A thick stock production system for heating reconstituted tobacco leaf sheet

Abstract

The patent discloses a thick pulp production system of reconstituted tobacco sheet for heated cigarettes, which comprises a cold plasma water generator, a material preparation device and a production end device. The cold plasma water generator is connected with the material preparation device to enable the generated cold plasma water to be delivered into the material preparation device. The material preparation device is connected with the production end device. The material preparation device is provided with a stirring device, which comprises a staggered stirring part and a paddle stirring part. The staggered stirring part is arranged close to the top of the material preparation device, and the paddle stirring part is arranged close to the bottom of the material preparation device. The patent increases the uniformity of the mixing of liquid material and powder material by arranging the paddle stirring part and the staggered stirring part. Meanwhile, the cold plasma activated water introduced by the cold plasma water generator can realize sterilization of the thick pulp slurry, prolong the storage time and further improve the production efficiency of the thick pulp method reconstituted tobacco sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent belongs to the field of reconstituted tobacco technology, specifically relating to a thick pulp production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. Background Technology

[0002] In the production process of reconstituted tobacco flakes using the slurry method, the mixing of powder and liquid materials requires prolonged stirring, especially since the added fibers are difficult to distribute evenly. However, due to the high viscosity of the required slurry, the shear force during the mixing of liquid and powder materials is significant. Therefore, the staggered mixing blade structure in the mixer, as described in Chinese utility model document CN209883040U, is insufficient for uniform mixing, easily leading to poor slurry quality. Furthermore, existing slurry production systems require connection to a pure water preparation system to provide water for the liquid materials, making the slurry difficult to store due to its high water content. Prolonged storage can easily lead to the growth of undesirable microbial products, further reducing the quality of the slurry.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a thick slurry production system that can solve the technical problems of difficulty in achieving uniform mixing and poor slurry quality mentioned above. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this patent is to provide a thick slurry production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes, thereby improving the mixing uniformity and quality of the thick slurry.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this patent adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A thick slurry production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes includes a cold plasma water generator, a material preparation device, and a production end device. The cold plasma water generator is connected to the material preparation device so that the generated cold plasma water is transported to the material preparation device. The material preparation device is connected to the production end device. The material preparation device is equipped with a stirring device, which includes an alternating stirring section and a paddle stirring section. The alternating stirring section is arranged near the top of the material preparation device, and the paddle stirring section is arranged near the bottom of the material preparation device.

[0007] Furthermore, the stirring device also includes a drive rod and a motor.

[0008] The drive rod is located inside the material preparation device and passes through the device to connect to the motor.

[0009] The staggered mixing section and the paddle mixing section are arranged on the drive rod.

[0010] Furthermore, one end of the drive rod is fixed to the material preparation device, and the other end of the drive rod is connected to the paddle-type stirring unit and suspended in the air.

[0011] Furthermore, a through-type water inlet is provided on the upper part of the side wall of the material preparation device.

[0012] The cold plasma water generator is connected to the water inlet through the feed pipe so that the cold plasma water generated by the cold plasma water generator can be delivered to the material preparation device.

[0013] Furthermore, the top of the material preparation device is equipped with a feeding port and an exhaust port.

[0014] Furthermore, a conveying pipe is connected to the bottom of the material preparation device, and the conveying pipe is connected to the production end device.

[0015] Furthermore, at least two conveying pipes should be installed.

[0016] The production-end equipment includes a slurry storage tank and a slurry distribution device.

[0017] Furthermore, the conveying pipe is equipped with a flow meter and valves.

[0018] Furthermore, the cold plasma water generator includes an air intake unit, an electrical control unit, a preparation unit, and a liquid storage unit.

[0019] Furthermore, the fabrication unit includes a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge device, with an electrode spacing of 4-5 mm.

[0020] The slurry produced by the slurry production system of this patent is used in the production of reconstituted tobacco sheets for heated cigarettes.

[0021] In this patent, the term "cold plasma activated water" (PAW) refers to water generated by cold plasma treatment. After water molecules react with active particles (free radicals, ions, excited-state molecules, etc.) in the plasma, their properties change, and they may have some redox, antibacterial and other properties.

