JP2002347929A - Transfer pipe device and method for solid/liquid mixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To resolve a trouble caused by clogging of a transfer route in a transfer pipe of solid/liquid mixture. SOLUTION: This device mixing the solid and the liquid and transferring it by a transfer pump through the pipe is provided with a main transfer means comprising a main pipe 5 for transferring the mixture and the transfer pump 4 provided in the main pipe 5, an auxiliary transfer means 8 branched from an exit side main pipe 5 of the transfer pump 4, and a detection/control means 7 comprising a sensor part detecting abnormality of the transfer pump 4 of the main transfer means and a control part actuating the auxiliary transfer means 8 by the sensor part. The method using the device is also included.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture through a pipe, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for eliminating trouble caused by clogging of a transfer path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the field of the food brewing industry, cereals, which are solid raw materials, are often transported by pipes in an aqueous system. In such a case, means for adding a predetermined ratio of water to the solid raw material, fluidizing the solid-liquid mixture, and transporting the solid raw material with a pipe using a positive displacement pump or the like is widely used. The description is found in JP-A-10-95531.

[0003]

In an apparatus using the above-described method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture, in an emergency, for example, when a transfer pump in the apparatus is stopped due to a power failure or the like, and the state continues for a while, the solid raw material is removed. It absorbs the liquid, expands, and solidifies in the pipe to block the pipe. In such a state, the pipes must be disassembled to remove the solidified material, the operation cost is enormous, and if the mixture is a food material, the removed transported material must be disposed of.

[0004] Even if a power failure does not occur, the solid content of the solid-liquid mixture may increase for some reason, the fluidity may be impaired, and the transfer pump may be overloaded, resulting in blockage of the pipeline. . The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving the problem of the tube transfer device for the solid-liquid mixture.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of the present invention is as follows. First, an apparatus for mixing a solid and a liquid and transferring the mixture in a pipe by a transfer pump is provided with a main pipe for transferring a mixture and the main pipe. A main transfer unit including a transfer pump, an auxiliary transfer unit branched from the outlet main pipe of the transfer pump, a sensor unit for detecting an abnormality in the transfer pump or transfer state of the main transfer unit, and the sensor unit And a detection control means comprising a control section for operating the auxiliary transfer means. Here, the abnormality of the transfer pump or the transfer state refers to a change in the transfer state of the solid-liquid mixture, such as abnormal rotation of the transfer pump, abnormal increase in pipe pressure, insufficient liquid supply, abnormal increase in the solid supply, and the like. is there. In the sensor part, transfer pump 2
A pressure sensor that measures the pressure in the pipe on the downstream side, a flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate in the pipe, a tachometer that detects abnormal rotation of the transfer pump, a photoelectric sensor, a proximity sensor, an ammeter, a vibration meter that detects abnormal vibration of the transfer pump, There is a relay circuit that is closed when a power failure occurs. The control unit has a sequencer,
Examples include an electric relay circuit, a pneumatic operation circuit, and a mechanical spring operation circuit.

Various auxiliary transfer means are conceivable. In the present invention, first, an air supply path including a high-pressure air tank and an air valve can be exemplified. That is, high-pressure air is supplied into the main pipe so that abnormalities in the pipe are forcibly transferred by air pressure.

The auxiliary transfer means includes a liquid supply path including a high-pressure air tank, an auxiliary liquid tank, and a liquid discharge valve. When the air pressure alone is not sufficient for the transfer, the liquid is introduced and the pressure is used. here,
The high-pressure air tank may also be used as an auxiliary liquid tank, and a space above the auxiliary liquid tank may be used as a high-pressure air section.

Further, the auxiliary transfer means of the present invention passes through the main pipe in addition to the air supply path including the high-pressure air tank and the air valve or the liquid supply path including the high-pressure air tank, the auxiliary liquid tank, and the liquid discharge valve. There is an elastic body supply path composed of an elastic body having a size and an extruding device. This elastic body supply path, in combination with the above-described air or liquid supply path, provides an efficient device for clogging and cleaning of the main pipe.

