Complex Effect of Temperature, Moisture Content, Length of Shreds and Stalk Position on Filling Capacity of Tobacco Shreds

Abstract

In order to investigate quantitatively a complex effect of four variables, i.e., temperature t (-0.5∼+70°C), moisture content w (7∼29% WB), length of shreds L and stalk position p, on filling capacity (FC) of tobacco shreds, an experiment was carried out with two typical varieties in Japan, that is, Flue-cured V1 and Domestic V2 tobacco. Then the experimental data were analyzed by means of a statistical method.The important results obtained were as follows:(1) The complex effect of t, w, L, and p on (FC) can be represented by the following formula.(FC)=f(w)+f(w, t)+f(w, L)+f(p), where each function f on the right side of the formula is a quadratic function of variables shown in parentheses, for example w and t.(2) The degree of influence by variables on (FC) decreased in order of w>t≈p>L in the V1, and in order of w>t≈L>p in the V2.(3) In general, (FC) decreased as w or t increased, and (FC) showed a maximum value when L was a medium value.(4) Generally, (FC) of shreds cut from leaves on higher stalk positions was smaller than that of shreds cut from leaves on lower, and (FC) of V2 was greater than that of V1.(5) The variation of (FC) given in (1) to (4) corresponded well to the variation of elastic modulus of tobacco on the same condition.