[0022] In this patent, the term "cold plasma" refers to plasma as the fourth state of matter besides solid, liquid, and gas. It is an ionized gaseous substance produced after atoms or molecules are ionized. It can be divided into high-temperature plasma and low-temperature plasma. When the electron temperature is much higher than the ion temperature and the system is in a non-thermal equilibrium state, the gas in the system is slightly ionized and the discharge temperature is close to room temperature. This is called cold plasma.

[0023] Cold plasma technology is a novel non-thermal treatment technology that generates a large number of active substances, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Water molecules treated with cold plasma can react with these active substances, thereby exhibiting redox and antibacterial properties. Studies have shown that plasma-activated water (PAW) can be used for food sterilization and preservation, and is characterized by high efficiency, speed, and no residue.

[0024] In this patent, the term "heated cigarette" refers to a novel tobacco product that resembles traditional cigarettes in appearance, structure, and function. However, unlike traditional cigarettes which smolder over an open flame at approximately 800°C, heated cigarettes primarily produce smoke by heating tobacco segments with a heat source. This generates smoke for consumers to inhale while the tobacco is not in combustion (<400°C), reducing the harmful smoke components produced by the high-temperature combustion and thermal decomposition of tobacco raw materials. Furthermore, it does not produce sideflow smoke, thus alleviating the health risks of smoking to some extent.

[0025] This patent provides a slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. By setting up a paddle-type stirring section, a large area of ​​material is moved as a whole during low-speed stirring, thereby generating a turbulent effect. Under the action of turbulence, the mixture begins to mix evenly. Furthermore, by setting up a staggered stirring section, the upward-flowing mixture is further stirred by the staggered stirring blades and can impact the inner tank wall, thereby depositing the material downwards, increasing the uniformity of the mixture of liquid and powder.

[0026] Meanwhile, this patent introduces cold plasma activated water through a cold plasma water generator to sterilize the thick slurry and extend the storage time, thereby further improving the production efficiency of thick slurry reconstituted tobacco flakes. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The above content of this patent and the following detailed embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are merely examples of the claimed technical solution.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the slurry production system used in this patent.

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A sectional view;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the method for extending the storage time of thick slurry in this patent.

[0031] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0032] Cold plasma water generator: 1

[0033] Storage tanks: 2

[0034] Tank: 21

[0035] Outer can: 211

[0036] Inner tank: 212

[0037] Feed port: 22

[0038] Motor: 23

[0039] Stirring device: 24

[0040] Interleaved mixing section: 241

[0041] Paddle mixer: 242

[0042] Drive lever: 243

[0043] Inlet: 25

[0044] Feed pipe: 251

[0045] Exhaust port: 26

[0046] Material conveying pipe: 27

[0047] Flow meter: 28

[0048] Valve: 29

[0049] Bracket: 3

[0050] Production end equipment: 4

[0051] Thick slurry storage tank: 41

[0052] Pulping equipment: 42 Detailed Implementation

[0053] The detailed features and advantages of this patent are described below in the specific embodiments. The content is sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art to understand the technical content of this patent and implement it accordingly. Based on the specification, claims and drawings disclosed in this specification, a person skilled in the art can easily understand the related objectives and advantages of this patent.

[0054] This specification also uses several compound terms to describe devices, components, equipment, etc. that include more than one function, or to assign additional functions to a corresponding device, component, equipment, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that such compound terms can be implemented by a single or multiple devices, components, equipment, etc., as long as they are reasonable under the interpretation rules of this patent terminology.

[0055] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and interpreted in subsequent figures. In this specification and claims, several terms will be used, and unless otherwise indicated, these terms will be defined as having the following meanings:

[0056] The terms “comprising” or “having” have the same meaning as “containing”, and also include other forms of the term, such as the gerund and singular forms in English, meaning including but not limited to, and not intended to exclude, for example, other elements, components, integers or steps.

[0057] All other terms used herein for special definition are intended to have the general meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in particular, meaning that one of ordinary skill in the art, upon reading the claims, specification and drawings of this patent, can directly and without doubt determine how the technical solution of this patent can be implemented.

