JP3118123B2 - Yeast 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 a yeast addition apparatus for automatically supplying a predetermined amount of yeast to wort sent to a fermentation tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the production of beer or the like, (1) yeast is supplied from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank to a wort line provided with a pump for supplying wort, and yeast is supplied from a yeast tank to a wort line. A yeast addition device in which a yeast line provided with a yeast pump is connected is known. However, in such a yeast addition apparatus, it is necessary that the yeast added to the wort sent to the fermentation tank has a predetermined ratio to the wort, and therefore, whether or not it is so. This was calculated by manually sampling the yeast in the fermentation tank and measuring the yeast with a yeast counter. However, such a measuring method has a problem that the work is complicated due to the intervening manual work.

In order to solve such a problem, (2) a wort pump for feeding wort from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-108371 is provided. The wort line is connected to a yeast line provided with a yeast pump for feeding yeast from the yeast tank to the wort line, and a yeast meter for measuring the yeast concentration in the yeast line and the yeast flow rate for measuring the yeast flow rate. And the concentration from these, the yeast flow rate information is input, the amount of yeast added is calculated based on the input information, and when the amount reaches a preset yeast addition amount, a control means for stopping the operation of the yeast pump is provided. A provided yeast addition device has been proposed. However, in such a yeast addition device, there is a problem that the amount of yeast added in all the steps can be controlled, but the amount of yeast added from the yeast tank instantaneously cannot be controlled.

[0004] In order to solve such a problem, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a yeast addition device as disclosed in (3) Japanese Patent Application No. 5-91764. Since this apparatus is also used in the present invention, its outline will be described with reference to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. It is connected to a wort line 4 provided with a wort pump 3 for feeding wort from the whirlpool tank 1 to the fermentation tank 2,
A yeast line 8 provided with a yeast pump 7 for feeding yeast from the yeast tank 6 to the wort line 4 is connected to the yeast line 8, a densitometer 9 for measuring the yeast concentration, and a yeast for measuring the yeast flow rate. The flow meter 11 and the concentration and yeast flow rate information from these are input, the amount of yeast added is calculated based on the input information, and the operation of the yeast pump 7 is controlled based on the amount and the preset yeast addition amount. The control means 12 is provided. However, in such a yeast addition device, when an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter 9 or the yeast flow meter 11,
There is a problem that the addition of a normal amount of yeast is not maintained, and it becomes difficult to uniformly disperse the added yeast in the fermentation tank necessary for performing stable fermentation.

Further, in the above-described yeast addition apparatus, the wort pump 3 is controlled by the depth of wort in the whirlpool tank 1 on the liquid discharge side and the fermentation tank 2 on the liquid input side. Since the back pressure changes, the flow rate of wort changes and the ratio of the amount of yeast added to the amount of wort changes, and the addition in the fermentation tank required to perform stable fermentation There is a problem that it is difficult to uniformly disperse the yeast.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional yeast addition apparatus and to apply a wort pump to the wort pump by the depth of wort in the whirlpool tank and the fermentation tank. Even if the sending pressure and the back pressure change, the ratio of the amount of yeast added to the wort amount does not change, and an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter or the yeast flow meter provided in the yeast line. Also, it is possible to provide a yeast automatic addition apparatus that can maintain the addition of a normal amount of yeast and can uniformly disperse the added yeast in the fermentation tank necessary for performing stable fermentation. is there.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a wort pump for feeding wort from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank. The wort line is connected to a yeast line provided with a yeast pump for feeding yeast from the yeast tank to the wort line, a yeast meter for measuring the yeast concentration in the yeast line, and a yeast for measuring the yeast flow rate. Flow meter and concentration from these, yeast flow rate information is input, the amount of yeast to be added is calculated based on the input information, and control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump based on the amount and the preset amount of added yeast. In the yeast addition device provided with, a wort flow meter provided in the wort line upstream of the connection between the wort line and the yeast line to measure the wort flow rate, and the wort flow rate from this wort flow meter Enter the information , Based on the ratio of the yeast amount for a preset wort flow rate and the input information, and is characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump.

