EP1688051A1 - tobacco drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

The two plane side of the containers are closed by end plate. The container having rollers parallel to the axial rotation in the tobacco cluster, where the container is placed on the axis of the peripheral wall, which delimits the axial cavity. The containers (2): are placed in the axis, where the lowest unit of the duct side (3) transports hot air flow and are equipped with detachable combs, which is inserted in the tobacco cluster after loading.

Description

The present invention relates to a tobacco dryer device.

In the traditional way, the tobacco is dried in dryer devices of the type described in document FR 2,535,947, that is to say comprising a closed enclosure, or drying cabin, in which containers loaded with sheets are arranged. tobacco and superimposed in several stages, which are traversed vertically, from bottom to top, by a heated air flow.

This type of dryer device has many disadvantages, in particular as regards the loading, the duration of drying and therefore the cost, as well as with regard to the quality of the drying.

Indeed, between the harvest and the loading of the dryer, the tobacco leaves undergo many manipulations which are likely to damage them.

In addition, during the drying operation, the distribution of the tobacco leaves is not regular, it creates zones of preferential passage of the hot air flow especially at the periphery along the walls of the cabin, and areas where the tobacco dries faster than in others, which results, in addition to an increase in the drying time and therefore an increase in cost, a quality of drying which is not homogeneous, the leaves of the central zone presenting usually soft ribs.

The present invention aims to provide a dryer device to overcome the various disadvantages mentioned above.

The tobacco dryer device according to the invention is of the type comprising a closed enclosure housing at least one container loaded with tobacco leaves, and associated with a means for producing a heated air flow, and it essentially characterizes said container has a ring shape, that is to say it consists of the section of a cylinder pierced with an axial cavity, arranged so that its axis is oriented substantially horizontally, at least the peripheral wall and that defining said axial cavity are perforated, while said means for producing a heated air flow comprises a conduit or the like adapted to be connected to said axial cavity so as to allow said heated airflow crosses said container from said axial cavity to the periphery, or vice versa.

According to an additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, it comprises means for reversing the direction of circulation of the hot air, so as to allow the realization of successive drying phases, for each of which the direction of the Dry air flow is reversed.

According to a particular embodiment of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the means for producing hot air flow is associated with a box against which is intended to come to attach a container, and which is provided with part of an opening positioned at the right of the axial cavity of said container, and secondly, at the periphery, movable flaps adapted, according to their positions, to allow the flow of air through said container from the inside to outside or vice versa.

According to an additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the two planar sides of each or the containers are closed by flanges, at least one of which is removable to allow filling.

According to another additional characteristic of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the container or containers are arranged so that their axis is slightly inclined, the lowest point being on the side of the feed duct of the heated air flow. or the like.

According to another additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, it comprises means capable of axially rotating the container or containers.

According to a particular embodiment of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the means capable of axially rotating the container or containers, consist of rollers parallel to the axis of said container or containers, and on which they rest, and at least one of which is rotated axially.

According to another additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the container or containers are equipped with removable combs, intended to be driven into radial positions in the tobacco cluster after loading it into the container.

According to another additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, the or containers comprise means for holding the combs and which consist of slides that comprise the peripheral wall and the wall that defines the axial cavity, and in which are slid the ends of said combs.

According to another additional feature of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention, it comprises several containers abutted axially.

The advantages and characteristics of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which refers to the attached drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment.

• la figure 1 représente une vue schématique partielle en élévation et de côté d'un dispositif de séchoir à tabac selon l'invention.
• la figure 2 représente une vue schématique partielle en élévation de face du même dispositif.
• la figure 3 représente une vue schématique ne perspective, avec arraché partiel, d'une partie du même dispositif.
• la figure 4 représente une vue schématique partielle en élévation et de côté d'une forme particulière du dispositif de séchoir à tabac selon l'invention.

In the attached drawing:

• Figure 1 shows a partial schematic view in elevation and side of a tobacco dryer device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 represents a partial schematic view in front elevation of the same device.
• FIG. 3 represents a diagrammatic perspective view, with partial tearing, of part of the same device.
• Figure 4 shows a partial schematic view in elevation and side of a particular form of the tobacco dryer device according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that a tobacco dryer device according to the invention comprises a closed chamber 1 housing containers 2, in this case four in number.

Containers 2, one of which is shown in FIG. 3, each have a general annular shape, that is to say that they each consist of a cylinder of length less than its diameter, and pierced axially by a cylindrical cavity. 20.

Each container 2 has a perforated peripheral wall 21, while the wall 22 which delimits the cylindrical cavity 20 is also perforated, and that the side plane walls 23 and 24 are full, or possibly almost full.

The container 2 is also adapted to receive combs 25, only one of which is shown in FIG. radially being slid by their ends in slides 26 and 27 that comprise the walls, respectively 21 and 22, and which are intended to stabilize the mass of sheets inside the container 2.

At least one of the side walls 23 and 24 is removable, possibly consisting of several juxtaposed parts, so as to allow the loading of the container 2. For this operation, the container 2 is coated, as shown in Figure 3, and the removable side wall is removed.

It will be noted that the container 2 may not have an upper wall, in this case 24, the tobacco sheets being able to be retained by the combs 25.

It will also be noted that it is preferably provided to use, in association with the containers 2, an apparatus, of the trailer type, intended to carry a container 2, and equipped with means for axially rotating the container 2 along a vertical axis. during the dumping of tobacco leaves, so as to obtain a homogeneous distribution.

The container 2 can be filled at the place of harvest, thus limiting the number of manipulations.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that in the closed enclosure 1, the containers 2 are abutted axially so as to make it possible to align the cylindrical cavities 20 and to make them communicate with each other in pairs.

