Abstract:
In order to compare the differences of dehumidification of different tobacco strands, an SPSx dynamic moisture adsorption analyzer (SPSx) was used to study the moisture uptake and adsorption variations of different cut tobacco during drying and dehumidification. The influences of tobacco weight on moisture variation rate and equilibrium time were investigated. Mathematical fitting was conducted on the moisture variation curves obtained from 10 varieties of cut tobacco during drying and dehumidification, and the differences were quantitatively compared. The results showed that: 1) Both moisture variation rate and equilibrium time were influenced by tobacco weight, and the optimized tobacco weight determined by SPSx was 0.8 g. 2) The moisture variation curves could be fitted with a nonlinear exponential equation. The analysis and deduction of the fitting equations suggested that the different types of cut tobacco studied in the order of the theoretical equilibrium moisture content were flue-cured tobacco > burley tobacco > yellow sun-cured tobacco. 3) Compared with leaf stalk position, growing area influenced the theoretical equilibrium moisture contents of flue-cured tobacco more significantly. 4) The different types of cut tobacco in the order of the average variation rate of moisture loss ratio were burley tobacco > yellow sun-cured tobacco > flue-cured tobacco. Compared with growing area, leaf stalk position influenced the average variation rate of moisture loss ratio more significantly. The variation rates of lower leaves were higher than those of middle and upper leaves, while the difference between the middle and upper leaves was not significant.