EP0598022A1

EP0598022A1 - Process for wetting grain with a liquid and device for implementing the process and the application of the process.

Info

Publication number: EP0598022A1
Application number: EP92917686A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dieter Otto Dipl-Ing Graef
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-08-17
Filing date: 1992-08-12
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2012-08-12
Also published as: DE4127290C2; JPH06504722A; JPH06213678A; DE59202365D1; JPH0822386B2; EP0598022B1; AU2406492A; WO1993003843A1; CA2115832C; US5512310A; DE4292660D2; UY23461A1; US5586492A; CZ284035B6; JP2646171B2; DE4127290A1; CZ32494A3; HK41397A; CA2115832A1; ATE122933T1

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/EP92/01843 Sec. 371 Date Feb. 17, 1994 Sec. 102(e) Date Feb. 17, 1994 PCT Filed Aug. 12, 1992 PCT Pub. No. WO93/03843 PCT Pub. Date Mar. 4, 1993.A process for the wetting of cereals with a liquid, wherein the cereal/liquid mixture is exposed for a short time (2 to 15 seconds) to strong vibration (shaking at approximately 80 Hz), with the result that the cereals directly absorb the liquid into themselves and immediately become transportable and can be further processed, for example can be ground, without a substantial storage time. (FIG. 1).

Description

Process for wetting cereals with a liquid and device for carrying out the process and application of the process

description

The invention relates to a method for wetting cereals, in particular cereal grains, with a liquid, hereinafter referred to simply as water, and a device for carrying out the method.

For example, for flour production, the flour body (endosperm) of a cereal grain must be separated from the husk (bran and germ). For this purpose, the cereal grains are wetted with water, so that their husk softens and can then be better separated during the mixing process.

According to the prior art, the cereal grains are mixed with water in a screw conveyor and mixed in the process. Then the cereal-liquid mixture is left for 10 to 24 hours, depending on the quality of the grains, so that the water can soften the shell and penetrate into the interior of the core. These long idle times are

REPLACEMENT LEAF of great disadvantage, since a large space capacity is required for storage during the rest period. The maximum production capacity of a mill is often limited by this necessary space capacity.

In addition, the long standing time has a disadvantageous effect on the quality of the flour, since mold and yeast and / or bacteria (for example enterobacteria C) often form and multiply during the long storage period because of the moisture in the grain. For this reason, the snail, which has a length of between three and eight meters and is a good source of germs for mold and / or bacteria, has to be cleaned frequently, which leads to interruptions and greatly interferes with the continuous process.

Similar ^* problems arise in the preparation of other cereals in which the husk is to be separated from the core, such as legumes, corn, rice, beans, including coffee beans, cocoa beans and the like. In the brewery, too, the problem of long standing times of 80 to 100 hours and more arises when producing a malt, so that the wetted grains absorb a particularly high proportion of water and start to germinate.

Therefore, the term cereals is to be understood to mean all fruits which have a core and a hard or soft skin or skin surrounding the core.

Water can be used as the liquid for the treatment. For example, if corn is to be processed into popcorn as an extruder product, sugar will be added to the liquid (water), i.e. sugar water will be used. For The treatment of cattle feed can be considered molasses as a liquid.

The object of the invention is to provide a method in which the cereals are wetted with liquid in such a way that the standing time as storage time is practically eliminated, and in which the transportability of the cereals wetted with liquid is immediate, that is to say immediately or already after 10 to 30 minutes given is.

Transportability is understood to mean that the cereals, for example wetted with water, no longer have an outer water film which leads to sticking to the means of transport (belts, screws or the like).

This object is achieved by the characterizing feature of claim 1.

