EP3713671B1 - Intelligent, self-adapting control arrangement for automated optimisation and controlling of a milling line of a roller system and corresponding method - Google Patents

Description

Field of invention

The present invention relates to an intelligent, self-adaptive regulation and control device for the automated regulation and control of grinding and rolling systems, in particular mill systems with a roller frame, but also mill systems and grinding systems in general. The invention relates in particular to control devices for grain mills and other systems for processing and crushing grain, in particular systems for crushing, transporting, fractionating and conditioning grain as well as to regulating and control methods and control devices for self-optimized control and monitoring of such systems. Possible applications of the device according to the invention also relate to grinding and rolling systems with real-time or quasi-real-time measurement and monitoring of operating parameters such as roller temperature, roller gap, roller speed, roller press force and / or energy consumption of one or different roller drives, and / or with real- time or quasi-real-time measurements of ingredients or quality parameters during product preparation and processing in the grain mill systems for the purpose of process monitoring (measurement, monitoring) as well as control and / or regulation of the systems or processes, such as measured variables such as water content, protein content, Starch damage, ash content (minerals) of flours (or intermediate grinding products), residual starch content, grinding fineness etc. However, as mentioned, the invention also relates quite generally to mill systems, for example ball mills or so-called semi-autogenously grinding mills (SAG), which are used for Grinding of coarse-grained M materials, such as ores or cement, etc., are intended. In such mills, too, the throughput and the product quality parameters are set by setting various control or reference variables, such as the speed of rotation of the mill drum, energy consumption of the mill drum, supply of the (coarse) granular starting material / input materials, water supply in ore mills and / or the discharge speed of the output ground material, controlled. In these mills, too, the grain size distribution of the material to be ground is an important quality feature. In particular, it can influence the yield of the further components connected downstream of the mill system, such as, for example, the flotation. The aim is to achieve the highest possible throughput with high product quality and with low energy consumption and material requirements, ie costs.

The present invention thus relates in a preferred application to rolling systems, product processing systems and grinding systems containing rollers or roller pairing, as well as corresponding methods for the optimized operation of such grinding and rolling systems or product processing systems. The systems mentioned relate in particular to complete systems for (i) grain milling, (ii) flour processing for industrial bakeries, (iii) systems for special milling, (iv) production systems for the production of high-quality feed for farm animals and pets, (v) special systems for Production of feed for fish and crustaceans, (vi) premix and concentrate systems for the production of active ingredient mixtures, (vii) oil extraction from oilseeds, (viii) treatment of extraction meal and white flakes, (ix) high-performance systems for processing biomass and production of energy pellets, (x) Systems for ethanol production, (xi) Complete rice processing systems, (xii) Sorting systems for food, seeds and plastics, (xiii) Grain and soy handling, (xiv) Systems for unloading and loading ships, trucks and trains from storage to discharge of grain, oilseeds and derivatives, (xv) silo equipment for vertical steel and concrete silos as well as flat storage , (xvi) Mechanical and pneumatic ship unloaders and ship loaders, (xvii) conveyor components, (xviii) industrial malting and milling systems, (xix) machines and systems for processing cocoa beans, nuts and coffee beans, (xx) machines and systems for production of chocolate as well as filling and coating masses, (xxi) machines and systems for molding chocolate articles, (xxii) overall concepts for production lines for the manufacture of long goods, haberdashery, nidi, lasagne, couscous and specialty pasta, (xxiii) systems and systems for extrusion (Cooking and shaping) of breakfast cereals, food and feed ingredients, pet food, aquafeed and pharmaceutical products, (xxiv) systems for the production of paints, varnishes and dispersions, (xxv) planning of complete wet milling technology solutions and manufacturing of machines and processes -Equipment for the production of printing inks, coatings and particle dispersions for the cosmetics, electronics and chemical industries, (xxvi) heat Treatment of Polymers (PET), (xxvii) plants for the production of bottle PET, (xxviii) SSP and conditioning plants for the treatment of PET and other plastics, (xxix) plants for bottle-to-bottle recycling, (xxx) production of ready-to-use Nanoparticle dispersions, (xxxi) Turnkey processing for nanoparticles in the liquid phase, (xxxii) Industrial solutions for drying and other thermal processes, (xxxii) Isolation and characterization of aleurone from wheat bran, rice fortification, etc.

Background of the invention

Milling, especially grain milling, is also called an art. In contrast to other areas of industry, in which the influence of the various factors that determine the dynamics of a process is usually well known and in which the relevant processes can therefore be easily parameterized using appropriate equations and formulas or the equipment and devices involved simply activated and regulated accordingly, the number of relevant factors that influence the grinding quality and, at the same time, the yield of the processed end product, is extremely high in milling. It is therefore often necessary for a miller, as a human expert, to manually adjust and set the entire grinding or milling system after analyzing the starting / raw material based on his intuition and know-how in order to obtain the best possible results in the sense of the expected Quality and yield of the end product (e.g. ash content, yield, baking quality etc.). And all of this while minimizing costs, ie in particular energy efficiency. It should also be taken into account that the grinding properties of the starting material, e.g. the selected wheat or grain, are fundamental to the grinding process. Since the grinding system typically has to be regulated by the head miller, the head miller also has a decisive influence on and control of the characteristics of the flour produced. It starts with the choice of the wheat class, which can refer to the market class as well as the production location or region of the wheat, in order to influence certain grain attributes, such as a certain protein area. The miller also controls the wheat blend / grists that is put into the grinding plant. The miller can also adjust the mill flow, roll speed, Speed differentials, distribution of fluted rolls, e.g. sharp-to-sharp, and roll pressure in smooth rolls. The miller has further control options in combination with sieving and cleaning and finally in the maelstrom selection for mixing the final flour produced. All of these parameters and control options are used by the miller to consistently produce a flour of a certain quality.

