JP3559982B2 - Method and apparatus for heating and drying pneumatic transport tube for koji making apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating and drying an air transport pipe for a koji-making apparatus, and particularly to heating the air transport pipe to prevent the growth of various bacteria in the air transport pipe when the air transport pipe is stopped. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji-making apparatus for drying the inside of the tube.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a koji-making apparatus provided in a production line for producing miso, soy sauce, sake, shochu and the like, there is, for example, a disk-type apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-86075. This apparatus is a so-called batch, in which a mixture of seed koji and koji raw materials (steamed rice, wheat, soybeans, etc.) is fermented in a koji making apparatus for several tens of hours, and the resulting koji is sent to the next step, so-called batch. Perform manufacturing.
[0003]
By this batch production, during the koji making in the koji making apparatus, the operation of the supply system for supplying the koji raw material to the koji making apparatus and the delivery system for sending the produced koji to the next step are stopped, and this stopped state There is a problem that bacteria grow in the supply system and the delivery system. If the supply system and the delivery system are used in the next batch for koji making while the germs proliferate, the germs are mixed in the koji raw materials and koji and multiply in the koji making. Inhibits fermentation. Furthermore, since the germs propagated in the koji-making will be bad in the next step, the flavor of the manufactured products such as miso, soy sauce, sake, shochu, etc. may be deteriorated, or the number of bacteria in the product may increase. This may cause a decrease in product quality.
[0004]
As a transport means of the supply system and the delivery system, a transport conveyor is usually used, and in order to solve the above-described problem, conventionally, during the operation of the koji making apparatus, in other words, during the stop of the supply system and the delivery system, the transport system is used. The conveyor was carefully cleaned and sterilized. As a method of washing / sterilizing, it is common to wash a conveyor or a pneumatic transport pipe with detergent water, then wash with water to remove the detergent, and dry by natural drying.
[0005]
However, in the case of transport conveyors, koji raw materials and koji easily adhere to places that are difficult to clean due to their structure, requiring a great deal of labor and time for cleaning and sterilization, and it is difficult to completely remove various bacteria Met.
In recent years, pneumatic transport pipes have been used as supply and delivery systems in place of transport conveyors. In the case of cleaning and sterilizing these pneumatic transport pipes, the same cleaning and sterilization as the transport conveyor is used. The method has been taken.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional method of washing the air transport pipe with a detergent after washing it with a detergent has a disadvantage that a large amount of washing wastewater containing a detergent is generated, and the treatment requires a great deal of cost. There is a problem that activated sludge treatment equipment usually installed as a wastewater treatment for a miso or soy sauce factory cannot be treated because it contains a detergent.
[0007]
In addition, since it takes time for natural drying after washing with water, there is a problem that during the drying, recontamination is caused by falling bacteria in the air.
Therefore, there is a drawback that bacteria cannot be completely removed from the air transport pipe.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and when the air transport pipe used as the koji raw material supply system and the koji feed system of the koji making apparatus is in a stopped state, bacteria are prevented from growing in the air transport pipe. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji making apparatus for effectively heating and drying the inside of the air transport tube.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vertical pneumatic transport pipe for supplying koji raw materials to a koji making apparatus by pneumatic transportation and / or feeding koji produced by the koji making apparatus to the next step by pneumatic transportation. A method for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji-making apparatus for heating the air transport tube and drying the inside of the tube when the air transport tube is not in use with respect to the vertical air transport tube. The connection between the upper end and the lower end is separated from the device to which the pneumatic transport pipe is connected, and the inside of the pneumatic transport pipe is heated indirectly from the outside with the filter attached to the lower end opening of the pneumatic transport pipe, so that the air is removed. By raising the temperature of the air in the transport pipe, taking in the outside air from the lower end of the air transport pipe through the filter and discharging the air from the upper end of the air transport pipe using the draft action by the temperature rise of the air in the air transport pipe. , The air And wherein the generating the warm air flow to feed tube.
