Tobacco shred expansion method and system
By using a combination method of supercooled atomized water and low-temperature freezing heating tunnels, the environmental protection problem of existing tobacco expansion methods is solved, and the rapid and green and environmentally friendly expansion of tobacco is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510400852.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-01
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-06
AI Technical Summary
The existing tobacco expansion methods have environmental protection problems. The carbon dioxide expansion method is difficult to recover and the greenhouse gas emissions are large. The working pressure of the nitrogen expansion method is too high and has not been widely used. The Freon expansion method causes damage to the ozone layer.
Supercooled atomized water below 0°C is sprayed on the tobacco wire, and then the tobacco wire is sent into the freezing tunnel for low-temperature freezing. Then the tobacco wire after low-temperature freezing is sent into the heating tunnel to sublimate the solid water in the tobacco wire and remove it from the tobacco wire, so as to achieve the expansion of the tobacco wire.
The rapid expansion of tobacco wire is achieved, the quality and expansion efficiency of tobacco wire are improved, and the characteristics of green and environmental protection are also achieved, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.
Smart Images
Figure CN120093004A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The invention relates to a tobacco production process in a cigarette factory, in particular to a tobacco expansion method and a system thereof. Background Art
[0002] Tobacco occupies a large part of the production cost of cigarettes, and the expansion process of tobacco is one of the core technologies of the tobacco making process. The tobacco is expanded on a continuously running production line, which requires that the expansion process be short and reach the expansion degree required by the cigarette making process. This places high demands on the tobacco expansion process. The expanded tobacco has good properties and can better meet the requirements of the rolling process during the rolling process. The main tobacco expansion methods currently used in the cigarette industry are carbon dioxide expansion, Freon expansion, and nitrogen expansion. The Freon expansion method has been abolished because Freon damages the ozone layer; the nitrogen expansion method has not been widely used due to its high working pressure; the carbon dioxide expansion method has a large greenhouse gas emission due to the difficulty in recovering carbon dioxide, which cannot meet the requirements of green environmental protection. Summary of the invention
[0003] The present invention aims to provide a tobacco expansion method. Another object of the present invention is to provide a production system for realizing the tobacco expansion method, so as to improve the quality and expansion efficiency of tobacco, and the tobacco expansion process is green and environmentally friendly.
[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: The tobacco shred expansion method of the present invention first sprays supercooled atomized water below 0°C onto the tobacco shreds, then sends the tobacco shreds into a freezing tunnel for low-temperature freezing, and finally sends the low-temperature frozen tobacco shreds into a heating tunnel to sublime the solid water in the tobacco shreds and separate from the tobacco shreds, thereby realizing the tobacco shred expansion process.
[0005] Preferably, the supercooled atomized water is pure water at -1 to -3°C; the low-temperature freezing temperature is -20°C to -30°C; and the temperature in the heating tunnel is 80°C to 95°C.
[0006] A tobacco expansion system for implementing the tobacco expansion method comprises a tobacco conveyor belt, a freezing tunnel, a heating tunnel, a refrigeration system and a supercooled atomized water spray system; the tobacco conveyor belt passes through the freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel in sequence, and the atomizing nozzle of the supercooled atomized water spray system is arranged above the tobacco conveyor belt at the entrance of the freezing tunnel.
[0007] Optionally, the refrigeration system consists of a compressor, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve; the compressor outlet is connected to its inlet via the condenser, the expansion valve, the first evaporator, the second evaporator; the first evaporator is arranged in the supercooled atomized water spray system, and is used to cool the supercooled atomized water to meet the process requirements; the second evaporator is arranged in the freezing tunnel, and is used to cool the freezing tunnel to meet the process requirements; the condenser is arranged in the heating tunnel, and is used to heat the heating tunnel to meet the process requirements.
[0008] Furthermore, the freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel have the same structure, both consisting of an internal through pipe and an insulation layer coated on the outer circumference of the internal through pipe; the second evaporator and the condenser are both coil structures, respectively coiled on the outer circumference of the internal through pipe of the freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel; the first evaporator is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the tube side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is respectively connected to the expansion valve and the second evaporator, and the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is connected to the supercooled atomized water spray system.
[0009] Furthermore, the heat exchange area of the first evaporator is 1 / 10 of the heat exchange area of the second evaporator.
[0010] Furthermore, the supercooled atomized water spray system includes a chilled water tank, a high-pressure water pump controlled by a frequency converter, a circulating water pump, and an atomizing nozzle; the water outlet of the high-pressure water pump is connected to the atomizing nozzle, and the water inlet of the high-pressure water pump is connected to the chilled water tank; the chilled water tank is connected to the water inlet of the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger through the circulating water pump, and the water outlet of the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is connected to the chilled water tank through a return pipe.