As the example discussed shows, grinding rollers in particular, such as those used in grain milling, require constant monitoring. Apart from the optimization of production and the characteristics of the end product, it can also happen, for example, that a so-called dry run, build-up in the control system or other operational anomalies occur. If an abnormal condition lasts too long, the temperature of the grinding roller, for example, can rise to a critical level and possibly cause a fire or damage to the rollers. However, operational anomalies can also influence the optimal operation of the system differently, in particular the quality, yield or energy consumption. Although grinding plants are at least partially automated in many areas, current systems for automatic control and optimized operation are difficult to automate. In the prior art, mill systems are therefore often still set manually by the operating personnel based on their empirical values. Automated control or regulation of the operation is often limited to the signal transmission and transmission of control commands, for example by means of PLC control and connected input devices with a graphical user interface (GUI). PLC refers to a programmable logic controller (PLC), which is used as a device for controlling or regulating a machine or system and can be programmed on a digital basis. If the quality of the supplied material changes, it typically takes a certain time before a high throughput with good product quality can be achieved again. In addition, the operator often only has an indirect quality control at his disposal, which results, for example, from a decrease in yield in one of the downstream components. This also makes it difficult to set the mill system properly or to intervene in good time if anomalies occur in the milling process. If the regulation and control of a grinding roller system consists of one operator (head miller), however, is one Complete mastery of the entire production process is essential in order to be able to carry out such control "by hand" at all. The result of the control is essentially dependent on the respective technical skills and the experience of the operator, ie the supervising head miller. If less qualified personnel are used for operation, e.g. B. during special times (holidays, night work, etc.), the result may be reduced for the mill, for example due to a lower yield of light-colored flours or similar attempts to replace the head miller with processor-based control devices, that the complex knowledge and experience of the head miller could not simply be automated by means of rule-controlled devices, in particular not by means of autonomous, self-sufficient control devices that get by without regular routine human intervention.

As regards the milling and comminuting systems, various milling and comminuting systems are known in the art. In grain and flour mills, the roller mill is by far the most important grinding device. Whether corn, soft wheat, durum wheat, rye, barley or malt are to be processed, the roller mill usually offers the most ideal processing of all types of grain. The process used in a grain mill is a step crushing process. The flour kernel (endosperm) is gradually crushed by passing through several corrugated or smooth pairs of steel rollers. It is separated from the bran and the seedling in sifters using sieves. In the case of pairs of rollers in a roller frame, one roller typically rotates faster than the other. As the two rollers rotate in opposite directions, the material is drawn into the roller gap. The shape, depth and twist of the corrugation, together with the speed differential, determine the intensity of the grinding in each step. Beater mills are also known. Impact mills are suitable, for example, for grinding a wide variety of products in grain mills (grain and by-products of the grinding), animal feed factories (animal feed, pulses), breweries (fine meal production for mash filtration), oil mills (extraction meal and crushed oil cake) or even pasta factories (pasta waste). The product is fed to the beater mill or hammer mill from a hopper and picked up by the beater rotor. The particles are crushed until they can pass the openings of a sieve jacket surrounding the rotor. Finally, flaking systems are also known in which the flaking roller mill, together with the corresponding steaming device, forms the core. In the upstream In the steaming device, the flaking material is hydrothermally treated before it enters the flaking mill. The system is suitable for processing pearl barley (whole, cleaned and peeled oat kernels) as well as groats (cut oat kernels), maize, soft wheat, barley, buckwheat and rice. It should be noted that due to the specific problems and requirements in the production of flour and semolina from grain and similar products, an independent type of rolling mill, the so-called milling roller mill, has developed, which in contrast to the grinding technology of rocks, the production of Flakes made from vegetable raw materials, etc. contain a very peculiar grinding technique.

Regardless of the specific properties of the flour mills, all of the discussed prior art milling systems are known (see e.g. DE-OS 27 30 166 ) that there are and can always be disruptive influences which idealized grinding conditions do not allow. These interfering influences include, among other things, uneven roller temperatures, changes in the spring characteristics of a pair of rollers, changes in the grinding gap or grinding pressure, etc. Influence of process elements (regrind and system elements) and operational process parameters of the grain mill systems that can be assigned to them with timely detection of disruptive influences or other operational anomalies. It is known that the provision and automation of such control and regulation systems is complex, since a large number of at least partially mutually dependent, ie correlated, parameters must be taken into account (e.g. EP0013023B1 , DE2730166A1 ). The operation of the grinding devices is influenced by a large number of parameters, such as the selection of the type of grain or the grain mixture and the cultivation area, the harvest time, the desired quality criteria, the specific weight and / or the moisture of the individual grain types or the grain mixture proportions, the air temperature, the relative humidity, the technical data of the system elements used in the mill system and / or the desired flour quality as specified process variables and the selection of the distance, the grinding pressure, the temperature and / or the power consumption of the motors of the grinding rollers, the flow rate and / or the achieved moisture of the ground material and / or the quality of the flour with regard to the mixture proportions, which Sufficiently differentiated control of the grinding process in the grain mill systems is difficult. It is often enough for a few of these process variables and operational process parameters to slip outside of their tolerance in order to have a massive impact on the operation of the mill. It is thanks to this complexity of the process that, despite all efforts to automate the systems, the head miller is still up-to-date because he, as a "human expert", has to decide whether a change in the control signals assigned to the input signal variables appears desirable or not. The head miller will always take the target values into account. If he has found an optimal assignment between the input signal parameters mentioned and the control signal parameters, this assignment is typically ensured by appropriate memory allocation and addressing within the grain mill system.

