JP7182286B2 - Food powder manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a food powder manufacturing method for obtaining powder by pulverizing and dehydrating a water-containing food material. More specifically, food powder production of water-containing food materials by pulverizing and dehydrating water-containing food materials with various water contents using a solid-liquid separation device that separates solid components and liquid components without exposing them to the outside air. Regarding the method.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, methods for pulverizing foodstuffs by pulverizing grains such as brown rice, vegetables, etc. and processing them into powdered foodstuffs have been studied. For example, the pulverizer disclosed in Patent Document 1 can pulverize cereal husks, which are foodstuffs, by screw blades and cutters of a screw conveyor.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-340778

By the way, the crusher disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not consider the moisture content of grain husks. In the pulverizer, the grain husks are crushed while being sequentially conveyed by a screw conveyor, so that the degree of crushing is kept constant. The particle size and the like of the powder are likely to change. In addition, since the moisture content changes when the grain husks are washed with water, etc., it is necessary to dry them in advance to keep the moisture content constant. Furthermore, since the grain husks are exposed to the outside air during processing, there is a problem that deterioration of pigments, flavor, etc. occurs due to oxidation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a food powder production method for obtaining powder by pulverizing and dehydrating water-containing food materials having various water contents.

The present invention is as described below.
1. A solid-liquid separation device comprising: an input chamber into which a water-containing food material is added; and a pulverizing chamber which is connected to the input chamber and pulverizes the water-containing food material input in the input chamber and separates the water-containing food material into powder and steam. A food powder manufacturing method using
The solid-liquid separation device comprises: the input chamber and the crushing chamber are connected via a communication chamber; a feeding screw configured by a helical blade rotatably provided integrally with the rotary shaft located in the connecting chamber, for feeding the water-containing food material put into the feeding chamber in the direction of the pulverizing chamber; a stirring blade provided to be rotatable integrally with the rotating shaft positioned thereon, and stirring the water-containing food material fed into the grinding chamber by splashing and beating it; and an inner wall of the grinding chamber at the same height as the rotating shaft. and a separating member disposed so as to protrude from the central portion of the grinding chamber in the axial direction of the rotating shaft toward the rotating shaft, and for colliding and separating the water-containing food material to be stirred,
A charging step of charging the water-containing food material into the charging chamber and rotating the rotating shaft to send the water-containing food material into the grinding chamber through the communication chamber; a powder generating step of pulverizing and evaporating the water content of the water-containing food material into steam, and then separating the steam from the water-containing food material to obtain powder; and discharging the obtained powder from the grinding chamber. and , are performed in this order, and in the powder generation step, the grinding is finished after the temperature in the grinding chamber reaches the dehydration completion temperature, which is a temperature exceeding the boiling point of water.
2. The water-containing food material is cereals or a mixture of grains and one or more selected from vegetables, fruits and seaweeds, and the undried water-containing food material washed with water in the charging step is charged into the charging chamber. . The food powder manufacturing method according to .
3. 2. The grain is brown rice. The food powder manufacturing method according to .
4. The stirring blade rotates together with the rotating shaft and constitutes a pressing means for pressing the water-containing food material fed into the grinding chamber along the rotating shaft in the direction of the separating member. to 3. The method for producing food powder according to any one of the above.
5. A discharge port is provided in the charging chamber portion, and the steam separated from the water-containing food sent into the grinding chamber enters the charging chamber through the gap of the communication chamber, and is then discharged from the discharge port. 1. to 4. The method for producing food powder according to any one of the above.
6. A discharge chamber connected to the crushing chamber via a discharge communication chamber is further provided, and the rotating shaft of the rotating shaft extends across the input chamber, the communication chamber, the crushing chamber, the discharge communication chamber, and the discharge chamber. The rotation shaft of the rotation shaft at the position in the discharge communication chamber and the discharge chamber is constituted by a spiral blade provided so as to be rotatable integrally. The above 1. is equipped with an outflow prevention screw for preventing the water-containing food material from flowing out from the crushing chamber to the discharge chamber. to 5. The method for producing food powder according to any one of the above.

According to the food powder production method of the present invention, the water-containing food material can be pulverized by the stirring blades and separation members in the pulverizing chamber of the solid-liquid separator, and the water content of the water-containing food material can be dehydrated as steam to form powder. can. Further, by completing the pulverization in the powder generation process after the temperature in the pulverization chamber reaches the dehydration completion temperature, which is the temperature, almost all the moisture inside and outside the food material can be separated from the food material as water vapor. The water content of the obtained powder can be kept constant regardless of the water content before pulverization. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly adjust the water content of the water-containing food material to be put into the solid-liquid separator by drying or the like. In addition, although the water-containing food material is exposed to a high temperature equal to or higher than the boiling point of water, oxidation is suppressed because air is not introduced into the grinding chamber during grinding. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of pigments, flavors, etc. in the water-containing food material.
In addition, since a separating member protruding toward the rotating shaft is provided to separate the water-containing food material being stirred in the center part away from the center part, the water-containing food material being stirred in the grinding chamber is biased toward the center part, resulting in uneven stirring. can be prevented from occurring, and a powder having a uniform particle size can be obtained.
Furthermore, there is a possibility that the water-containing food material bounces back from the crushing chamber toward the charging chamber due to the stirring blades and the separating member, but a communication chamber is provided between the charging chamber and the crushing chamber, and the food is sent to the communication chamber. Since the screw is provided, the water-containing food material that tries to bounce back toward the charging chamber collides with the feeding screw and is fed into the crushing chamber by the feeding screw, making it difficult to enter the charging chamber. Therefore, also from this point, the solid-liquid separation device can be efficiently driven to obtain powder having a uniform particle size.

