Continuous process of removing nicotine from tobacco

• US 3,396,735 A
• Filed: 04/13/1966
• Issued: 08/13/1968
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerhard Lipp, Helmut Bayer, Von Bethmann Max Freiherr
• Original Assignee: Gerhard Lipp, Helmut Bayer, Von Bethmann Max Freiherr
• Inventors: VON BETHMANN MAX FREIHERR, GERHARD LIPP, HELMUT BAYER
• Application Number:
  US04/542,342
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• US Class Current: 131/298
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/24 by extraction; Tobacco extracts
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/243 Nicotine
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/26 Use of organic solvents for extraction

Claims

1. A CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF REMOVING NICOTINE FROM TOBACCO WHICH COMPRISES:

(A) MOVING TOBACCO AND AN ORGANIC SOLVENT IN COUNTER FLOW RELATION ALONG THE SAME FLOW PATH, SAID ORGANIC SOLVENT BEING CAPABLE OF DISSOLVING NICOTINE AND EXHIBITING POOR MISCIBILITY WITH WATER, WHEREBY A NICOTINE-CONTAINING SOLUTION IS OBTAINED;

(B) EXTRACTING THE NICOTINE-CONTAINING SOLUTION IN COUNTER FLOW RELATION WITH AN ACIDIC AQUEOUS SOLUTION HAVING A PH VALUE OF BELOW 2.5, WHEREBY NICOTINE PASSES FROM THE ORGANIC SOLVENT PHASE TO THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION;

(C) RECYCLING THEREAFTER THE ORGANIC SOLVENT FOR EXTRACTION OF A FRESH AMOUNT OF NICOTINE FROM TOBACCO;

(D) WITHDRAWING A PORTION OF THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION WHEN THE NICOTINE CONTENT THEREIN HAS REACHED A VALUE OF AT LEAST 5.0% BY WEIGHT;

AND (E) REPLACING THE WITHDRAWN PORTION OF AQUEOUS SOLUTION WITH A FRESH AMOUNT OF ACIDIC AQUEOUS SOLUTION HAVING AN ACIDITY SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE PH IN THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION AT A VALUE BELOW 2.5.