The document WO9741956A1 of the prior art discloses a method for the automated control of the milling process in a mill with a plurality of milling units. A random sample is screened out at the exit of the milling units. The sample is used to compare the percentage of throughput to regrind retained with predefined standard values. If a deviation is measured, the gap between the grinding rollers of the grinding roller pair of the grinding unit concerned is adjusted according to the deviation. DE2413956A1 The prior art also relates to a method of grinding grain into flour using grinding units, followed by sieving. When grinding the grain, as is known, the grist is passed through a number of successive roller mills, the emerging material being sieved to separate the material which has been ground to the required size, while the remaining material is fed to the subsequent one of the successive grinding units will. The grinding units are monitored by means of a monitoring unit. The behavior of the grinding units is controlled based on a predefined scheme during the grinding process, so that it fits together with the predefined scheme. Finally, JPH06114282A shows a method for monitoring the particle size distribution in a grinding plant, with the aim of obtaining a constant particle size distribution within the plant. In the process, the flow rate, the distance between the grinding rollers and the spring pressure of the rollers are monitored in order to obtain the desired particle size distribution. The procedure adjusts the control of the grinding system if a deviation of the particle size distribution from the desired particle size distribution is detected.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to solve the disadvantages and technical problems known from the prior art. In particular, an intelligent, self-adaptive control / regulating device is to be provided for the automated optimization and control of the grinding line of a roller system, with which the grinding and / or grinding can be optimized and carried out automatically, and which increases the operational reliability of a mill and, at the same time, the operation optimized or reacts automatically to occurring anomalies. The control / regulating device should be able to identify long-term trends in production and to recognize abnormalities in operation. It should enable simple automated monitoring and detection of critical production parameters, in particular yield, energy and throughput / machine running time, as well as automated adaptation of the operation while optimizing the relevant parameters or an automated adaptation of the operation in the event of abnormalities or anomalies. Finally, the method should allow a fast, automated and stable setting of a mill system during the initial setting.

According to the present invention, these objects are achieved by the method according to claim 1 and the device according to claim 11. Further advantageous embodiments are also evident from the dependent claims, the drawings and the description.

In particular, these goals are achieved by the invention for an intelligent, self-adaptive regulation and control device and / or apparatus for self-optimized control of a mill system and / or a grinding line of a roller system of the mill system in that the grinding line has a plurality of processing units, such as corrugating and / or smooth rollers and / or sieves, etc., which based on operational process parameters can be individually controlled by means of the regulating and control device and individually during their operation can be regulated, whereby a batch control (English. Batch) with a defined processing sequence in the processing units can be regulated by means of an operational process recipe, wherein a defined amount of an end product can be generated from one or more starting materials, and the processing units are based can be controlled based on operational batch process parameters that are specifically assigned to the operational process recipe. The regulation and control device comprises a pattern recognition module for recognizing operational process recipes with multi-dimensional batch process parameter patterns, with an operational process recipe at least one or more starting materials, a defined sequence of a milling process within the processing units of the milling line, and operational Batch process parameters assigned to the respective processing units of the grinding line includes stored. The regulation and control device comprises a storage device for storing historical operational process recipes with historical batch process parameters, the historical batch process parameters of a process recipe each defining a process-typical, multi-dimensional batch process parameter pattern of an optimized batch process in the normal range. When entering end product parameters and / or input product parameters of a new operational process recipe, one or more of the saved historical operational process recipes based on the assigned multi-dimensional batch process parameter pattern are used as the closest batch process parameter pattern by means of pattern recognition of the pattern recognition module triggered and / or selected. By means of the regulating and control device, based on the triggered closest batch process parameter pattern, new batch process parameter patterns with new batch process parameters are generated for the entered new operative process recipe, the processing units based on the generated operative process recipes with the assigned batches. Process parameters are controlled and regulated accordingly by means of the regulating and control device. During the grinding process of the new operational process recipe, the operational process parameters can be continuously monitored by means of the regulating and control device, with a warning signal being transmitted to an alarm unit when an anomaly is detected as a defined deviation of the monitored operational process parameters from the specific operational process parameters of the new operational process recipe. The batch process parameters can for example include at least measurement parameters relating to the currents and / or power consumption of one or more roller mills of the mill system. The one or more roller mills can, for example, comprise at least corrugated rollers (B passage) and / or smooth rollers (C passage). The batch process parameters can in particular include, for example, at least measurement parameters relating to the currents and / or power consumption of all roller mills of the mill system. The invention has the advantage, among other things, that a technically new, intelligent, self-adaptive control / regulating device can be provided for the automated optimization and control of the grinding line of a roller system, with which the grinding and / or grinding can be optimized and carried out completely automatically , and which increases the operational safety of a mill and at the same time optimizes the operation or reacts automatically to occurring anomalies. The inventive control / regulating device is able to identify long-term trends in production and to recognize abnormalities in operation. It allows a new, simple and automated monitoring and detection of critical production parameters, in particular yield, energy and throughput / machine runtime, and enables an automated adjustment of the operation during operation to optimize these parameters or an automated adjustment of the operation in the event of detected abnormalities or anomalies during of the company. If the inventive system and method are finally used in the initial setting, it allows a mill system to be set quickly and reliably based on historical, optimized parameter sets.

In one embodiment, the process-typical batch process parameters of an optimized batch process can be used to determine defined quality parameters of the end product and specific flour yield as a function of the starting products in the normal range. The defined quality parameters can include, for example, at least particle size distribution and / or starch damage and / or protein quality and / or water content. The monitored batch process parameters can include, for example, at least yield and / or energy consumption / energy consumption and / or throughput / machine running time.

In a further embodiment variant, continuous long-term changes in the monitored batch process parameters are determined by the control and the monitoring of the anomaly during the grinding process Control device detected, the defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters from the generated operative process parameters of the new operative process recipe being determined as a function of the measured continuous long-term changes.

In another embodiment variant, the monitored batch process parameters are transmitted from a large number of regulating and control devices via a network to a central monitoring unit, the large number of regulating and control devices being monitored and regulated centrally.

In yet another embodiment variant, the defined deviation of the monitored operational process parameters from the generated operational process parameters of the new operational process recipe is determined as a function of the natural fluctuations within definable χ ^{2 standard deviations.}

At this point it should be noted that the present invention relates not only to the apparatus according to the invention but also to a method for realizing the device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