[0008] The invention of claim 2 provides a yeast for feeding wort from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank to a wort line, and a yeast for feeding yeast from a yeast tank to a wort line. A yeast line provided with a pump is connected, and a yeast concentration meter for measuring the yeast concentration, a yeast flow meter for measuring the yeast flow rate, and a yeast flow meter for measuring the yeast flow rate, and yeast flow rate information are input. Calculate the amount of yeast added, based on the amount and the yeast addition amount set in advance, in a yeast addition device provided with control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump, the control means is a concentration meter or yeast flow meter When an abnormality occurs, the remaining amount of the added yeast is calculated, and the yeast pump is operated at the rated operation for a time obtained by dividing the remaining amount by the discharge amount during the rated operation of the yeast pump. .

The invention of claim 3 is the first or second invention.
In the invention of (1), the densitometer comprises a near-infrared densitometer, and the invention of claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the yeast flow meter and the wort flow meter comprise electromagnetic flow meters. Things.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in starting the yeast addition operation, the yeast stored in the yeast tank is sent through the yeast line by the yeast pump, while the wort is added to the whirlpool tank. From the wort pump, the wort is sent through the wort line, and when the wort exceeds the wort flow meter, yeast is added to the wort and sent to the fermentation tank. At this time, the depth of the wort in the whirlpool tank on the discharge side of the wort is deep at first, while the depth of the wort in the fermentation tank on the liquid entrance side is shallow, but it gradually increases with the progress of the process. On the contrary, since the sending pressure and the back pressure applied to the wort pump change, the flow rate of wort flowing in the wort line changes, and if the amount of yeast added thereto is constant, The ratio of the amount of yeast to the amount of juice fluctuates over time, and, unlike the target addition ratio set in the control means, the added yeast cannot be uniformly dispersed in the wort in the fermentation tank. Therefore, the wort flow meter is used to continuously measure the wort flow rate, and the measured value is input to the control means, and the operation of the yeast pump is controlled by the control means so that the amount of added yeast set to this becomes an appropriate value. I do.

In carrying out the invention of claim 2 as described above, if the flow rate of the added yeast or the concentration of the added yeast measured by the normally operating densitometer or yeast flow meter fluctuates, the prior art The operation of the yeast pump will be controlled by the control device as disclosed in the above, but if an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter or the yeast flow meter, the operation of the concentration meter and the yeast flow meter is stopped by the control means, and the yeast The pump was operated at the rated capacity for the remaining yeast addition time, whereby the proper amount of yeast was continuously added to the wort, and in this way, as the addition process proceeded, the added yeast amount calculated by the control means was reduced. The addition is sequentially performed, and when the integrated value reaches a preset target addition amount, an addition end signal is output.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the conventional example, and the description thereof will be omitted.
In this embodiment, 13 and 14 are wort flow meters and wort detectors provided in the wort line 4 upstream and downstream of the connection between the wort line 4 and the yeast line 8, and 16 is connected to the wort line 4. The provided plate cooler 17 indicates an addition valve provided at the connection between the wort line 4 and the yeast line 8. Densitometer 9
Comprises a near-infrared concentration meter, and the yeast flow meter 11 and the wort flow meter 13 comprise electromagnetic flow meters, but may comprise other components.

In the above-mentioned method, when starting the yeast addition operation, the yeast stored in the yeast tank 6 is sent by the yeast pump 7 to the addition valve 17 which is closed in the yeast line 8. , Waiting here. Then, the wort cooling step is started, wort is sent from the whirlpool tank 1 through the wort line 4 by the wort pump 3, cooled by the plate cooler 16, and then passed through the wort flow meter 13. When the juice reaches the juice detector 14, the addition valve 17 is opened by the detection signal, and the yeast waiting here is added to the wort and sent to the fermentation tank 2. In this manner, the yeast addition step is performed. At this time, the target addition ratio of the added yeast amount to the wort amount is ΔP, the wort flow rate is ΔW, the added yeast concentration is ΔX, and the added yeast flow rate is Δ
Assuming that L and the amount of added yeast are ΔY, the following equation (1) holds.