[0058] Even if there are incomplete descriptions, omissions, or ambiguities in the grammar, words, punctuation, graphics, symbols, etc. of the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent, a person skilled in the art can still arrive at the only correct understanding by reading the claims, specification, and drawings as a whole without extensive reasoning or experimentation, and effectively exclude various incorrect interpretations that are not aimed at achieving the purpose of this patent.

[0059] Those skilled in the art would first choose to read the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; secondly, they would choose to refer to the relevant definitions in other documents published by the applicant before the filing date to reasonably interpret the terms; thirdly, they would choose the references cited in this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; and finally, they would choose to combine the technical dictionaries, technical manuals, reference books, textbooks, national or industry technical standards, etc., commonly used by those skilled in the art to reasonably interpret the terms.

[0060] All references cited in this application are incorporated herein by way of quotation, to the extent that they do not contradict the disclosure herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that products (apparatus, components, devices, compounds, compositions, materials, etc.) and methods (processes, steps, conditions, parameters, equipment, and test methods, equipment, etc.) not specifically described herein can be applied to the implementation of the inventions fully disclosed herein without the need for excessive experimentation. This patent is intended to cover all functional equivalents known in the art of the methods, apparatus, apparatus components, materials, processes, and techniques specifically described herein. All cited references include:

[0061] The following publications are included: Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers (11th edition and other editions prior to the filing date of this application), published by McGraw-Hill, Inc.; DeGarmo's Materials and Processes in Manufacturing (13th edition and other editions prior to the filing date of this application), published by Wiley; Oberg's Machine Handbook (32nd edition and other editions prior to the filing date of this application), published by IndustrialPress Inc.; Cheng Daxian's Mechanical Design Handbook (6th edition and other editions prior to the filing date of this application), published by Chemical Industry Press; and Wen Bangchun's Modern Mechanical Design Handbook (6th edition and other editions prior to the filing date of this application), published by Machinery Industry Press.

[0062] This patent will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar elements. While specific structures and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done merely for illustrative purposes. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other structures and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of this patent. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that this patent can also be used in a variety of other applications.

[0063] like Figure 1-2 As shown, this patent provides a thick slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets used in cigarettes. The thick slurry production system specifically includes a cold plasma water generator 1, a storage tank 2 (i.e., a material preparation device), a support 3, and a production end device 4. The cold plasma water generator is used to prepare and generate cold plasma water, which is then transported to the storage tank 2 and mixed with atomizing agents, added fibers, adhesives, flavorings, and tobacco extracts as a liquid material. This mixture is stirred and mixed with the powder materials until homogeneous, resulting in a thick slurry. The thick slurry is then transported to the production end device 4 for subsequent production steps or stored for later production.

[0064] The bracket 3 is used to support the storage tank 2 so that the storage tank 2 has a certain height, which allows the production end device 4 to have sufficient space to connect to the bottom of the storage tank 2.

[0065] The cold plasma water generator 1 consists of at least four parts: an air intake unit, an electrical control unit, a preparation unit, and a liquid storage unit.

[0066] The intake unit requires filtered air.

[0067] The preparation unit uses a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge device to prepare cold plasma water. The matrix is ​​pure water. The dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge is employed with an electrode spacing of 4-5 mm and a discharge area of ​​1-1.5 m². 2 The discharge power is 15-20KV, the air flow rate is 5-8L / min, and the processing time is 45-90s.

[0068] The electrical control unit controls the flow rate and velocity of the cold plasma water delivered to the storage tank 2.

[0069] The liquid storage unit is used to store the prepared cold plasma water, which is then transported to the storage tank 2 when the storage tank 2 starts working.

[0070] The storage tank 2 includes a tank body 21, a feeding port 22, a motor 23, a stirring device 24, a water inlet 25, an exhaust port 26, a conveying pipe 27, a flow meter 28, and a valve 29.

[0071] The tank 21 includes an outer tank 211 and an inner tank 212. The inner tank 212 can be connected to a motor and heated under control to increase the temperature of the liquid and accelerate the mixing and preparation process.

[0072] A through-hole 25 is provided on the upper side wall of the tank 21. The inlet 25 is connected to the cold plasma water generator 1 through the feed pipe 251, so that the cold plasma water generated by the cold plasma water generator 1 is transported to the storage tank 2.

