EP3102318B1 - Method and device for mixing and metering solid materials to be metered into a carrier liquid - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a method for mixing and dosing solid doses, such as at least one cereal, in particular a solid-like, particulate, swellable cereal, and / or at least one other small admixture, in a carrier liquid with which a mixture of the carrier liquid and the at least one solid dosage material is produced, in which a volume of carrier liquid and the at least one solid Dosiergut respectively fed forcibly in stationary operation and all mixing components are mixed together in a stationary volume of the mixture, in which the mixture with a constant volume flow mixture steadily and forcibly from the volume presented is removed, in which the presented volume, which has a free level, regulated by this free level and thus kept constant, in which the volume flow carrier liquid and optionally a volume flow of air kept constant and steady and are provided continuously and each quantitatively be preset and can be changed within limits, in which the volume flow carrier liquid is introduced below the free level in the mixture, that in this flow-mechanically a rotational flow is generated in which the at least one solid Dosiergut each in shape a continuous volume flow of the at least one solid metered material is pronounced, wherein the volume flow of the at least one solid metered product is each quantitatively presettable and variable within limits, wherein the volume flow of air, seen in the flow direction to the volume presented, on the steady flow of at least one fixed Dosing material meets and both first merged and then introduced in the respective mixture over the free level in the submitted volume, and in which the volume flow of air as a mixing, drying, discharge and carrier medium for the jew urgent at least one solid Dosiergut acts. The invention further relates to a device for carrying out the method.

The mixture is at the end of its further treatment in a metering downstream process plant to a drinkable mixture, preferably consisting of drinking milk as a carrier liquid and the at least one solid Dosiergut, such as rice or / and oats as Zerealie / n, prepared by application of the method and the device according to the invention. Drinkable mixture in this case means that it does not have to be consumed in spoonable or spoon-solid consistency, but can be easily absorbed with a straw or drinking straw. The term cereal should in addition to rice and oats, for example, include wheat grains, which are watered only with cold water, and other solid-like, small-piece admixtures such as fruits, nuts or seeds. Solid-like should be considered a cereal or admixture, if it is not destroyed by heat or mechanical action in the treatment process and thus, for example, largely retains its grain structure. The term "small piece" is intended to quantify a cereal or admixture that is still perceptible with a minimum size when drinking (for example, seeds or the like having a largest particle diameter of 1 to 2 mm) or that is still drinkable with a maximum particle size of not more than 5 mm, especially with a straw or drinking straw.

STATE OF THE ART

In the EP 0 945 168 A1 For example, a method and apparatus for the continuous production and on-line dosing of homogeneous mixtures of difficult-to-mix gaseous, liquid or solid mixes using a liquid solvent is described. Mixing takes place in at least one small-sized mixing chamber under overpressure or underpressure conditions. The mixes are fed to a mixing chamber provided with a static mixer section and a level control mixing chamber in which the mixing intensity at each time of the automatic mixing process can be influenced by the fact that the static mixer insert and the electronic level sensor responsible for adjusting the reaction volume are arranged adjustable. At the apex of the mixing chamber is a metering lock for the mix is placed on the body of supply connections of independently operating ventilation systems are located.

The DE 38 03 217 A1 discloses an apparatus for mixing and dosing solid and liquid doses, such as powders, granules or the like. In water and liquid dosing, such as dispersions, emulsions, with water-immiscible properties. The device has a mixing reactor chamber, wherein the doses are introduced by means of air in the closed, pressurized mixing reactor chamber and a distance air cushion between the water and the Dosiergut is maintained. The forced metering of the metered goods via a metering device in which a driven ball is arranged, in which three blind holes are incorporated, whose positions are arranged to overlap a solids inlet and a solids outlet. The metering device has a connection for a ventilation line and the mixing reactor chamber has a connection for a supply line, is supplied via the air and thus the solids dosage is conveyed into the mixing reactor chamber. It is a quasi-portioned entry of the solid in a space in the metering device, which also air is supplied. In what way, after the solid has been introduced into the metering device, it is mixed with the air supplied via the aeration line and then further treated on the way to the exit from the metering device, it is not disclosed. The portionwise delimitation of, for example, moist rice grains in blind holes and their subsequent emptying by gravity alone does not seem suitable for metering a dosing material of this kind safely and with the necessary quantity-proportional accuracy into a carrier liquid.