[0014]

ΔP = ΔY / ΔW = (ΔL × ΔX) / ΔW (1)

By the way, in the above-mentioned one, the depth of the wort in the whirlpool tank 1 on the discharge side of the wort is deep at first, whereas the depth of the wort in the fermentation tank 2 on the liquid entrance side is shallow. With the progress of the process, it gradually reverses, so that the sending pressure and the back pressure applied to the wort pump 3 change, so that the wort flow rate ΔW flowing through the wort line 4 gradually decreases. If the amount of added yeast added ΔY = ΔL × ΔX is constant, the actual addition ratio ΔP ′ becomes greater than the target addition ratio ΔP over time, and is added to the wort in the fermentation tank 2. The yeast cannot be uniformly dispersed, and it is difficult to perform stable fermentation. Then, the wort flow rate ΔW ′ is constantly measured by the wort flow meter 13, and the measured value is input to the control means 12. In this manner, the actual wort flow rate ΔW ′ changes, and the actual addition ratio ΔP ′ differs from the target addition ratio ΔP. When the added yeast flow rate ΔL or the added yeast concentration ΔX in the above equation (1) measured by the normally operating densitometer 9 or yeast flow meter 11 fluctuates, the actual addition ratio ΔP ′ becomes the target similarly to the above. This is different from the addition ratio ΔP. In this case, the operation of the yeast pump 7 is controlled by the control device 12, and the yeast supply amount is automatically adjusted so that the actual addition ratio ΔP 'coincides with the target addition ratio ΔP at each instant. Supply to juice.

However, there may be a case where an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter 9 and the yeast flow meter 11 for some reason and the correction cannot be performed as described above. Assuming that the remaining yeast addition amount at this time is A, the set target mother addition amount is B, and the yeast addition amount until an abnormality occurs is C (added yeast flow rate ΔL1 × added yeast concentration ΔX1), the following equation ( 2) holds.

[0017]

A = B− / C (2)

If the average added yeast concentration is D, the rated capacity of the yeast pump 7 is E, and the remaining yeast addition time is T, the following equation (3) is established.

[0019]

T = (A × D) / E (3)

If an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter 9 and the yeast flow meter 11 during the yeast addition step as described above, the control means 12 stops the operation of the concentration meter 9 and the yeast flow meter 11, The yeast pump 7 is operated at the rated capacity E for the remaining yeast addition time T, whereby the proper amount of yeast is continuously added to the wort. In this way, with the progress of the addition step, the added yeast amount calculated by the control means 12 is sequentially integrated, and when the integrated value reaches a preset target addition amount, a signal is input to an addition end signal device (not shown). This has been conveyed.

[0021]

