WO2014185809A1

WO2014185809A1 - Device for measuring the melting point of solid fats

Info

Publication number: WO2014185809A1
Application number: PCT/RU2013/000395
Authority: WO
Inventors: Андрей Андреевич БРЫЗГАЛОВ; Сергей Владимирович СОЛОБОЕВ; Сергей Иванович ЕРЕМЕНКО; Максим Олегович ХОХРИН
Original assignee: Bryzgalov Andrei Andreevich; Soloboev Sergei Vladimirovich; Eremenko Sergei Ivanovich; Hohrin Maksim Olegovich
Priority date: 2013-05-13
Filing date: 2013-05-13
Publication date: 2014-11-20

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of measurement technology and specifically to portable equipment intended for measuring the melting point of solid fats within the range 25-60°C, and can be used in the foods industry, for example for determining the quality of lard used in the production of sausage products according to the melting point of said lard. What is claimed is: equipment for measuring the melting point of solid fats, which measuring equipment comprises a measuring module comprising an analytical cell with a heater, a temperature-sensitive element and a unit for recording the melting point of a product, as well as a control and display unit, which is connected to the measuring module. The novel feature consists in that the analytical cell comprises an input sampling channel of the equipment, which is completely transparent to light along its entire length or partially transparent to light in cross section, wherein the unit for recording the melting point of the product comprises an optocoupler, the emitter and receiver of which are mounted on opposite sides of the transparent part of the sampling channel.

Description

A device for measuring the melting point of solid fats

Technical field

The invention relates to the field of measuring equipment, namely, portable devices designed to measure the melting point of solid fats in the range of 25-60 ° C, and can be used in the food industry, for example, to determine the quality of bacon used in the production of sausages by temperature its melting.

State of the art

It is known that at meat processing enterprises, one of the most demanded products is pork fat, which is used in almost all sausages. Bacon, according to its melting temperature, can conditionally be divided into three main categories: low-melting, medium-melting and high-melting. Depending on the melting temperature, one fat or other goes to various sausages, for example, low-melting goes to cheap sausages, medium-melting to middle-price products, and low-melting goes to expensive delicatessen sausages. An error in determining the grade of bacon can lead not only to technological defects (low-melting bacon went to the production of expensive sausages) and the production of products that do not meet technical standards, but also to serious malfunctions of technological equipment that is programmed for strictly specified temperature conditions processing.

Therefore, at present, in most meat processing plants, the question of checking the melting temperature of pork fat is very acute. Moreover, this issue arises both when accepting salted pork fat from a supplier or a meat-processing enterprise, and immediately before launching salted pork fat in sausage production.

The main condition for limiting the time for necessary measurements. Consequently, the time allotted for the selective control of samples of batch of bacon should not differ significantly from the time required to unload this batch of bacon to the warehouse of the enterprise. On average, this time is 30-120 minutes per batch with a bacon mass of 5-50 (5-50 measurements) tons. At the indicated time intervals of unloading, the control time of one measurement should not exceed 3-5 minutes, and the accuracy of the specified measurement in temperature should be no worse than 0.5 ° C.

Moreover, the device for these measurements should be performed in a compact, stand-alone version, providing for the possibility of sampling from any piece of bacon directly in the warehouse, in the container, in the trailer or in the refrigerator, which in most cases excludes access to an external supply voltage network. At the same time, the device must conduct the necessary express measurements directly at the sampling site, and save their results in the device memory.

Another important requirement that the device must meet is the simplicity of its operation, because it is not possible to additionally keep a highly qualified specialist in the field of analytical equipment in the warehouse. The operational simplicity of the device should provide for the possibility of its use by any warehouse employee involved in the acceptance of cargo, including people without special education (storekeepers, merchandisers, etc.).

A device for measuring the melting point of solids is known (see the device PTP-M1, link from the Internet - http://stimyl.ru/pribory-i-apparaty / pribor-dlya-opredeleniya-temperatureury-plavleniya-ptp-m.html) . The device contains a primitive analytical cell in the form of a glass capillary, a heater and a temperature sensor, as well as a control unit. The device is designed to determine the melting point of crystalline substances in the temperature range from 20 ° C to 340 ° C with an accuracy of ± 0.5 ° C and has the following main characteristics: dimensions dimensions 250x250x615mm; weight 5kg, consumed electrical power from an alternating voltage network of 250 watts. The principle of operation of the device is based on the temperature effect on the test substances in vertically mounted glass capillaries sealed from the lower end at different heating rates and is used in research institutes and laboratories of the pharmaceutical and other industries.