The DE 602 18 450 T2 involves dissolving powder in water using a stream of water in conjunction with a jet apparatus to aspirate and transfer the powder to a stirred tank. The latter is divided by a plurality of transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container baffles arranged in superimposed chambers, which are each connected by a central opening. Through the central openings extends a stirrer shaft, which drives a stirring pad in each chamber. Powder should also be understood to mean swellable particulate material in water.

The DE 602 23 586 T2 relates to a product made from cereals, indicating the nature of a cereal in terms of color, shape and outer and inner coating.

In addition, methods and devices are known which, with a higher proportion of cereals, serve to produce a high-viscosity end product, for example a rice or a rice / oat dessert, which can only be eaten spoonable or spooned.

Preferably, in Asian countries, drinkable mixtures of drinking milk as carrier liquid and rice and / or oats as cereal (s) are desired. It is further desirable in this regard that the cereal-admixed cereals, for example rice and / or oats, do not completely dissolve, but that their lumpiness, as uniformly distributed and isolated as possible, remains palpable during drinking. This requirement also relates to other small-sized admixtures that can be accommodated in the carrier liquid. In the production of a drinkable mixture, for example consisting of drinking milk and oats and / or rice, the aim is that on the one hand the oats in a native state, namely cold and dry, can be dosed into the carrier liquid drinking milk, and on the other hand, the use of so-called. "Allerweltsreis" is possible, which only needs to undergo a special, adapted pre-cooking before its dosage. In the context of the above problem, rice is termed a rice that has different cooking and sterilizing behavior, depending on variety, origin and natural crop-related fluctuations. Such commodity-related fluctuations usually affect the end product; they should be manageable and compensable. The rice grains pretreated in this way are of sticky consistency and tend to conglomerate with other rice grains. This makes their quantitatively uniform dosage in the carrier liquid and its uniform distribution in this problematic.

Known methods and devices are so far limited to produce a spoonable or spoon-solid, highly viscous mixture of a low-viscosity milk as a carrier liquid and rice cereal only under the condition when the rice content, based on the drinking milk content, well above 6 percent by weight , As the proportion of rice increases, a higher viscosity of the mixture is formed, which at the same time makes it possible to continuously convey this mixture, and ultimately the desired product, through and out of the process plant. This requires a different technology than that described in the present invention.

However, if the rice content is to be less than 6% and possibly less, because a drinkable, relatively low viscosity mixture thereof is desired, then the present dosing methods and devices will fail.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for mixing and dosing solid doses, such as at least one cereal, in particular a solid-like, particulate, swellable cereal, and / or at least one other small amount of admixture, into a carrier liquid through which the proportion of the at least one solid dosage in the carrier liquid, if necessary, increased beyond what has been achieved in the prior art level and at the same time a trouble-free supply of at least one solid Dosierguts in the carrier liquid and its local homogeneous distribution can be ensured. With the method and apparatus for mixing and dosing a mixture are to be produced, the final result to a drinkable mixture of drinking milk as a carrier liquid and a relatively high proportion, for example, of rice and / or oats and / or wheat grains as cereal / n and / or other small-sized admixtures, such as fruits, nuts, seeds or the like, leads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the method are the subject of the dependent claims. An apparatus for performing the method according to the invention is the subject of the independent claim 8. Advantageous embodiments of the device are the subject of the associated subclaims.

method

The inventive solution manifests itself most conspicuously on the most difficult task, namely the metering of the pre-cooked rice grains in the carrier liquid, which is exemplified below, starting from a method of the generic type.