The present invention is as described above, and the invention of claim 1 provides a wort line provided with a wort pump for feeding wort from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank,
A yeast line provided with a yeast pump for feeding yeast from a yeast tank to a wort line is connected, and a yeast flow meter for measuring a yeast concentration, a yeast flow meter for measuring a yeast flow rate and a yeast flow meter for measuring a yeast flow rate. Concentration, yeast flow rate information is input, the amount of yeast added is calculated based on the input information, and the yeast addition apparatus provided with control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump based on the amount and a preset yeast addition amount. A wort flowmeter provided in the wort line upstream of the connection between the wort line and the yeast line to measure the wort flow rate, and wort flow rate information from the wort flow meter is input, and Control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump based on the input information and a preset ratio of the amount of yeast added to the wort flow rate, so that the amount of yeast added to the wort is instantaneous. Controlled, yeast Irrespective of fluctuations in the concentration and yeast flow rate, a constant ratio is automatically maintained automatically to ensure the correct amount of yeast addition. The pressure and change, even if the flow rate of wort changes, the ratio of the amount of yeast added to the amount of wort does not change, the added yeast in the fermentation tank necessary to perform stable fermentation There is an effect that uniform dispersion can be performed.
The invention of claim 2 provides a wort line provided with a wort pump for feeding wort from the whirlpool tank to the fermentation tank, and a yeast pump for feeding yeast from the yeast tank to the wort line. Yeast lines are connected,
The yeast line to measure the yeast concentration, the yeast flow meter to measure the yeast flow rate and the yeast flow meter to measure the yeast flow rate, enter the yeast flow rate information, calculate the added yeast amount by this input information,
Based on the amount and the yeast addition amount set in advance, in the yeast addition device provided with control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump, the control means, when an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter or the yeast flow meter, the addition, The remaining amount of yeast is calculated, and the remaining amount is divided by the discharge amount during rated operation of the yeast pump,
Since the yeast pump is operated at the rated operation, the amount of yeast added to the wort is controlled instantaneously, and the correct yeast addition amount is always automatically maintained at a constant ratio regardless of the fluctuation of the yeast concentration and the yeast flow rate. Guaranteed, even if an abnormality occurs in the concentration meter or yeast flow meter provided in the yeast line, the addition of a normal amount of yeast can be maintained, and the fermentation required to perform stable fermentation There is an effect that the added yeast can be uniformly dispersed in the tank. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the densitometer comprises a near-infrared densitometer, and the fourth aspect of the present invention provides the yeast flow meter and the yeast flow meter in any one of the first to third aspects. Since the wort flow meter is composed of the electromagnetic flow meter, there is an effect that the concentration of the muddy yeast can be measured at low cost and accurately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 whirlpool tank 2 fermentation tank 3 wort pump 4 wort line 6 yeast tank 7 yeast pump 8 yeast line 9 turbidity meter 11 yeast flow meter 12 control means 13 wort flow meter

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wort line provided with a wort pump for feeding wort from a whirlpool tank to a fermentation tank, and a yeast pump provided for feeding yeast from a yeast tank to a wort line. A yeast line is connected to the yeast line, and the yeast line is used to input a concentration meter for measuring the yeast concentration, a yeast flow meter for measuring the yeast flow rate, and the concentration and yeast flow rate information therefrom. In the yeast addition device provided with control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump based on the amount and the yeast addition amount set in advance, the wort line upstream of the connection between the wort line and the yeast line. The wort flow meter is provided to measure the wort flow rate, and wort flow rate information from the wort flow meter is input, and the input information and the ratio of the yeast addition amount to the wort flow rate set in advance. On the basis of, A yeast addition device, comprising: control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump. 2. A wort line provided with a wort pump for feeding wort from the whirlpool tank to the fermentation tank, and a yeast pump provided for feeding yeast from the yeast tank to the wort line. A yeast line is connected to the yeast line, and the yeast line is used to input a concentration meter for measuring the yeast concentration, a yeast flow meter for measuring the yeast flow rate, and the concentration and yeast flow rate information therefrom. In the yeast addition device provided with control means for controlling the operation of the yeast pump based on the amount and the yeast addition amount set in advance, when the control means has an abnormality in the concentration meter or the yeast flow meter, A yeast addition apparatus, wherein a yeast pump is operated at a rated time for a time obtained by calculating a remaining amount of an added yeast amount and dividing the remaining amount by a discharge amount during a rated operation of the yeast pump. 3. The yeast addition device according to claim 1, wherein the densitometer comprises a near-infrared densitometer. 4. The yeast addition device according to claim 1, wherein the yeast flow meter and the wort flow meter comprise an electromagnetic flow meter.