A method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture to a tube using the above-described apparatus is as follows. That is, in a method in which a solid and a liquid are mixed and transferred in a pipe by a transfer pump, when the transfer pump is normal, the solid-liquid is transferred by a main transfer means including a main pipe for transferring the solid-liquid mixture and a transfer pump provided in the main pipe. The mixture is transferred, and when the transfer pump of the main transfer means or the transfer state is abnormal, an auxiliary transfer means branched from the outlet main pipe of the transfer pump is provided in the transfer pump, the main pipe, or a control device thereof. A solid-liquid mixture pipe transfer method characterized in that the solid-liquid mixture is smoothly transferred by being operated by abnormality detection control means using a sensor.

More specifically, when the transfer pump serving as the main transfer means is stopped abnormally, an air supply path composed of a high-pressure air tank and an air valve of the auxiliary transfer means or a liquid supply path composed of a high-pressure air tank, an auxiliary liquid tank, and a liquid discharge valve. ,
Alternatively, any one of a combination of these paths and an elastic body supply path composed of an elastic body having a size enough to pass through the main pipe and an extruder for the same is operated appropriately in accordance with the degree of clogging in the main pipe. Thus, the clogging of the main pipe is eliminated and the solid-liquid mixture is smoothly transferred. If the clogging of the main pipe is slight, without using these auxiliary transfer means,
Only by reducing the amount of solids to be mixed or transferred or by increasing the amount of liquid can the lowering of the solids ratio of the solid-liquid mixture be addressed.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the apparatus and method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture into a tube according to the present invention will be described more specifically.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus of the present invention. As a specific example, for example, in a shochu production facility, the solid tank 1 stores raw wheat as a solid, and the liquid tank 2 is a water tank. These are mixer 3
Approximately in wheat 1: water 1.2 mixed. This mixture is sent to a charging tank 6 by a transfer pump 4 as a main transfer means and a main pipe 5. The length of the main pipe 5 varies depending on the arrangement of each device in the factory, but may be close to 100 m.

[0013] In the apparatus of the present invention, the sensor section detects that some abnormality has occurred in the main transfer means and issues a signal,
A detection / control means 7 for eliminating an abnormality by the signal is provided. The detection / control means 7 detects a stop of the transfer pump 4 or an abnormality of the transfer state. The detection of the stop of the pump includes a thermal relay, a motor relay, an ammeter, a tachometer, a photoelectric sensor, a proximity sensor, and the like. A pressure sensor, a vibrometer, a flow meter, an ammeter and the like are effective for detecting an abnormality in a pump or a transfer state.

A more specific example of the sensor unit for detecting the stop of the transfer pump will be described below. The thermal relay is incorporated in a drive motor circuit of the transfer pump 4 and detects the relay signal. Further, the ammeter detects that the current value of the drive motor of the transfer pump has become zero, and the tachometer detects that the shaft rotation of the pump has become zero. The photoelectric sensor detects a stop signal when the light intermittently interrupted when the pump rotates by the protrusion attached to the pump shaft for detection is continuously interrupted or passed. Things.

As an example of a transfer pump or a sensor for detecting various phenomena due to an abnormality in the transfer state, a pressure sensor notifies that the pressure of a pressure gauge attached to a pipe on the secondary side of the pump has become a predetermined value or more. Things. The vibrometer detects that the vibration value of the vibrometer attached to the pump has exceeded a predetermined value, and the flow meter detects that the value of the flow meter attached to the main pipe has exceeded a predetermined range. Further, the ammeter detects that the current value of the drive motor of the transfer pump 4 has become equal to or more than a predetermined value, whereby the main pipe 5 is operated to activate the auxiliary transfer means 8 of the present invention described below. Controls the opening and closing of each connected valve. The driving source for opening and closing the valves is a mechanical type using compressed air, a battery, or a spring.

