Process for peparing a tobacco blend

Abstract

In a process for preparing a tobacco blend, at least two different types of tobacco are thermally treated and blended so as to form the tobacco blend. Thermal treatment as well as blending of the different types of tobacco is performed by introducing the different types of tobacco into a combined thermal treating and blending unit, where thermally treating as well as blending of the at least two different types of tobacco is performed.

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         5 . Apparatus for thermally treating and blending a tobacco blend having at least two different tobacco components comprising:
 a thermal treating and blending unit including an upwardly extending portion and means to introduce a basic process gas into the thermal treating and blending unit to flow in an upward direction through the upwardly extending portion;   a first inlet communicating with the thermal treating and blending unit to introduce a first tobacco type into the combined thermal treating and blending unit by means of a first process gas; and   at least a second inlet communicating with the thermal treating and blending unit to introduce a second tobacco type into the combined thermal treating and blending unit by means of a second process gas.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the basic process gas, the first process gas, and the second process gas has a temperature in the range of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius and a velocity in the range of up to about 100 m/s. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the temperature of the at least one of the basic process gas, the first process gas, and the second process gas is in the range of from about 40 degrees Celsius to about 200 degrees Celsius, and wherein the velocity is in the range of up to about 20 m/s. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are positioned at different vertical levels of the upwardly extending portion of the combined thermal treating and blending unit. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet includes a venturi. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet is connected to the thermal heating and blending unit so that the corresponding process gas and the corresponding tobacco component enter the upwardly extending portion at an acute angle relative to the basic process gas. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the upwardly extending portion of the thermal heating and blending unit includes a plurality of flow deflector plates. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the thermal heating and blending unit includes a lower portion for thermal heating of tobacco components and an upper portion for blending tobacco types. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the lower portion and the upper portion at least partially overlap. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet introduces tobacco substantially radially into the thermal heating and blending unit. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet introduces tobacco substantially tangentially into the thermal heating and blending unit. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for preparing a tobacco blend, in which process at least two different types of tobacco are thermally treated and blended so as to form the tobacco blend, wherein thermally treating as well as blending of the at least two different types of tobacco is performed by:
 a combined thermal treating and blending unit having an upwardly extending portion;   means for introducing a basic process gas into the thermal treating and blending unit to flow through the upwardly extending portion in an upward direction;   means for introducing a first type of tobacco into the combined thermal treating and blending unit by means of a first process gas; and   means for introducing at least a second type of tobacco into the combined thermal treating and blending unit by means of a second process gas; and   means for thermally treating and blending the at least two different types of tobacco within the thermal treating and blending unit.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein any of the process gases has a temperature in the range of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius and a velocity in the range of up to about 100 m/s. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the temperature of the process gas is in the range of from about 40 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius, and wherein the velocity is in the range of up to about 20 m/s. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the different types of tobacco are introduced at different vertical levels of the upwardly extending portion of the combined thermal treating and blending unit.