EP1219186A2 - Process for the preparation of agglomerates and corresponding agglomerate - Google Patents

Abstract

Production of agglomerates comprises feeding a particulate material, starch, a binder and a liquid into a cavity to form a mixture; compressing and heating the mixture; and spraying the mixture out of at least one opening in the cavity. An Independent claim is also included for stick-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry comprising the agglomerates.

Description

• Zuführen von Partikeln eines ersten Materials, von Stärke, von Bindemitteln und von Flüssigkeit in eine Kavität, so daß ein Gemisch der zugeführten Materialien in der Kavität vorhanden ist,
• Verdichten und Erwärmen der zugeführten Materialien, und
• Austragen des Materialgemisches aus wenigstens einer Öffnung der Kavität.

The invention relates to a process for producing agglomerates, the process comprising the following steps:

• Supplying particles of a first material, starch, binders and liquid into a cavity so that a mixture of the supplied materials is present in the cavity,
• Compressing and heating the supplied materials, and
• Discharge of the material mixture from at least one opening in the cavity.

The invention further relates to an agglomerate comprising Binder, starch and tobacco particles.

So far there are some suggestions for generation or Production of agglomerates has been made. Furthermore are various proposals for the production of tobacco material published from tobacco particles. Appropriate Tobacco particles are tobacco dust from the tobacco processing and / or cigarette manufacturing process, crushed, from the cigarette manufacturing process discarded tobacco, especially rib particles as well shredded tobacco leaf and / or ribs. The agglomerates, which are made from such particle material, can take the form of flat sheets or foils, of bars, Have threads or hollow cylinders. Manufacturing process Such agglomerates are usually called Tobacco reconstitution or tobacco homogenization processes designated.

DE 38 04 459 C2, GB 2 201 081 and US 4,977,908, it is shown that proposed tobacco reconstitution has been going on like this Allow materials to be produced that are smoking articles can be used. If the material or the agglomerate as a rod with an open cell structure of, for example, 8 mm diameter was thought that this staff as a smokable article, the one Cigarette or cigar is similar to be smoked can. It has also been suggested the products of tobacco reconstitution procedures after cutting up or Shredding as part of a cut Filling material for ordinary smokable items use. Another use of reconstituted Tobacco materials in sheet or sheet form is the wrapper of smokable articles with it, for example as a cover sheet.

Ingredients that are added to tobacco in such materials are water, binders such as pectin, starch, pullulan and cellulose binders, fillers, humectants, expansion agents, reinforcing agents and flavoring agents. An expansion agent or blowing agent is, for example, CO ₂ .

From DE-AS 16 92 917, which corresponds to GB 1 150 856, is a process for making art tobacco known in the tobacco material, e.g. Rib parts or Tobacco dust, crushed, mixed with binders and is mixed into a tobacco pulp from which a product of a certain shape and with a final moisture content is dried, with only a part of the total used tobacco material with the addition of a liquid ground colloidally and the rest of the used tobacco material without such colloidal Milling is mixed with binders, taking care both parts of the tobacco material treated in this way again brought together and mixed to a homogeneous tobacco pulp be, which then in a known manner the desired shape of the end product is brought.

The well-known, by means of tobacco reconstitution procedures Products are manufactured when there are fabrics are in the tobacco processing of the to be cut Tobacco mixture fed. Are they crushed materials such as. Threads that are roughly cut tobacco size they are added to the finished tobacco mixture.

Both types of reconstitution products have that Disadvantage that they have such a high sink rate have a large part in the sifter of the Cigarette making machine to be discarded.

The object of the present invention is a method for the production of agglomerates of the aforementioned Kind in such a way that the agglomerates produced a relatively low density and sink rate have, and in particular have other properties that get close to the properties of tobacco. It is further Object of the present invention, an agglomerate to indicate that as a replacement or addition of tobacco or as Filling material used in smokable articles can.

• Zuführen von Partikeln eines ersten Materials, von Stärke, von Bindemitteln und von Flüssigkeit in eine Kavität, so daß ein Gemisch der zugeführten Materialien in der Kavität vorhanden ist,
• Verdichten und Erwärmen der zugeführten Materialien, und
• Austragen des Materialgemisches aus wenigstens einer Öffnung der Kavität, das dadurch weitergebildet ist, daß Agglomerate aus der Öffnung gespritzt werden.

