(19)
(11) EP 0 629 352 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
15.03.1995 Bulletin 1995/11

(43) Date of publication A2:
21.12.1994 Bulletin 1994/51

(21) Application number: 94108982.3

(22) Date of filing: 11.06.1994
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: A24B 3/18
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU NL PT SE

(30) Priority: 06.12.1993 US 163049
14.06.1993 US 76535

(71) Applicant: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
Winston-Salem North Carolina 27102 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Beard, Hoyt S.
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106 (US)
  • Conrad, Lucas J.
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27104 (US)
  • Crook, J. Edward
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27127 (US)
  • Lovette, James E.
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106 (US)
  • Johnson, Robert Calvin
    Advance, North Carolina 27006 (US)
  • Newton, Donald A.
    Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103 (US)
  • Neshan, Hamid
    Houston, Texas 77024 (US)
  • White, Jackie Lee
    Pfafftown, North Carolina 27040 (US)

(74) Representative: Hoeger, Stellrecht & Partner 
Uhlandstrasse 14 c
70182 Stuttgart
70182 Stuttgart (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Tobacco expansion processes and apparatus


    (57) This invention provides tobacco expansion processes and apparatus that can be employed for expanding tobacco at rapid throughput rates employing high pressure tobacco impregnation conditions. The processes and apparatus of the invention are particularly useful in tobacco expansion processes employing cycle times of less than 20 - 30 seconds; the use of preheated, prepressurized expansion agent such as propane; preheating of tobacco batches; and/or compression of tobacco within a high pressure impregnation zone for greatly improving use of available space in a high pressure impregnation vessel.






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