Patent US3946979A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0323699A2
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EP
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Process and apparatus for the semicontinuous extraction of nicotine from tobacco
Assignee: Philip Morris Products Inc
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Filing: 1988-11-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A process is provided for the improved removal of nicotine from tobacco. An essentially nicotine-free solvent in the supercritical or liquid state is fed into a first end (10) of an extraction flow system (10-14) containing tobacco and a nicotine-rich solvent is discharged from a second end (11) of the extraction flow system. Periodically a portion of extracted tobacco is discharged from the first end (10) of the extraction system while simultaneously a portion of an unextracted tobacco (12) is charged to the second end of the extraction system. Nicotine is then entrapped (15) or otherwise removed from the solvent and solvent is recycled through the extraction flow system.
Inventors
- 👤 Ravi Prasad (Nmn)
- 👤 Harvey Joseph Grubbs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:09
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24B; A24B15/00; A24B15/18; A24B15/24; A24B15/26; B; B01; B01D; B01D11/00; B01D11/02; B01D11/0203
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for the extraction of nicotine from tobacco which comprises: (a) feeding an essentially nicotine-free solvent to a first end of an extraction flow system containing tobacco and withdrawing a nicotine-rich solvent from a second end of the extraction flow system; (b) periodically discharging a portion of extracted tobacco from the first end of the extraction flow system; and (c) charging a portion of unextracted tobacco to the second end of the extraction flow system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for the extraction of nicotine from tobacco which comprises: (a) feeding an essentially nicotine-free solvent to a first end of an extraction flow system containing tobacco and withdrawing a nicotine-rich solvent from a second end of the extraction flow system; (b) periodically discharging a portion of extracted tobacco from the first end of the extraction flow system; and (c) charging a portion of unextracted tobacco to the second end of the extraction flow system.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of separating nicotine from a solvent which comprises: (a) feeding a nicotine-containing solvent to a first end of an entrapment vessel containing a nicotine entrapment material and withdrawing an essentially nicotine-free solvent from a second end of the entrapment flow system; (b) periodically discharging a portion of spent entrapment material from the first end of the entrapment flow system; and (c) charging a portion of fresh entrapment material to the second end of the entrapment flow system.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of separating nicotine from a solvent which comprises: (a) feeding a nicotine-containing solvent to a first end of an entrapment vessel containing a nicotine entrapment material and withdrawing an essentially nicotine-free solvent from a second end of the entrapment flow system; (b) periodically discharging a portion of spent entrapment material from the first end of the entrapment flow system; and (c) charging a portion of fresh entrapment material to the second end of the entrapment flow system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 1 which additionally comprises: (a) feeding a nicotine-containing solvent to the first end of an entrapment flow system containing a nicotine entrapment material and withdrawing an essentially nicotine-free solvent from the second end of the entrapment flow system; (b) periodically discharging a portion of spent entrapment material from the first end of the entrapment flow system; and (c) charging a portion of fresh entrapment material to the second end of the entrapment flow system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1 or 3 wherein the moisture content of the tobacco is up to about 30% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 1 or 3 wherein the extraction process is carried out in a plurality of extraction vessels connected in series.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein two or more extraction vessels connected in parallel are used in place of one or more of each of the serially-connected vessels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the entrapment material is an absorbent selected from carbon, silicon, alumina, magnesium silicate and ion exchange resins.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the entrapment material is an absorbent selected from water, acid, aqueous acid and aqueous salt solutions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein the entrapment material is an aqueous solution containing monopotassium citrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the entrapment material is tobacco stems which have been pretreated with monopotassium citrate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
28 words
The method according to any of claims 2,3 or 7 to 10 wherein the entrapment process is carried out in a plurality of entrapment vessels connected in series.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 11 wherein two or more entrapment vessels connected in parallel are used in place of one or more of each of the serially-connected vessels.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
18 words
The method according to any of claims 1 to 12 wherein the solvent is in the supercritical state.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
18 words
The method according to any of claims 1 to 12 wherein the solvent is in the liquid state.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
25 words
The method according to any preceeding claim wherein the solvent is selected from carbon dioxide, argon , SP₆, N₂O, lower hydrocarbons and lower halogenated hydrocarbons.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
46 words
The method according to any of claims 5,6,11, or 12 wherein extraction or entrapment vessels respectively are removed from the said first end of an extraction or entrapment flow system and further extraction or entrapment vessels are added to the said second end of such system.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
42 words
An apparatus for the extraction of nicotine from tobacco with a solvent in the supercritical state or the liquid state or for the removal of nicotine from such solvent, which comprises a plurality of extraction or of entrapment vessels connected in series.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
42 words
An apparatus for the extraction of nicotine from tobacco with a solvent in the supercritical state or the liquid state or for the removal of nicotine from such solvent, which comprises a plurality of extraction or of entrapment vessels connected in series.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein two or more vessels connected in parallel are used in place of one or more of each of the serially-connected vessels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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