The water-containing food material is cereals or a mixture of cereals and one or more selected from vegetables, fruits, and seaweeds. In addition, the water-containing food material washed with water can be put into the solid-liquid separation device as it is without drying, and a drying process or the like becomes unnecessary.
In addition, the gelatinization temperature of starch contained in cereals is usually a temperature below the boiling point of water. It is possible to absorb water adhering to water-containing food materials when washed with water, and to gelatinize at least part of β-starch, which is in a normal crystalline state, with α-starch, which has a sweetness with free sugar chains. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a powder containing easily digestible α-starch. In addition, if vegetables are included, the powder can be colored with vegetable pigments. In addition, vegetable pigments are exposed to high temperatures above the boiling point of water, but since air is not introduced into the crushing chamber during crushing, oxidation is suppressed and the original color can be maintained without deterioration.
When the cereal is brown rice, powder containing germ or germinated brown rice can be prepared as powder having a constant moisture content regardless of the moisture content of each food material. In addition, easy-to-digest brown rice powder containing α-starch can be obtained by gelatinization.

In the case where the stirring blade constitutes the pressing means, the rotation of the stirring blade pushes the water-containing food material and the material being stirred that have been sent into the grinding chamber toward the separation member. It becomes easier to guide toward the separation member. Therefore, even if the water-containing food material or the material being stirred adheres to the rotating shaft, it is easier to separate the water-containing food material or the material being stirred from the rotating shaft, and the solid-liquid separation device can be driven more efficiently. can.
When the charging chamber is provided with a discharge port, the water vapor separated from the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber can be discharged, and it is possible to prevent the water-containing food material to be introduced from being humidified by leaking of the water vapor from the charging hole. .
When the grinding chamber is further provided with a discharge chamber connected via a discharge communication chamber, water vapor separated from the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber can be discharged from the discharge chamber, and the water-containing food material put into the feeding chamber is humidified. can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a typical perspective view which shows an example of the solid-liquid separation apparatus of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a typical longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows an example of the solid-liquid separation apparatus of this invention. (a) is a schematic plan view showing an example of the solid-liquid separation device of the present invention, (b) is a 1-1 cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 (a), and the separation member of FIG. 3 (b) FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another aspect; 1 is a schematic front view showing a stirring blade, a rotating shaft, and a separation member of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a stirring blade, a rotating shaft, and a separation member of the present invention; FIG. It is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view along a cross section perpendicular to the rotating shaft) showing the relationship between the stirring blade, the crushing chamber, and the cooling means, etc. (b) is the relationship between the stirring blade and the crushing chamber. is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the (longitudinal cross-sectional view along a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis). FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view for explaining gaps (clearances) provided between the feed screw and the inner wall of the communication chamber; FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of a stirring blade used in the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another arrangement example of stirring blades used in the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another arrangement example of stirring blades used in the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another arrangement example of stirring blades used in the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing another example of the solid-liquid separation device of the present invention; It is an image showing an example of brown rice, which is a water-containing food material. Fig. 14 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in Fig. 13; It is an image showing brown rice and yellow paprika, which are water-containing foodstuffs. Fig. 16 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in Fig. 15; It is an image showing brown rice and red paprika, which are water-containing foodstuffs. FIG. 18 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in FIG. 17; FIG. It is an image showing brown rice and pumpkin, which are water-containing foodstuffs. FIG. 20 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in FIG. 19; FIG. 1 is an image showing brown rice and raw seaweed, which are water-containing foodstuffs. FIG. 22 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in FIG. 21; FIG. 1 is an image showing brown rice and apples, which are water-containing foodstuffs. Fig. 24 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in Fig. 23; 1 is an image showing brown rice and adzuki beans, which are water-containing foodstuffs. FIG. 26 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in FIG. 25; FIG. It is an image showing brown rice and soybean flour, which are water-containing foodstuffs. FIG. 28 is an image showing powder obtained from the water-containing food material shown in FIG. 27; FIG.

The material presented herein is intended to be illustrative and illustrative of the embodiments of the invention and is believed to be the most effective and readily comprehensible description of the principles and conceptual features of the invention. It is stated for the purpose of providing what it seems. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention beyond those necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, and the description in conjunction with the drawings will illustrate some aspects of the invention. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how it is actually implemented.

Hereinafter, the food powder manufacturing method of the present invention is a method of pulverizing a water-containing food material using the solid-liquid separation device 1 illustrated in FIG. , a charging step, a powder generating step, and a discharging step.