[0073] A feeding port 22 is provided at the top of the outer tank 211. Liquid raw materials and powders such as atomizing agents, added fibers, adhesives, flavorings, and tobacco extracts can enter the inner tank 212 through the feeding port 22.

[0074] The inner tank 212 is equipped with a stirring device 24, which is driven by an externally installed motor 23.

[0075] The stirring device 24 includes an alternating stirring section 241, a paddle stirring section 242, and a drive rod 243. The alternating stirring section 241 and the paddle stirring section 242 are mounted on the drive rod 243, and the drive rod 243 is connected to the motor 23.

[0076] The paddle-type agitator 242 is arranged near the bottom of the tank 21, and the staggered agitator 241 is arranged near the top of the tank 21. The mixture of liquid and powder is stirred at low speed by the large-area paddle-type agitator at the bottom of the inner tank 212, achieving large-area overall material movement and generating turbulence. Under the influence of this turbulence, the mixture begins to mix evenly. Some of the mixture rises to the area of ​​the staggered agitator 241, where it impacts the wall of the inner tank 212 under the action of the staggered agitator blades, and then settles downwards. This patent further increases the uniformity of the liquid-powder mixing through the arrangement of the staggered agitator 241 and the paddle-type agitator 242.

[0077] One end of the drive rod 243 is fixed to the inner tank 212, and the other end of the drive rod 243 is connected to the paddle-type stirring part 242 and suspended in the air. This prevents the unevenly mixed liquid and powder from being squeezed into the opening of the conveying pipe 27 at the bottom during stirring. Furthermore, the turbulence effect of the paddle-type stirring part 242 ensures that the liquid and powder at the bottom of the paddle-type stirring part 242 are stirred and mixed evenly. Specifically, a switch can be installed at the opening where the conveying pipe 27 contacts the bottom of the inner tank 212. After the liquid and powder are mixed, the switch can be opened manually or electrically to allow the uniform material to enter the conveying pipe 27.

[0078] The top of the tank 21 is also provided with an exhaust port 26. The gas generated during the mixing of liquid and powder in the inner tank 212 can be discharged through the exhaust port 26. As the stirring device 24 will generate heat by violent friction with the mixture during the stirring process, the gas in the inner tank 212 will float upward under the action of thermal expansion and contraction. At this time, the exhaust port 26 is located at the top to fully discharge the gas and prevent the hot gas from remaining inside the tank 21, which may lead to the risk of explosion.

[0079] After the liquid and powder are mixed evenly, a thick slurry is formed. The thick slurry can be transported to the production end device 4 through the conveying pipe 27 at the bottom of the tank 21. The production end device 4 includes a thick slurry storage tank 41 and a slurry distribution device 42.

[0080] At least two conveying pipes 27 are provided, one for connecting the slurry storage tank 41 and the other for the slurry distribution equipment 42. Each conveying pipe 27 is equipped with a flow meter 28 and a valve 29. When the slurry needs to directly enter the production process, it can flow to the slurry distribution equipment 42 by regulating the flow meter 28 and the valve 29. When the production process is paused, it flows to the slurry storage tank 41 by regulating the flow meter 28 and the valve 29. Specifically, regulating the flow meter 28 and the valve 29 means that the valve 29 can selectively open or close the conveying pipe 27. When the conveying pipe 27 is open, the flow meter 28 monitors the flow rate of the slurry in the conveying pipe 27.

[0081] Working principle: Liquid raw materials such as atomizing agents, added fibers, adhesives, flavorings, and tobacco extracts are fed into tank 21 through inlet 22. Cold plasma water generator 1 prepares cold plasma water, and the flow rate and velocity are controlled by the electronic control unit. The cold plasma water enters tank 21 through inlet 25 and is mixed by stirring device 24 to obtain liquid material. Powder material is then added and stirred to prepare thick slurry. The prepared thick slurry can be directly conveyed to slurry distribution equipment 42 through conveying pipe 27 to start production, or it can be conveyed to thick slurry storage tank 41 for storage and later use.