The inventive idea is that the supplied air serves as a mixing, carrier and discharge and optionally additionally as a drying medium for the metered and optionally moist at least one solid Dosiergut. The introduced from top to bottom in the direction of volume presented air flow additionally prevents that rising from the carrier liquid vapors (hot steam) reaches the point of merging the volume flow of at least one solid dosing with the flow of air and there in its initial state in the Usually relatively dry dosing material glued. It has been found to be advantageous if, in the area of merging the volume flows of air and of the at least one solid metered material, an air speed given by the volume flow of air is larger by a factor of 50 to 100 than a supply speed given by the volume flow of the at least one solid metered metering material. In concrete terms, this means that, for example, the air is supplied at an air speed of 5 to 6 m / s and the at least one solid dosing with a feed rate of 0.05 to 0.1 m / s, so that the combined volume flow of air and Dosiergut is characterized by an entry speed which corresponds approximately to the airspeed.

The mixture thus prepared is then introduced over the free level in the initial volume.

The air velocity given by the volume flow of air in relation to a feed rate of the at least one solid dosing is such that the air favors the mixing and forced and beyond acts as a carrier and discharge medium for the respective at least one solid Dosiergut. If the at least one solid dosage material is a cereal in the form of a moist, pre-cooked rice, the air, which is significantly colder than the rice, causes the rice grains to dry in addition to their carrier function and thus counteracts sticking and conglomeration of the rice grains.

The abovementioned solution properties in connection with the cereal rice dosage are, mutatis mutandis, also applicable to other cereals or other solid-like, small-particle admixtures, if comparable behavior, such as adhesion and conglomeration, occurs here. In the following, to simplify the description under the term cereal also admixtures of the type described above are subsumed.

In addition to the above-mentioned inventive steps, the volume flow carrier liquid and a volume flow of air are kept constant in a conventional manner and provided steadily and continuously. The volumetric flow mixture is also forcibly discharged from the initially introduced volume at a constant volumetric flow rate and is continuously pronounced over the entire duration of the production time of the mixture and thus of the final result of the production process, a drinkable mixture which can be filled or stored. This ensures a clearly defined discharge of the mixture from the volume presented and at the same time an approximately constant and steady flow, seen in the direction of flow, in the volume presented subordinate areas of further treatment of the mixture reaches as free as possible from stagnant and / or uncontrolled oscillating flow areas.

Furthermore, it is provided in a manner known per se that the presented volume of the mixture, which has a free level, regulated above this level and thus kept constant. About this free level reaches the at least one solid Dosiergut, the dose to Zerealie, preferably in the carrier liquid, whereby a trouble-free dosage is promoted.

It is also known and provided that the volume flow carrier liquid and optionally a volume flow of air and the supply of at least one solid dosage material are each quantitatively presettable and can be changed within limits. The presettableness of these sizes makes it possible to set the proportion of the at least one solid metered material to a desired quantitative value. The variability makes it possible under changing operating conditions, e.g. in the event of fluctuations in the volume flows, to adjust the desired and / or required residence time. Safety and reliability of the mixing and dosing process are improved if the at least one solid dosage material is forcibly supplied.

In order to intensify the mixing of the at least one solid dosage material into and the mixing process in the carrier liquid, the carrier liquid is introduced in a manner known per se into the mixture in such a way that a rotational flow is generated in it by flow mechanics. By the rotational flow centrifugal forces are generated, which lead to secondary flows and thus to additional secondary stirring and mixing movements in the submitted volume of the mixture.

The above procedural steps ensure that each dosed at least one solid dosage remains a clearly defined mean residence time in the volume presented and there mixed according to this mean residence time together with the supplied carrier liquid and with the volume introduced mixture and uniformly distributed in this mixture. Since the residence time is defined as the quotient of the volume presented and volume introduced by this volume and planned volume and volume flows entering the volume presented kept constant and provided steadily and continuously and continue to the volume flow forcibly evacuated from the volume presented Mixture is also kept constant and steadily pronounced, the residence time is clearly defined and constant in trouble-free dosing. The dosing conditions are therefore clearly defined, reproducible at any time and constant in the scheduled and trouble-free operation.

In addition, the invention provides that the presented volume of the mixture can be preset within limits.