The water-containing food material is a food material containing water before powdering. There are no particular restrictions on the type of food, including grains such as rice, buckwheat, barley, wheat, corn, and beans (soybeans, adzuki beans, etc. can be exemplified), vegetables such as paprika, tomatoes, spinach, and pumpkin, root vegetables, and seafood. All or part of bones, etc., seaweeds such as kelp and wakame seaweed, meats, fruits (apples, etc.) and leaves for food, mushrooms and potatoes for food, etc. be able to.
The rice may be of any type, such as non-glutinous rice and glutinous rice. The above-mentioned fruits for foods include fruits used for foods such as spices such as pepper in addition to fruits. The leaves for foods include leaves of various plants such as tea leaves and mint leaves.

Cereals can be mentioned as a good example of a water-containing food material. Non-glutinous rice or glutinous brown rice can be exemplified as more specific examples of grains.
In addition, one or more of the water-containing foodstuffs listed above may be mixed with grains. Vegetables, fruits, and seaweeds can be given as specific examples of water-containing food materials mixed with grains. Specific examples of the mixture with grains such as brown rice include vegetables such as paprika and pumpkin, fruits such as apples, and seaweed such as wakame seaweed. Furthermore, beans (soybeans, adzuki beans, etc.) may be mixed with brown rice such as non-glutinous rice or glutinous rice.
When a colored water-containing food material such as paprika is mixed, the powder to be produced can be colored. In particular, paprika can be colored with pigments such as red, yellow and orange. In addition, the use of dulce can impart sweetness to the powder. In addition, shellfish and animal bones may be included. Furthermore, beans such as soybeans and adzuki beans, vegetables such as pumpkins, and seaweeds such as kelp and seaweed may be mixed as nutrients.
When the water-containing food material is washed with water, it may be put into the solid-liquid separator 1 as it is after washing, or it may be put in a state in which water is attached to the surface of the food material after being drained, or it may be dried and the water on the surface of the food material may remain. may be inserted with the Moreover, it may be cut into a size that is easy to throw in.
Furthermore, the water content of the water-containing food material includes all of the water content within the water-containing food material, water adhering to the water-containing food material, and water supplied to the solid-liquid separator 1 together with the water-containing food material. The range of the water content of the water-containing food can be generally within 85% (preferably within 83%, more preferably within 80%) of the mass of the water-containing food including all water. This is because if it exceeds 85%, the viscosity becomes low and the food cannot be pulverized by the solid-liquid separator 1 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the solid-liquid separation device 1 used for pulverizing the water-containing food material has a charging chamber 40 into which the water-containing food material is charged, and communicates with the charging chamber 40. and a crushing chamber 11 for crushing the water-containing food material and separating it into powder and steam.
The input chamber 40 and the crushing chamber 41 are connected via a communication chamber 70a, and the rotating shaft 30 disposed across the input chamber 40, the communication chamber 70a, and the crushing chamber 11, and the inside of the input chamber 40 and the communication chamber 70a. a feeding screw 43 which is constituted by a spiral blade 43a rotatably provided integrally with the rotary shaft 30 located at the feeding screw 43 for feeding the water-containing food material put into the feeding chamber 40 in the direction of the crushing chamber 11; A stirring blade 15 that is rotatably provided integrally with a rotating shaft 30 located in the grinding chamber 40 and stirs the water-containing food material fed into the grinding chamber 40 while splashing and beating it, and the same height as the rotating shaft 30 on the inner wall of the grinding chamber 11 Separating members 80a and 80b are provided so as to protrude from the central portion of the crushing chamber 11 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 30 toward the rotating shaft 30, and separate the water-containing ingredients to be stirred by colliding them. .

The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention discharges the water vapor (liquid component) separated and discharged outside the crushing chamber 11 from the discharge port 40b of the charging chamber 40, and the powder (solid component) separated in the crushing chamber 11 ) can be discharged from the grinding chamber 11 . In addition, water vapor can be discharged from a discharge chamber 41d, which will be described later. Furthermore, other parts (including all parts, means, etc.) can be appropriately provided as described later. The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention may be a solid-liquid separation device 1 in which all of these parts are integrally provided, or may be a solid-liquid separation device 1 provided separately as long as the object is achieved. It may be 1.

1. In the following, each step of the food powder manufacturing method will be described in detail.
(1) Loading step The loading step is a step of loading the water-containing food material into the loading chamber 40 and rotating the rotating shaft 30 to feed the water-containing food material into the grinding chamber 11 through the communication chamber 70a. The water-containing food material to be put in may be put in as it is, or an undried water-containing food material washed with water may be put in the introduction chamber 40 . In particular, when the water-containing food material is cereals or a mixture of grains and vegetables, it is preferable to put the water-containing undried water-containing food material into the charging chamber 40 . By putting the water-washed water-containing food material whose surface is undried into the feeding chamber 40, it can be processed into powder in a state in which unnecessary substances such as dust and earth and sand adhering to grains such as brown rice are removed by water washing. In particular, even if drying is not performed after washing with water, the obtained powder does not get wet, the time required for drying can be eliminated, and the powder can be obtained more quickly.

