Moisture and Nicotine Control Sensors for Tobacco

Leaf processing companies must ensure that they consistently provide tobacco grades that meet the expectations of their customers. In the past, the focus of processing operations has been on controlling moisture content and temperature at the packing stage, to achieve higher yields and prevent any potential issues. However, nowadays, there is a growing emphasis on other attributes. We assist leaf processors monitor nicotine and sugars, allowing them to take necessary actions to maintain these parameters within the stricter specifications set by their customers.

Moisture or total volatiles, nicotine or total alkaloids, and sugars or total reducing sugars are all important parameters that need to be monitored. Among these, tobacco moisture is the most directly and automatically controllable one. It is crucial for leaf processors to ensure that the final moisture content aligns with the specified requirements for each type or grade of tobacco. Given the need for online measurement, any non-contact instrument needs to withstand environmental fluctuations during the process without compromising accuracy. The measurements must also be robust and stable in the longer term. Our TM9000 covers all these needs. 

In the tobacco industry, the primary processing departments have the responsibility of delivering a consistent tobacco blend to the secondary department. To achieve this, they must control three parameters: moisture, fill value, and particle size. Moisture is the most controllable factor, and the primary departments need a final blend moisture content of +/-0.5% within the target level.

To measure moisture on the process line, any non-contact instrument must be able to withstand the environmental changes in the process without degrading its moisture value. The TM9000 from Nordson M&CS has been developed to achieve optimum measurement accuracy without being sensitive to factors such as ambient lighting, tobacco pass height, ambient temperature, humidity, or blend variation. 

Furthermore, the TM9000 is engineered to offer industry-best long-term stability, making it the most reliable gauge available for tobacco process control. When it comes to measuring samples taken from the process, the InfraLab Series 9 Tobacco Analyzer provides rapid sample analysis with minimal preparation.

We have combined our expertise in developing measurement technologies for the paper and web industries with our tobacco gauging products to create a unique system designed specifically for producers of reconstituted sheet tobacco.

Recon sheet tobacco is made from leftover tobacco processing remnants, including tobacco dust. This recycled sheet is used in combination with other tobacco leaves to create a consistent and high-quality product. Moisture, thickness, nicotine, sugar, and humectants (such as Glycerin, Poly Glycol, and Vegetable Glycerol) are critical product parameters that must be controlled to ensure optimal processing conditions. In addition to these factors, the Nordson TM9000 tobacco gauge can measure basis weight, which helps operators control the sheet thickness during the casting process. The sensor can also control color, a crucial indicator of consistent product quality.

Moreover, through access to the Nordson range of scanning and profile display systems, we can offer not only fixed-point measurements over a moving sheet or conveyor but also scanning systems using our precision traversing frames to move the gauge across the product to create cross-sheet and machine-direction profiles.

With the tobacco industry innovating to produce next-generation products, such as non-combustibles (reduced-risk, heat-not-burn), Nordson has been working closely with manufacturers to provide more application-specific measurement solutions.

Nordson Measurement & Control Solutions’ tobacco gauging not only includes capabilities for accurately and reliably measuring moisture, nicotine, sugars, and humectants but also basis weight (to control the tobacco sheet thickness) and color – key components that need to be measured in reduced-risk products. In addition, our LaserSpeed Pro provides manufacturers with non-contact length and speed measurements with better than +/-0.03%. Our tobacco sensors may be mounted statically or on a traversing scanning frame to measure across the sheet. The scanning system helps to provide accurate cross-web profiles enabling operators to view the whole sheet and optimize process control. As a leading global provider of precision measurement and control solutions, Nordson can help you optimize your process and product quality.