Abstract: A method and apparatus for segregating foreign objects out of a tobacco stream. The tobacco stream is fed into a conveyor and conveyed past a foreign-object detecting device which detects a foreign object in the tobacco stream. A diverter is arranged in the conveyor to divert the tobacco stream downstream of the detector. A mechanical valve arrangement in the region of the diverter transfers a portion of the tobacco stream containing the detected foreign object out of the tobacco stream such that the tobacco stream containing the foreign object is not diverted and the remainder of the stream is diverted.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of radioactive evaporator concentrates from the evaporation system of nuclear plants comprises the steps of (a) freeing the evaporator concentrates from undissolved components, (b) crystallizing the sodium sulfate contained in the evaporator concentrates as Glauber's salt (Na2SO4.10 H2O) on an immersion cooler, (c) recrystallizing the Glauber's salt deposited on the immersion cooler, (d) optionally, repeating the recrystallization step (c) once or several times, (e) separating essentially inactive sodium sulfate from the process, and (f) recycling the depleted evaporator concentrates of step (a) to the evaporation system.

Abstract: A mixture of unsatisfactory fragments of tobacco ribs and shreds of tobacco leaf laminae and/or tobacco ribs which are bonded to each other and/or are clumped together and/or crimped is treated to loosen the coherent and/or clumped shreds and/or uncrimp individual shreds and to thereupon separate the fragments of ribs from the thus liberated and/or straightened shreds. The treatment involves heating the mixture with steam, thereafter cooling (if necessary) the mixture, and thereupon pneumatically separating the shreds from the fragments of tobacco ribs. The heating operation can take place simultaneously with moisturizing of the mixture and can be carried out in a rotary or vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: Bales of condensed relatively dry tobacco particles are broken up by subdividing each bale into slabs which are thereupon mechanically fragmentized, heated and moisturized with steam or steam and hot water, shredded while still heated, and thereupon subjected to one or more additional treatments. The bales are subdivided into slabs by cutting them transversely of the layers of compressed tobacco particles therein, and the heating and moisturizing steps can be carried out in a drum or in a closed tunnel of a vibratory conveyor.

Abstract: A method of converting particles of tobacco leaves, particularly bales or portions of bales of compacted tobacco leaf laminae, into cut tobacco involves admitting portions of and/or entire bales into a tobacco cutter while the temperature of compacted particles matches or exceeds the room temperature of 18.degree.-25.degree. C. and the moisture content of the particles is between 10 and 17 percent.

Abstract: Bales of compressed tobacco ribs and/or tobacco leaf laminae having a moisture content of 8-11 percent are advanced past a battery of microwave generators or through one or more electric high frequency fields to raise the temperature of particles in the bales to between 30.degree. and 90.degree. C. The bales or portions of the bales are thereupon loosened, prior to complete cooling back to starting temperature, by the pins of a conveyor which delivers the particles of loosened bales or portions of bales into the magazine of a shredding machine wherein the particles are cut. The moisture content of shreds is raised to 12-13.5 percent at which the shreds are ready for processing into smokers' products, or above 13.5 percent, for example, to between 21 and 30 percent. Such moisturizing to above the processing moisture content is or can be followed by drying of the shreds.