METHOD FOR PRODUCTION OF EXPANDED TOBACCO Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC A24B3/18 

FIELD: tobacco industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to tobacco industry and may be used to prepare cut tobacco for production of smoking materials. According to proposed method, cut tobacco is moistened till moisture of at least 15.5%, then treated with plasticiser dissolved in water, in amount of at least 2 wt %. Afterwards conditioning is carried out for at least 30 minutes. Then cut tobacco is placed onto conveyor belt and heated by action of electromagnetic field of ultrahigh frequencies in process of movement through wave guide type microwave installation. At the same time condensate produced in process of treatment with microwave energy is collected and removed. Then expanded cut tobacco is cooled, and volume of expanded tobacco is fixed by ascending air flow with temperature of 23-30°C and speed of not more than 18 m/s for 5-60 s. Additionally condensate remains are removed, afterwards expanded tobacco is cooked.

EFFECT: method makes it possible to intensify the process of expanded tobacco production, to produce expanded tobacco with specified moisture, high filling property and low content of hazardous substances, which in its turn improves taste and flavour of smoke produced by smoking material, and also saves on tobacco raw material for production of smoking material.

5 tbl, 1 ex