(2) Powder generation step In the powder generation step, the water-containing food material fed into the grinding chamber 11 is pulverized by the stirring blades 15 and the separating member 80, and the water content of the water-containing food material is evaporated as water vapor to produce a water-containing food material. It is a step of evaporating moisture as steam from the water-containing food material, and then separating the steam from the water-containing food material to obtain powder. The pulverization is finished after the temperature in the pulverization chamber 11 reaches the dehydration completion temperature. The dehydration completion temperature is a temperature above the boiling point of water and at which dehydration of the water-containing food material is completed.
The boiling point temperature of water is the boiling point temperature of water in the pulverization chamber 11 during the powder production step. The boiling point varies depending on the pressure in the pulverization chamber 11, water dissolved substances, etc., and cannot be uniformly determined. However, by setting the dehydration completion temperature to 105 to 150° C. (more preferably 105 to 130° C., still more preferably 110 to 120° C.), it can be made higher than the boiling point. If the dehydration completion temperature is higher than 150° C., the dye tends to discolor due to the high temperature, which is not preferable.
During the powder generation process, the water-containing food materials rub against each other due to stirring by the stirring blades 15 and collision of the water-containing food materials with the separation member 80 to generate frictional heat, and the temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 rises. Since the generated heat is used for phase transition to evaporation until all the moisture in the water-containing food material evaporates, the temperature in the grinding chamber 11 is suppressed without reaching the dehydration completion temperature exceeding the boiling point. . Then, when all the moisture in the water-containing food becomes steam and is dehydrated by separating it from the water-containing food, the temperature inside the grinding chamber 11 rises again and reaches the dehydration completion temperature. Therefore, after the temperature in the grinding chamber reaches the dehydration completion temperature, that is, when the dehydration completion temperature is reached or the temperature rises above the dehydration completion temperature, it can be determined that the dehydration of the water-containing food material is completed.
The water vapor generated during the powder production process may be retained in the pulverizing chamber 11 and discharged during the discharge process, or may be discharged successively during the powder production process.

(3) Ejection process The ejection process is a process of ejecting the powder obtained in the pulverization chamber 11 from the pulverization chamber 11 . As for the method of discharging the powder from the grinding chamber 11, the peripheral surface of the grinding chamber 11 or the like may be opened and the powder may be discharged directly. The powder in the pulverization chamber 11 may be discharged from the discharge chamber 41 after being conveyed to the discharge chamber 41 .

(4) Powdered food material The powdered food material, which is a powder produced by the method for producing a powdered food material, can have various properties depending on the pulverization conditions.
Brown rice alone or a mixture based on brown rice can be used as a substitute for wheat flour. For example, it can be used as a material for bread, cake, udon, ramen, gyoza, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, soup, confectionery, and the like. It can also be used as a material for emergency food and preserved food.
In addition, since ingredients rich in various nutrients can be powdered and used for cooking, they can be used for health foods, baby foods, liquid foods, and the like. Furthermore, specific foods include bread, cakes, confectionery, soup, uiro, sweet bean jelly, Japanese sweets, and the like.

2. Each part constituting the solid-liquid separation device 1 will be described in detail below.
(1) Grinding Chamber The pulverizing chamber 11 is provided with stirring blades 15 erected on a rotating shaft 30 in the pulverizing chamber 11 . Then, in the crushing chamber 11, the water-containing food material is crushed and stirred. In addition, the temperature of the water-containing food material is raised by the heat generated by the pulverization and stirring, and the water content of the water-containing food material is evaporated and separated as water vapor, thereby dehydrating the water-containing food material.

The pulverizing chamber 11 forms a space for pulverizing the water-containing food material with the stirring blades 15 . The shape of the pulverizing chamber 11 is not particularly limited, but since the stirring blades 15 are used, a cylindrical shape corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the stirring blades 15 can be exemplified. The size of the pulverizing chamber 11 is also not particularly limited, but in the case of a cylindrical shape, the inner diameter is preferably 20 to 80 cm from the viewpoint of strength. This is because if the inner diameter is excessively large, that is, if the stirring blade 15 is large, greater strength is required. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the height is 25 to 65 cm from the viewpoint of energy efficiency and the weight of the water-containing food material to be put.

A powder discharge port 11a may be provided in the lower portion of the crushing chamber 11 for recovering the powder crushed in the crushing chamber 11 and separated from water as needed. In particular, when a powder recovery container 61, which will be described later, is not separately provided, it is preferable to provide the powder discharge port 11a. When the powder discharge port 11a is provided, the lid portion 12b is usually provided so as to be openable and closable. Further, it is preferable to provide a packing material between the lid portion 12b and the powder discharge port 11a to prevent the air (oxygen) from entering from there. A discharge chute for taking out the powder obtained by pulverization can be arranged at the powder discharge port 11a.

The "rotating shaft 30" communicates the charging chamber 40, the connecting chamber 70a, and the crushing chamber 11 in this order, and is rotatable about the rotating shaft 30. As shown in FIG. One end 30a of the rotating shaft 30 projects out of the charging chamber 40, and the other end 30b of the rotating shaft 30 projects out of the crushing chamber 11, and is rotatably supported by bearings (ball bearings, etc.) B1, B2, etc., respectively. there is Further, the rotating shaft 30 may be coaxially directly connected to the drive source 50 (motor or the like), but as shown in FIG. A pulley 54 is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft of the drive source 50, and a transmission member (such as a belt) 51 is arranged (strung) between the pulleys 53 and 54 to transfer the driving force generated by the drive source 50. You may transmit to the rotating shaft 30. FIG.