The closed enclosure 1 is connected to a duct 3 itself connected to a means for producing a heated air flow F, not shown, able to propel this heated air flow F into the cylindrical cavities 20, in so that this flow of heated air passes through the container 2 from its center to its periphery.

Because the hot air rises naturally, it is expected, in order to obtain a homogeneous drying, to rotate axially and slowly all the containers 2.

For this purpose, in the embodiment shown, the enclosure 1 comprises in its lower part and longitudinally, two rollers 10, parallel to the axis of the assembled containers 2, on which the latter rest, movable in axial rotation and whose at least one is rotated, so that this rotation can be transmitted to the containers 2.

It will be noted that the rollers 10 are arranged at a certain angle of inclination, the lowest level being at the inlet side of the hot air flow F. This configuration makes it possible on the one hand to maintain, on the one hand, gravity, the containers 2 applied against each other to prevent a loss of hot air between two successive containers 2, and secondly that the containers 2 furthest away from the heated air production means are also supplied with heated air.

If the containers 2 have only one side wall 23, it is of course expected that the two containers 2 end of the abutment, have this wall 23 on the outside.

Advantageously, means for collecting hot air can be provided in the upper part of the enclosure 1, and for redirecting it to the means for producing a heated air flow, and thus to reuse it in order to achieve energy savings.

The tobacco drying device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a drying of great homogeneity, while being more economical to use than the devices known to date.

The only preferential route taken by the heated air is the tunnel constituted by the abutment of the cavities 20, and the heated air can only exit by crossing the containers 2 and thus the cluster of tobacco leaves. In this regard it will be noted that it can be expected to close the end of the tunnel thus formed.

Referring now to Figure 4, we can see another embodiment of the dryer device according to the invention, wherein it is possible to reverse the direction of the hot air flow.

Thus, the enclosure 1 comprises, as for the embodiment previously described, two rollers 10, only one of which is visible, supporting containers 2 abutted axially.

The chamber 1 further comprises a box 4 against a wall 40 from which a container 2 is fastened, which wall 40 is provided with an opening 41 arranged in line with the cylindrical cavity 20 of the container 2.

The caisson 4 also comprises two high openings 42 and low 43 allowing a connection with the enclosure 1 outside the containers 2, and with a means 30 for producing a heated air flow, the low opening 43 communicating with a conduit 31 of hot air propulsion, while the upper opening 42 communicates with a duct 32 of cooled air suction. The openings 42 and 43 are equipped with movable shutters, respectively 44 and 45, to ensure the shutter.

The flaps 44 and 45 operate asymmetrically, thus, as shown in FIG. 4, when the shutter 44 is closed, the flap 45 is open and the hot air is propelled into the caisson 4 from which it can escape through the opening 41, to spread in the alignment of cylindrical cavities 20 and then through the containers 20 to return externally to these to return via line 32 to the means of production 30.

Conversely, when the flap 44 is open, configuration shown in broken lines, the flap 45 is closed so that the air propelled into the duct 31 spreads in the chamber 1, then passes through the containers 2, to lead into the aligning cylindrical cavities 20 and then escape into the casing 4 and finally into the duct 32.

This configuration allows, by successive inversions of the flow direction of the hot air flow, to obtain a more homogeneous and faster drying.

Claims (10)

Tobacco drying device of the type comprising a closed chamber (1) housing at least one container (2) loaded with tobacco leaves, and associated with means (30) for producing a heated air flow (F), characterized in that said container (2) has a ring shape, i.e. it consists of the section of a cylinder pierced with an axial cavity (20), arranged so that its axis is oriented substantially horizontally, at least the peripheral wall (21) and that (22) delimiting said axial cavity (20) are perforated, while said means (30) for producing a heated air flow (F) comprises a conduit or the like (3; 4) adapted to be connected to said axial cavity (20) so as to allow said heated air flow (F) to pass through said container (2) from said axial cavity (20) to the periphery, or vice versa. Tobacco drying device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (43, 44) for reversing the direction of circulation of the hot air (F), so as to allow the realization of successive phases of drying, for each of which the direction of the air flow (F) drying is reversed. Tobacco drying device according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (30) for producing hot air flow is associated with a box (4) against which a container (2) is intended to be fastened, and which is provided on the one hand with an opening (40) positioned in line with the axial cavity (20) of said container (2), and secondly on the periphery with movable flaps (43, 44) capable of according to their positions, to allow the flow of air through said container (20) from the inside to the outside or vice versa. Tobacco drying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two planar sides (23, 24) of each of the container or containers (2) are closed by flanges, at least one of which (24) ) is removable to allow filling. Tobacco drying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container or containers (2) are arranged so that their axis is slightly inclined, the lowest point being on the side of the conduit (3) d supplying the heated air flow (F) or the like (4). Tobacco drying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (10) capable of axially rotating the container or containers (2). Tobacco dryer device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the means capable of axially rotating the container or containers (2) consist of rollers (10) parallel to the axis of the at least one container (2), and on which these rest, and of which at least one is moved in axial rotation. Tobacco drying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container or containers (2) are equipped with removable combs (25) intended to be driven into radial positions in the pile of tobacco after loading. of it in the container (2). Tobacco dryer device according to claim 8, characterized in that the or the containers (2) comprise means for holding the combs (25) and which consist of slides (26, 27) that comprise the peripheral wall (21). ) and the wall (22) defining the axial cavity (20), and in which are slid the ends of said combs (25). Tobacco dryer device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of axially abutting containers (20).

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