• Figur 1 illustriert schematisch eine Darstellung einer erfindungsgemässen Ausführungsvariante, bei welcher die Ströme von allen Walzenstühlen (B(2: 21,...,23)/C(3: 31,...,33)) betrachtet werden, unterteilt in B Passage (hier: Riffelwalzen 21,...,23) und C Passage (hier: Glattwalzen 31,...,33). Für jedes Rezept und Vorrichtungseinstellung/-charakteristiken ergibt sich ein typisches Pattern, das in Abhängigkeit vom Rohmaterial und den vorhergehenden Prozessschritten die Qualität 61 des Endproduktes bestimmt (wie z.B. Partikelgrössenverteilung 611, Stärkebeschädigung 612, Proteinqualität 613, Wassergehalt 614) sowie die spezifische Mehlausbeute 62. Das typische Pattern kann auch durch eine spezifische, typisches Farbe dargestellt werden. Eine Veränderung des Patterns oder des Farbmusters der Ströme wird als Anomalie detektiert und ein entsprechendes elektronisches Signal zur Erzeugung einer Warnmeldung oder der Aktivierung weiterer Vorrichtungen oder Apparati erzeugt.
• Figur 2 illustriert schematisch eine Darstellung eines typischen Patterns (Muster) des Stroms eines Walzwerkes (roller mill), d.h. einer typischen Signatur eines Rezeptes. Der Mittelwert des Stroms für ungefähr 6 Monate Betrieb für die 4 produzierten Rezepte.
• Figur 3 zeigt schematisch eine Darstellung eines ähnlichen Musters für die Fluktuationen. Die Standard-Abweichung des Stroms für die gleiche Periode und die gleichen Rezepte.
• Die Figuren 4 und 5 zeigen schematisch eine Darstellung von lang-zeit Trends der Signaturen. Die Pattern verändern sich über die Zeit wegen Abnutzung, saisonal oder anders bedingte Faktoren. Fig. 4/5 zeigen die Fluktuationen in den Monaten März (Fig. 4) und Juni (Fig. 5).
• Figur 6/7 zeigen schematisch eine Darstellung von Ausreissern (Outliers/Batches) mit anormalem Verhalten, wobei solch anormales Verhalten basierend auf ihrer unterschiedlichen Signatur detektiert werden kann. Gute/Normale Batches können von einer selbst-lernenden/maschinen-lernenden Einheit oder Operatoren als "gut" gekennzeichnet werden, so dass die Definition des als "normal" zu erwartenden Verhaltens dynamisch wird und lang-zeit Trends berücksichtigt werden können.
• Figur 8-11 zeigen schematisch weitere Darstellungen der Detektion von Auffälligkeiten in Abhängigkeit von Prozessgrössen (Fig. 8-9), sowie deren Prozessanalytik (Fig. 10) und Rezeptübersicht (Fig. 11).
• Figur 12 zeigt schematisch eine Mühlenanlage 1, bei welcher Sensordaten während des Prozesses z.B. alle 3 Minuten gemessen und erfasst werden. Insbesondere zeigt sie das Messes von Messparameter 51 des Eingangsproduktes 5, wie den Feuchtegehalts des Eingangsproduktes 5, sowie das Messen der Mehleigenschaften 61 und der Ausbeute 62 des Endproduktes 6.

Variants of the present invention are described below with the aid of examples. The examples of the designs are illustrated by the following figures:

• Figure 1 schematically illustrates a representation of an embodiment variant according to the invention, in which the flows from all roller mills (B (2: 21, ..., 23) / C (3: 31, ..., 33)) are viewed, divided into B passage ( here: corrugated rollers 21, ..., 23) and C passage (here: smooth rollers 31, ..., 33). For every recipe and device setting / characteristics there is a typical pattern that determines the quality 61 of the end product (e.g. particle size distribution 611, Starch damage 612, protein quality 613, water content 614) and the specific flour yield 62. The typical pattern can also be represented by a specific, typical color. A change in the pattern or the color pattern of the currents is detected as an anomaly and a corresponding electronic signal is generated to generate a warning message or to activate further devices or apparatus.
• Figure 2 illustrates schematically a representation of a typical pattern (pattern) of the flow of a roller mill, ie a typical signature of a recipe. The mean value of the current for approximately 6 months of operation for the 4 recipes produced.
• Figure 3 Figure 12 shows schematically an illustration of a similar pattern for the fluctuations. The standard deviation of the current for the same period and the same recipes.
• the Figures 4 and 5 show schematically a representation of long-term trends of the signatures. The patterns change over time due to wear, seasonal or other factors. Fig. 4 / 5 show the fluctuations in the months of March ( Fig. 4 ) and June ( Fig. 5 ).
• Figure 6 / 7th show schematically a representation of outliers (batches) with abnormal behavior, wherein such abnormal behavior can be detected based on their different signature. Good / normal batches can be marked as "good" by a self-learning / machine-learning unit or operators, so that the definition of the behavior to be expected as "normal" becomes dynamic and long-term trends can be taken into account.
• Figure 8-11 show schematically further representations of the detection of abnormalities depending on process variables ( Figures 8-9 ), as well as their process analytics ( Fig. 10 ) and recipe overview ( Fig. 11 ).
• Figure 12 shows schematically a mill system 1, in which sensor data are measured and recorded during the process, for example every 3 minutes. In particular it shows the measurement of measurement parameters 51 of the input product 5, such as the moisture content of the input product 5, as well as the measurement of the flour properties 61 and the yield 62 of the end product 6.

In the context of the present invention, “product” is understood to mean a bulk material or a mass. In the context of the present invention, "bulk material" is understood to mean a product in powder, granulate or pellet form, which is used in the bulk material processing industry, i. H. in the processing of grain, grain milling products and end grain products from milling (especially milling of soft wheat, durum, rye, maize and / or barley) or special milling (especially husks and / or milling of soy, buckwheat, barley, spelled, millet / sorghum, pseudocereals and / or legumes), the production of feed for farm animals and pets, fish and crustaceans, the processing of oilseeds, the processing of biomass and the production of energy pellets, industrial malting and milling plants; the processing of cocoa beans, nuts and coffee beans, the production of fertilizers, in the pharmaceutical industry or in solid chemistry. In the context of the present invention, “mass” is understood to mean a food mass, such as a chocolate mass or a sugar mass, or a printing ink, a coating, an electronic material or a chemical, in particular a fine chemical. "Processing of a product" is understood in the context of the present invention: (i) the grinding, comminution and / or flaking of debris, in particular grain, grain milling products and grain end products from milling or special milling as set out above, for which the roller pairings for example those below pairings of grinding rollers or flaking rollers described in more detail can be used; (ii) the refinement of masses, in particular of food masses such as chocolate masses or sugar masses, for which, for example, pairings of fine rollers can be used; and (iii) the wet grinding and / or dispersing, in particular of printing inks, coatings, electronic materials or chemicals, in particular fine chemicals.