It has been shown that if the with

Liquid, for example water, are exposed to wetted grains, for example with a frequency of 75 Hz over a period of 2 to 15 seconds, all the water has already penetrated into the core of the grains, at least in and / or through their shells. The shells can still feel moist on the outside, but a film of water can no longer be felt and is no longer present, which means that the liquid has already penetrated the shell and possibly the core. The portability is immediate. given and also the possibility of processing the cereals. It has also been shown that the granulability of such a grain when using the method according to the invention, depending on the addition of water, is already available after 30 minutes to 2 hours, because then in particular the shell has the desired degree of moisture evenly distributed over the entire shell of each grain and can therefore be easily separated during the mating process. Long storage of the cereals in order to obtain a uniform moisture content with the desired degree of moisture, as in the prior art, is eliminated.

According to the invention, therefore, the shell of the grain is first penetrated with moisture relatively quickly, and the moisture then penetrates from the shell into the interior of the grain relatively uniformly from all sides.

The advantage of the method according to the invention is thus to be seen in the fact that the grain can be transported to its processing location immediately or after a short residence time after wetting, in order to be milled there, for example, and that there is no intermediate storage of the grain.

In addition, it has been found that in order to obtain a grain which can be milled, the entire amount of water required can be supplied to the cereals, in particular the cereals, in a single operation, which saves considerable time for the wetting of the cereal grains. At the state of the

Techniques belonging to the technique require multiple additions of water at intervals. According to the invention, several additions of water are only necessary at intervals if the grain including its core is to absorb a great deal of water, for example up to 40 or 50 percent by weight, in order to start the germination process for the production of a malt in the malting plant.

The method according to the invention also has the advantage that, for example, a mesh screw for mixing the grain with the water is no longer necessary, since other simpler means are available, such as a simple stirrer or a funnel arrangement according to subclaim 11. This results in greater cleanliness and thus achieved better hygiene. In addition, an energy saving is achieved since the drive of the screw or similar devices requires considerably more energy than the vibrating device according to the invention.

Above all, however, bacteria and fungi in particular have less opportunity to multiply due to the lack of storage time.

The device according to the invention expediently consists of a tube with a preferably vertically arranged axis, for example approximately in the middle with a

Vibration motor or several vibration motors is connected. The cereals, mixed with liquid, for example water, can be filled into the tube at the top, and they run out again at the bottom. The flow rate can be regulated by measuring and control devices. In this way, the residence time of the cereal-liquid mixture in the tube can be regulated. In particular, a discharge element can be provided at the lower end of the tube, either continuously or in the desired amount or discontinuously removed from the pipe. Such a discharge element can be formed, for example, by a cone which is inserted more or less into the pipe end and thus either completely interrupts the outflow of the cereals or optionally determines it

Grain fruit and liquid mixture quantities can escape. However, cellular wheel sluices, vibrating troughs, sliders of all kinds or screw conveyors can also be used.

In principle, the tube can also be arranged with a horizontal axis, so that the cereals are inserted from one side. This shaking may be appropriate when the grain-liquid mixture is to be shaken in batches.

The tube advantageously has smooth walls on the inside, so that, in particular, the shells of the cereals are not injured when shaken, because if the shells were injured, the water would penetrate into the shell unevenly, namely first at the points of injury, on the one hand and further into the Penetrate shell and on the other hand into the core. As a result, the bowl is moistened unevenly and therefore the desired exact separation of the bowl and core is negatively influenced during the grinding process. Because at the points where the bowl is not yet sufficiently moist, core pieces of the grain still adhere firmly to the bowl and stick to the bowl during the grinding process.

The tube can also have intermediate walls so that the maximum distance of each grain from one of the walls set in vibration remains small. This gives the cereal-liquid mixture a high acceleration during the shaking process, namely in the In the order of 5 g to 15 g (g = gravitational acceleration). Despite this high acceleration, the cereal-liquid mixture does not hit the walls hard, since the grains mixed with liquid are arranged relatively compactly in the tube or in the tube chambers, that is to say the energy transfer to the cereal-liquid mixture does not take place by hard impacts on the latter Mixture, but by contact of the grains and possibly the liquid droplets on the pipe wall or an intermediate wall. At these acceleration forces, the liquid itself tears into the finest droplets, which are deposited directly on the husks of the cereals and penetrate into the husks.