It has also proven to be advantageous if the dosing at least one dosing divided into more than one volume flow and is introduced separately from each other in the submitted volume. On the one hand, a simultaneous dosing of several and different solid dosing can be realized in the carrier liquid, on the other hand increases this process variant in the dosage of only a single solid dosing the reliability and safety of the dosing, because the entry surface of the volume presented inevitably increased accordingly ,

In order to enhance the mixing effect in the presented volume, it is further proposed to provide mechanically generated relevant movements in addition to the flow-mechanically generated stirring and mixing movements. Another reinforcing effect in this respect arises when the flow-mechanically generated rotational flow is oriented in the opposite direction to the mechanically generated rotating stirring and mixing movement.

use

The proposed method is particularly suitable for the preparation of a mixture consisting of a drinking milk as the carrier liquid and at least the cereal oat or rice or wheat grains, prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The necessary properties of oats and rice were already partially defined above, wherein it is advantageous to use the oats as a grain and not pre-cooked and dosed so natively, cold and dry. The rice is used pre-cooked and warm at 70 ° C and preferably metered under laminar ventilation. The wheat grains are, only pretreated by dehydration in cold water, dosed.

device

The device which is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention is designed as a metering device and consistently implements the procedural solution features into representational features. The metering device is usually arranged in a UHT (UHT: ultra-high temperature) system and is usually located between a preheating zone and a preheater zone with a subsequent high-temperature zone, a holding zone and a cooling zone, in the latter the end product, a drinkable mixture prepared from the mixture by a UHT treatment, cooled to the filling or storage temperature.

The metering device is formed in a conventional manner with a container for a presented volume of a mixture having a free level. The container has an inlet connection for a carrier liquid below the free level for generating a rotational flow in the container, an inlet opening for at least one solid dosing material and an outlet connection for the mixture consisting of the carrier liquid and the at least one solid dosage. The container has a level control device for the free level and it has at least one pre-chamber, which opens via an inlet opening in a headspace located above the free level of the container. The prechamber has a connection for supplying the at least one solid dosing material and a connection for air for supplying a volumetric flow of air in each case into the prechamber.

In addition to the generic features, the metering device according to the invention has the connection for feeding the at least one solid metered material, which is set up such that the at least one solid metered material enters the at least one antechamber in the form of a steady volume flow of the at least one solid metered material. At the at least one antechamber are the above-mentioned connection for supplying the at least one solid metered material and the connection for air is arranged such that the volume flow of air, after its exit from the connection for air and on the way to the inlet opening of the container, meets the steady volume flow of the at least one solid dosing. In addition, a mechanical stirring device is provided in the container.

In order to prevent the container on the one hand crowded and on the other hand is drained too far, so on the one hand, the necessary residence time is too long or too short and on the other hand, the container either overflows or empty, it has a third connection for an upper level limit detection device and a fourth terminal for a lower level limit detecting means.

To increase the safety and reliability of the dosing process, it is expedient for the container to have more than one pre-chamber, preferably four pre-chambers opening into its head space via an associated inlet opening in each case. In this context, it is provided that the at least one inlet opening or possibly more than one of these inlet openings is or are arranged in a container lid bounding the head space of the container. As a result, the respective at least one dosing product, a cereal and / or other small-sized admixture conveyed via the air flow into the head space, can be introduced into the latter over as large a surface as possible of the free level of the mixture.

A foaming when feeding the carrier liquid into the mixture is avoided and the stirring and mixing movement in the mixture is additionally enhanced if, as another proposal, the inlet connection for the supply of the carrier liquid at the periphery and in the tangential direction to the circumference of Container is arranged.

A trouble-free and clog-free removal of the mixture from the container is favored by an embodiment in which the container in its foot of a conical bottom with a first cone angle and a is then limited to the outlet port for the discharge of the mixture towards conical taper neck with a second cone angle, wherein the first cone angle is made significantly larger than the second cone angle.

In order to ensure a clearly defined removal of the mixture from the container and at the same time to achieve an approximately constant and steady flow, seen in the flow direction, in the container downstream areas of the UHT system, which is as free as possible of stagnant and / or uncontrolled oscillating flow areas , provides another proposal that directly at the outlet port of the container, a positive displacement pump, preferably a rotary positive displacement pump in the form of a screw-type pump is arranged.