[0082] like Figure 3 As shown, this patent provides a method for extending the storage time of thick slurry using the above-mentioned thick slurry production system, specifically including:

[0083] S1. Preparation of cold plasma activated water;

[0084] S2, cold plasma activated water is mixed with atomizing agent, added fiber, adhesive, fragrance and tobacco extract to form a liquid;

[0085] S3. The liquid and powder materials are mixed evenly.

[0086] S4. The slurry is stored for later use or used directly for slurry application.

[0087] In step S1, the preparation steps of cold plasma activated water include: using pure water as a matrix, employing dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge, with an electrode spacing of 4-5 mm, an electrode discharge area of ​​1-1.5 m2, a discharge power of 15-20 KV, an air flow rate of 5-8 L / min, and a processing time of 45-90 s.

[0088] In step S2, the atomizing agent is one or more selected from propylene glycol, glycerol, and polyethylene glycol.

[0089] The adhesive is selected from one or more of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, guar gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, cyclodextrin, and sodium alginate.

[0090] The added fibers are selected from one or more of softwood pulp, hardwood pulp, hemp pulp, Canadian pine pulp, and bamboo pulp.

[0091] The fragrance is selected from one or more of the following: blueberry, sweet orange, mint, coffee, green tea, pineapple, grape, melon, and peach.

[0092] In step S3, the powder is tobacco powder and / or non-tobacco plant-based powder.

[0093] Example 1

[0094] like Figure 1-3As shown, this embodiment provides a thick pulp production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. The production steps of the thick pulp production system are as follows:

[0095] S1. Using pure water as the substrate, a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge is employed, with an electrode spacing of 4mm and a discharge area of ​​1.5m². 2 Cold plasma activated water was prepared by discharging a power of 15KV, using an air flow rate of 5L / min and a processing time of 60s.

[0096] S2. Taking 100 parts of dry powder as a reference, add 250 parts of cold plasma activated water, 30 parts of atomizing agent (propylene glycol: glycerol = 2:3), 5 parts of added fiber (selected as bamboo pulp), 3 parts of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 8 parts of blueberry flavoring, 0.1 parts of tobacco extract, etc. to make a liquid mixture.

[0097] The tobacco extract can be prepared using the method disclosed in Chinese invention patent CN117678802A, which includes the following steps:

[0098] (a) Take 10 kg of tobacco stems and dry them in an oven at 80°C for 12 hours to obtain a dry raw material with a moisture content of 8.0%;

[0099] (b) The obtained dry raw material is placed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor and purged with high-purity nitrogen as a protective gas. The heating program of the pyrolysis reactor is set to heat up to 550°C at a heating rate of 20°C / min and continue to react for 20min. The flow rate of high-purity nitrogen is controlled so that the residence time of volatiles in the pyrolysis reactor is 2s.

[0100] (c) The volatiles enter the shell-and-tube condenser for condensation and enrichment. The condenser is cooled by ice water and operates at a temperature of 5°C.

[0101] (d) Collect 4.2 kg of the crude extract obtained in step (c) and mix it thoroughly with 21 kg of propylene glycol and 2.1 kg of potassium chloride to obtain an electrochemical reaction solution;

[0102] (e) The electrochemical reaction solution is placed in a one-chamber electrolytic cell, with magnesium as the anode and platinum as the cathode. CO2 gas is continuously introduced near the cathode at a flow rate of 21 mol / min. The electrochemical reaction is operated in constant current mode, with a preferred current density of 10 mA / cm². 2 The electrolysis time is 4 hours. The electrolyte is continuously stirred by a stirrer, and the electrolytic cell is cooled by cold water to keep the temperature constant at 20°C.

[0103] (f) Filter the electrolyte after the reaction in step (e) to obtain a clear solution, which is the tobacco extract;

[0104] S3. The liquid material and tobacco powder are mixed evenly to obtain a thick paste;

[0105] S4. The thick slurry is stored for 4 hours for later use.

[0106] Example 2

[0107] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this embodiment provides a thick pulp production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. The production steps of the thick pulp production system are as follows:

[0108] S1. Using pure water as the substrate, a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge is employed, with an electrode spacing of 4mm and a discharge area of ​​1.5m². 2 Cold plasma activated water was prepared by discharging a power of 20 kV, using an air flow rate of 8 L / min and a processing time of 80 s.