The "stirring blade 15" has a width (lateral width) equivalent to the width (diameter) of the rotary shaft 30 to which it is attached, is erected on the rotary shaft 30 in the grinding chamber 11, and rotates as the rotary shaft 30 rotates. Rotate. By rotating along the circumference of the grinding chamber 11, the stirring blade 15 stirs, strikes, and grinds the water-containing food contained in the grinding chamber 11, thereby generating heat.
The stirring blade 15 may have a shape and a member capable of splashing and hitting the water-containing food material, and various sizes, materials, attachment positions to the rotating shaft 30, attachment angles, etc. can be selected. Also, it is desirable to reduce the gap between the end of the stirring blade 15 (the end located radially outward of the rotating shaft 30) and the inner wall of the pulverizing chamber 11. The angle of attachment of the stirring blade 15 with respect to the rotating shaft 30 is such that the water-containing food material and its stirred material are separated by the stirring blade 15 in the direction of the separating members 80a and 80b, that is, in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 30 of the grinding chamber 11. It is preferable to set the angle at an appropriate angle so as to collect the particles in the middle of the left-right direction in FIG. 3 . For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the functional surfaces 15a and 15b of the stirring blade 15, that is, the two surfaces (15a and 15b) having a symmetrical positional relationship about the rotation axis 30, the separation member 80a, which will be described later, A "pressing means" can be configured in which the stirring blade 15 regulates the water-containing food material and its material being stirred in the direction of 80b and fed into the grinding chamber 11 in the direction of the separating members 80a and 80b.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the functional surface (15a or 15b) of the stirring blade 15 is specified with respect to the circumferential direction of the stirring blade 15 (yy direction in the figure). (inclination in the direction of aa in the figure, that is, inclination in the direction of N in the figure), etc., to configure the “pressing means”. That is, when the rotating shaft 30 rotates in a specific direction (for example, the M direction in FIG. 3A, that is, when the rotating shaft 30 is observed in the P direction, the rotating shaft 30 rotates clockwise) with respect to the reference, The functional surface (15a or 15b) moves along the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 30 from the forward position (F1 in the drawing) toward the rearward position (F2 in the drawing) so that the distance to the separation members 80a and 80b becomes shorter. The stirring impeller 15 can constitute a pressing means by giving a steep inclination or the like. The inclination angle N of the stirring blade 15 is appropriately selected, and can be, for example, 15 to 45° (preferably 25 to 35°).
In this case, by rotating the stirring blades 15 in a specific direction (direction M in the drawing), the water-containing food material sent into the grinding chamber 11 is separated by the stirring blades 15 rotating together with the rotating shaft 30 and separated by the separation members 80a and 80b. The water-containing food material or the like sent into the crushing chamber 11 is easily guided toward the separation members 80a and 80b. For this reason, water-containing ingredients and the like located in the corners of the crushing chamber 11 (left and right ends of the crushing chamber 11 shown in FIG. 3(a)), which are difficult to stir, can be collected in the central portion to eliminate uneven stirring of the whole. In addition, the separation members 80a and 80b allow the water-containing food material and the like separated from the central portion to be collected again in the central portion and sufficiently stirred, so that the solid-liquid separator 1 can be driven more efficiently.
Although two sets of stirring blades 15 may be installed vertically symmetrically about the rotating shaft 30, if they are alternately provided above and below the rotating shaft 30 as shown in the present embodiment, the middle portion in the left-right direction of the rotating shaft 30 Therefore, it becomes more difficult for the water-containing food material and the material to be stirred to form dumplings, and the rotating shaft 30 can be rotated at a higher speed, which is preferable. Furthermore, three or more sets of stirring blades 15 may be prepared and arranged equiangularly.

The shape of the stirring blade 15 is not particularly limited, and it may be a rod-shaped member such as a prismatic or cylindrical member. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 11, a wide beating portion 16 can be provided on the tip side of the stirring blade 15 for crushing the water-containing food material. By doing so, the area to be thrown up and hit becomes large, and the water-containing food material can be efficiently hit and pulverized.
Further, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 11, the tapping portion 16 is inclined so as to tap the water-containing food material in the direction of the axis J of the rotating shaft 30 (the direction "D1" in FIG. 6(b)). Preferably, it has a striking surface 16a. By providing the beating surface 16a, it is possible to prevent kneading of the water-containing food material and agglomeration due to the kneading, and promote pulverization and evaporation of moisture.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, the stirring blade 15 may be chamfered at each ridgeline and each corner facing the direction in which the stirring blade 15 rotates. As a result, it is possible to prevent the water-containing food containing a large amount of water and the water-containing food in which liquid components remain from adhering to the edges and corners and gradually accumulating. In addition, it can slide without receiving unnecessary resistance.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the stirring impeller 15 may have a shape in which the striking surface 16a is inclined toward the interior of the pulverizing chamber. With such a shape, the water-containing food material can be beaten in the direction of the axis J of the rotating shaft 30 and in the direction of the center of the grinding chamber, and the beating can be performed more efficiently. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 10, the portion connecting the striking portion 16 and the rotating shaft 30 can also have a shape that is inclined toward the interior of the crushing chamber 11 .

