ENDIET-DRY ICE EXPANED TOBACCO PLANT

CO₂ DIET Tobacco Expansion Technology for Industrial Tobacco Processing

What Is Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco / DIET?

Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco, commonly known as DIET, is a physical tobacco expansion process in which cut tobacco is treated with liquid carbon dioxide under controlled pressure and temperature conditions. The CO₂ penetrates the tobacco structure and is then transformed through a sublimation process, expanding the tobacco volume and improving its filling power.

The result is expanded tobacco with lower blend density, improved process economy and controlled product characteristics. In modern tobacco manufacturing, DIET technology is used to reduce the amount of tobacco required per final product while maintaining the desired sensory, moisture and blend properties.

ENDIET® has been developed by Endemic Process Engineering as a compact, automated and tailor-made CO₂ tobacco expansion plant for modern tobacco enterprises.

ENDIET® CO₂ Tobacco Expansion Process

The ENDIET® process is based on two main stages:

1. CO₂ Impregnation Phase

In the impregnation phase, cut tobacco is introduced into pressure-rated impregnator vessels. Liquid CO₂ is brought to the required pressure and temperature conditions and penetrates the tobacco structure through controlled physical and thermodynamic operation.

This phase includes the integrated operation of:

• Impregnators
• Declumper
• Storage bin
• CO₂ recirculation system
• Pressure and temperature control equipment
• Automated process monitoring and safety systems

The impregnation system can operate with staggered process logic and may be configured for synchronous operation depending on plant capacity, tobacco characteristics and production requirements.

2. Sublimation and Expansion Phase

In the sublimation phase, impregnated tobacco is exposed to controlled thermodynamic conditions. The CO₂ and a controlled amount of moisture within the tobacco are converted into gas phase, creating rapid expansion of the tobacco structure.

This phase enables:

• 100%+ tobacco expansion
• CO₂ recovery and reuse
• Moisture reduction and adjustment
• Nicotine reduction and adjustment
• Improved filling power
• Reduced tobacco blend density
• Stable and repeatable product quality

Why ENDIET®?

ENDIET® Tobacco Expansion Plants are designed for tobacco manufacturers that require a reliable, compact and automated DIET system with flexible capacity and strong process control.

Main Advantages

• 100%+ tobacco expansion
• Designed for 300 kg/h tobacco capacity and higher
• Custom plant design for smaller or larger capacities
• 96–98% CO₂ efficiency
• Approximate 3% CO₂ loss target
• Compact layout with optimized footprint
• Lower manpower requirement
• Semi-automatic or fully automatic operation
• PLC/PC-SCADA monitoring and control
• Daily reporting and maintenance data monitoring
• Moisture and nicotine adjustment capability
• High operational safety and HSE integration
• Suitable for new plants and retrofit projects
• Designed for economic CAPEX and OPEX
• Manufactured with special stainless steel and AISI 304/316L stainless steel
• Designed in accordance with EN 13445 and PED 2014/68/EU pressure equipment requirements

Industrial Applications

ENDIET® is not limited to cigarette production. The process can be adapted for different tobacco products and manufacturing strategies.

ENDIET® expanded tobacco may be used for:

• Cigarette tobacco blends
• Premium cigarette production
• Roll-your-own tobacco
• Make-your-own tobacco
• Pipe tobacco
• Cigar tobacco
• Hookah and shisha tobacco
• Specialty tobacco blends

By increasing filling power and lowering blend density, ENDIET® helps tobacco manufacturers optimize raw material usage while maintaining controlled product characteristics.

Compact and Tailor-Made Plant Design

Every tobacco enterprise has different raw material properties, production targets, available space, automation philosophy and operational requirements. For this reason, ENDIET® plants are not treated as standard off-the-shelf machinery.

Endemic Process Engineering designs ENDIET® Tobacco Expansion Plants according to:

• Tobacco type and cut characteristics
• Required hourly capacity
• Existing factory layout
• Integration points with upstream and downstream equipment
• Desired automation level
• CO₂ recovery targets
• HSE requirements
• Operator access and maintenance strategy
• Local compliance and pressure equipment requirements

This tailor-made engineering approach allows ENDIET® to be integrated into both greenfield tobacco processing plants and existing tobacco manufacturing facilities.

Automation, SCADA and Operational Control

ENDIET® plants are designed for semi-automatic or automatic operation. The CO₂ cycles, pressure levels, temperature conditions, process timing, safety interlocks and operating parameters are monitored and controlled through PLC/PC-SCADA systems.

The automation system supports:

• Central control room operation
• Process monitoring
• Command and control of CO₂ cycles
• Daily production reporting
• Maintenance data monitoring
• Equipment and instrument status tracking
• Operator-friendly plant interface
• Safer and more repeatable operation

This automation architecture reduces operator dependency and supports stable industrial production.

CO₂ Recovery and Energy Efficiency

ENDIET® uses CO₂ as a physical expansion medium and includes CO₂ recovery and recirculation systems in both the impregnation and sublimation phases. The plant is engineered for high CO₂ efficiency, low CO₂ loss and minimum energy demand.

This makes ENDIET® a practical solution for tobacco manufacturers looking for:

• Lower CO₂ consumption
• Lower operating cost
• More stable plant performance
• Reduced process waste
• Better energy management
• Compact plant footprint

Engineering, Manufacturing and Compliance

ENDIET® Tobacco Expansion Plants are engineered and manufactured by Endemic Process Engineering, the engineering and manufacturing company of the ÇEVTAŞ Group.

The system is designed with strong attention to pressure equipment safety, occupational health and safety, automation reliability and industrial maintainability.

ENDIET® plants are designed and manufactured in accordance with:

• High HSE standards
• EN 13445 pressure vessel standard
• PED 2014/68/EU Pressure Equipment Directive
• CE requirements
• AISI 304/316L stainless steel construction philosophy
• ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 10002 quality management framework

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ENDIET®?

ENDIET® is Endemic Process Engineering’s CO₂-based Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco plant technology. It uses liquid CO₂ impregnation and controlled sublimation to expand cut tobacco and improve filling power.

What is the capacity of ENDIET® Tobacco Expansion Plants?

ENDIET® is designed on a 300 kg/h tobacco capacity basis and can be engineered for smaller or larger capacities according to facility requirements.

How much expansion can ENDIET® achieve?

ENDIET® is designed to achieve 100%+ tobacco expansion, meaning the tobacco volume can be doubled under controlled process conditions.

Can ENDIET® be installed in an existing tobacco factory?

Yes. ENDIET® can be designed for both new tobacco processing plants and retrofit integration into existing tobacco manufacturing facilities.

Does ENDIET® recover CO₂?

Yes. ENDIET® includes CO₂ recirculation and recovery systems and is engineered for high CO₂ efficiency of approximately 96–98%.

Is ENDIET® fully automatic?

ENDIET® can operate under semi-automatic or automatic conditions. The plant is monitored and controlled via PLC/PC-SCADA systems.

Which tobacco products can use ENDIET® expanded tobacco?

ENDIET® expanded tobacco can be used in cigarettes, RYO, MYO, pipe tobacco, cigar tobacco, hookah tobacco and specialty tobacco blends.

Request a Technical Consultation

Endemic Process Engineering designs and manufactures tailor-made CO₂ Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco plants for industrial tobacco manufacturers.

Contact us to evaluate your tobacco characteristics, target capacity, factory layout, CO₂ recovery requirements and integration strategy.

ENDIET® Tobacco Expansion Plants
CO₂ DIET Technology
Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco Systems
Process Engineering | Pressure Equipment | Automation | Turnkey Plant Design