Grinding rollers in the context of the present invention are designed to grind granular material to be ground, which is usually guided between a pair of grinding rollers of two grinding rollers. Grinding rollers, especially the Grinding rollers of the grinding roller pairs according to the invention usually have an essentially inelastic surface (in particular on their circumferential surface), which for this purpose can for example contain or consist of metal, such as steel, in particular stainless steel. Between the grinding rollers of the grinding roller pairing there is usually a relatively fixed and often hydraulically controlled grinding gap. In many grinding plants, the material to be ground is guided essentially vertically downwards through such a grinding gap. In addition, in many grinding plants, the ground material is fed to the grinding rollers of a pair of grinding rollers by means of its gravity, and this supply can optionally be supported pneumatically. The grist is usually granular and moves as a fluid stream through the grinding gap. These properties distinguish a grinding roller and a grinding system containing at least one such grinding roller, for example, from other rollers used in technology, which are used, for example, to transport paper.

At least one roller, in particular two rollers of a grinding roller pairing, of a grinding system can be designed, for example, as a smooth roller or as a corrugated roller or as a basic roller body with plates screwed on. Smooth rollers can be cylindrical or cambered. Corrugated rollers can have different corrugated geometries, such as roof-shaped or trapezoidal corrugated geometries, and / or have segments placed on the circumferential surface. At least one roller, in particular both rollers of the grinding roller pairing, in particular at least one grinding roller, in particular both grinding rollers of the grinding roller pairing, can have a length in the range 500 mm to 2000 mm and a diameter in the range 250 mm to 300 mm. The circumferential surface of the roller, in particular the grinding roller, is preferably inextricably connected to the roller body and, in particular, is formed in one piece with it. This allows simple production and reliable and robust processing, in particular grinding, of the product. The rollers can be designed with at least one sensor for recording measured values which characterize a state of at least one of the rollers, in particular both rollers of the roller pairing. In particular, this can be a state of a circumferential surface of at least one of the rollers, in particular of both rollers of the roller pairing. The state can, for example, be a temperature, a pressure, a force (force component (s) in one or more directions), wear, a vibration, a deformation (expansion and / or deflection path), a Rotational speed, a rotational acceleration, an ambient humidity, a position or an orientation of at least one of the rollers, in particular both rollers of the roller pairing. The sensors can be designed, for example, as MEMS sensors (MEMS: Micro-Electro-Mechanical System). The sensor is preferably in data connection with at least one data sensor, the data transmitter being designed for contactless transmission of the measured values of the at least one sensor to a data receiver. With the aid of the at least one data transmitter, the measured values can be transmitted without contact to a data receiver that is not part of the roller. The grinding system can comprise further sensors and measuring units for recording process, product or operating parameters, in particular measuring devices for measuring the current / power consumption of one or more rollers. Among other things, the sensors (i) can have at least one temperature sensor, but preferably several temperature sensors for measuring the roll temperature or a temperature profile along a roll; (ii) one or more pressure sensors; (iii) one or more force sensors (to determine the force component (s) in one or more directions); one or more wear sensors; (iv) one or more vibration sensors, in particular for determining winding, that is, adhesion of the processed product to the circumferential surface of the roller, which hinders processing, in particular grinding, at this position; (v) one or more deformation sensors (for determining an expansion and / or a deflection path); (vi) one or more rotational speed sensors, in particular for determining a standstill of the roller; (vii) one or more rotational acceleration sensors; (viii) one or more sensors for determining an ambient humidity, which is preferably arranged on an end face of the roller; (ix) one or more gyroscopic sensors for determining the position and / or the orientation of the roller, in particular for determining the position and / or orientation-dependent width of a gap between the two rollers of the roller pair and the parallelism of the rollers; and / or (x) one or more sensors for determining the width of a gap between the two rollers of the roller pairing, in particular a grinding gap between the two grinding rollers of the grinding roller pair, for example a sensor arranged in an end face of the roller, in particular a MEMS sensor. Any combination of these is also possible. For example, a roller can contain several temperature sensors and deformation sensors. In addition, it is possible and within the scope of the invention that all sensors are of the same type, for example as Measuring units are designed for measuring the power consumption of one or more rollers.