In order that the supplied carrier air and possibly other gases and vapors released from the at least one solid dosing material or the heated mixture escape from the head space of the container or the latter at a decreasing level, e.g. can be vented during emptying or level fluctuations, a ventilation device is connected to the headspace of the container.

Proper and automatic CIP (cleaning in place) cleaning of the dosing device (CIP) becomes possible when the container has a container cleaning device in its headspace. In order to be able to intensively and safely subject the antechamber to automatic CIP cleaning, a further proposal provides that the prechamber has a chamber cleaning device engaging in it.

use

The proposed device is particularly suitable for the preparation of a mixture of drinking milk as a carrier liquid and rice and / or oats or wheat grains cereal / s and / or at least one other solid-like, small-sized admixture such as nuts, fruits, seeds or the like, prepared by means of the device according to one of claims 8 to 17.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figur 1

in perspektivischer Darstellung eine Außenansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Dosiervorrichtung mit vier am Behälterdeckel angeordneten Vorkammern und

Figur 2

in schematischer, vereinfachter Darstellung einen Meridianschnitt durch die Dosiervorrichtung gemäß Figur 1 .

A more detailed description of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings of the drawings and from the claims. While the invention is implemented in various embodiments, in the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the apparatus with which the inventive method is feasible, presented and described below for structure and function. Show it

FIG. 1

in perspective view an external view of the metering device according to the invention with four arranged on the container lid prechambers and

FIG. 2

in a schematic, simplified representation of a meridian section through the metering device according to FIG. 1 ,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION device

A metering device 100 ( FIG. FIGS. 1 and 2 ) , for example, seen in the flow direction of a carrier liquid TF, behind the last heat exchanger of a preheating a UHT system arranged. The carrier liquid TF flows with a volume flow of carrier liquid Q _TF at an inlet speed c _TF via an inlet connection 16 into a container 2 of the dosing device 100, the inlet connection 16 preferably at the circumference and in the tangential direction to the circumference of the container 2 and below a liquid level of a mixture G stored in the container 2, characterized by the carrier liquid TF and at least one solid dosage material Z, B, for example at least one solid-like, particulate, swellable cereal Z, is arranged. Instead of the at least one cereal Z, it may also be at least one other small-sized admixture B (not shown in the figures of the drawing). The container 2 forms an interior for receiving the mixture G, wherein a submitted volume V of the mixture G is to be limited by the free level N with respect to a head space 5 of the container 2. The container 2 is above its Headspace 5 by a container lid 4 and limited in its foot by a conical bottom 6 with a first cone angle W1 and a subsequent conical taper neck 8 with a second cone angle W2. The first cone angle W1 is made larger than the second cone angle W2, and it is advantageous if the cone angle W1 is slightly less than three times as large as the cone angle W2. The taper neck 8 opens into an outlet port 18 for the mixture G, to which a positive displacement pump 48, preferably in the form of a screw-spindle pump, is arranged directly. The mixture G is discharged from the container 2 with a volume flow mixture Q _G and a discharge rate c _G. The container 2 further comprises at least one inlet opening 34 for the at least one solid dosage Z, B, in the embodiment, the cereal Z, and / or at least one other small-sized admixture B (not designated), wherein the inlet opening 34 the is preferably arranged in the container lid 4.

At least one pre-chamber 50 is provided on the container 2, which opens via the at least one inlet opening 34 in the headspace 5 located above the free level N. The pre-chamber 50 has a port 54 for feeding a volume flow of at least one solid dosage material Q *, the volume flow cereal Q _Z and / or a volume flow admixture Q _B (not numbered), and a connection for air 56 for feeding a volume flow of air Q _L , About the port 54, the prechamber 50 with at least one solid metered Z, B and the connection for air 56, the pre-chamber 50 can be acted upon with air L. The connection for air 56 is arranged so that the volume flow of air Q _L on the way to the inlet opening 34 on the volume flow of the at least one solid dosage Q *, the flow rate Zerealie Q _Z or the volume flow admixture Q _B hits. From the volume flow of air Q _L results with a passage cross section of the pre-chamber 50 there for a preferably dry, relatively cool air L is an airspeed c _L, and the cereal Z or admixture B is under the given cross-sectional ratios at a feed rate c _Z or c _B fed.

