APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED HYDRATE FORMATION AND IMPROVED EFFICIENCY OF RECOVERY OF EXPANSION AGENT IN PROCESSES FOR EXPANDING TOBACCO AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

摘要

AN APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR RECOVERING ADDITIONAL EXPANSION AGENT INA PROCESS FOR THE EXPANSION OF TOBACCO OR ANOTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT ARE DISCLOSEDRONE EMBODIMENT IS A METHOD FOR RECOVERING ADDITIONAL EXPANSION AGENT IN A PROCESS FOR THE EXPANSION OF TOBACCO OR ANOTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT, THE PROCESS HAVING A MULTI-STEP DEPRESSURIZATION SEQUENCE INCLUDING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND DEPRESSURIZATION STEPS FOR DEPRESSURIZING AN IMPREGNATION VESSEL (12), WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STEPS: WITHDRAWING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF AN AMOUNT OF AN EXPANSION AGENT IN THE IMPREGNATION VESSEL (12) AT ABOUT THE END OF THE SECOND DEPRESSURIZATION STEP DURING THE MULTI-STEP DEPRESSURIZATION SEQUENCE; AND TRANSMITTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID AMOUNT OF EXPANSION AGENT TO A LOW-PRESSURE GAS TANK (16). IN ONE EMBODIMENT, THE EXPANSION AGENT IS CARBON DIOXIDE.(FIG 2)