This object is achieved by a process for producing agglomerates, the process comprising the following steps:

• Supplying particles of a first material, starch, binders and liquid into a cavity so that a mixture of the supplied materials is present in the cavity,
• Compressing and heating the supplied materials, and
• Discharge of the material mixture from at least one opening in the cavity, which is further developed by spraying agglomerates out of the opening.

Through this solution according to the invention, the generated Agglomerates a structure and a density that increases lead to a very low sink rate. in the Within the scope of this invention, the term “agglomerate” encompasses also the term "extrudate", "granulate", "cluster", "Bound Particles", "Bound Dust" and "from fine-grained, lumpy mass ".

For the purposes of this invention, the term "syringes" includes also the terms "shooting" and "jumping out".

The process of spraying the agglomerates out of the opening can be understood as a kind of explosion Material made up of many relatively small-sized agglomerates exists, splashed out of the opening, flung, is blown up or shot. It will explicitly the material from the cavity is not connected, in particular in one piece, squeezed out like this is the case with the prior art. At the booth technology is due to an adiabatic expansion which usually becomes vaporous when exiting Water the emerging material in its volume enlarged, so that in principle a strand is pushed out becomes. In this invention, due to a higher Water vapor pressure no longer plasticizes the material carried out, but literally torn out or from Water vapor entrained so that irregular little ones Get agglomerates outside. The agglomerates can then, for example, hurled onto a collecting element, to then process them further, for example. When exiting a violent material tear-off occurs from the opening, a pasty one previously in the cavity Dimensions.

The particles of the first material are preferably Tobacco particles, especially tobacco dust. Further preferably the agglomerates are a smokable extrudate, an extruder comprising the cavity.

This preferred embodiment of the invention Process leads to agglomerates or extrudates that Have tobacco particles and in particular tobacco dust, so that as a process product comprising tobacco particles Agglomerates arise, the preferred properties have, which are described below.

The materials supplied are, for example, in DE 38 04 459 C2. For starch comes, for example, maize or modified starch in question. As a binder preferably a cellulose binder is used. This are, for example, hydroxypropyl cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose. In addition, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose come into question. The Binder can be in the tobacco / starch / binder mixture consist of several binder materials.

Sugar can also be added. This can be a or several types of sugar such as fructose, glucose and Include sucrose. The sugar content should be 5 if possible % By weight of the tobacco / starch / binder mixture is not exceed.

The total water content in the cavity or in the extruder is such that without an extrudate drying step the Moisture content of the extrudate within 5 to 20 % By weight (moisture base) and preferably within one Range is between 10 and 14% by weight (moisture base). With the term "total water fraction" is the sum any moisture meant in the dry Components are included that the cavity or Extruders are added, plus any added Water. Water can be one or more of the ingredients of the mixture are added before the ingredients placed in the extruder or cavity and / or can be by injection through a cylinder channel the cavity or the extruder barrel Material are fed.

Preferably the components of the mixture mixed together and then the mixture in one dry or substantially dry state of the Cavity or extruder fed to the water through Injection into the cavity or the extruder barrel added added. It should be noted that A certain amount of tobacco dust or tobacco particles Already have moisture.

Furthermore, a plasticizer such as glycerin or Propylene glycol can be added to the mixture. The The plasticizer component in the mixture should be in are in a range between 1 and 10% by weight.

Preferably, the material supplied is shortly before at least one opening to a temperature of at least Brought to 150 ° C. In particular, the temperature is at more than 160 ° C. This configuration of the The method of the invention can Emerging from the at least one opening or nozzle, the material or extrudate through what is contained therein Expand water explosively and thus torn apart. In the prior art, such as in DE 38 04 459 C2 is specified, this is exactly what happens Opposite. Processing takes place in the state of the art under such conditions that immediately when exiting the nozzle, the extrudate through the inside contained water is expanded, which escapes as steam. This will increase the cross section of the extrudate and the material one cellular internal structure.

The material is preferably compacted just before the at least one opening at a push between 10 and 30 bar. When the sprayed out of the opening Agglomerates to a moisture content between 5 % And 20% by weight, in particular between 10% and 14% by weight Weight percent (wt%), based on the total mass, dried , these can preferably be smokable Find articles. Also preferred is the Moisture content of the agglomerates sprayed from the opening in a range between 5% and 20% by weight on the total mass. In particular is a moisture content the agglomerates sprayed from the opening between 10 % By weight and 14% by weight desired. The drying out of the Opening sprayed agglomerates is preferred quickly instead. This happens, for example, through a direct one Shoot into a dryer, for example a current dryer or is a fluid bed dryer. As part of this Invention also includes the term moisture content Term water content.

