Patent ID: 9066539
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: A24B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for producing a flavor to be added to expanded tobacco material, comprising: an extraction vessel for storing tobacco material; a first path extending through said extraction vessel, for supplying supercritical carbon dioxide into said extraction vessel to dissolve tobacco components of the tobacco material in the carbon dioxide; a separation vessel inserted in said first path downstream of said extraction vessel and storing a solvent inside, for absorbing fat-soluble ingredients from the dissolved tobacco components into the solvent; a divergent path branching off from said first path at a location between said extraction vessel and said separation vessel, said divergent path being connected to the first path in the upstream of said extraction vessel; an absorption vessel inserted in the divergent path, for storing purified water inside; a switching device for selectively forming a closed circulation path, which includes said extraction vessel and said absorption vessel, out of the first path and the divergent path; a circulation pump for circulating the supercritical carbon dioxide in the circulation path and absorbing water-soluble ingredients, which are contained in the tobacco components dissolved in the carbon dioxide, into the purified water within said absorption vessel; a second path for retrieving the purified water, in which the water-soluble ingredients of the tobacco components are absorbed, from said absorption vessel as absorption water; and a purification device for purifying the carbon dioxide in between said absorption vessel and the tobacco material within said extraction vessel as viewed in a flow direction of the carbon dioxide at least while the carbon dioxide is circulated through the circulation path.