By a ratio chosen according to the invention between volume flow air Q _L and volume flow cereal Q _Z or admixture Q _B or between air speed c _L and feed speed c _Z or c _B , preferably at 50 to 100 (c _L / c _Z = c _L / c _B = 50-100), the air L acts as a mixing, carrier and discharge medium for the cereal Z or admixture B, so that a mixture of cereal and air Z + L or admixture and air B + L with a volume flow cereal and Air Q _{Z + L} or volume flow admixture and air Q _{B + L} and an entry speed c _{Z + L} or c _{B + L} from the antechamber 50 via the inlet opening 34 into the headspace 5 occurs.

In the container 2, a level control device 38 is provided, which engages over a preferably arranged in the container lid 4 second port 26 in the free level N and serves to control its. Furthermore, the container 2 engages, preferably in each case again via the container lid 4, via a first connection 24 an agitating device 36, via a third connection 28 an upper level limit detection device 40 and via a fifth connection 32 a container cleaning device 44, wherein the agitator 36 extends far into the presented volume V. Preferably also on the container lid 4 there is a ventilation device 20 via which a generally warm, moist first air L * and possibly other gas or vapor components are removed. A condensate k, which optionally separates from the first air L *, is discharged via a connected to the ventilation device 20 overflow pipe 22 in the vicinity of the container 2 as well as a then correspondingly dehumidified second air L **. In the bottom 6, a lower level limit detection device 42 engages in the foot region of the container 2 via a fourth connection 30.

With the container cleaning device 44, in a cleaning step, a first cleaning liquid C1 is discharged into the entire interior of the container 2 when it is completely emptied of the mixture G. A secure and targeted cleaning of the pre-chamber 50 is ensured by a chamber cleaning device 46, which via a connection for chamber cleaning 58 at a chamber lid 52 of the prechamber 50 is inserted into the latter, and over which a second cleaning liquid C2 is applied in the cleaning step.

The container 2 preferably rests on a support frame 14, which is preferably supported by three legs on a substrate, it has a manhole 10 for inspection and maintenance work in its interior, and it is equipped with a plurality, preferably three, sight glasses 12, preferably are distributed in a vertical arrangement over a lateral surface of the container 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the container 2 has four prechambers 50 opening into its head space 5 via an associated inlet opening 34 in each case. Either different cereals Z and / or admixtures B can be simultaneously introduced into the initially introduced volume V or partial streams of identical or different cereals Z and / or admixtures B either simultaneously via these prechambers 50.

The cereal Z may preferably be rice R and here preferably a "whole world rice" or oats H or wheat grains W (not designated). Rice R and oats H are the carrier liquid TF, preferably a drinking milk M, each exclusively (G = TF + R; G = TF + H) or, each separately, but in the end result in total (G = TF + H + R) added in the desired ratio. The oat H is preferably dosed as grain, not pre-cooked and native, cold and dry, while the rice R is pre-cooked and dosed warm at 70 ° C and under the ventilation of the invention. The wheat grains W, only pretreated by dehydration in cold water, dosed. It is in the mixture G and thus at the end of a heat treatment, a drinkable product with a proportion Zerealie (n) Z, based on the carrier liquid TF, achieved by 4% or more.

The dry and generally relatively cold air L in relation to the cereal Z functions on the one hand as a mixing, carrier and delivery medium for the cereal Z and on the other hand causes drying, in particular with warm, moist preformed rice R, drying as the drying medium Gluing and conglomerating rice grains prevented.