The known device has the following General disadvantages.

Firstly, the device has significant weight and size characteristics that make it possible to operate it only in laboratory conditions.

Secondly, only highly qualified specialists can operate the device, as the device does not have an automatic analyzer, and the fact of substance melting is determined visually by the operator, which makes the analyzes dependent on the operator, his skills, abilities and state.

Thirdly, the measurements carried out by a known device are quite lengthy and, taking into account the need to deliver the samples to the laboratory and their subsequent preparation, can be measured for hours.

Fourth, long and laborious sample preparation. To analyze the sample on this device, its preparation lasts 2-3 hours and includes 3 stages:

- sampling material for a sample from a sample weighing 5-15 grams;

- melting the sample material and pouring it into the analytical cell;

- sample cooling in the analytical cell.

The closest to the claimed technical solution is taken as a prototype device for measuring the melting temperature of solids (see device DP 70, link from the Internet - http://ru.mt.com/ru/home/products/Laboratory_Analytics_Browse/FP_family_ browse / DroppingPoint.html). The device contains an analytical cell with a video camera as a recorder of the fact of melting, a temperature sensor, a heater, as well as a control unit. The device is designed to determine the melting point of solids in the temperature range from 20 ° C to 400 ° C. The error of temperature measurement in the range of 25 ... 200 ° С is ± 0.5 ° С. The device has the following main technical characteristics: dimensions 190x350x230 mm; weight 4 kg; consumed electric power from an alternating voltage network of 120 W. The principle of operation of the device is based on the temperature effect on the test substances in special cells having an opening in the lower part. The device is used in research institutes and laboratories of the chemical-pharmaceutical and other industries.

The main disadvantages of the known device can be considered the following.

Firstly, the device has significant weight and size characteristics, which allows it to be used only in laboratory conditions.

Secondly, the measurements carried out by a known device are quite lengthy and, taking into account the need to deliver samples to the laboratory, can be measured for hours.

Thirdly, the device is quite specific and requires highly qualified specialists to work on it.

The objective of the proposed technical solution is to create a small-sized autonomous device capable of taking measurements directly in the conditions of storage of the product in a warehouse, and in almost real time, while the operation of the device does not require highly qualified specialists.

Disclosure of invention

The specified task in the device for measuring the melting point of solid fats, containing a measuring module, including an analytical cell with a heater, a temperature sensor and a block fixing point melting of the product, as well as the control and indication unit connected to the measuring module, is solved in that the analytical cell is an input sampling channel of the device, which is completely transparent to the light along the entire length or partially in its cross section, while an optocoupler is introduced into the composition of the product melting fixation unit, the emitter and receiver of which are mounted on the opposite sides of the transparent part of the sampling channel.

The execution of the analytical cell in the form of a sampling channel allows measurements to be made directly at the place where the samples were taken. Thus, there is no need for several of the most lengthy operations: material sampling for the sample from the sample; melting the sample material and pouring it into the analytical cell; sample cooling in the analytical cell.

To expand the functionality of the device, the measuring module is equipped with an analytical cell of circular or rectangular cross-section. The use of a round sampling channel allows to simplify the sampling of the measured speck and to warm the sample faster, as sample volume is less. In turn, the channel of rectangular cross section is more technologically advanced in production, because it is easier to manufacture and install planar structures (of a heater, elements of an optocoupler, a temperature sensor), placing them on the opposite sides of the channel.

To speed up the measurement process, the measuring module can be equipped with a disposable quick-detachable analytical cell made of a transparent material with an element for fixing it, for example, in the form of a groove, and the device, in this case, is equipped with a mechanism for fixing the analytical cell into the specified groove.

To reduce operating costs when using the device, the measuring module can be equipped with a reusable metal analytical cell with windows transparent for light, made in its cross section, or transparent for light insert, and the device is equipped with a mechanism for cleaning the analytical cell, for example, in the form of a piston mounted with the possibility of movement along the length of the analytical cell. The choice between windows that are transparent to light or a transverse insert that is transparent to light is determined by the manufacturing technology of the analytical cell. So in small-scale production it is easier to install windows in the channel, and in large-scale production - transparent inserts.

To ensure long-term autonomous operation of the device, the measuring module is made in the form of an autonomous structure connected by an electric cable to a remote control and indication unit.

When using the device in a mode of a limited number of measurements, the measuring module and the control and indication unit are made in a single housing.

Thus, the claimed technical solution allows you to create a semi-automatic device for rapid measurements of the melting point of solid fats, eliminating the need for preliminary sampling, its preparation with subsequent laboratory analysis, which has no analogues among the known industrially used devices, which means , meets the criterion of "inventive step".