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 to 11, for example, the stirring blade 15 preferably has a curved surface portion 17 protruding toward the rotation direction on the root side. By providing the curved surface portion 17, the water-containing food material can be sprung up in the circumferential direction (the direction from the rotating shaft 30 toward the circumference formed by the rotation of the stirring blades 15). That is, by rotating the rotary shaft 30, the convex surface 17a of the curved surface portion 17 can flip up the water-containing food material in the circumferential direction. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the water-containing food material from clinging to the rotary shaft 30 . In addition, the water-containing food material beaten by the beating surface 16a of the stirring blade 15 toward the axial direction D1 of the rotating shaft 30 is moved in the circumferential direction (Fig. 6 D2 direction in (b)). As a result of this repetition, the water-containing food material moves back and forth between the striking surface 16a and the convex surface 17a in the space formed by the rotation of the striking surface 16a and the convex surface 17a, and is confined in this space. As a result, pulverization and heat generation can be performed with high efficiency.

The curved surface portion 17 may be formed thin as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. It may be formed thick and have a block shape with a large joint with the rotating shaft 30 . Among these, the block shape is preferable from the aspect of strength.

In addition, the number of stirring blades 15 erected on the rotating shaft 30 is not particularly limited, and only one stirring blade 15 may be erected on the rotating shaft 30, or two or more stirring blades 15 may be erected. Generally, 2 or more sheets are preferable, 2 to 16 sheets are more preferable, and 2 to 8 sheets are particularly preferable.
When a plurality of stirring blades 15 are provided, they may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotating shaft 30 as shown in FIG. 9, or may be arranged alternately as shown in FIG. Among the above, it is preferable that they are alternately arranged as shown in FIG. 5 and the like. 5, the water-containing food material is beaten twice while the rotary shaft 30 rotates once if they are arranged in symmetrical positions. For this reason, the beating interval is short, the water-containing food material stays in the air for a short time, and the transpiration speed of the water tends to decrease. preferable.

In addition, four stirring blades 15 can be provided on the rotating shaft 30 at intervals of 90 degrees on the same circumference, but as shown in FIG. It is preferable to prepare That is, it is preferable to arrange the stirring blades 15 in the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft 30 so that the rotating spaces of the stirring blades 15 do not overlap. Furthermore, it is preferable that they are erected on the rotating shaft 30 so that the striking intervals (phases) are different from each other, for example, at intervals of 90 degrees as shown in FIG.
A clearance of 0.1 to 4 mm (preferably 0.5 to 3.5 mm, particularly preferably 1.0 to 3 mm) is maintained between the tip side of the stirring blade 15 and the inner wall of the pulverizing chamber 11. preferably

The "separation members 80a, 80a" have the same height as the rotating shaft 30 in the grinding chamber 11, and are located at the center of the rotating shaft 30 of the grinding chamber 11 in the direction of the axis J (middle in the left-right direction in FIG. 3A). ) so as to protrude toward the rotating shaft 30 from the inner wall located at ). The stirring blade 1 separates the water-containing food material and the material being stirred from the central portion of the crushing chamber 11 from the central portion so that they can be stirred more evenly. In addition, the separating members 80a and 80a are provided with the functional portion 80c in the vicinity of the rotating shaft 30 at a position that does not hinder the smooth rotation of the rotating shaft 30, so that the functional portion 80c can rotate. It collides with the water-containing food material adhering to the shaft 30 or the material being stirred, and the water-containing food material or the like adhering to the shaft 30 can be separated from the rotating shaft 30 . Here, as the separation member, as shown in FIGS. , a ring-shaped separating member 80d through which the rotating shaft 30 is inserted, an arc-shaped separating member (not shown) surrounding the rotating shaft 30 in an arc shape, and the like.
In the bar-shaped separation members 80a and 80b, the clearance between the end portion 81t and the rotating shaft 30 (for example, a gap of 0.1 to 4 mm, preferably 0.5 to 3.5 mm, particularly preferably 1.0 to 3 mm) is preferably maintained. In the ring-shaped separation member 80d or the arc-shaped separation member, a clearance (for example, , 0.1 to 4 mm, preferably 0.5 to 3.5 mm, particularly preferably 1.0 to 3 mm).
The separation members 80a, 80a may be arranged at the center in the direction of the axis J, but it is more preferable to displace them in the direction of the axis J (horizontal direction in FIG. 3(a)). This deviation is appropriately set, and at least the separation members 80a, 80a should be at a position where there is no overlapping portion in the axis J direction. This is because, by shifting the arrangement positions, the amount of water-containing foodstuffs and stirring materials that come into contact with the separating members 80a and 80b increases, and the effect of the separating members is enhanced.