[0011] The present invention utilizes the rapid condensation characteristics of the supercooled atomized water during the collision process with tobacco to form solid water inside the tobacco, which is further frozen through a freezing tunnel; then the large temperature difference between the heating tunnel and the freezing tunnel and the density difference between water and ice are utilized to achieve the sublimation of the solid water inside the tobacco, thereby achieving the purpose of rapidly expanding the tobacco. The present invention utilizes the evaporation end of the refrigeration system to freeze the tobacco, and utilizes the condensation end of the refrigeration system to heat the tobacco, thereby achieving efficient use of energy. At the same time, the present invention has the advantages of safe operation, normal pressure operation, clean and environmental protection, and high efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention, and for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.
[0013] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the tobacco expansion system described in the present invention.
[0014] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the freezing tunnel structure of the present invention.
[0015] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the heating tunnel structure of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The technical scheme in the embodiment of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiment is only a part of the embodiment of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiment of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0017] The tobacco shred expansion method of the present invention first sprays supercooled atomized water at -1 to -3°C (preferably -3°C) onto the tobacco shreds, then sends the tobacco shreds into a freezing tunnel at -20°C to -30°C (preferably -25°C) for low-temperature freezing, and finally sends the low-temperature frozen tobacco shreds into a heating tunnel at 80°C to 95°C (preferably 85°C) for heating, so that the solid water in the tobacco shreds sublimates rapidly and separates from the tobacco shreds, thereby realizing a rapid expansion process of the tobacco shreds.
[0018] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figure 3, a tobacco expansion system for implementing the tobacco expansion method of the present invention comprises a tobacco conveyor belt 1 of a tobacco conveying system, a freezing tunnel 2, a heating tunnel 3, a refrigeration system and a supercooled atomized water spray system; the tobacco conveyor belt 1 passes through the freezing tunnel 2 and the heating tunnel 3 in sequence, and the atomizing nozzle 4 of the supercooled atomized water spray system is arranged above the tobacco conveyor belt 1 at the entrance of the freezing tunnel 2.
[0019] Advantageously or exemplarily, Figure 1 As shown, the refrigeration system consists of a compressor 5, a first evaporator 6, a second evaporator 7, a condenser 8 and an expansion valve 9; the outlet of the compressor 5 is connected to its inlet through the condenser 8, the expansion valve 9, the first evaporator 6, and the second evaporator 7; the first evaporator 6 is arranged in the supercooled atomized water spray system, and is used to cool the supercooled atomized water to meet the process requirements; the second evaporator 7 is arranged in the freezing tunnel 2, and is used to cool the freezing tunnel 2 to meet the process requirements; the condenser 8 is arranged in the heating tunnel 3, and is used to heat the temperature in the heating tunnel 3 to meet the process requirements.
[0020] In order to ensure the temperature requirements of the freezing tunnel 2 and the heating tunnel 3, and consider the actual operating energy efficiency of the refrigeration system, the refrigerant used in the refrigeration system can be but is not limited to carbon dioxide. The form of the refrigeration system compressor can be selected in a reasonable form according to the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration system.
[0021] Advantageously or exemplarily, Figure 2 , 3 As shown, the freezing tunnel 2 and the heating tunnel 3 have the same structure, both of which are composed of internal through pipes 2.1, 3.1 and insulation layers 2.2, 3.2 coated on the outer peripheral surfaces of the internal through pipes 2.1, 3.1; the second evaporator 7 and the condenser 8 are both coil 7.1, 8.1 structures, which are respectively coiled on the outer peripheral surfaces of the internal through pipes 2.1, 3.1 of the freezing tunnel 2 and the heating tunnel 3; the first evaporator 6 is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, and the tube side 6.1 of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is respectively connected to the expansion valve 9 and the second evaporator 7, and the shell side 6.2 of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is connected to the supercooled atomized water spray system; the insulation layers 2.2, 3.2 of the freezing tunnel 2 and the heating tunnel 3 can be made of, but not limited to, polyurethane foam materials.
[0022] Beneficially or exemplarily, the supercooled atomized water spray system includes a chilled water tank 10, a high-pressure water pump 11 controlled by a frequency converter 11.1, a circulating water pump 12, and an atomizing nozzle 4; the water outlet of the high-pressure water pump 11 is connected to the atomizing nozzle 4, and the water inlet of the high-pressure water pump 11 is connected to the chilled water tank 10; the chilled water tank 10 is connected to the water inlet of the shell side 6.2 of the shell side 6.2 of the shell side 6.2 of the shell side 6.2 of the shell side 6.2 is connected to the chilled water tank 10 through a return pipe; the chilled water tank 10 is provided with a water replenishment port for timely replenishing consumed supercooled water; by controlling the flow rate of the circulating water pump 12, the supercooled water temperature in the chilled water tank 10 is controlled to be maintained at -3°C.
[0023] Beneficially or exemplarily, in order to ensure that the temperature in the chilled water tank 10 meets the supercooled water demand, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature in the first evaporator 6 is low. In order to prevent the evaporation temperature in the first evaporator 6 from increasing due to an excessively large heat exchange area, the heat exchange area of the first evaporator 6 cannot be too large. In this embodiment, the heat exchange area of the first evaporator 6 is selected to be 1 / 10 of the heat exchange area of the second evaporator 7.