Here and in the following, wear is understood to mean the mechanical wear and tear of the circumferential surface of the roller, in particular of the grinding roller. In the prior art, such wear can be determined, for example, by means of a change in resistance that occurs as a result of material being removed from the circumferential surface. Alternatively or additionally, wear can be determined via a changed pressure and / or via a changed path length and / or via a changed electrical capacitance. If a unit contains only a single data transmitter, this unit can comprise at least one multiplexer which is arranged and designed for the alternating transmission of the measured values recorded by the sensors to the data transmitter. The contactless transmission can take place, for example, by infrared radiation, by light pulses, by radio frequency signals, by inductive coupling or by any combination thereof. The contactless transmission of the measured values here and in the following always also includes the transmission of data which are obtained through appropriate processing of the measured values and which are therefore based on the measured values. For example, a unit with sensors can contain at least one signal converter, in particular at least one A / D converter, for converting the measured values recorded by the at least one sensor. At least one signal converter, which converts the measured values recorded by this sensor, can be assigned to each sensor. The converted signals can then be fed to a multiplexer as already described above. If the signal converter is an A / D converter, the multiplexer can be a digital multiplexer. In a second possible variant, the signal converter can also be arranged between a multiplexer as described above and the data transmitter. In this case the multiplexer can be an analog multiplexer. A unit with sensors can comprise at least one circuit board (in particular a MEMS circuit board) on which one or more of its sensors and / or at least one multiplexer and / or at least one signal converter and / or the at least one data transmitter and / or at least one energy receiver and / or at least one energy generator are arranged. The circuit board can contain measuring lines via which the sensors are connected to the multiplexer. Such a circuit board has the advantage that the components mentioned can be arranged very compactly thereon and that the Printed circuit board manufactured as a separate assembly and, at least in some exemplary embodiments, can be exchanged again if necessary. As an alternative to a circuit board, the sensors can also be connected to the data transmitter and / or the multiplexer via a cable harness. One or more of the rollers of the grinding system can contain at least one data memory, in particular an RFID chip. In this data memory, for example, an in particular individual identification of the roller can be stored or can be stored. Alternatively or additionally, at least one property of the roller can be stored or storable in the data memory, such as at least one of its dimensions and / or its crowning. The data stored in the data memory are preferably also transmitted without contact. For this purpose, the roller can have a data transmitter. It is conceivable that the data of the data memory are transmitted by means of the same data transmitter by means of which the measured values of the at least one sensor are transmitted according to the invention. Measuring devices with sensors can also contain a data processor integrated therein, in particular a microprocessor, an FPGA, a PLC processor or a RISC processor. This data processor can, for example, further process the measured values recorded by the at least one sensor and then optionally transmit them to the data transmitter. In particular, the data processor can take over the function of the multiplexer described above and / or the signal converter described above in whole or in part. The microprocessor can be part of the circuit board also described above. As an alternative or in addition, the microprocessor can also take on at least one of the following functions: communication with at least one data bus system (in particular administration of IP addresses); Board memory management; Control of in particular energy management systems as described below; Management and / or storage of identification features of the roll (s), such as, for example, geometric data and roll history; Management of interface protocols; wireless functionalities. Furthermore, the measuring device, in particular the printed circuit board, can have an energy management system which can carry out one, several or all of the following functions: (i) regular, in particular periodic, transmission of the measured values from the data transmitter; (ii) Transmission of the measured values from the data transmitter only when a specified condition is present, in particular when a warning criterion described below is met; (iii) regular, in particular periodic, charging and discharging of a capacitor or a Energy storage. A grinding / product processing system for processing a product, in particular the grinding system for grinding ground material, contains at least one roller or pair of rollers, in particular a pair of grinding rollers. A gap is formed between the rollers of the roller pairing. In particular, a grinding gap is formed between the grinding rollers of a pair of grinding rollers. In particular when grinding material to be ground, the material to be ground can be guided essentially vertically downwards through such a grinding gap. In addition, when grinding material to be ground, this material to be ground is preferably fed to the grinding rollers by means of its gravity, and this can optionally be supported pneumatically. The product, in particular the debris, in particular the ground material, can be granular and move as a fluid flow through the grinding gap. In particular when refining masses such as chocolate masses or sugar masses, this mass can alternatively also be passed from bottom to top through the gap formed between the rollers.

The invention relates, for example, to product processing systems, in particular grinding systems for grinding regrind. The product processing system contains at least one roller or pair of rollers. In addition, the product processing system can have at least one data receiver, in particular at rest, for receiving the measured values transmitted by the data transmitter from at least one of the rollers or roller pairs. The grinding system can be, for example, a single roller frame of a grain mill or a whole grain mill with at least one roller frame, at least one roller frame containing at least one grinding roller as described above. The product processing system can, however, also be designed as (i) a flaking mill for flaking bulk material, in particular grain, grain milling products and end products of grain from milling or specialty milling as detailed above, (ii) a roller mill or a rolling mill for the production of chocolate, in particular a roughing mill with, for example, two or five rollers, in particular two or five fine rollers, or a final fine roller mill, (iii) a roller mill for wet grinding and / or dispersing, for example of printing inks, coatings, electronic materials or chemicals, in particular fine chemicals, in particular a three-roller mill. The invention relates in particular to a method for operating a product processing plant as described above, in particular a grinding plant as described above. The method includes a Step in which the data receiver of the product processing system receives at least one of the rollers or roller pairing transmitted measured values from a data transmitter. The data received in this way are then processed further. For this purpose, they can be fed to a control unit of the product processing system, in particular the grinding system, from where they can be passed on to an optional higher-level control system. With the aid of the control unit and / or the control system, the entire product processing system, in particular the entire grinding system, or a part of it, can be controlled and / or regulated.

The control unit can output a warning message or generate an electrical alarm signal, for example, if a predefined warning criterion is met. The warning criterion can consist, for example, in the fact that the measured value of at least one of the sensors exceeds a limit value specified for this sensor. In another variant, the warning criterion can consist in the fact that the difference between the largest measured value and the smallest measured value, which are measured by a predetermined number of sensors, exceeds a predetermined limit value. If the warning criterion is met, a warning signal can be output (for example optically and / or acoustically) and / or the product processing system can be brought to a standstill (for example by the control unit). In addition, the control unit can visualize the measured values recorded by the at least one sensor or the data obtained therefrom. The product processing system can contain a device for measuring particle sizes and their distributions downstream of a pair of rollers in the product flow. In this way, the measurement of the particle sizes and their distributions can be combined, for example, with a measurement of the state of wear and / or the roller contact pressure. This is particularly advantageous when the roller, in particular the grinding roller, is a corrugated roller. Alternatively or additionally, a device for NIR measurement of the product flow, in particular the millbase flow, can also be arranged downstream of a roller, in particular a grinding roller, of the product flow. This is particularly advantageous when the rollers, in particular the grinding rollers, are smooth rollers. Both variants allow early maintenance planning due to the detection of the state of wear.

With the product processing system according to the invention it is possible to objectively monitor the power consumption of grinding rollers (individually or as a pair) continuously during the grinding process, for example a product batch. Additional parameters can be measured and monitored. For example, the roller temperature or the interior temperature of the housing of the roller frame and / or the room temperature, i.e. the exterior temperature, can also be included in the monitoring, since these temperature values influence the temperature of the grinding rollers, etc. The higher the contact pressure, the greater the energy requirement , i.e. the kilowatt consumption. With a higher contact pressure, more shredding energy is generated, some of which is given off as heat to the product to be shredded and also to the roller material. This means that the temperature in the interior of the roller mill or a similar machine also increases. If the product veil is uniform, the temperature that is set on the surface of the roller and recorded by temperature sensors can be used to optimize the grinding work by changing an optimal temperature assigned to the product to be processed with the help of the contact pressure and / or the grinding gap adjustment . This change can take place both manually and fully automatically with the aid of a computer and / or a control, for example a PLC control (self-programmable control) or a PLC control (programable logic control) (regulating device). The other monitored parameters can be assigned physical, technological or process-related limits as boundary conditions to be complied with. The additional monitoring of such boundary conditions can lead to an improvement in the control behavior and to a better product quality of the end products.

