A prominent manufacturer of tobacco products encountered significant challenges in effectively managing the transfer of wet tobacco waste at their nicotine extraction plant.

Application: Wet Tobacco Waste Transfer

At the nicotine extraction plant, tobacco leaves underwent a drying process in the furnace and were subsequently mixed with water. The resulting slurry was then directed to reactors for nicotine liquor extraction. As a by-product, residue accumulated at the reactor’s bottom, which was then transferred to a silo for storage as wet tobacco paste. To repurpose it as fertilizer, the tobacco waste was later transported from the silo to the farm using tractors.

The Challenge

The main challenge in transferring the wet cake was the outdated process involving conveyors and silos, which presented several issues, including:

• High electricity consumption is associated with operating the conveyors.
• Frequent maintenance requirements for the conveyors.
• Elevated levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM) caused by floating tobacco dust particles in the air posed health hazards.
• Excessive spillage of tobacco waste during the conveying process from the reactor to the silo and from the silo to the tractor-loading area.

Roto’s Solution

After carefully understanding the application, Roto’s Technical Team recommended the replacement of the inefficient, energy-intensive, and high-maintenance conveyor system with a specially designed Wide Throat Progressive Cavity Pump, integrated with a bridge breaker assembly. This custom pump efficiently conveyed 10TPH of tobacco waste, even with its high viscosity of 2,50,000 cSt, operating at a controlled speed of 65 RPM. As a result, the customer was able to seamlessly load tractors from the silo, streamlining their operations and optimizing resource utilization.

Enhanced Efficiency Beyond Expectations

The customer was delighted with the remarkable benefits achieved through the implementation of Roto’s customized Wide Throat PC Pump, which included:

• Overall process improvement: The entire operation became cleaner, more hygienic, and simpler, enhancing the overall efficiency of the wet tobacco waste handling.
• Significant energy savings: By eliminating the need for conveyors, the energy consumption was reduced by an impressive 84%, dropping from 22 kW to just 3.7 kW. This substantial reduction in energy usage resulted in considerable cost savings for the customer.
• Enhanced reliability and durability. The reliable performance and extended lifespan of the Roto Pump system ensured uninterrupted operation and minimized maintenance requirements, further contributing to the customer’s satisfaction.