(2) Input Chamber (Water-Containing Food Supply Portion), Communication Chamber The input chamber 40 and the grinding chamber 11 are connected via a communication chamber 70a. A feeding screw 43 is provided at a portion of the rotary shaft 30 that is disposed in the input chamber 40 and the communication chamber 70a. The feeding screw 43 is composed of a spiral blade 43a protruding from the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 30, and the spiral blade 43a rotates together with the rotating shaft 30, so that the water-containing food material introduced into the charging chamber 40 is moved toward the grinding chamber 11. It feeds in and prevents feeding from the pulverization chamber 11 to the feeding chamber 40 direction. Further, the charging chamber 40 is provided with a charging port 40d for charging the water-containing food material into the charging chamber 40 and a lid 40e for opening and closing the charging port 40d.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the inner wall of the communication chamber 70a and the outer edge portion 43b of the feeding screw 43 are close to each other with a constant gap portion 43c therebetween. It is less likely that it will return in the direction of the communication chamber 70a (the direction of the charging chamber 40) through the gap 43c. That is, since the width d of the gap 43c (the distance between the inner wall surface of the communication chamber 70a and the outer edge 43b of the feeding screw 43) is narrowed, the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber 11 and the material being stirred are reduced. The possibility of reversing in the direction of 70a (in the direction of input chamber 40) is reduced. Here, it is desirable to select the width d of the clearance 43c within a range that allows the feeding screw 43 to rotate smoothly. For example, if the width d is narrow (0.1 to 1.5 mm, preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mm, more preferably 0.3 to 1 mm), the water-containing food material and the material being stirred in the grinding chamber 11 is less likely to flow into the communication chamber 70a.

In addition, of the rotating shaft 30, the “length along the rotating shaft 30” L of the portion arranged in the communication chamber 70a is 1.2 pitches or more, preferably 1.5 pitches or more, particularly preferably 1.5 pitches or more for the spiral blades 43a. is desirably set to a length that allows two or more pitches to be formed. In this case, since the "length L along the direction of the axis J of the rotating shaft 30" of the gap 43c can be sufficiently secured, the water-containing food material bounced back from the crushing chamber 11 toward the communication chamber 70a, As a result, the possibility of entering the charging chamber 40 can be further reduced, and the solid-liquid separation device 1 can be driven more efficiently.
Further, when the height of the charging chamber 40 is made higher than the height of the communication chamber 70a, the heat in the grinding chamber 11 is made difficult to be transmitted through the communication chamber 70a, and the temperature in the charging chamber 40 becomes higher than that of the grinding chamber 11. It can be kept insensitive to temperature.

(3) Pressure reducing means The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention can be provided with "pressure reducing means 60". This “depressurizing means 60 ” is a means that is connected to the crushing chamber 11 and can decompress the internal space of the crushing chamber 11 . By providing this decompression means 60, the internal pressure of the pulverization chamber 11 can be lowered, and the load on the stirring blades 15 can be reduced. Therefore, energy consumption during operation of the present solid-liquid separation apparatus 1 can be reduced compared to the case where the decompression means 60 is not provided. Here, the pressure reduction means a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, but from the viewpoint of reducing the energy consumption, it is preferable to reduce the internal pressure of the grinding chamber 11 to 600 Pa or less (usually 0.01 Pa or more), particularly 0 It is preferable to reduce the pressure to 1 to 100 Pa.

(4) Discharge port The solid-liquid separator 1 of the present invention may be provided with a discharge port 40b. The discharge port 40b is a portion for discharging the water vapor evaporated and separated from the water-containing food material in the crushing chamber 11 to the outside of the solid-liquid separator 1. As shown in FIG. Also, the discharge port 40b may be provided in any one of the charging chamber 40, the crushing chamber 11 and the connecting chamber 70a, or may be provided separately from the charging chamber 40, the crushing chamber 11 and the connecting chamber 70a. A case where the discharge port 40b is provided in the input chamber 40 will be described below. In the pulverizing chamber 11, the water content is agitated using the stirring blades 15, and the water content of the water content material evaporates due to the frictional heat generated in the water content content, turns into steam, and is separated from the water content content. The separated steam passes through the communication chamber 70a and enters the charging chamber 40, and the charging chamber 40 is filled with the high-temperature steam. Then, when the temperature detection means (for example, the temperature sensor 46 or the like) detects that the inside of the charging chamber 40 has reached a high temperature, steam is discharged from the outlet 40 b provided in the charging chamber 40 .

The discharge port 40b discharges water vapor (activates suction to the outside of the solid-liquid separation device 1) and stops discharge (starts suction to the outside of the solid-liquid separation device 1) based on the temperature of the charging chamber 40 detected by the temperature detection means 46. It may be configured to perform a stop of suction to). The forced suction promotes the discharge of water vapor from the discharge port 40b. Further, a synergistic effect is obtained with promotion of drying in the charging chamber 40, and energy loss during drying is also reduced.
In the conventional solid-liquid separator, the minimum moisture content of the powder obtained by forced suction is 30% in the case of natural discharge. It is possible to dehydrate to a moisture content of 10% or less. Further, according to the solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention, the drying speed of the powder is accelerated by 50% or more, and the energy required to obtain the powder with the same water content is accelerated by 60% or more. According to the solid-liquid separation device 1, efficient drying is possible.