[0009]
Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vertical pneumatic transportation pipe for supplying koji raw materials to a koji making apparatus by pneumatic transportation and / or pneumatic transportation of koji produced by the koji making apparatus to a next step. A heating and drying apparatus for a pneumatic transport pipe for a koji-making apparatus for heating the pneumatic transport pipe and drying the inside of the pipe when the pneumatic transport pipe is not used. A detachable filter attached to a lower end opening of the air transport pipe after disconnecting a connection portion between an upper end and a lower end of the pipe from a device to be connected, and a filter provided outside the air transport pipe and inside the pipe of the air transport pipe. And a heating means for indirectly heating the air from outside the air transport pipe.
[0010]
According to the present invention, the connection between the upper end and the lower end of the pneumatic transport pipe is separated from the device to which the pneumatic transport pipe is connected, and the filter is attached to the lower end opening of the separated pneumatic transport pipe. Since the inside of the pipe is indirectly heated from outside the pneumatic transport pipe, the inside of the pneumatic transport pipe can be effectively heated and dried by the draft action due to the temperature rise of the air in the pneumatic transport pipe and the air resistance of the filter.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a method for heating and drying a pneumatic transport tube for a koji making apparatus of the present invention and the apparatus therefor will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of a koji making line to which the method for heating and drying an air transport pipe for a koji making apparatus of the present invention is applied.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, the koji making line includes a koji making apparatus in which a koji raw material is provided on a mezzanine stage (M2) from a raw material rotary feeder 10 on the first floor stage via a raw material air transport pipe 12. Pneumatic transport to 14. In the koji making apparatus 14, the koji raw material is subjected to koji making processing for several tens of hours to produce koji, and the produced koji is sent to the koji rotary feeder 18 on the first floor stage by the shooter 16. Next, the koji sent to the koji rotary feeder 18 is pneumatically transported via a koji air transport pipe 22 to a preparation tank 20 which is a next step provided on the second floor stage. Therefore, since the koji making line is in a batch operation, during the koji making in the koji making apparatus 14, the air transport pipes 12 and 22 are not used and are stopped.
[0013]
The pneumatic transportation of the raw material pneumatic transport tube 12 is performed by a pumping rotary blower 24 by a pumping method, while the pneumatic transportation of the koji air transport tube 22 is performed by a cyclone 26 to which one end of the koji air transport tube 22 is connected. And a suction rotary blower 28 in combination. Further, the rotary blower 24 for pressure feeding and the rotary blower 28 for suction are provided with filters 30, 30, respectively.
[0014]
The koji making apparatus 14 mainly includes a cylindrical koji making room 32 and a temperature / humidity adjusting device 34 for adjusting the temperature and humidity in the koji making room 32. The inside of the koji making chamber 32 is divided into an upper chamber 38 and a lower chamber 40 by a rotating disk 36 formed of a perforated plate. At the center of the rotating disk 36, a rotating shaft 42 is fixed through and the both ends of the rotating shaft 42 are rotatably supported by an upper plate and a bottom plate of the koji making chamber 32. Then, the rotating disk 36 is rotated at a low speed by power means (not shown). A supply port 44 for supplying the koji raw material into the upper chamber 38 is formed on a side surface of the upper chamber 38 of the koji making chamber 32, and a transfer conveyor 46 that is horizontal from the lower side of the supply port 44 toward the center of the upper chamber 38. Will be arranged. The transport conveyor 46 serves to uniformly supply the koji raw material from the supply port 44 to the central portion in the upper chamber 38. A horizontal leveling rod 50 is provided on a support member 48 that supports the rotating disk 36 on the rotating shaft 42, and rotates together with the rotation of the rotating disk 36. As a result, the koji raw material supplied into the upper chamber 38 by the transport conveyor 46 is spread evenly throughout the upper chamber 38, and a koji raw material layer having a uniform thickness is formed in the upper chamber 38.
[0015]
The temperature / humidity adjusting device 34 is mainly composed of an air conditioner 52 for adjusting the temperature and humidity in the koji making room 32 and a blower 54. The air returned to 52 is adjusted to a temperature and humidity suitable for koji making, and then circulated into the lower chamber 40 of the koji making chamber 32 by an air blower 54 through an air duct 58. The temperature-humidity adjusted air circulated in the lower chamber 40 is uniformly supplied to the entire koji raw material layer from the lower side of the koji raw material layer deposited in the upper chamber 38 through the holes of the rotating disk 36. .