[0109] S2. Taking 100 parts of dry powder as a reference, add 260 parts of cold plasma activated water, 32 parts of atomizing agent (propylene glycol: glycerol: polyethylene glycol = 1:3:1), 4 parts of added fiber (selected as bamboo pulp), 4 parts of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, 10 parts of peppermint flavoring, 0.1 parts of tobacco extract, etc. to make a liquid mixture.

[0110] The tobacco extract can be prepared using the method disclosed in Chinese invention patent CN117678802A, which includes the following steps:

[0111] (a) Take 10 kg of tobacco stems and dry them in an oven at 80°C for 12 hours to obtain a dry raw material with a moisture content of 8.0%;

[0112] (b) The obtained dry raw material is placed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor and purged with high-purity nitrogen as a protective gas. The heating program of the pyrolysis reactor is set to heat up to 550°C at a heating rate of 20°C / min and continue to react for 20min. The flow rate of high-purity nitrogen is controlled so that the residence time of volatiles in the pyrolysis reactor is 2s.

[0113] (c) The volatiles enter the shell-and-tube condenser for condensation and enrichment. The condenser is cooled by ice water and operates at a temperature of 5°C.

[0114] (d) Collect 4.2 kg of the crude extract obtained in step (c) and mix it thoroughly with 21 kg of propylene glycol and 2.1 kg of potassium chloride to obtain an electrochemical reaction solution;

[0115] (e) The electrochemical reaction solution is placed in a one-chamber electrolytic cell, with magnesium as the anode and platinum as the cathode. CO2 gas is continuously introduced near the cathode at a flow rate of 21 mol / min. The electrochemical reaction is operated in constant current mode, with a preferred current density of 10 mA / cm². 2The electrolysis time is 4 hours. The electrolyte is continuously stirred by a stirrer, and the electrolytic cell is cooled by cold water to keep the temperature constant at 20°C.

[0116] (f) Filter the electrolyte after the reaction in step (e) to obtain a clear solution, which is the tobacco extract;

[0117] S3. The liquid material and black tea powder (i.e., non-tobacco plant-based powder) are mixed evenly to obtain a thick slurry;

[0118] S4. The thick slurry is stored for 8 hours for later use.

[0119] Example 3

[0120] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this embodiment provides a thick pulp production system for heating reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. The production steps of the thick pulp production system are as follows:

[0121] S1. Using pure water as the substrate, a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge is employed, with an electrode spacing of 5mm and a plate discharge area of ​​1.5m². 2 The discharge power was 18KV, the air flow rate was 6L / min, and the processing time was 70s to prepare cold plasma activated water.

[0122] S2. Taking 100 parts of dry powder as a reference, add 250 parts of cold plasma activated water, 35 parts of atomizing agent (propylene glycol: polyethylene glycol = 4:1), 3 parts of added fiber (selected as bamboo pulp), 1 part of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 2 parts of sodium alginate, 12 parts of sweet orange flavoring, 0.1 parts of tobacco extract, etc. to make a liquid mixture.

[0123] The tobacco extract can be prepared using the method disclosed in Chinese invention patent CN117678802A, which includes the following steps:

[0124] (a) Take 10 kg of tobacco stems and dry them in an oven at 80°C for 12 hours to obtain a dry raw material with a moisture content of 8.0%;

[0125] (b) The obtained dry raw material is placed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor and purged with high-purity nitrogen as a protective gas. The heating program of the pyrolysis reactor is set to heat up to 550°C at a heating rate of 20°C / min and continue to react for 20min. The flow rate of high-purity nitrogen is controlled so that the residence time of volatiles in the pyrolysis reactor is 2s.

[0126] (c) The volatiles enter the shell-and-tube condenser for condensation and enrichment. The condenser is cooled by ice water and operates at a temperature of 5°C.