According to the invention, the grinding system 1 is regulated by an intelligent, self-adaptive regulation and control device 4 with self-optimized control of the mill system 1 and the grinding line of a roller system of the mill system 1. The grinding line comprises a plurality of processing units 2 (B) / 3 (C) which, based on operational process parameters 4111,. A batch control with a defined processing sequence in the processing units 2 (B) / 3 (C) can be regulated by means of an operative process recipe 411, whereby by means of the operative process recipe 411 from one or several starting materials 5 with the measurement parameters 51 a defined amount of an end product 6 with the measurement parameters 61 (611, ..., 61x) and the yield 62 is generated. The processing units 2 (B) / 3 (C) are controlled based on operational batch process parameters specifically assigned to the operational process recipe. The regulation and control device 4 comprises a pattern recognition module for recognizing operational process recipes 41 with multi-dimensional batch process parameter patterns 4111, ..., 411x, with an operational process recipe 41 defining at least one or more starting materials 5 Sequence of a grinding process within the processing units 2 (B) / 3 (C) of the grinding line, and operational batch process parameters 4111, ..., 411x associated with the respective processing units of the grinding line. The regulation and control device 4 comprises a storage device 43 for storing historical operational process recipes 431 with historical batch process parameters 4311, ..., 431x, the historical batch process parameters 4311, ..., 431x of a process recipe 431 each being a process-typical one , define multi-dimensional batch process parameter pattern 4321, ..., 432x of an optimized batch process in the standard range.

When entering end product parameters and / or input product parameters of a new operational process recipe 411, one or more of the saved historical operational process recipes 432 based on the assigned multi-dimensional batch process parameter pattern 4321, ... , 432x triggered and / or selected as the closest batch process parameter pattern 432i. The pattern recognition module can in particular comprise a machine-based neural network structure. The patterns are then identified and recognized, for example, as part of network training. A training based on a neural network can, for example, only be based on historical patterns 432. The regulation of the regulation parameters 411 of the mill system 1 can take place on the basis of the updated neural network structure and in particular optimization oriented towards at least one predefinable target variable. By means of the regulating and control device 4, based on the triggered closest batch process parameter pattern 432i, new batch process parameter patterns with new batch process parameters 4111, (B) / 3 (C) based on the generated operational process recipes with the assigned batch process parameters are activated and regulated accordingly by means of the regulating and control device 4. During the grinding process of the new operative process recipe 411, the operative process parameters are continuously monitored by means of the regulating and control device 4, with the detection of an anomaly as a defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters 4111,..., 411x from the determined operative process parameters 4111,. .., 411 x of the new operative process recipe 411 a warning signal is transmitted to an alarm unit. The batch process parameters can include, for example, at least the flows of one or more roller mills 2 (B) / 3 (C) of the mill system 1. The one or more roller mills can, for example, comprise at least corrugated rollers (B passage) and / or smooth rollers (C passage). The batch process parameters can include, for example, at least the flows of all roller mills 2 (B) / 3 (C) of the mill system 1. Using the process-typical batch process parameters of an optimized batch process in the normal range, for example, defined quality parameters 61 (611, ..., 61x) of the end product 6 and specific flour yield 62 can be determined as a function of the starting products 5 and / or its measurement parameters 51 . The defined quality parameters 61 can include, for example, at least particle size distribution 611 and / or starch damage 612 and / or protein quality 613 and / or water content 614. The monitored batch process parameters 4111,.. During the grinding process, for example, when anomaly is detected, continuous long-term changes in the monitored batch process parameters can be recorded by the regulation and control device, with the defined deviation of the monitored operational process parameters from the generated operational process parameters of the new operational process recipe depending on the measured continuous long-term changes is determined. The monitored batch process parameters can be transmitted, for example, from a large number of regulating and control devices 4 according to the invention to a central monitoring unit via a network, the large number of regulating and control devices 4 being centrally monitored and regulated. Among other things, the invention has the advantage that it enables the identification of long-term trends in production, the automated detection of abnormalities, the Automated 24/7 (remote) monitoring and detection of production parameters for (i) yield, (ii) energy, and (iii) throughput / machine running time etc. allowed.

In one embodiment, the flows of all roller mills 2 (B) / 3 (C) can be considered, for example divided into B passage (corrugated rollers) and C passage (smooth rollers). For each recipe there is a typical pattern 421 which, depending on the raw material 5 and the preceding process steps, determines the quality 61 of the end product 6 (particle size distribution 611, starch damage 612, protein quality 613, water content 614) and the specific flour yield 62. A change in the pattern 421 of the currents is automatically detected as an anomaly by the system 4 and a warning message is generated.

Reference list

1. 1 mill system
2. 2 processing units (B)
   • 21, ..., 23 corrugated rollers
3. 3 processing units (C)
   • 31, ..., 33 smooth rollers
4. 4 Regulation and control device
   • 41 Input parameters
     • 411 Operative process recipe
       4111, ..., 411x Operational process parameters
     • 421 pattern
       4121, ..., 412x batch parameter pattern
   • 42 pattern recognition modules
   • 43 storage device
     • 431 Historical operational process recipes
       • 4311, ..., 431x Historical operational process parameters
       • 431i Triggered closest process parameters
     • 432 Historical Patterns
       • 4321, ..., 432x batch parameter pattern
       • 432i Triggered closest pattern
5. 5 input products
   • 51 Measurement parameters input materials
6. 6 end products
   • 61 Measurement parameters for end products
     • 611 particle size distribution
     • 612 Starch damage
     • 613 protein quality
     • 614 water content
   • 62 Specific yield

Claims (11)

