A method of processing pH-treated tobacco material comprising contacting at least one pH-treated tobacco material with an effective amount of one or more gases, wherein the one or more gases reduce the pH of the pH-treated tobacco material, and wherein the reduction in pH of the pH-treated tobacco material is reversible. Also provided are methods of storing pH-treated tobacco and the use of a gas to improve the shelf-life or bulk storage time of pH-treated tobacco material.

A method of processing pH-treated tobacco material comprising contacting at least one pH-treated tobacco material with an effective amount of one or more gases, wherein the one or more gases reduce the pH of the pH-treated tobacco material, and wherein the reduction in pH of the pH-treated tobacco material is reversible. Also provided are methods of storing pH-treated tobacco and the use of a gas to improve the shelf-life or bulk storage time of pH-treated tobacco material.

The present invention relates to method for production of a slurry for homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: Selecting tobacco of one or more tobacco types; Coarse grinding said tobacco; Blending said tobacco of one or more tobacco types; and Fine grinding said tobacco of one or more tobacco types.

The present invention relates to method for production of a slurry for homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: Selecting tobacco of one or more tobacco types; Coarse grinding said tobacco; Blending said tobacco of one or more tobacco types; and Fine grinding said tobacco of one or more tobacco types.

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.

A device and method for cleaning flowers and buds of plants of leaves and plant matter and particulate is provided. The buds are cleaned within a rotating drum having openings in a circular sidewall which rotates adjacent jets emitting gas. Freezing of the plant material and concurrent impacts from ice crystals formed by emitting gas, cleans the buds and flowers of unwanted plant material and particulate.

A device and method for cleaning flowers and buds of plants of leaves and plant matter and particulate is provided. The buds are cleaned within a rotating drum having openings in a circular sidewall which rotates adjacent jets emitting gas. Freezing of the plant material and concurrent impacts from ice crystals formed by emitting gas, cleans the buds and flowers of unwanted plant material and particulate.

A device and method for preparing a fully granular cigarette/filter rod, and a prepared fully granular cigarette/filter rod are disclosed. In certain embodiments, negative pressure is used to adhere granular material onto a mesh-type conveyor belt. The granular material is preliminarily formed into fully granular cigarette/filter rod material by means of a pre-forming apparatus; the fully granular cigarette/filter rod material, traveling with the mesh-type conveyor belt, enters into a forming cavity, and undergoes heating and humidifying treatment, and a continuous solid porous substance is formed; the continuous solid porous substance is moved into the cooling/drying cavity, drying and cooling treatment are performed under the action of negative pressure, and a fully granular cigarette/filter rod with strong adhesion, porosity, permeability, and appropriate moisture is obtained.

A device and method for preparing a fully granular cigarette/filter rod, and a prepared fully granular cigarette/filter rod are disclosed. In certain embodiments, negative pressure is used to adhere granular material onto a mesh-type conveyor belt. The granular material is preliminarily formed into fully granular cigarette/filter rod material by means of a pre-forming apparatus; the fully granular cigarette/filter rod material, traveling with the mesh-type conveyor belt, enters into a forming cavity, and undergoes heating and humidifying treatment, and a continuous solid porous substance is formed; the continuous solid porous substance is moved into the cooling/drying cavity, drying and cooling treatment are performed under the action of negative pressure, and a fully granular cigarette/filter rod with strong adhesion, porosity, permeability, and appropriate moisture is obtained.

Certain embodiments include a screen assembly of a vessel, where the screen assembly includes a plurality of fixed elements and a retainer, and the retainer includes a ring, a plurality of wedges disposed about the ring, and a plurality of keyholes at spaced locations about the ring. Each keyhole includes a bore and a slot extending from the bore into an adjacent wedge of the plurality of wedges, the slots have a width less than the bores, and the retainer may receive the fixed elements through the bores and may be rotated in a relation with the plurality of fixed elements to bring the plurality of fixed elements into simultaneous engagement with the wedges.