purge process through the air inlet 11.

[0083] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0084] As indicated in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "a," and / or "the" are not specifically singular and may include the plural. Generally, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements. An element defined by the phrase "comprising an..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, product, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0085] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0086] This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tobacco shred air separation device, comprising an air separation mechanism, wherein the air separation mechanism includes: Tobacco conveying pipe (16); a conveying fan (17) disposed at one end of the tobacco conveying pipe (16), the other end of the tobacco conveying pipe (16) being a conveying port; an air classifier (1) disposed below the tobacco conveying pipe (16), the air classifier (1) being connected to the tobacco conveying pipe (16); and an air jetting mechanism disposed below the air classifier (1). Its characteristic is that it further includes a centrifugal rotation mechanism, the centrifugal rotation mechanism comprising: Rotary motor (5); A chassis (4) is rotatably disposed below the air classifier (1), and the space enclosed by the chassis (4) communicates with the inner cavity of the air classifier (1); The filter screen (7) is horizontally arranged inside the chassis (4), and both the chassis (4) and the filter screen (7) are driven by the rotary motor (5). The gas storage device has an air inlet (11) on the chassis (4). In the horizontal direction and from the outside of the chassis (4) to the inside of the chassis (4), the air inlet (11) gradually slopes downward. The air inlet end of the air inlet (11) is connected to the gas storage device. The air outlet end of the air inlet (11) points to the filter screen (7). The air outlet end of the air inlet (11) is located above the filter screen (7). The air inlets (11) are arranged in multiple ways around the axis of the chassis (4). The jetting mechanism is located below the filter screen (7), and the jetting nozzle of the jetting mechanism faces the filter screen (7).

2. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the chassis (4), multiple rings of air intake holes (11) are provided on the chassis (4).

3. The tobacco air separation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom end face of the air separator (1) is provided with an installation groove (3), the groove opening of the installation groove (3) faces downward, and the chassis (4) is slidably fitted in the installation groove (3) by ball bearings.

4. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The centrifugal rotation mechanism also includes a bracket (6), an annular push plate (8), and a first cylinder (10); the lower end of the bracket (6) is connected to the motor shaft of the rotary motor (5), and the upper end of the bracket (6) is connected to the chassis (4); the annular push plate (8) is movably adapted to the chassis (4), the filter screen (7) is fixedly installed in the annular push plate (8), and the annular push plate (8) is located below the air outlet of the air inlet (11); the cylinder seat of the first cylinder (10) is fixed on the bracket (6), the piston rod of the first cylinder (10) is vertically upward, and the piston rod of the first cylinder (10) is connected to the annular push plate (8).

5. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper surface of the annular pusher plate (8) is a conical inclined surface (9), which gradually slopes downward along the direction close to the center of the filter screen (7).

6. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas storage device includes: Gas storage tank (14), the gas storage tank (14) is fixed to the outer surface of the air separator (1); Rigid gas pipe (15); The annular air intake shell (12) is connected to the gas storage tank (14) and the annular air intake shell (12) at both ends of the rigid gas pipe (15). The annular air intake shell (12) is slidably fitted outside the chassis (4). The space enclosed by the annular air intake shell (12) and the chassis (4) is connected to the air intake end of the air inlet (11).

7. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 6, characterized in that, A partition (24) is provided on the inner wall of the annular air intake shell (12). The partition (24) extends horizontally toward the chassis (4). There is a ventilation space between the partition (24) and the chassis (4). The partition (24) consists of multiple partitions arranged around the axis of the chassis (4).

8. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The jet mechanism includes a base (22) and a jet nozzle. The base (22) is connected to the bracket (6), and the jet nozzle is disposed on the base (22). The jet nozzle includes a first jet nozzle (20) and a second jet nozzle (21). The first air nozzle (20) is disposed near the edge of the filter screen (7), the first air nozzle (20) is inclined toward the center of the filter screen (7), and there are multiple first air nozzles (20) arranged around the axis of the filter screen (7); the second air nozzle (21) is disposed near the center of the filter screen (7), the second air nozzle (21) is inclined toward the edge of the filter screen (7), and there are multiple second air nozzles (21) arranged around the axis of the filter screen (7).

9. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first nozzle (20) is an inclined cylindrical shape, and the second nozzle (21) is an inclined single-leaf hyperboloid shape.

10. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second jet nozzle (21) is higher than the first jet nozzle (20), and the second jet nozzle (21) and the first jet nozzle (20) are arranged in a staggered manner.

11. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air separation mechanism also includes a baffle assembly, which includes a baffle (18) and a second cylinder (19). The baffle (18) is disposed on the upper part of the tobacco conveying pipe (16). The tobacco conveying pipe (16) is provided with a through hole adapted to the baffle (18). The second cylinder (19) is fixed above the baffle (18). The piston of the second cylinder (19) is disposed downward and connected to the baffle (18). Under the drive of the second cylinder (19), the baffle (18) can extend into the interior of the tobacco conveying pipe (16).

12. The tobacco shred air separation device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The block (18) is provided with an exhaust hole (25). The exhaust end of the exhaust hole (25) is formed on the upper surface of the block (18), and the intake end of the exhaust hole (25) is formed on the side of the block (18). The intake end is at a preset distance from the bottom surface of the block (18).

13. The tobacco air separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the air classifier (1) is provided with vertical guide grooves, and the vertical guide grooves (27) are multiple ones arranged around the axis of the air classifier (1).

14. A method for air-separating tobacco shreds, based on the tobacco air-separating equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, include: Air separation method: The tobacco to be separated is put into the air separation tank (1), the jetting mechanism and the conveying fan (17) are turned on to perform air separation on the tobacco. The tobacco separated by the airflow sprayed by the jetting mechanism enters the tobacco conveying pipe (16) through the air separation tank (1) and is output from the output port of the tobacco conveying pipe (16). Separation method: Turn off the jet mechanism and the conveying fan (17), turn on the rotary motor (5) to drive the chassis (4) to rotate, the tobacco moves to the edge of the filter screen (7), turn off the rotary motor (5), start the first cylinder (10), push the filter screen (7) upward through the annular push plate (8), so that the air storage device delivers compressed air to the air inlet (11), blow the tobacco gathered at the edge of the filter screen (7) to the center of the filter screen (7) to achieve the separation of tobacco from the stem, and at the same time, tobacco fragments fall through the filter screen (7); Repeat the air separation method and the separation method to achieve cyclic air separation of tobacco shreds.

15. The method for air-separating tobacco shreds according to claim 14, characterized in that, In the separation method, the rotating motor (5) drives the chassis (4) to rotate specifically as follows: during the initial preset time of the chassis (4) rotation, after the chassis (4) reaches the first speed, the rotating motor (5) controls the chassis (4) to decelerate to the second speed, and then accelerate back to the first speed, and so on. Each time the chassis (4) decelerates, the second jet nozzle (21) is opened to blow the tobacco. The flow rate of the second jet nozzle (21) is less than the flow rate of the second jet nozzle (21) in the air separation method. After the initial preset time is exceeded, the chassis (4) reaches the maximum speed until the current rotation time is completed.

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