A method of processing tobacco fines into a non-continuous tobacco material

Abstract

A method of processing tobacco fines into a non-continuous tobacco material includes providing a pre-sized tobacco stem material that has a Dp90 particle size of less than 2.5 mm and a Dp50 particle size of between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm, combining the pre-sized tobacco stem material with tobacco fines to provide a tobacco initial material, wherein the tobacco initial material includes between 40% and 60% pre-sized tobacco stem material (by mass). The method can include processing the initial material by setting the initial material to a predefined increased moisture content, subjecting the initial material to an increase in temperature and subjecting the initial material an increased pressure in order to bind the tobacco fines to the tobacco stem material, and conveying the initial material through a conveyor. The method can include feeding the processed tobacco material through a shearing gap such that the processed tobacco material is defibrated by expansion.

1 . A method of processing tobacco fines into a non-continuous tobacco material, the method comprising:
 providing a pre-sized tobacco stem material that has a Dp90 particle size of less than 2.5 mm and a Dp50 particle size of between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm;   combining the pre-sized tobacco stem material with tobacco fines to provide a tobacco initial material; and   processing the initial material by setting the initial material to a predefined increased moisture content, subjecting the initial material to an increase in temperature and subjecting the initial material an increased pressure in order to bind the tobacco fines to the tobacco stem material, wherein the step of processing the initial material comprises conveying the initial material through a conveyor, wherein the conveyer is operated at a throughput of greater than 100 kg/hr, and wherein the method further comprises:   feeding the processed tobacco material through a shearing gap such that the processed tobacco material is defibrated by expansion, wherein the shearing gap is arranged between shearing surfaces, wherein a rotatable shearing member comprises one of the shearing surfaces, wherein the shearing member comprises at least 140 grooves and wherein the grooves each have a maximum width in the circumferential direction of the shearing member of between 0.7 mm and 1 mm.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-sized stem material has a Dp90 particle size of less than 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1 or 2 mm. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-sized stem material has a Dp50 particle size of between 0.8 mm and 1.4 mm. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-sized stem material has a Dp10 particle size of at least 100 microns and, optionally, a Dp10 particle size of at least 150, 200, 250, 300 or 350, 400 or 500 microns. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing the pre-sized tobacco stem material comprises providing a starter stem material and using a hammer mill to reduce the particle size of starter stem material. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the increase in temperature is obtained by applying external heat and/or is the result of creating mechanical pressure. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the initial material further comprises winnowings. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco fines have a particle size smaller than 1 mm and, optionally, smaller than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco fines are bound to the pre-sized tobacco stem material mechanically, without using any externally applied binding agents. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , whereby the material to be processed is processed by conveying it continuously. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of processing the initial material comprises conveying the initial material through a conveyor which builds up a mechanical pressure. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the conveyor comprises an extruder. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the conveyer is operated at a throughput of greater than 110 kg/hr and, preferably, at least 115 or 120 kg/hr. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising pre-conditioning the stem material and/or winnowings to one or more of the following parameters: Temperature: 80-147[deg.] C.; Moisture: in the range of 6-14% OV by mass; and, Pressure (gas over-pressure): 0-8 bar. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , comprising pre-conditioning the stem material and/or winnowings to one or more of the following parameters: Temperature: 100-120[deg.] C.; Moisture: in the range of 8-12% OV by mass; and, Pressure (gas over-pressure): 0-3 bar, and preferably, 0-1 bar. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein processing the initial material comprises setting the initial material to a moisture content in the range 10 to 50% OV (oven volatiles) by mass. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 processing the initial material comprises heating the initial material to a temperature in the range of 60 to 180° C., preferably in the range of 100 to 140° C., and preferably in the range of 110 to 130° C.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein processing the initial material comprises pressurising the initial material to a pressure in the range 10 to 200 bar, and preferably in the range of 40 to 150 bar, and preferably in the range of 60 to 120 bar. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material is a fibrous and/or granular material. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises at least 30% tobacco fines and, preferably, at least 35% or at least 40% tobacco fines (by mass). 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises 50% or less tobacco fines and, preferably, 45% or less or 40% or less tobacco fines (by mass). 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises at least 5% tobacco winnowings and preferably, at least 7%, 8%, 9% or 10% winnowings (by mass). 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises 20% or less tobacco winnowings (by mass) and preferably, 18% or less, 15% or less, 12% or less, or 10% or less winnowings (by mass). 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises between 40% and 60% pre-sized tobacco stem material (by mass) or at least 45% pre-sized tobacco stem material (by mass). 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco initial material comprises 55% or less pre-sized tobacco stem material (by mass). 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco fines comprise, consist of, or essentially consist of, tobacco factory dust. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco fines have a Dp50 particle size of smaller than 1 mm and, preferably, smaller than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising exposing the processed tobacco material to a drop in pressure resulting in flash evaporation. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising feeding the processed tobacco material through a shearing gap such that the processed tobacco material is defibrated by expansion. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the shearing gap has a width in the range of 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the shearing gap is arranged between shearing surfaces, wherein a rotatable shearing member comprises one of the shearing surfaces. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the shearing member comprises between 140 and 180 grooves. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the grooves each have a maximum width of at most 2 mm and, preferably, at most 1.5 or 1 mm. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the grooves each have a maximum width of at least 0.3 mm and, optionally at least 0.5 mm or 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 31 , comprising rotating the shearing member at an angular velocity of at least 10 rpm and, preferably, at least 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 300 rpm or 350 rpm. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material has an average fiber diameter of less than 0.9 mm, preferably less than 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material has a density index in the range of 350 to 600 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         38 . A non-continuous tobacco material produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         39 . A component for a delivery system, wherein the component comprises non-continuous tobacco material produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         40 . A component according to  claim 39 , wherein the component further comprises a second tobacco material and, preferably, the second tobacco material is cut-rag tobacco. 
     