[0024] The working process of the present invention is briefly described as follows: like Figure 1 As shown, the tobacco 13 on the tobacco conveyor belt 1 undergoes a process of humidification and condensation of atomized supercooled water, a process of further freezing of atomized supercooled water, and a process of sublimation of solid water during its forward movement.
[0025] The expansion process of the tobacco 13 is as follows: a set amount of supercooled atomized water is sprayed into the tobacco 13 to realize the humidification process of the tobacco 13; the scheme of the present invention is to use a high-pressure water pump 11 and an atomizing nozzle 4 to break up the supercooled water into droplets of the smallest possible particle size, and atomize and spray them into the tobacco 13. The amount of supercooled water sprayed is determined by the tobacco flow rate of the tobacco conveying system; the tobacco mass flow measurement mechanism of the tobacco conveying system gives control parameters, and the flow rate of the high-pressure water pump 11 is adjusted by the frequency converter 11.1 to achieve different water flow rates.
[0026] Considering that the solidification process of liquid water takes a long time and cannot meet the requirements of a continuous working process, the solution provided by the present invention is to use supercooled water at -3°C to achieve rapid humidification and solidification of the tobacco 13.
[0027] The use of the circulating water pump 12 and pure water ensures that the temperature in the refrigerated water tank 10 is -3°C; when the low-temperature supercooled atomized water contacts the tobacco 13, the tobacco 13 becomes an inducing factor for the condensation of the supercooled atomized water, and the supercooled atomized water solidifies rapidly, while increasing the volume of the tobacco 13.
[0028] After the tobacco 13 mixed with supercooled atomized water enters the freezing tunnel 2, the tobacco 13 is further cooled in the freezing tunnel 2 to ensure the solidification of liquid water in the tobacco 13; the ambient temperature inside the freezing tunnel 2 is lower than -20°C, which is achieved by the evaporation end of the refrigeration system; the length of the freezing tunnel 2 can be adjusted according to the size of the tobacco production line.
[0029] After being completely frozen, the volume of the tobacco shreds is further expanded and is sent into the heating tunnel 3 by the conveyor belt 1; the temperature inside the heating tunnel 3 is higher than 80°C, which is achieved by the condensation end of the refrigeration system; since the temperature difference between the heating tunnel 3 and the freezing tunnel 2 exceeds 100°C, the solid water quickly absorbs heat and sublimates from the tobacco shreds 13, realizing a rapid expansion process of the tobacco shreds 13.
[0030] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A tobacco expansion method, characterized in that: First, supercooled atomized water below 0°C is sprayed on the tobacco, and then the tobacco is sent to a freezing tunnel for low-temperature freezing. Finally, the low-temperature frozen tobacco is sent to a heating tunnel to sublime the solid water in the tobacco and separate from the tobacco, thereby realizing the expansion process of the tobacco.
2. The tobacco expansion method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supercooled atomized water is pure water at -1 to -3°C; the low-temperature freezing temperature is -20°C to -30°C; and the temperature in the heating tunnel is 80°C to 95°C.
3. A tobacco expansion system for implementing the tobacco expansion method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It includes a tobacco conveyor belt, a freezing tunnel, a heating tunnel, a refrigeration system and a supercooled atomized water spray system; the tobacco conveyor belt passes through the freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel in sequence, and the atomizing nozzle of the supercooled atomized water spray system is arranged above the tobacco conveyor belt at the entrance of the freezing tunnel.
4. The tobacco expansion system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The refrigeration system is composed of a compressor, a first evaporator, a second evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve; the compressor outlet is connected to its inlet via the condenser, the expansion valve, the first evaporator, the second evaporator; The first evaporator is arranged in the supercooled atomized water spray system; the second evaporator is arranged in the freezing tunnel; and the condenser is arranged in the heating tunnel.
5. The tobacco expansion system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel have the same structure, both consisting of an internal through pipe and an insulation layer coated on the outer circumference of the internal through pipe; the second evaporator and the condenser are both coil structures, respectively coiled on the outer circumference of the internal through pipe of the freezing tunnel and the heating tunnel; the first evaporator is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the tube side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is respectively connected to the expansion valve and the second evaporator, and the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is connected to the subcooled atomized water spray system.
6. The tobacco expansion system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The heat exchange area of the first evaporator is 1 / 10 of the heat exchange area of the second evaporator.
7. The tobacco expansion system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The supercooled atomized water spray system includes a chilled water tank, a high-pressure water pump controlled by a frequency converter, a circulating water pump, and an atomizing nozzle; the water outlet of the high-pressure water pump is connected to the atomizing nozzle, and the water inlet of the high-pressure water pump is connected to the chilled water tank; the chilled water tank is connected to the water inlet of the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger through the circulating water pump, and the water outlet of the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger is connected to the chilled water tank through a return pipe.