With the air flow, the cereals Z are blown to the free level N, penetrate over the entire surface of the free level N in the submitted volume V of the mixture G and are uniformly distributed there with continuous supply of an associated volume flow carrier fluid Q _TF . The mixture G, consisting of carrier liquid TF and cereal Z equally divided therein (G = TF + Z), remains in the stationary operation of the metering device 100 with a clearly defined mean residence time t in the volume V presented, wherein the average residence time t from the size of the introduced volume V and the preferably forcibly discharged volume flow mixture Q _G with t = V / Q _G results.

use

The proposed metering device 100 is particularly suitable for the preparation of a mixture G of drinking milk M as carrier liquid TF and rice R and / or oat H as cereal / Z, produced by means of the device according to one of claims 8 to 17.

REFERENCE LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED

100

metering

2

container

4

container lid

5

headspace

6

Bottom (cone-shaped)

8th

rejuvenation socket

10

manhole

12

sight glass

14

supporting frame

16

Entry port

18

Outlet port

20

Ventilation device

22

Overflow pipe

24

first connection (for stirring device)

26

second connection (for level control)

28

third connection (for upper level limit detection device)

30

fourth port (for lower level limit detection device)

32

fifth connection (for container cleaning device)

34

Inlet opening (for cereal (s) and / or addition (s))

36

mechanical stirring device

38

Level control device

40

upper level limit detection device

42

lower level limit detection device

44

Tank cleaning device

46

Chamber-cleaning device

48

Positive Displacement Pump (e.g., Rotary; Screw Spindle Pump)

50

antechamber

52

chamber cover

54

Connection (for solid dosing Z, B, cereal (s) and / or addition (s))

56

Connection for air

58

Connection for chamber cleaning

B

Admixture (s)

C1

first cleaning liquid

C2

second cleaning liquid

G

Mixture (carrier liquid TF + at least one solid dosage Z, B)

H

oats

L

air

L *

first air

L **

second air

M

Drink milk

N

free level

Q *

Volume flow of at least one solid metered Z, B

Q _B

Volume flow admixture

Q _G

Volume flow mixture

Q _L

Volume flow air

Q _TF

Volume flow carrier liquid

Q _z

Volume flow cereal

Q _{B + L}

Volume flow admixture and air

Q _{Z + L}

Volume flow of cereal and air

R

rice

TF

carrier fluid

V

initial volume (of mixture G)

W

wheat grains

W1

first cone angle

W2

second cone angle

Z

Cereal (s)

Z, B

solid dosing goods (at least one solid dosing Z, B)

TF, Z, B

all mix ingredients

c _Q *

Feed rate of at least one solid metered Z, B

c _B

Feed rate admixture

c _{B + L}

Entry speed admixture

c _G

running speed

c _L

airspeed

c _TF

feeding speed

c _Z

Feed rate cereal

c _{Z + L}

Entry speed cereal

k

condensate

t

average residence time (t = V / Q _G )

Claims (17)