The materials supplied are preferably at least partially mixed before feeding into the cavity.

The invention is further achieved by an agglomerate that by the inventive method or a described further development of the method according to the invention is obtained.

Furthermore, the invention is solved by an agglomerate, which comprises binder, starch and tobacco particles, wherein the sink rate of the agglomerate is less than 3 m / s.

Tobacco particles are used in the context of this invention especially tobacco dust, ground winnover, ground Ribs, ground leaves, crushed tobacco or ground tobacco such as shot tobacco and tear-open tobacco. The rate of descent is special preferably less than 2.5 m / s.

The proportion of tobacco in the agglomerate is preferably greater than 50%. The tobacco content is preferably around 80%. The mixture preferably has the following proportions:

5 to 35 wt% starch, up to 10 wt% binder, whereby preferably the weight fraction of the starch at least twice the proportion by weight of the binder is 0 to 10% by weight of sugar, the weight percent on the mixture of tobacco, starch and binder and water with a share of 5 to 20% Weight, based on the total weight of the mixture.

The agglomerate is preferably an extrudate. Furthermore, the bulk density of several of the agglomerates is preferably less than 250 kg / m ³ .

Preferably, a substantial part of the agglomerates a fraction that is smaller than 5 mm. Further preferably the largest fraction fractions of the Agglomerate between 1 and 5 mm. When producing the Agglomerates form agglomerates of different sizes, which preferably in a further process step sieving the drying of the agglomerates. in this connection fractions are usually screened out by drop a 0.5 mm sieve. A 0.5 mm sieve should be presented that the edge length that is through the mesh screen resulting squares is 0.5 mm. As part of the applicant's attempts have shown that so far approx. 5 to 10% of the agglomerates are a fraction have less than 0.5 mm. This sifted out Fraction is preferably returned to the cycle Production of appropriate agglomerates inserted. The Fractions between 0.5 and 5 mm and in particular preferably between 1 and 3.15 mm are used for further processing e.g. e.g. to mix with the tobacco mixture used.

Preferably the agglomerate has a random shape. The random form may be called a fractal form. Furthermore, the filling power of several of the agglomerates is preferably greater than 2.5 cm ³ / g.

If preferably the agglomerate is tobacco-like Has burning properties, it is preferably as Tobacco substitute or as an admixture for a tobacco blend to use.

The agglomerate is preferably relatively abrasion-resistant. The Agglomerate is therefore preferably relatively dimensionally stable. The agglomerate is of course more appropriate when used Forces can be converted to dust again, this essentially does not happen when used the agglomerates during and after mixing in Tobacco blend. Preferably the water content is Agglomerate 5 to 20% by weight and in particular 10 to 14 % By weight, based on the total mass. The water content can partly in the tobacco particles and / or other materials.

Preferably, a rod-shaped article comprises the tobacco processing Industry the agglomerates described above. Furthermore, the described agglomerates in smokable articles, especially cigarettes, Cigars, tobacco for pipes and cigarillos, used.

The agglomerates described above are preferred used in artificial smoking articles. at artificial smoking articles or so-called artificial smoking Articles become tobacco and / or smokable agglomerates not burned but only heated to the aroma of To supply tobacco to smokers of artificial smoking articles.

Fig. 1

ein schematisches Diagramm zur Veranschaulichung eines Verfahrensablaufs zur Verarbeitung von Tabakstaub, und

Fig. 2

schematisch eine Vorrichtung, mit der das erfindungsgemäße Extrudat erzeugt wird.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments, to which reference is expressly made with regard to all details according to the invention which are not explained in more detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic diagram illustrating a process flow for processing tobacco dust, and

Fig. 2

schematically a device with which the extrudate according to the invention is produced.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a process flow of the Processing tobacco dust. Tobacco dust is in step 10 collected, for example in the central dedusting system. It can also add shot tobacco at this point become. At 11, the dust is processed, for example. by grinding and sieving, being in this embodiment a fraction size less than 0.5 mm is sought. Larger fractions can also be used can be further used if using a Extruder the opening is kept correspondingly large. It has been found that the Fraction should be about half the size of that Diameter of the extruder opening.