     
         41 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material is configured such that the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, an increased tar delivery in comparison to if the component did not comprise the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         42 . A component according to  claim 41 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material is configured such that the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, an increased tar delivery of at least 1.5%, 2% or 2.5% (by mass) for every 5% (by mass) inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         43 . A component according to  claim 40 ,
 wherein the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, an increased nicotine delivery in comparison to if the component did not comprise the non-continuous tobacco material.   
     
     
         44 . A component according to  claim 43 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material is configured such that the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, an increased nicotine delivery of at least 1.5%, 2% or 2.5% (by mass) for every 5% (by mass) inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         45 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, a reduced carbon monoxide delivery in comparison to if the component did not comprise the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         46 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, a reduced carbon monoxide to tar ratio delivery in comparison to if the component did not comprise the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         47 . A component according to  claim 46 , wherein the non-continuous tobacco material is configured such that the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, a reduced carbon monoxide to tar ratio delivery of at least 1.5%, 2% or 2.5% (by mass) for every 5% (by mass) inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         48 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the component comprises a tobacco rod for a combustible aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         49 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the inclusion of the non-continuous tobacco material results in, during use of the component, a reduced pressure drop across the component in comparison to if the component did not comprise the non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         50 . A component according to  claim 40 , wherein the component comprises tobacco material that comprises the non-continuous tobacco material and the second tobacco material, and wherein at least 4.5%, 5.5% or 6.5% (by mass) of the tobacco material is non-continuous tobacco material and optionally, at least 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or 20% (by mass) of the tobacco material is non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         51 . A component according to  claim 39 , wherein the component is for an aerosol provision system. 
     
     
         52 . A component according to  claim 51 , wherein the component is a tobacco rod for a cigarette, cigar or cigarillo. 
     
     
         53 . A component according to  claim 51 , wherein the component is for a non-combustible aerosol provision system and, optionally, comprises a tobacco material wherein at least 5% of the tobacco material (by mass) is non-continuous tobacco material. 
     
     
         54 . A component according to  claim 39 , wherein the component is a tobacco rod. 
     
     
         55 . A product comprising a component according to  claim 39 . 
     
     
         56 . A smoking article comprising a component according to  claim 39 . 
     
     
         57 . A smoking article comprising a tobacco material produced in accordance with the method of  claim 1 .