[0127] (d) Collect 4.2 kg of the crude extract obtained in step (c) and mix it thoroughly with 21 kg of propylene glycol and 2.1 kg of potassium chloride to obtain an electrochemical reaction solution;

[0128] (e) The electrochemical reaction solution is placed in a one-chamber electrolytic cell, with magnesium as the anode and platinum as the cathode. CO2 gas is continuously introduced near the cathode at a flow rate of 21 mol / min. The electrochemical reaction is operated in constant current mode, with a preferred current density of 10 mA / cm². 2 The electrolysis time is 4 hours. The electrolyte is continuously stirred by a stirrer, and the electrolytic cell is cooled by cold water to keep the temperature constant at 20°C.

[0129] (f) Filter the electrolyte after the reaction in step (e) to obtain a clear solution, which is the tobacco extract;

[0130] S3. The liquid material and tobacco powder are mixed evenly to obtain a thick paste;

[0131] S4. The thick slurry is stored for 6 hours for later use.

[0132] Comparative Example 1

[0133] This comparative example provides a thick slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes. The difference from Example 1 is that the cold plasma water generator 1 is replaced with a pure water preparation device. The production steps of the thick slurry production system are as follows:

[0134] Taking 100 parts of dry powder as an example, add 250 parts of pure water, 30 parts of atomizing agent (propylene glycol: glycerol = 2:3), 5 parts of added fiber (selected as bamboo pulp), 3 parts of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 8 parts of blueberry flavoring, 0.1 parts of tobacco extract, etc. to make a liquid. Mix the liquid with the tobacco powder evenly to obtain a thick paste, and store the thick paste for later use.

[0135] The tobacco extract can be prepared using the method disclosed in Chinese invention patent CN117678802A, which includes the following steps:

[0136] (a) Take 10 kg of tobacco stems and dry them in an oven at 80°C for 12 hours to obtain a dry raw material with a moisture content of 8.0%;

[0137] (b) The obtained dry raw material is placed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor and purged with high-purity nitrogen as a protective gas. The heating program of the pyrolysis reactor is set to heat up to 550°C at a heating rate of 20°C / min and continue to react for 20min. The flow rate of high-purity nitrogen is controlled so that the residence time of volatiles in the pyrolysis reactor is 2s.

[0138] (c) The volatiles enter the shell-and-tube condenser for condensation and enrichment. The condenser is cooled by ice water and operates at a temperature of 5°C.

[0139] (d) Collect 4.2 kg of the crude extract obtained in step (c) and mix it thoroughly with 21 kg of propylene glycol and 2.1 kg of potassium chloride to obtain an electrochemical reaction solution;

[0140] (e) The electrochemical reaction solution is placed in a one-chamber electrolytic cell, with magnesium as the anode and platinum as the cathode. CO2 gas is continuously introduced near the cathode at a flow rate of 21 mol / min. The electrochemical reaction is operated in constant current mode, with a preferred current density of 10 mA / cm². 2 The electrolysis time is 4 hours. The electrolyte is continuously stirred by a stirrer, and the electrolytic cell is cooled by cold water to keep the temperature constant at 20°C.

[0141] (f) Filter the electrolyte after the reaction in step (e) to obtain a clear solution, which is the tobacco extract;

[0142] In Comparative Example 1, 10g samples of the slurry were taken at storage times of 0h, 2h, 4h, 6h, and 8h. In Example 1, 10g of the slurry from step S3 was taken at storage time of 0h. Slurry samples from Examples 1-3 after storage for the corresponding time were also taken. The total bacterial count of all the above slurry samples was determined according to GB4789.2-2022, and expressed as Lg (CFU). The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0143] Table 1: Total Colony Count of Thick Porridge in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 1

[0144]

[0145] In Table 1, CFU (Colony-Forming Units) refers to the total number of microbial communities such as bacteria, molds, and yeasts per unit volume. In viable cell culture counting, a colony formed by the growth and reproduction of a single cell or multiple cells aggregated on a solid culture medium is called a colony-forming unit, which expresses the number of viable cells.

[0146] As shown in Table 1, without any intervention, such as in Comparative Example 1, the total bacterial count of the slurry reached 10 after 4 hours of storage. 5 -10 6 Order of magnitude, referring to the theory of food microbiology, 10 6 CFU / g is generally considered the critical point of food spoilage. The product may have already shown signs of deterioration such as off-odor and sourness, which will affect the quality of the flakes and their ability to absorb flavor. If stored for more than 4 hours, the slurry should be discarded and not used.