1. Method for mixing and metering solid materials to be metered (Z, B), such as at least one cereal (Z), in particular a solid, particulate, swellable cereal (Z), and/or at least one other small-size addition (B), into a carrier liquid (TF), by means of which method a mixture (G) consisting of the carrier fluid (TF) and the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) is produced, wherein, in stationary operation, a volume flow of carrier liquid (Q_TF) and the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) are each forcibly fed to a provided volume (V) of the mixture (G) and all mixture components (TF, Z, B) are mixed together, wherein the mixture (G) is continuously and forcibly discharged at a constant volume flow of mixture (Q_G) from the provided volume (V), wherein the provided volume (V), which has a free level (N), is controlled by means of this free level (N) and is thus kept constant, wherein the volume flow of carrier liquid (Q_TF) and a volume flow of air (Q_L) are kept constant and are steadily and continuously supplied, the volume flow of carrier liquid (Q_TF) and optionally the volume flow of air (Q_L) in each case being quantitatively presettable and alterable within limits, wherein the volume flow of carrier liquid (Q_TF) is introduced into the mixture (G) below the free level (N) such that a rotational flow is fluidically generated in the mixture as a result, wherein the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) is in each case in the form of a constant volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*),wherein the volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*) can in each case be quantitively preset and altered within limits,wherein the volume flow of air (Q_L), when viewed in the direction of flow towards the provided volume (V), comes into contact with the constant volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*) and both are firstly combined and then introduced into the provided volume (V) via the free level (N) as the resulting mixture (Q_L+Q*), and wherein the volume flow of air (Q_L) can function as a mixing, drying, discharging and carrier medium for the relevant at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B),
   wherein,
   in the region where the volume flow of air (Q_L) and the volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*) converge, an air speed (c_L) given by the volume flow of air (Q_L) is greater by a factor of 50 to 100 than a feed speed (c_Q*; c_Z; c_B) given by the volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*).
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the provided volume (V) can be preset within limits.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that
   the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) is split into more than one volume flow and is introduced into the provided volume (V) in each case separately.
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the fluidically generated rotational flow is oriented counter to a mechanically generated circumferential mixing movement.
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the carrier fluid (TF) is drinking milk (M) and the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) is either a cereal (Z), said cereal being oats (H) or rice (R) or wheat grains (W), or an addition (B), said addition being nuts or fruits or seeds.
6. Method according to claim 5,
   characterised in that
   the oats (H) are fed in as a granular substance that has not been pre-cooked or processed and is cold and dry, and in that the wheat grains (W) are fed in after being soaked in cold water.
7. Method according to claim 5,
   characterised in that
   the rice (R) is pre-cooked and fed in warm at 70°C.
8. Device suitable for carrying out the method according to any of claims 1 to 7, comprising a metering means (100), which comprises a container (2) for a provided volume (V) of a mixture (G) having a free level (N), which container comprises an inlet connection (16) for a carrier liquid (TF) below the free level (N) in order to generate a rotational flow in the container (2), an inlet opening (34) for at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B), such as a cereal and/or at least one addition (B), and an outlet connection (18) for the mixture (G), consisting of the carrier fluid (TF) and the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B), said device further comprising a controller (38) for the free level (N) and comprising at least one antechamber (50), which opens into a top region (5) of the container (2) above the free level (N) via the inlet opening (34) and which comprises a connection (54) for feeding the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) and a connection for air (56) for feeding a volume flow of air (QL) in each case into the antechamber (50),
   the connection (54) for feeding in the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) being designed such that the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) enters the at least one antechamber (50) in each case in the form of a constant volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*),
   the connection (54) for feeding in the at least one solid material to be metered (Z, B) and the connection for air (56) being arranged on the at least one antechamber (50) such that the volume flow of air (QL) comes into contact with the constant volume flow of the at least one solid material to be metered (Q*) after exiting the connection for air (56) and on the way to the inlet opening (34),
   and a mechanical stirrer (36) being provided in the container (2).
9. Device according to claim 8,
   characterised in that
   the container (2) comprises a third connection (28) for an upper level limit value detection means (40) and a fourth connection (30) for a lower level limit value detection means (42).
10. Device according to claim 8 or 9,
    characterised in that
    the container (2) comprises four antechambers (50) that open out into the top region (5) of said container via an associated inlet opening (34) in each case.
11. Device according to any of claims 8 to 10,
    characterised in that
    the at least one inlet opening (34) is arranged in a container lid (4) adjacent to the top region (5) of the container (2).
12. Device according to any of claims 8 to 11,
    characterised in that
    the inlet connection (16) is arranged on the periphery of and at a tangent to the periphery of the container (2).
13. Device according to any of claims 8 to 12,
    characterised in that
    the container (2) is delimited in the bottom region thereof by a conical base (6) having a first cone angle (W1) and a conical tapering connection piece (8) that subsequently continues towards the outlet connection (18) and has a second cone angle (W2), and in that the first cone angle (W1) is designed to be larger than the second cone angle (W2).
14. Device according to any of claims 8 to 13,
    characterised in that
    a positive displacement pump (48) is arranged directly on the outlet connection (18).
15. Device according to any of claims 8 to 14,
    characterised in that
    a ventilation and deaeration means (20) is connected to the top region (5) of the container (2).
16. Device according to any of claims 8 to 15,
    characterised in that
    the container (2) comprises a container-cleaning means (44) that engages in the top region (5) thereof.
17. Device according to any of claims 8 to 16,
    characterised in that
    the antechamber (50) comprises a chamber-cleaning means (46) that engages therein.

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