The auxiliary transfer means 8 detects an abnormality of the transfer pump 4 as the main transfer means as described above, and eliminates clogging of the transfer object in the main pipe 5, and here, FIG.
As shown in the figure, a liquid comprising an air supply path 11 communicating with the main pipe 5 through a high-pressure air tank 9 and an air valve 10, and an air inlet valve 13 branching therefrom and leading to an auxiliary liquid tank 12, and a liquid outlet valve 14 on the outlet side. A supply path 15 is provided.

Another specific example of the auxiliary transfer means 8 of the present invention is as follows. The air supply path 11 or the liquid supply path 15 is used to force the solid-liquid mixture clogged in the main pipe 5 to be pushed out. The body supply path 16 can be mentioned. The elastic body supply path 16 includes a spherical elastic body 17, a pushing device 18 for the elastic body 17, and a pinch valve 19 through which the elastic body 17 passes. Also, instead of the pinch valve, insert a pin at right angles to the path through which the elastic body passes, so that the elastic body does not move to the main pipe during normal operation,
When the auxiliary transfer means is operated, the pin may be pulled out by an air cylinder or the like so as to be movable to the main pipe. The extrusion device 18
For example, an air cylinder or an air gun is used.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling the detection will be described while describing the apparatus of the present invention more specifically. For example, in a shochu facility, a solid raw material barley (steamed barley) as a solid-liquid mixture and water are mixed at a mixing ratio of approximately 1: 1.2, and a tube (3B × about 70 m)
As a main transfer means, there is a main transfer line for sending the pump to the charging tank by a positive displacement pump. When an emergency such as an abnormality or a power failure occurs in the pump, a method for automatically providing an auxiliary transfer means 8 to prevent an emergency such as blockage of a pipeline due to swelling of wheat in advance is implemented.

Here, the auxiliary transfer means is operated as follows. First, at the time of a power failure, the sequencer operated by the emergency battery that is charged during energization immediately detects the power failure due to the relay signal of the transfer pump being closed. The generator is activated to secure the power required to operate the generator.
The air valve 10 of the high-pressure air tank 9 containing compressed air connected to the main pipe 5 via an air valve 10 is opened, and air is blown into the main pipe 5 through an air supply path, and the water / wheat mixture is urgently transferred in the pipe by the pressure. .

When it is determined that the solids in the main pipe cannot be sufficiently transferred only by blowing air, the liquid is connected to the auxiliary liquid tank 12 through the air inlet valve 13 so that water can be pushed out by compressed air. The liquid discharge valve 14 is opened to push water from the liquid supply path 15 into the main pipe 5, and the water / wheat mixture clogged in the main pipe is urgently transferred. If water alone is not sufficient, air is also blown from the air supply path 11 at the same time.

If the transfer is still insufficient, in addition to these air and water, an elastic body which can slide substantially on the inner surface of the main pipe 5 is used.
17 is pushed out from the pinch valve 19 into the main pipe 5 by the extrusion device 18 through the elastic body supply path 16 and the air supply path
The elastic body 17 is moved in the pipe by the pressure using the power of either or both of the air from the liquid 11 and the water from the liquid supply path 15, and the water / wheat mixture is urgently transferred in the pipe. By properly using air, water, and an elastic body from the three paths of the auxiliary transfer means 8, most troubles of clogging of the pipe can be solved. This means can also be used for simple cleaning of the main pipe 5. As the control of the auxiliary transfer means due to the power failure, in addition to the means described above, a method in which the two-port single-coil solenoid valve opens the electromagnetic valve by a spring at the same time as the power failure and compressed air flows to operate the auxiliary transfer means is also conceivable.

Although the transfer pump 4 is stopped due to a power failure, an abnormality is detected even if the transfer pump 4 is not stopped. For example, when the pressure gauge provided on the secondary side of the transfer pump 4 exceeds a predetermined pressure, the transfer pump 4 is stopped. The problem can be solved by a method of urgently transferring the water / wheat mixture in the pipe by operating the auxiliary transfer means while operating the pump 4 to increase the ratio of water in the water / wheat mixture ratio. When the clogging of the main pipe is slight, it can be dealt with only by lowering the solids ratio of the mixed transfer by the detection / control means 7 without using these auxiliary transfer means.