[0147] In Example 1, where cold plasma activated water was used, the initial slurry CFU was significantly reduced, indicating that cold plasma activated water has a significant bactericidal and preservative effect. Furthermore, the data showed that the microbial growth rate was slowed down under the action of cold plasma activated water. After 4 hours of storage, the CFU in the Example 1 slurry was lower than that in the unstored Comparative Example 1 slurry, and after 8 hours of storage, the CFU in the Example 3 slurry still did not reach 10. 6 The CFU / g spoilage threshold indicates that this treatment method can effectively extend the storage time of thick slurry, and further improve material preparation and production efficiency.

[0148] Compared with existing technologies, the slurry production system applied in this patent has the following beneficial effects:

[0149] 1. Increase storage time: The use of cold plasma activated water enhances the antibacterial ability of thick slurry and effectively extends the storage time of thick slurry, which can correspondingly improve production efficiency.

[0150] 2. Environmentally friendly: Cold plasma technology is an environmentally friendly technology that does not produce harmful byproducts and meets the requirements of green production.

[0151] The terms and expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. Their use is not intended to exclude any equivalents of the features or portions thereof shown, but rather to facilitate the understanding that various modifications may be possible within the scope of this patent claim. Therefore, it should be understood that while this patent has been specifically disclosed through preferred embodiments, exemplary embodiments, and optional features, variations or modifications of the concepts disclosed herein may be adopted by those skilled in the art, and such variations and modifications are therefore considered to be within the scope of this patent as defined by the appended claims. The specific embodiments given in this specification are examples of useful embodiments of this patent, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this patent can be implemented using many variations of the devices, device components, and method steps disclosed herein.

[0152] The foregoing description of specific embodiments fully discloses the general features of this patent, enabling others to easily modify and / or adapt such embodiments for various applications by applying knowledge within the scope of the art, without excessive experimentation or deviation from the general concept of this patent. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance provided herein, it is intended that such modifications and alterations be included within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes and not intended to be limiting; thus, the wording or terminology in this specification will be interpreted by those skilled in the art based on the foregoing teachings and guidance.

[0153] Furthermore, the scope of this patent should not be limited to any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but only to the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for producing a thick slurry of reconstituted tobacco sheets for heating cigarettes, characterized in that, The thick slurry production system includes a cold plasma water generator, a material preparation device, and a production end device. The cold plasma water generator is connected to the material preparation device so that the generated cold plasma water is transported to the material preparation device. The material preparation device is connected to the production end device. The material preparation device is equipped with a stirring device, which includes an alternating stirring section and a paddle stirring section. The alternating stirring section is arranged near the top of the material preparation device, and the paddle stirring section is arranged near the bottom of the material preparation device.

2. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stirring device also includes a drive rod and a motor. The drive rod is arranged inside the material preparation device, and the drive rod passes through the material preparation device to connect to the motor. The staggered stirring section and the paddle stirring section are arranged on the drive rod.

3. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the drive rod is fixed to the material preparation device, and the other end of the drive rod is connected to the paddle stirring part and suspended in the air.

4. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper side wall of the material preparation device is provided with a through water inlet. The cold plasma water generator is connected to the water inlet via a feed pipe, so that the cold plasma water generated by the cold plasma water generator is delivered to the material preparation device.

5. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the material preparation device is equipped with a feeding port and an exhaust port.

6. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the material preparation device is connected to a material conveying pipe, which is connected to the production end device.

7. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 6, characterized in that, At least two conveying pipes are provided. The production end device includes a slurry storage tank and a slurry distribution device.

8. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 7, characterized in that, The conveying pipe is equipped with a flow meter and a valve.

9. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold plasma water generator includes an air intake unit, an electrical control unit, a preparation unit, and a liquid storage unit.

10. The slurry production system for heated reconstituted tobacco sheets for cigarettes according to claim 9, characterized in that, The preparation unit includes a dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge device, wherein the electrode spacing of the dual-electrode dielectric barrier discharge device is 4-5 mm.

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