Brief Description of the Drawings

In FIG. 1 shows the design of the sampler for the inventive device, the analytical cell of which is made in the form of a cylindrical disposable interchangeable sampling channel (OSPK). The device includes: 1 - probe for sampling with OSPK 2; 3 - sampler body; 4 - OSPK clamp; 5 - a persistent surface that determines the depth of penetration of the sampler into the sample of the studied material; 6 - sampler handle; 7 - connector for connecting the measuring unit.

In FIG. 2 shows a transverse section through a sampler, further comprising: 8 — an inlet opening of the OSPK; measuring module 12, consisting of an optocoupler (emitter 9a and receiver 96), a temperature sensor (temperature sensor) 10 and a heater 1 1. In FIG. Figure 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional fragment of the inlet part of the sampler, revealing the design of the OSPK retainer, further comprising: a spring-loaded base 13, a spring 14, a bushing 15, and a union nut 16.

In FIG. Figure 4 shows the OSPK pattern with a groove 17 for fixing it and a measuring module 12.

In FIG. 5 shows the design of the sampler for the inventive device with a cylindrical reusable sampling channel (IPC), additionally including: 18 - probe for sampling with a round axial hole 19; 20 - handle IPC cleaning mechanism.

In FIG. Figures 6 and 7 are a cross-sectional view of a sampler with IPC, explaining the principle of operation of the IPC cleaning mechanism, further including: 21 - a piston for the IPC cleaning mechanism of circular cross section, 22 - IPC.

In FIG. 8a and 86 show a simplified version of the circular design of the IPC, explaining the implementation of transverse transparent windows 23 in the metal channel 22.

In FIG. 9a and 96 show a simplified version of the circular design of the IPC, explaining the implementation of the transparent insert 24 between the parts of the MCP 22a and 226.

In FIG. 10 shows the design of the sampler for the inventive device with a rectangular MPC, further comprising: 25 - probe for sampling with a rectangular axial hole 26; 27 - handle of the IPC cleaning mechanism.

In FIG. Pa and 1 16 a simplified version of the MPC of a rectangular section is presented, explaining the implementation of transparent windows, additionally including: 28 - a piston for cleaning the IPC of a rectangular section; 29 - IPC rectangular section; 30 - transparent windows on opposite sides of the INC. In FIG. 12a and 126 show a simplified version of the MPC of rectangular cross section, explaining the implementation of the transparent insert 31 between the parts of the MCP 29a and 296.

In FIG. 13 shows a design of an embodiment of the inventive device with a round IPC and a portable unit for processing and storing measurement results, further comprising: 32 - a portable unit for processing and storing measurement results with a touch screen 33, cable 34 for connection to a sampler through connector 7 and shoulder strap 35.

In FIG. 14 shows the design of an embodiment of the inventive device with a round MPC and an integrated unit for processing and storing measurement results, further comprising: 36 - an integrated unit for processing and storing measurement results with a touch screen 37 and a connector for connecting to a computer 38 .

In FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the inventive device with a built-in unit for processing and storage of measurement results, additionally including: 39 - battery; 40 - instrument mounting plate.

In FIG. 16 shows the design of an embodiment of the inventive device with an IPC of rectangular cross section and an integrated unit for processing and storing measurement results.

In FIG. 17 shows a cross section of the inventive device with IPC of rectangular cross section and an integrated unit for processing and storing measurement results.