A significant further advantage of the method according to the invention is seen in the fact that additives can be added to the liquid in a further embodiment of the invention. Enzymes such as proteinases, proteases or the like, vitamins such as ascorbic acid, nitrates, salts and / or sugars can be provided as additives. These additives dissolved in the liquid can change the properties of the cereals, such as raw fibers, starch, proteins, fats and / or abrasives, as well as the cell structures and thus, for example, the selectability of the grains.

Introducing the additives directly with the liquid into the cereals during the rutting process has the following advantages, for example, in the production of flour:

1. The introduction of additives into the grain before the grinding process is cheaper than the introduction of additives after the grinding process by adding to the flour, the additive, for example vitamin C, being added to the flour in accordance with the prior art in powder form.

2. The method according to the invention can be carried out more quickly, for example in the case of

Production of flour After the grinding process, the shells or the flour no longer have to be mixed separately with the powdery additives.

3. The addition of the additives according to the prior art in powder form can be harmful to health if the additives are inhaled, for example. However, they are often not compatible with a person's skin.

4. The mixing of flour with the additives according to the prior art requires a very thorough mixing of the flour with the additives. With the method according to the invention, an extremely uniform distribution of the additives in the flour is achieved in the simplest way. Mixing with the additives is therefore no longer as cost-intensive and as time-consuming as in the prior art.

In addition to the previously mentioned fields of application, the process according to the invention can also, as already mentioned, be used for the production of malt, as required by the brewer, by expediently shaking the cereals several times at intervals with the addition of a liquid. As a result, more liquid, for example water, can be bound in the cereals in a short time, that is to say the percentage by weight of liquid in the grain can be increased far above the usual level, so that the cereal grains start to germinate in a much shorter time. At this The application depends on the fact that a lot of water is absorbed by the endosper itself in order to germinate the grain.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing, namely:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment in section.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line II-II of Fig. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a modified embodiment according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a modified embodiment according to FIG. 2;

5 shows a modified exemplary embodiment.

According to FIG. 1, cereal grains (100) are filled in the direction of arrow (101) into a funnel (102), in such a way that fewer cereal grains run out of the funnel opening (103) than are filled in above, so that the cereal grains are over swell the upper edge (104) of the funnel and drop past it through the lower opening (105) of an outer funnel (106) surrounding the funnel (102). With the help of an inflow (107), water is supplied to the cereal grains in the area of the funnel (102). A simple stirrer or other device can also be used to mix the cereals with the water.

The cereal grains thus mixed with water fall through an enlarged opening (110) of a tube (111). The tube (111) is supported by means of rubber buffers (112) on a fixed frame (113) in such a way that it can move in the direction of the arrow (115) and its upper part (111a) and the lower part (111b) can swing transversely to the axis AA of the tube in the direction of arrow (115). The tube (111) carries a sleeve (116) which is firmly connected to a vibrating motor (114). When the armature of the vibrating motor (114) rotates, the sleeve (116) and thus the middle part of the tube moves back and forth in the direction of the arrow (115), and the ends of the tube swing in the direction of the arrows (117 and 118) . In this way, the cereal-liquid mixture stored in the tube (111) is forced onto the wall of the tube (111) by a strong vibration which causes the

Liquid tears into the finest droplets and distributes them quickly and evenly over the entire bowl and lets them penetrate the bowl and from here the grain. During this process, the cereals mixed with the water trickle from the inlet opening (110) to the outlet opening (121). You will encounter a sealing cone (120) which can be inserted into an outlet opening (121). Depending on the position of the cone (120) in the outlet opening, more or fewer cereals can fall past the cone (120). The position of the cone (120) and the length of the tube thus determine the residence time of the cereal-liquid mixture in the tube (111). Instead of the cone, however, a cellular wheel sluice known per se, a slide mechanism, a vibrating trough or the like can also be suitably connected to the tube.