[0016]
Further, the return duct 56 is provided with an exhaust duct 60 for exhausting a part of the air returning from the upper chamber 38 to the air conditioner 52 to the atmosphere, and an outside air intake duct 62 for taking a part of the outside air into the return duct 56. Can be Damper devices 64, 64, 64 are provided in the return duct 56, the exhaust duct 60, and the outside air intake duct 62, respectively, and by opening and closing these damper devices 64, the amount of air exhausted from the duct and the intake from the outside air intake duct 62. The amount of outside air, the amount of circulation from the upper chamber 38 of the koji making chamber 32 to the air conditioner, and the like are adjusted.
[0017]
Both ends of the raw material air transport pipe 12 are connected to the supply port 44 of the koji making apparatus 14 and the raw material rotary feeder 10 via flexible hoses 66, 66. Are detachably connected by one-touch connection means. Similarly, both ends of the koji air transport pipe 22 are connected to the koji rotary feeder 18 and the cyclone 26 via flexible hoses 66, 66, and the connection between the koji air transport pipe 22 and the flexible hose 66 is one-touch. It is detachably connected by the connecting means of the system.
[0018]
Next, a heating and drying apparatus for heating and drying the air transport pipes 12 and 22 for the raw material and the koji will be described.
The heating and drying apparatus mainly removes the lower end openings 75 of the air transport pipes 12, 22 after the connection between the upper and lower ends of the air transport pipes 12, 22 for raw materials and koji is separated from the connected apparatus. A detachable filter attached to the opening to be inserted, heating means provided outside the air transport pipes 12 and 22 for indirectly heating the inside of the air transport pipes 12 and 22 from outside the air transport pipes 12 and 22; Backflow preventing means is provided which is detachably attached to the upper end openings 86 of the transport pipes 12 and 22, that is, the openings from which air is exhausted, and which prevents external air from flowing back into the air transport pipes 12 and 22 from the upper end openings 86. .
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in a radial direction of the air transport pipes 12, 22 in which a heating means 67 is provided. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a filter 72. FIG. .
As shown in FIG. 2, the heating means 67 is provided with a plurality of electric heater wires 68, 68... In contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the air transport pipes 12, 22 along the axial direction of the air transport pipes 12, 22. You. Each electric heater wire 68 is connected to one power supply device having a temperature adjusting function (not shown). The number of electric heater wires 68 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected according to the size of the air transport pipes 12 and 22 and the heating temperature. A heat insulation mat 70 is wound around the outer circumference of the air transport pipes 12 and 22 outside the electric heater wire 68. Thereby, when the power supply device is operated, the insides of the air transport pipes 12 and 22 are indirectly heated from the outside. The heating means 67 is not particularly limited to the electric heater wire 68. For example, a plurality of steam pipes may be provided in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the air transport pipes 12 and 22. However, electric heating is more preferable than steam heating in terms of easy temperature control. Further, instead of providing a plurality of electric heater wires 68 along the axial direction of the air transport pipes 12 and 22, the electric heater wires 68 may be spirally wound around the outer circumferences of the air transport pipes 12 and 22.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, the filter 72 is held by a holding member 74, and one side of the holding member 74 is connected to the flanges 12 </ b> A and 22 </ b> A of the lower end openings 75 of the air transport pipes 12 and 22. The connection between the holding member 74 and the flanges of the air transport pipes 12 and 22 may be connected by bolts 76 as shown in FIG. 3, or may be a one-touch type connection mechanism for quick connection. As a type of the filter 72, a precision filter (HEPA filter) is preferable.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 4, the backflow prevention means 78 has a structure in which an opening / closing plate 82 for opening and closing the opening is supported by a hinge 84 at the upper end of the opening of the flange plate 80. It opens and closes according to the relationship between the outflow pressure of the air flowing out of the pipe and the inflow pressure of the air flowing into the pipe from outside the pipe. That is, when the outflow pressure is higher than the inflow pressure, the opening / closing plate 82 swings in the direction A in FIG. 4 to open the upper end opening 86, and when the outflow pressure is lower than the inflow pressure, the opening / closing plate 82 moves in the B direction in FIG. The upper end opening 86 is closed by contacting with the flange plate 80 by swinging. The backflow prevention means 78 is not particularly limited to this structure. In other words, the backflow prevention means 78 has a structure in which the outside air does not flow back into the air transport pipes 12 and 22 when the outflow pressure becomes smaller than the inflow pressure. Anything is fine.
