JP2726373B2 - Yeast automatic addition device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic yeast adding apparatus for automatically supplying a necessary amount of yeast to a wort in a fermentation tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the production of beer and the like, yeast has been supplied to wort and sent to a fermentation tank. In this case, the required amount of yeast was calculated by sampling the yeast in the yeast tank, centrifuging the yeast, and measuring the yeast concentration. However, in the case of such sampling for each yeast tank, it is difficult to collect a typical good sample because of the manual operation. Therefore, a concentration sensor and a flow meter that respectively detect the yeast concentration and the flow rate of the yeast solution passing through the yeast addition line, and sequentially multiply the product of the yeast concentration detected by the concentration sensor and the predetermined amount detected by the flow meter. An automatic yeast addition apparatus has been developed which includes means for calculating the amount of yeast added to the fermentation tank and calculating the amount of yeast added to the fermentation tank, and stopping the addition of the yeast liquid when the amount of yeast reaches a target value. 4-108371.

[0003]

In the above prior art, the amount of yeast injected into wort in all the steps of adding yeast is obtained by calculating and integrating values measured by a concentration sensor and a flow meter, and calculating the value. The control is performed by a signal so as to be controlled within a predetermined value range. Therefore, the amount of yeast added in all the steps can be controlled, but the amount of yeast instantaneously from the yeast tank cannot be controlled. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic yeast addition apparatus that automatically controls the amount of yeast to be added to a predetermined amount instantaneously, and also controls the amount of yeast to be added in all steps. Things.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, the yeast on the yeast line is mud-like in nature, and is used as a concentration sensor for accurately measuring the concentration. Using a near-infrared turbidimeter, the instant yeast concentration can be measured, and a predetermined amount of yeast is calculated from this value and the flow rate value obtained by the flow meter, and fed back to the yeast addition pump, thereby controlling the yeast concentration. The present invention has been found that the yeast can be always automatically injected into the predetermined wort. Incidentally, the total amount of yeast addition can be integrated in this apparatus to control the amount of yeast addition.

That is, according to the present invention, a near-infrared turbidity meter and a flow meter, and a yeast measured every moment by a turbidity meter and a flow meter are connected to a line for adding yeast to wort from a yeast storage tank. An automatic yeast adding apparatus comprising an arithmetic means for calculating the amount of addition, a control means for controlling the yeast addition pump by feeding back the calculated value, and a yeast addition pump controlled by the control means. In addition, an integrating means for sequentially integrating the values calculated by the calculating means for calculating the amount of yeast addition for each instant in the same device, and indicating that the yeast adding step has been completed when the integrated value reaches the target addition amount. It is a yeast automatic addition apparatus characterized by providing a marking means.

[0006]

The yeast is fed from the storage tank by the yeast feed line and supplied to the wort line by the line provided with the yeast addition pump, the near-infrared turbidity meter, and the flow meter. The muddy yeast sent by the yeast feed line measures the yeast concentration with a near-infrared turbidity meter and simultaneously measures the yeast flow rate with a flow meter. The measured value is calculated by an arithmetic circuit to calculate the amount of yeast added per mud conversion at each instant by the following equation.

[0007]

[Formula 1] (yeast concentration) × (yeast liquid amount) = (yeast added amount)

The value calculated by this operation is fed back to control the rotation speed of the yeast addition pump. In this way, the amount of yeast supply according to the amount of yeast added instantaneously is automatically controlled and supplied to wort. Further, as in the second invention, the calculation results of the arithmetic circuit are sequentially integrated by an integration circuit, a predetermined target addition amount is set, and when this value is reached, a signal indicating the end of addition is given to supply the yeast. Can be stopped.

An embodiment of the automatic yeast adding apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Example 1 Yeast stored in a yeast tank 1 is fed into a yeast feed line 2
The yeast is sent through the line by the yeast addition pump 3 which adjusts the dispensing flow rate. The concentration of yeast sent by the near-infrared turbidity meter 4 provided in the yeast line was measured instantaneously, and at the same time, the flow rate of yeast was measured by the electromagnetic flow meter 5 provided in the yeast line. Is calculated by the arithmetic circuit 6 which performs the calculation of the expression 1, and the value is controlled by the inverter 7 to control the rotation speed of the yeast addition pump 3. The yeast thus controlled passes through line 2 through wort line 8
And sent to a fermentation tank (not shown).

Example 2 A yeast stored in a yeast tank 1 is fed into a yeast feeding line 2
The yeast is sent through the line by the yeast addition pump 3 which adjusts the dispensing flow rate. The concentration of yeast sent by the near-infrared turbidity meter 4 provided in the yeast line was measured instantaneously, and at the same time, the flow rate of yeast was measured by the electromagnetic flow meter 5 provided in the yeast line. Is calculated by the arithmetic circuit 6 which performs the calculation of the expression 1, and the value is controlled by the inverter 7 to control the rotation speed of the yeast addition pump 3. The yeast thus controlled passes through line 2 through wort line 8
And sent to a fermentation tank (not shown). The result calculated by the arithmetic circuit 6 is sequentially integrated by the integrating circuit 9 in this device, and when the value reaches a preset target addition amount, a signal is given by the addition end signal device 10.

[0011]

According to the present invention, since the amount of yeast added to the wort supplied to the fermentation tank is controlled instantaneously since the apparatus has the above-described configuration and operation, fluctuations in yeast concentration can be prevented. Regardless, the yeast is always kept at a fixed ratio and the correct amount of yeast added is guaranteed, and a concentration sensor can be installed in the yeast line. The adjustment of the amount is performed by changing the addition pump by the inverter control, so that the influence of the fluctuation of the pressure in the yeast pipe is small. , The yeast addition rate can be guaranteed, and the yeast addition setting value can be easily changed even if the yeast injection speed cannot be kept constant due to trouble. Further, by employing a near-infrared turbidimeter as the turbidity meter, there are various advantages that an inexpensive and accurate measurement of the concentration of muddy yeast can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the first invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the second invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 yeast tank 2 yeast line 3 yeast addition pump 4 turbidity meter 5 flow meter 6 operation circuit 7 inverter 8 wort line 9 integration circuit 10 signal

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A yeast line for adding yeast to wort from a yeast storage tank, a near-infrared turbidity meter and a flow meter, and the amount of yeast added instantaneously based on the measured value measured by the turbidity meter and the flow meter. An automatic yeast adding apparatus, comprising: an arithmetic means for calculating, a control means for controlling the yeast addition pump by feeding back the calculated value, and a yeast addition pump controlled by the control means. 2. The automatic yeast adding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the integrating means sequentially integrates the values calculated by the calculating means for calculating the amount of yeast addition at each moment, and the integrated value reaches the target added amount. An automatic yeast adding apparatus, comprising a display means for displaying that the yeast adding step has been completed at a point in time.