The grain can also be passed through in batches. In this case, the outlet opening (121) is closed and the tube is shaken for a predetermined time after the grain / liquid mixture has been filled in. After opening the outlet, the wetted cereals flow out of the tube and the tube can be refilled.

A control device (130) is provided for the continuous passage of the cereals. The control device (130) receives measured values from a sensor (131) which indicates the flow rate of the cereals into the tube (111). The device (130) regulates the refilling of the funnel (102) with cereals and water. A measuring device (132) measures the outflow quantity of the cereals from the tube (111). The measuring device (130) controls this outflow quantity and thus the residence time of the cereals in the tube. The cereal-liquid mixture lies compactly in the tube during the shaking process, so that it does not hit the tube wall too strongly when shaking, but rather is only exposed to high acceleration forces.

A tube filling usually requires 2 to about 15 seconds or more of shaking time, i.e. the cereals which have entered above should be shaken in the tube for about 2 to 15 seconds or more, regardless of whether they are filled and shaken in batches in the tube or continuously through the pipe to run. The length of the tube is dimensioned accordingly. A tube of one meter length is usually sufficient.

The cereals emerging from the bottom of the tube (111) fall through a guide tube (140) onto a distribution plate (141) and from there into a collecting container (142). The emerging cereals are immediately transportable, so that they can be transported to a processing location without time-consuming interim storage with the aid of conveyor belts, screws and the like, without sticking to these parts due to adhesive forces.

The tube (111) can have a circular, elliptical or rectangular, also square, cross section. It is only intended to ensure that the cereals receive their acceleration energy to a sufficient extent during the shaking process from the inner wall of the tube.

The diameter of the tube (111) can be increased in order to allow larger quantities to pass through. However, the vibrating effect is reduced towards the inside of the pipe, since the energy transfer of the cereal-liquid mixture from grain to grain towards the center of the pipe is reduced. Therefore, according to FIG. 3, in a further exemplary embodiment, longitudinal walls (150) are provided in the interior of a tube (122), which form further energy transmission walls for the cereal-liquid mixture passing through.

Another solution to this problem is shown in FIG. Three tubes (151, 152, 153) are provided here, which are firmly connected to one another and can be shaken together. Fig. 5 shows the tube (123) with retracted partitions (124), so that rectangular spaces (125) are formed in the tube over the length of the tube, the transverse walls being at a relatively short distance from one another, so that the rectangular spaces become very narrow. If one shakes such a tube with a frequency of 75 to 80 Hz, the tube walls give the grain-liquid mixture an acceleration of five to fifteen times the acceleration due to gravity, whereby the

Liquid tears and moisten the cereals evenly so that the liquid penetrates directly into the bowls of the cereals. This penetration is promoted by the acceleration forces exerted on the cereals and so on

Penetration of the liquid into the core of the cereals.

Reference numbers

100 cereal grains

101 arrow

102 funnels

103 funnel opening

104 top margin

105 lower opening of 106

106 outer funnels

107 water inflow

110 extended opening

111 tube

111a upper part of the tube

111b lower part of the tube

112 rubber buffers

113 frame 1

114 engine

115 arrow

116 cuff

117, 118 arrows

120 plug cone 121 outlet opening 122 pipe 123 pipe 124 partitions 125 elongated, rectangular rooms

130 control device 131 measuring sensor 132 measuring device

A-A pipe axis

Claims

1. A method of wetting cereals with a liquid, so that the cereals are mixed with the liquid and then subjected to vibrations.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cereals during the addition of the liquid

Exposed to vibrations.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereals and the liquid are shaken vigorously.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereal-liquid mixture is shaken in a container (at least one tube, optionally with partitions) such that the at least one tube and optionally the partition walls their kinetic energy on the grain-liquid mixture transfer.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereal-liquid mixture is shaken at a frequency of 50 to 300 Hz, preferably 75 Hz.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vibration time is about 2 to 20 seconds.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vibration is carried out by mechanical, electrical and / or magnetic energy and / or by sonication.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereals mixed with liquid are continuously and / or discontinuously (batchwise) entered into the vibrating device, at least partially run through with vibrating to continuously and / or discontinuously (batchwise) from the Vibration device to emerge or be removed.

9. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the cereals are arranged compactly in or pass through the at least one tube.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibrating device is preceded by a mixing device.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cereals are fed to a funnel in such an amount that they on the one hand from the lower

Trickle out the funnel opening and, on the other hand, fall over the upper edge of the funnel, that the liquid is fed into the filling opening of the funnel, and that the cereals thus moistened are directed into the vibrating device or fall.

12. The apparatus for performing the method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vibrating device (111, 114) from at least one horizontal or approximately vertical axis arranged tube (111), which is ^' connected to at least one motor which sets the tube in jogging motion (114).

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the motor (114) engages approximately in the middle of the at least one tube (111) on this.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that above the tube (111)

Mixing device (102, 107) is provided for the kernels with the liquid and at the lower end of the tube (111) a device for regulating the flow and / or removal of the kernels (120, 121) (discharge element).

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the outlet of the cereals from the tube (111) regulating device (120, 121) from a more or less against and / or in the tube end (121) insertable conical body (120) exists, the tip of which points into the pipe end.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the discharge element by a

Cell wheel lock, a worm rotatable about its axis with adjustable speed, a vibrating trough connected to the pipe end or a slide device is formed.

17. The device for carrying out the method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by a supply amount of the cereals and the liquid in the tube measuring and controlling device (130, 131).

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized by a device for measuring and controlling the outflow of the cereals (132, 130).

19. Device according to claims 17 and 18, characterized by a residence time of the cereal-liquid mixture in the

Control device (130) regulating the vibrating device.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that a distribution plate (141) is connected downstream of the discharge element.

21. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the tube (111) has a circular or elliptical cross section.

22. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the tube has a rectangular or square cross section.

23. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the tube (122) has at least one intermediate wall (150) dividing the interior in the longitudinal direction, such that the spaces formed have an approximately flat rectangular cross section.

24. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that a plurality of tubes (151, 152, 153) are interconnected.

25. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the diameter of the tube (111, 151, 152, 153) is approximately ten centimeters.

26. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereal liquid mixture is shaken with about 10 to 15 g (g = gravitational acceleration).

27. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that grains are understood to mean fruits with a hard and soft skin, such as cereal grains, legumes, corn, rice, also peeled rice and the like, and also beans, such as coffee beans, cocoa beans or the like, and Fruits that can be extruded.

28. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that water, sugar water, molasses or the like is used as the liquid.

29. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid is added to at least one additive soluble in it, such as enzyme, vitamin, nitrate, salt and / or sugar, which has at least one property of cereals, such as raw fiber, starch, proteins , Fats, mucilages or the like, changed, or flavorings, colorings and the like.

30. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereals mixed with the liquid are shaken several times at intervals, optionally at increasing and / or decreasing intervals.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that the time interval is about 30 minutes to 5 hours.

32. Use of the method according to claim 30 in the brewery for the production of malt, such as wheat malt, barley malt, millet malt, sorghum malt or the like, in that the cereals are shaken at intervals from one another with each addition of liquid.

33. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereals are shaken without damaging their surface.

34. Device for performing the method according to claim 33, characterized in that the tube (111) has smooth walls and / or partitions inside.

35. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cereals are exposed to vibrations (shaken) such that an osmotic pressure effect is exerted on them when passing through the tube.

36. Application of the method according to claim 1 or 2 for the production of selectable cereal grains.

37. Application of the method according to claim 1 or 2, for the production of extruder products.