The best embodiment of the invention

The operation of the device will be considered on the basis of the option presented in figures 1-4 and Fig. 13. Before starting work, the sampler is connected via connector 7 to the portable unit for processing and storing the results of measurements 32 by cable 34. Information from the temperature sensor 10 and optocouplers 9a and 96 should come to portable unit 32 via cable 34. The incoming information is displayed on touch screen 33. After turning on the device, it is necessary to prepare the sampler for work, for this it is necessary to place OSPK 2 in the probe for sampling 1. When working with OSPK 2, it must be remembered that they are disposable consumables and are designed for one sample. Once the OSPK 2 is placed in the probe for sampling 1, the device is ready for operation and it is possible to conduct sampling. For this, the operator takes the sampler by the handle 6 in his hand and brings it to the sample with the end of OSPK 2. The probe 1 with the sharp end is inserted into the analyzed sample of bacon (other solid fat). Insert probe 1 into the sample up to the abutment surface 5. During this process, the analyzed sample enters through the inlet hole 8 into the OSPK and fills its entire internal space, including the measuring module 12. In the process, the selected sample overlaps the light stream coming from the emitter 9a to the coupler receiver 96 and also cools the temperature sensor 10. The processor (not shown) of the control and display unit 32 captures the received signals from the optocoupler (9a and 96) and the temperature sensor 10 and automatically switches to measurement mode. On the touch screen 33, a button is activated with the inscription "measurement Ν_>1". The device is ready to take measurements. The operator on the touch screen 33 presses the “measurement 1” button and the device further automatically measures the melting point of the existing sample JVsl. This happens as follows. Heater 1 1 is turned on and the sample located inside OSPK 2 is melted. The melting point of the sample is the temperature at which the sample becomes transparent. In this case, the light from the emitter 9a enters the optocoupler receiver 96, and the temperature of the melting point is recorded by the temperature sensor 10. The processor of the control and indication unit 32 records the events and stores the data on the melting point of sample N2I in the Nsl memory cell. After that, the inscription “continue measurement” and two active buttons “YES” and “NO” appear on the touch screen. If the operator presses the “YES” button, the message “replace OSPK” appears. To replace OSPK 2, just pull up the lock button 4 and remove from the probe 1 used OSB 2, replacing it with a new one. The device again to work. At the end of the work, all the sample measurements stored in the memory of the instrument can be transferred from unit 32 through a connector (not shown conventionally in the figure) via a USB cable to a laptop or personal computer.

Similarly, the devices presented in figure 5 and figure 10, equipped with IPC and its cleaning mechanism. The difference is that after the measurement is completed, the message “continue measurement” and two active buttons “YES” and “NO” appear on the touch screen. If the operator presses the “YES” button, the message “clear IPC” appears. To clean the IPC, the operator uses the cleaning mechanism 20 (Fig. 5) or 27 (Fig. 10), while the emulsion rod 21 or 28 pushes out the rest of the sample from the IPC. After the IPC cleaning mechanism returns to its original state (as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 10), the instruments are ready for new measurements.

Similarly, the devices shown in Figs. 14 and 16 are equipped with an integrated unit for processing and storing the measurement results. At the same time, a touch screen 37 is used to operate the device. The indicated devices are powered by the battery 39. All sample measurements stored in the device memory can be transferred via connector 38 via USB cable to a laptop or personal computer.

Technical applicability

A mock-up of the device was made, which structurally coincides with the device shown in Fig. 10. The device has the following characteristics:

- the mass of the sampling device 270 g;

- overall dimensions of the device 30.0x24.0x220.0 mm;

- the operating temperature range of the device is 25 ... 50 ° C;

- temperature range of measurements - 24 ... 80 ° С;

- measurement error in the range - 24 ... 80 ° С is ± 0.5 ° С; - the size of the sampling channel 1.0x15.0x35.0 mm;

- the time of one measurement of 3.5 minutes;

- electric energy consumption per measurement 0.5 W;

- an OLP-x5630F4M brand LED (manufactured by Optogap OJSC), made in Russia, was used as an optocoupler emitter;

- a photodiode of the FDM brand (manufactured by Sapphire OJSC), made in Russia, was used as an optocoupler receiver;

- a TR-1 brand thermistor (manufactured by Rekond OJSC), made in Russia, was used as a temperature sensor.

Claims

Claim

1. A device for measuring the melting point of solid fats, containing a measuring module, including an analytical cell with a heater, a temperature sensor and a unit for fixing the melting point of the product, as well as a control and indication unit connected to the measuring module, characterized in that the analytical cell represents the inlet sampling channel of the device, which is completely transparent to light along the entire length or partially in its cross section, while the melting fixation unit is introduced opto-coupler, the emitter and receiver of which are mounted on opposite sides of the transparent part of the sampling channel.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is equipped with an analytical cell of circular cross section.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is equipped with an analytical cell of rectangular cross section.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is equipped with a disposable quick-detachable analytical cell made of transparent material with an element for fixing it in the form of a groove, and the device is equipped with a mechanism for fixing the analytical cell in the specified groove.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is equipped with a reusable metal analytical cell with light-transparent windows made in its cross section, and the device is equipped with a mechanism for cleaning the analytical cell in the form of a piston mounted for movement along the length of the analytical cell.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is equipped with a reusable metal analytical cell, and the device is equipped with a mechanism for cleaning the analytical cell in the form of a piston mounted for movement along the length of the analytical cell.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module is made in the form of an autonomous structure connected by an electric cable to a remote control and indication unit.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring module and the control and indication unit are made in a single housing.