The corresponding recipe is produced at 12, that is Tobacco dust with starch, cellulose, plasticizer and possibly Mixed flavors. It also becomes a binder such as Xanthan added. After this Step the mixture is fed to an extruder, for example and by means of injection extrusion or shot extrusion at 13 agglomerates, or the extrudate, from Agglomerates is made. The temperature before the nozzle or the opening of the extruder is so high that the viscosity no longer allows a strand arises. For tobacco, this temperature is over 150 ° C. It comes from weft extrusion or injection extrusion at 13, as already shown above, for generation appropriate agglomerates, such as granules, Clusters, dust bound in chaotic form, the are non-uniform and in particular porous appearance.

At 14, the agglomerates produced dry on. Here, for example, by direct shooting the agglomerates in the dryer a quick drying respectively. For this purpose, for example, a fluidized bed dryer or used a power dryer. At 15 closes a sieving process. The fraction by a 0.5 mm sieve falls through, as indicated by the arrow is back in the processing process before Step 12 inserted. The fractions that are not through the 0.5 mm sieve are dropped, first in Step 16 stored. Then you can Agglomerates alternatively in 17 to the finished tobacco mixture be mixed in the tobacco preparation or in 18 when loading or in the cigarette making machine be added to the tobacco mixture. At 19 the final cigarette production then takes place.

The cigarettes produced in this way have the same characteristics manufactured agglomerates on the properties of Cigarette preferably essentially unchanged to let.

In Fig. 2 is a device for manufacturing schematically of the agglomerates. In this embodiment an extruder 20 is used. The Mixture 21 is fed to the barrel 23 of the extruder. The worm 24 is driven by the drive 22 in the direction of the arrow driven. By the movement of the screw 24 the mixture 21 in the direction of the extruder head 25 and Nozzle head 26 out.

The mixture 21 can already have the desired water content or it can have water at a suitable location in the cylinder 23 are injected. On the way to The mixture is compressed 21 and the temperature of the nozzle head is increased accordingly. Possibly. can be a heater be provided in the extruder head 25.

The nozzle head 26 comprises in this embodiment indicated three holes. The holes can, for example Have a diameter of 1 mm and be round or rectangular be and have dimensions of 1 x 4 mm, for example.

The extrudate 27 is from the extruder 20, not as in Known prior art discharged in the form of a strand and behind the extruder head 25 by suitable Middle cut, but splashes in the direction of the arrow indicated out of the nozzle head 26. 2 is a collecting wall 28 and a collecting container 29 provided to the agglomerates in a suitable manner to collect and collect.

The applicant has found that, in contrast to the prior art, in which extrudates are extruded accordingly, a blowing agent such as CO _{2 is} not conducive to the properties of the extrudate. For this reason, the use of CO _{2 is} avoided in this exemplary embodiment.

At this point, two attempts are made regarding their parameters are specified more precisely. The Experiments are labeled A and B.

In trial A, the nozzle head 26 of the extruder 20 fifteen round holes with a nozzle diameter of 1 mm on. In experiment B, the nozzle head 26 has a right angle Hole with edge lengths of 1.5 mm and 8 mm on. The screw speed of the extruder is in each case 450 revolutions / min. In experiment A, 4.9 l / h. Water added and in experiment B 4.3 l / h. Further 1.4 l / h in both tests. softener add out.

The recipe in both cases is as follows: 0.2 kg Stabilizer (xanthan), 2.8 kg of aggregate 1 (starch), 1.4 kg of aggregate 2 (cellulose), 16.6 kg Tobacco dust.

The test parameters are as follows: 50 kg / h in both experiments of dry matter add out. The temperature in front of the nozzle is being tried A 169 ° C and in the experiment B 167 ° C. The pressure in front of the nozzle is 24 bar in test A and 15 bar in test B. From this results in an extrudate that squirts out of the die, the extrudate exiting as it exits the die Has a moisture content of 11% in test A and 12.53% in Experiment B, this being% by weight based on the Total mass. After feeding it to the dryer Moisture content in test A 7.93% and in test B 8.98%. In experiment A, 3.15 l of water was added and in experiment B 4.08 l

The bulk density of the agglomerates in test A is 217.4 kg / m ³ and in test B 216.2 kg / m ³ . The filling power with a moisture content of 13% by weight per total weight is 2.7 cm ³ / g in test A and 3.01 cm ³ / g in test B. The filling power was determined with a Borgwald densimeter.