1. Self-adaptive regulating and control method for a regulating and control device (4) for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of the milling system (1) in a self-optimising manner, wherein the grinding line comprises a plurality of processing units (2(B)/3(C)), which can be respectively individually controlled by means of the regulating and control device (4) based on operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) and can be regulated individually in terms of their operation, wherein a charge controller can be controlled by means of an operative process formula (41/411) with a defined processing sequence in the processing units (2(B)/3(C)), wherein a defined amount of an end product (6) can be generated from one or more starting substances (5) by means of the operative process formula (411), and wherein the processing units (21,..., 23, 31,..., 33) can be controlled based on specifically operative charging parameters (4111,...,411x) allocated to the operative process formula (41), characterised in that

   the regulating and control device (4) comprises a pattern recognition module for recognising operative process formulae (411) with multi-dimensional charging parameter patterns (4121,...,412x), wherein an operative process formula (411) comprises at least one or more starting product parameters (51) and/or end product parameters (61), a defined sequence of a grinding process within the processing units (2/3) of the grinding line, and operative process parameters (4121,..., 412x) stored to be allocated to the respective processing units (21,...,23/31,...33) of the grinding line,

   the regulating and control device (4) comprises a storage device (43) for storing historical operative process formulae (431) with historical charging process parameters (4311,...431x), wherein the historical charging process parameters (4311,..., 431x) of a process formula respectively define a process-typical, multi-dimensional charging process parameter pattern (4321,..., 432x) of an optimised charging process in the normal range,

   when inputting end product parameters (61) and/or starting product parameters (51) of a new operative process formula (41), one or more of the stored historical operative process formulae (431) are triggered and/or selected by means of pattern recognition of the pattern recognition module (42) based on the allocated multi-dimensional charging parameter pattern (4321,...,432x) as closest charging process parameter patterns (432i) to a new charging parameter pattern (4121,...,412x),

   new operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) are generated for the input new operative process formula (41) by means of the regulating and control device (4) based on the triggered closest charging process parameter pattern (432i), wherein the processing units are correspondingly controlled and regulated based on the generated operative process formula (41) with the allocated new operative process parameter (4111,...,411x) by means of the regulating and control device (4), and

   during the grinding process of the new operative process formula (41), the operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) can be continuously monitored by means of the regulating and control device (4), wherein, in the event of an anomaly being detected as a defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters from the determined operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) of the new operative process formula (41), a warning signal is transmitted to an alarm unit.
2. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in an self-optimised manner according to claim 1, characterised in that the operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) comprises at least measuring parameters relating to the currents and/or power consumption of one or more rollers of the milling system (1) and/or yield and/or efficiency/engine running time.
3. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill in a self-optimising manner according to claim 2, characterised in that the one or more rollers (21,...,23/31,...,33) comprise at least ripple rollers (B Passage/21,...,23) and/or smooth rollers (C passage/31,...,33).
4. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) comprises at least measuring parameters relating to the currents and/or power consumption of all rollers of the milling system (1).
5. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that quality parameters of the end product (6) defined in the normal range by means of the process-typical operative process parameters (4111,...,4111x) of an optimised charging process and specific flour yield can be determined depending on the starting products (5).
6. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to claim 5, characterised in that the defined quality parameters (61) comprise at least particle size distribution (611) and/or strength damage (612) and/or protein quality (613) and/or water content (614).
7. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the monitored operative process parameters (4111, ..., 411x) comprise at least yield (62) and/or energy consumption/use and/or efficiency/machine lifespan.
8. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that, during the grinding process if an anomaly is detected, continuous long-term changes in the monitored operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) are recorded by the regulating and control device (4), wherein the defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) from the generated operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) of the new operative process formula (41) is determined depending on the measured continuous long-term changes.
9. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the monitored operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) are transmitted by a plurality of regulating and control devices (4) to a central monitoring unit via a network, wherein the plurality of regulating and control devices (4) are centrally monitored and regulated.
10. Regulating and control method for controlling a milling system (1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1) in a self-optimising manner according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) from the generated operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) of the new operative process formula (41) is determined depending on the natural fluctuations within definable χ ² standard deviations.
11. Self-adaptive regulating and control device (4) for automatically controlling and self-optimising a milling system (1) or a grinding line of a roller system, wherein the grinding line comprises a plurality of processing units (2(B)/3(C)), which can be respectively individually controlled by means of the regulating and control device (4) based on operative process parameters (41) and can be regulated individually in terms of their operation, wherein a defined amount of an end product (6), which can be generated by means of a charge controller from one or more starting products (5) according to a defined sequence of the processing units (2(B)/3(C)) based on specifically allocated operative process parameters (4111,...,411x), characterised in that

    the regulating and control device (4) comprises a pattern recognition module for recognising operative process formulae (41) comprising multi-dimensional charging parameter patterns (4121,..., 412x), wherein an operative process formula (41) comprises at least one or more starting product parameters (51) and/or end product parameters (61), a defined sequence of a grinding process within the processing units (2/3) of the grinding line, and operative process parameters (4121,..., 412x) stored to be allocated to the respective processing units (21,...,23/31,...33) of the grinding line,

    the regulating and control device (4) comprises a storage device (43) for storing historical operative process formulae (431) with historical operative process parameters (4311,..., 431x), wherein the historical operative process parameters (4311,..., 431x) of an operative process formula (41) each define a process-typical, multi-dimensional charging process parameter pattern (4321,..., 432x) of an optimised charging process in the normal range,

    when inputting end product parameters (61) and/or starting product parameters (51) of a new operative process formula (41), one or more of the stored historical operative process formulae (431) can be selected and/or triggered by means of pattern recognition of the pattern recognition module based on the allocated multi-dimensional charging parameter pattern (4321,...,432x) as the closest charging parameter pattern (432i) to a new charging parameter pattern (4121,...,412x),

    new operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) can be determined for the input new operative process formula (41) by means of the regulating and control device (4) based on the triggered closest charging process parameter pattern (432i), wherein the processing units (2/3) are correspondingly controlled and regulated based on the determined operative process formula (41) and the operative process parameters (432i) by means of the regulating and control device (4), and

    during the grinding process, the operative process parameters can be continuously monitored by means of the regulating and control device (4111,...,411x), wherein, in the event of an anomaly being detected as a defined deviation of the monitored operative process parameters (4111,...,411x) from the determined operative process parameters (4111,..., 411x) of the new operative process formula (41), a warning signal is transmitted to an alarm unit.

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