Moisture % is critical throughout the
whole tobacco process, from green leaf threshing to primary
processing; it affects not only smoking quality, but also
storage properties, “filling properties”, tobacco
wastage and machine ability.
Primary Processing Plant
Different grades of tobacco are treated, blended and cut into
“rag” to achieve a homogeneous final blend with
good filling power and minimal wastage. The varying tobacco
types undergo different processes on route to the final blending
cylinder. The treatments include: conditioning, casing, toasting,
re-ordering, rolling, cutting, expansion and drying, and nearly
all require the product to be at an optimum moisture % prior
to or post treatment.
| Air
cured lamina line, Burley: |
DCC(Direct
Cylinder Conditioning)- casing
cylinder-toaster-re-orderer-leaf blender-cutter-
dryer-final blender |
| Flue
cured lamina line, Virginia: |
DCC-leaf
blender-cutter-dryer-final blender |
| Stem
line: |
DCC-cutters-expansion-dryer-
final blender |
| Expanded
tobacco: |
DIET process-final
blender |
| Add
backs: |
Reconditioning
Sheet process-final blender |
Measurement Locations
1. Exit Strip Conditioners; moisture distribution is very
uneven, measurement recommended for trending purposes only.
2. Exit Stem Conditioners
3. Exit lamina cutters
4. Exit cut lamina dryers
5. Exit stem rollers
6. Exit stem cutters
7. Exit stem expansion process (WTS)
8. DIET line
9. Reconstituted sheet
10. Shorts (reclaimed from scrap cigarettes from manufacturing
process)
|