The sieve analysis gives the following values: The proportion the agglomerates that remain on a 3.15 mm sieve, is 0.04% in experiment A and in experiment B 7.41%. The proportion that remains on a 2.0 mm sieve is 0.06% in experiment A and in experiment B 44.96%. The proportion that remains on a 1.0 mm sieve is 42.56% in experiment A and in experiment B 35.36%. The proportion of the test A on a 0.5 mm sieve remains 48.78% and in experiment B 8.49%. The portion sifted through the 0.5 mm sieve is 8.57% in experiment A and in experiment B 3.79%. In this case, the respective shares are too understand that those sifted out in the larger seven Parts no longer reach the smaller sieves.

The 1 mm fraction has a volume of 186 ml in experiment A and 191 ml in experiment B, based on 40 g. The fraction 0.5 mm has a volume of 184 ml in experiment A and 198 ml in experiment B. The filling power of the fraction from 2 to 3.15 mm is 4.0 cm ³ / g in experiment B. The filling power of the fraction of 1 to 2 mm is 3.45 cm ³ / g in test A and 3.94 cm ³ / g in test B. The sinking speed of the fraction of 1 to 2 mm is 1.79 m / s in test A and 1.77 m / s in test B. The sinking speed of the fraction over 2 mm is 2.60 m / s in test B. Thus, the sink rate in trial A is 42.3% lower than the sink rate of small parts separated in the cigarette manufacturing process and in experiment B 45.9% or 20.5% lower than the sinking rate of small parts separated in the cigarette manufacturing process.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Collect tobacco dust

11

dust treatment

12

Prepare recipe

13

Shot extrusion or injection extrusion

14

dry

15

seven

16

To store

17

Add to the tobacco mixture in the tobacco preparation

18

Add to the tobacco mixture when loading on the Cigarette-producing

19

cigarette manufacturing

20

extruder

21

mixture

22

drive

23

cylinder

24

slug

25

extruder head

26

nozzle head

27

extrudate

28

backstop

29

receptacle

Claims (20)

A method of making agglomerates (27), the method comprising the steps of: Feeding particles of a first material, starch, binders and liquid into a cavity (20, 23) so that a mixture (21) of the supplied materials is present in the cavity (20, 23), Compressing and heating the supplied materials, and Discharging the material mixture from at least one opening (26) in the cavity (20, 23), characterized in that agglomerates (27) are sprayed out of the opening (26). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the particles of the first material are tobacco particles, in particular tobacco dust. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the agglomerates (27) are a particularly smokable extrudate and that an extruder (20) encompasses the cavity. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supplied material is brought to a temperature of at least 150 ° C shortly before the opening (26). Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the material is compacted shortly before the opening (26) to a pressure between 10 and 30 bar. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the agglomerates (27) sprayed from the opening (26) are dried to a moisture content of between 10% and 14% by weight, based on the total mass. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the moisture content of the agglomerates (27) sprayed from the opening (26) is between 5% and 20% by weight, based on the total mass. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the supplied materials are at least partially mixed before being fed into the cavity (20, 23). Agglomerate obtained by a method according to a or more of claims 1 to 8. Agglomerate comprising binder, starch and tobacco particles, characterized in that the sinking rate of the agglomerate is less than 3 m / s. is. Agglomerates according to claim 10, characterized in that the bulk density of several of the agglomerates is less than 250 kg / m ³ . Agglomerate according to claim 10 and / or 11, characterized in that a substantial part of the agglomerates has a fraction which is smaller than 5 mm. Agglomerate according to one or more of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the agglomerate (27) has a random shape. Agglomerates according to one or more of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the filling power of several of the agglomerates (27) is greater than 2.5 cm ³ / g. Agglomerate according to one or more of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the agglomerate (27) has tobacco-like burning properties. Agglomerate according to one or more of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the agglomerate (27) is relatively resistant to abrasion. Agglomerates according to one or more of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the water content is 5 to 20% by weight, in particular 10 to 14% by weight, based on the total mass. Rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry comprising agglomerates according to one or more of the Claims 9 to 17. Use of the agglomerates according to one or more of claims 9 to 17 in smokable articles. Use of the agglomerates according to one or more of claims 9 to 17 in artificial smoking articles.

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