[0022]
Next, a method for heating the air transport pipe for the koji making apparatus of the present invention will be described.
When the koji raw material has been supplied to the koji making apparatus 14 by the raw material air transport pipe 12, the upper end and the lower end of the raw material air transport pipe 12 are removed from the flexible hose 66, respectively. The opening of the removed flexible hose 66 is covered with a lid. In this way, the operation of the koji making apparatus 14 is started after keeping the raw material air transport pipe 12 disconnected from the operation line for koji making.
[0023]
Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the holding member 74 of the filter 72 is attached to the lower end opening 75 of the raw material air transport pipe 12 separated from the operation line, and the backflow prevention means 78 is attached to the upper end opening 86 to heat the material. The power supply of the means 67 is turned on. As a result, the inside of the raw material air transport pipe 12 is indirectly heated from the outside, and a draft action occurs due to a rise in the temperature of the air in the pipe. As a result, in the air transport pipe 12, air is taken in from the lower end opening 75 via the filter 72 and an airflow of warm air flowing out from the upper end opening 86 is generated. Therefore, the inside of the raw material air transport pipe 12 can be uniformly heated without requiring a hot air supply device for supplying warm air into the raw material air transport pipe 12. In this heating, since the filter 72 is provided at the lower end opening 75 of the raw material air transport pipe 12, clean air removed by the filter 72 can be taken into the raw material air transport pipe 12. Further, the air flow velocity in the raw material air transport tube 12 can be reduced by the air resistance of the filter 72, so that the inside of the tube can be effectively heated. Therefore, during the stop state in which the raw material air transport tube 12 is not used, the inside of the tube can be effectively heated and dried, so that the relative humidity in the tube is reduced and the air transport tube 12 is sufficiently dried. In addition, even if germs are present in the air transport tube 12, the germs can be suppressed from growing and can be killed by heating the inner wall of the tube. In addition, in preventing the propagation of various bacteria by this heating, the lower end opening side of the raw material air transport pipe 12, which is the air intake side, has a lower sterilizing effect due to the inflow of cold outside air. Should be set higher than the part.
[0024]
Further, in the prevention of propagation of various bacteria by this heating, at least two stages of low-temperature heating at a predetermined temperature and high-temperature heating higher than the predetermined temperature are set, and the low-temperature heating and the high-temperature heating are alternately switched at predetermined time intervals. Even better. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, low-temperature heating at 40 ° C. for 6 hours and high-temperature heating at 110 ° C. for 1 hour are alternately performed. In order to perform alternate heating, a timer mechanism may be provided in the power supply device. Thereby, the heat-resistant spore bacterium can be intentionally germinated at the time of low-temperature heating, and after germination, the spore bacterium can be killed by heating at a high temperature. Further, it is possible to prevent spores from being mixed into the koji raw material when the raw material air transport pipe 12 is used again. Further, since the air transport pipe 12 is not always kept at a high temperature, energy can be saved. In the alternate heating of the low-temperature heating and the high-temperature heating, when the temperature is switched from the high-temperature heating to the low-temperature heating and the temperature of the raw material air transport pipe decreases, when the outside air tries to flow backward from the upper end opening 86 of the raw material air transport pipe 12, the raw material The backflow is prevented by the action of the backflow prevention means 78 provided at the upper end opening 86 of the air transport pipe 12. This prevents the outside air from flowing back into the raw material air transport pipe 12 and contaminates the pipe.
[0025]
After the koji making process in the koji making apparatus 14 is completed and the produced koji is sent to the next step through the koji air transport pipe 22, the heating and drying of the koji air transport pipe 22 is performed by the above-described pneumatic transport for raw material. The same procedure is performed according to the procedure for heating and drying the tube 12. At the same time, the raw material air transport pipe 12 that has been heated and dried is connected to the koji making apparatus 14 and the flexible hose 66 to perform setup for the next batch.