As another specific example of the solid-liquid mixture of the apparatus and method of the present invention, koji and salt water are mixed at a ratio of 1: 1.4 in a soy sauce production facility, and a transfer pump 4 is fed through the tube.
(Mono pump) There is a means to transfer to the tank. There is also a means for mixing rice and water in a sake production facility and transferring the mixture in a pipe to a dipping facility by a transfer pump 4. Further, there is a means for mixing soybeans and water in a miso production facility and transferring the soybeans in the tube to a dipping facility by a transfer pump 4. In any case, troubles such as clogging of the main pipe can be solved by the same operation as in the water transport of wheat.

[0024]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, appropriate measures in an emergency are automatically performed in a liquid transfer device containing solids, and the production line is started up after the emergency release. It is possible to avoid the trouble of the above and prevent the product deterioration in the next process in advance. as a result,
In the brewing industry, it guarantees safe and stable operations and greatly contributes to maintaining product safety and quality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a pipe transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Solid tank 2 Liquid tank 3 Mixer 4 Transfer pump 5 Main pipe 6 Preparation tank 7 Detection / control means 8 Auxiliary transfer means 9 High pressure air tank 10 Air valve 11 Air supply path 12 Auxiliary liquid tank 13 Air inlet valve 14 Liquid outlet valve 15 Liquid supply Path 16 Elastic body supply path 17 Elastic body 18 Elastic body extrusion device 19 Pinch valve 20 Air compressor

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Katsumasa Wakimoto 1035 Hibata, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture

Claims (7)

[Claims] An apparatus for mixing a solid and a liquid and transferring the mixture in a pipe by a transfer pump, a main transfer means comprising a main pipe for transferring the mixture and a transfer pump provided on the main pipe, and an outlet side of the transfer pump. Detection control means comprising an auxiliary transfer means branched from the main pipe, a transfer pump of the main transfer means or a sensor for detecting an abnormality in a transfer state, and a control section for operating the auxiliary transfer means by the sensor. A tube transfer device for a solid-liquid mixture, comprising: 2. The solid-liquid mixture pipe transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transfer means is an air supply path comprising a high-pressure air tank and an air valve. 3. The solid-liquid mixture pipe transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transfer means is a liquid supply path including a high-pressure air tank, an auxiliary liquid tank, and a liquid discharge valve. 4. An auxiliary transfer means comprising: an air supply path comprising a high-pressure air tank and an air valve or a liquid supply path comprising a high-pressure air tank, an auxiliary liquid tank and a liquid discharge valve; and an elastic body having a size passing through the main pipe. 2. The solid-liquid mixture pipe transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a combination with an elastic material supply path formed by the extruder. 5. A method for mixing a solid and a liquid and transferring the solid and liquid in a pipe by means of a transfer pump, wherein a main transfer means comprising a main pipe for transferring a solid-liquid mixture when the transfer pump is normal and a transfer pump provided on the main pipe. The solid-liquid mixture is transferred by means of a transfer pump of the main transfer means or, when the transfer state is abnormal, an auxiliary transfer means branched from the outlet main pipe of the transfer pump provided on the transfer pump or the main pipe. Wherein the solid-liquid mixture is smoothly transferred by being operated by the abnormality detection control means. 6. When the transfer pump serving as the main transfer means is stopped abnormally, an air supply path composed of a high-pressure air tank and an air valve of the auxiliary transfer means or a liquid supply path composed of a high-pressure air tank, an auxiliary liquid tank and a liquid discharge valve, or Activate any of these paths and a combination of an elastic body having a size large enough to pass through the main pipe and an elastic body supply path composed of an extruding device to eliminate clogging of the main pipe and smoothly discharge the solid-liquid mixture. 6. The method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture in a tube according to claim 5, wherein the transferring is performed. 7. A method for transferring a solid-liquid mixture in a tube, wherein the solids ratio is reduced when a transfer pump or a transfer state is abnormal.