[0026]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the method of heating the pneumatic transport pipe for the koji making apparatus of the present invention and the action of the apparatus are as follows. Although it has been described by preventing the germs in the transport pipes 12 and 22 from propagating, for example, when the air transport pipes 12 and 22 are used for forced drying after washing with water, the pneumatic transport pipes 12 and 22 are also used. The inside can be dried effectively and in a short time.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the method and apparatus for heating and drying the air transport pipe for the koji-making apparatus of the present invention, the air transport pipe can be effectively heated and dried, so that the air transport pipe is not used. Even when the germs do not grow in the air transport tube.
Further, the method and apparatus for heating and drying the air transport tube for the koji-making apparatus of the present invention can effectively and quickly perform the inside of the air transport tube even when used for forced drying after washing the air transport tube with water. Can be dried.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view illustrating an outline of a koji making line for applying a method for heating and drying an air transport pipe for a koji making apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a heating means for heating the air transport pipe. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating a filter mounted on a lower end opening of the air transport pipe. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a backflow prevention means mounted on an upper end opening of the air transport pipe. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining the installation of the backflow prevention means. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view for explaining alternate heating of low-temperature heating and high-temperature heating in heating the air transport pipe.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Rotary feeder 12 for raw materials ... Pneumatic transport pipe 14 for raw materials ... Koji making apparatus 16 ... Shooter 18 ... Rotary feeder 20 for koji .... Tank 22 ... Pneumatic transport pipe 24 for koji ... Rotary blower 26 for pressure feeding ... Cyclone 28 ... Suction Rotary blower 34 temperature / humidity controller 67 heating means 68 electric heater wire 70 heat insulation mat 72 filter 78 backflow prevention means

Claims (5)

A vertical pneumatic transportation pipe for supplying koji raw materials to the koji making apparatus by pneumatic transportation and / or a vertical pneumatic transportation pipe for supplying koji produced by the koji manufacturing apparatus to the next step by pneumatic transportation. A method for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji-making apparatus for heating the air transport tube and drying the inside of the tube when not using the tube,
Disconnect the connection between the upper and lower ends of the air transport pipe from the device to which the air transport pipe is connected,
In a state where a filter is attached to a lower end opening of the air transport pipe, the inside of the air transport pipe is indirectly heated from outside to raise the temperature of the air in the air transport pipe,
By taking in the outside air from the lower end of the air transport pipe through the filter and discharging the air from the upper end of the air transport pipe using the draft action by the temperature rise of the air in the air transport pipe, a hot air flow is generated in the air transport pipe. A method for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji-making apparatus, wherein The heating of the air transport pipe is set to at least two stages of low-temperature heating at a predetermined temperature and high-temperature heating higher than the predetermined temperature, and the low-temperature heating and the high-temperature heating are alternately switched at predetermined time intervals. The method for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji-making apparatus according to claim 1. The method for heating and drying an air transport tube for a koji making apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature of the lower end opening of the air transport tube is set to be higher than the other portions. A vertical pneumatic transportation pipe for supplying koji raw materials to the koji making apparatus by pneumatic transportation and / or a vertical pneumatic transportation pipe for supplying koji produced by the koji manufacturing apparatus to the next step by pneumatic transportation. A heating and drying device for an air transport pipe for a koji making apparatus for heating the air transport pipe and drying the inside of the pipe when not using the pipe,
A detachable filter that is attached to a lower end opening of the air transport pipe after disconnecting a connection portion at an upper end and a lower end of the air transport pipe from a device to be connected,
Heating means provided outside the pneumatic transport pipe and indirectly heating the inside of the pneumatic transport pipe from outside the pneumatic transport pipe,
A heating and drying apparatus for an air transport pipe for a koji making apparatus, comprising: 5. A pneumatic transport for a koji making apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a backflow preventing means which is detachably attached to an upper end opening of said pneumatic transport pipe and prevents backflow of outside air from said upper end opening into said pneumatic transport pipe. Tube heating and drying equipment.

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