Also, the "discharge port 41e" may be provided in a discharge section 41D separate from the charging chamber 40 and the crushing chamber 11 (see FIG. 12). In this case, the steam generated in the pulverization chamber 11 exclusively flows into the discharge part 41D and does not flow into the injection chamber 40, so that the temperature rise in the injection chamber 40 can be suppressed. In this case, the discharge chamber 41d provided in the discharge section 41D and the pulverization chamber 11 are communicated through the discharge communication chamber 72a, and the steam generated in the pulverization chamber 11 is allowed to enter the discharge chamber 41d exclusively and the discharge section 41D. It is discharged from the discharge port 41e provided in the . In this case, the shape, size, and material of the discharge chamber 41d are not particularly limited, and the discharge port 41e can be provided in the upper portion, the side surface, or the like of the discharge portion 41D.

In a mode in which the discharge part 41D is provided separately from the charging chamber 40 and the crushing chamber 11, the rotating shaft 30 communicates with the charging chamber 40, the communication chamber 70a, the crushing chamber 11, the discharge communication chamber 72a, and the discharge chamber 41d, and rotates. An outflow prevention screw 25 is provided at a portion of the shaft 30 disposed in the discharge communication chamber 72a and the discharge chamber 41d. The outflow prevention screw 25 can be configured by, for example, a spiral blade 25a protruding from the outer circumference of the rotary shaft 30 in the discharge chamber 41d. The spiral blades 25a and 43a of the outflow prevention screw 25 and the feeding screw 43 have opposite winding directions, and when the rotating shaft 30 rotates in one direction, the feeding screw 43 moves toward the crushing chamber 11. The outflow prevention screw 25 exhibits a behavior of preventing the water-containing food from being sent toward the crushing chamber 11 .
Note that it is preferable to recover the water vapor taken out from the outlets 40b and 41e as a liquid so as not to wet the surroundings. When the water vapor is liquefied, it does not matter whether or not the liquefaction means is provided, but it is preferable to have the liquefaction means.

(5) Powder Recovery Container As shown in FIG. 1, the solid-liquid separation apparatus 1 may include a powder recovery container 61 for recovering the obtained powder. In this case, the powder recovery container 61 can be connected to both the pulverization chamber 11 and the decompression means 60 and arranged between the paths of the pulverization chamber 11 and the decompression means 60 . When the powder recovery container 61 is provided, after the powder recovery container 61 is decompressed by the decompression means 60, an air flow is formed that flows into the powder recovery container 61 through the pulverization chamber 11. , the powder remaining in the crushing chamber 11 after crushing can be collected by suction.
The method of forming the airflow is not particularly limited, and any opening that can introduce outside air into the crushing chamber 11 can be used. For example, the airflow may be formed by introducing outside air from the inlet 40d, or may be formed by introducing outside air from the outlet 40b. By providing an air introduction port 11d, etc.), the above-mentioned air flow that introduces outside air from this opening may be formed. Furthermore, these methods may use only 1 type, and may use 2 or more types together.

In addition, the range in which the powder recovery container 61 is decompressed is preferably 1×10 −3 Pa or less (usually 1×10 −6 Pa or more) from the viewpoint of reliably sucking and recovering the powder, and 1×10 − 5 to 1×10 −3 Pa is more preferable. Furthermore, the pressure in the powder recovery container 61 is preferably maintained higher than the pressure in the pulverization chamber 11, and more preferably maintained at a pressure higher than 1000 Pa.
Furthermore, although the structure of the powder recovery container 61 is not particularly limited, a pressure-resistant container is usually used when the inside of the container is depressurized as described above. Further, the powder recovery container 61 can be provided with a dust collection filter 61a inside. By providing this dust collection filter 61a, powder can be easily collected. Although the configuration of the dust collection filter 61a is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use a bag-like dust collection filter from the viewpoint of collection efficiency. Furthermore, the temperature in the powder recovery container 61 is 150 to 250° C. during recovery, and may exceed 250° C. in some cases. Non-woven fabric, etc.) or incombustible {glass fiber non-woven fabric, metal mesh (opening 30 μm or less), metal container, etc.}.

Although the volume of the powder recovery container 61 is not particularly limited, it is preferably at least larger than the volume of the pulverizing chamber 11, preferably 1 to 10 times, more preferably 2 to 5 times. As will be described later, when the powder is suctioned and recovered from the crushing chamber 11 into the powder recovery container 61, the entire amount of the powder is collected by causing air of a volume corresponding to the volume of the crushing chamber 11 to flow into the crushing chamber 11. Body recovery can be performed.
Furthermore, when the powder recovery container 61 is provided, the number of the powder recovery container 61 is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of operability and maintenance, it may be only one, or two or more may be used for continuous operation. You may prepare. When a plurality of containers are provided, continuous operation can be performed by operating each powder recovery container 61 alternately or in sequence.

(6) Dry Air Preparation Means The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention may include dry air preparation means 62 for supplying dry air into the pulverization chamber 11 . When the dry air preparation means 62 is provided, when the powder is sucked and collected, as described above, the air flow is formed by inflowing air from each opening of the pulverization chamber 11, and the powder is collected. can be aspirated and collected. At this time, since the powder remaining in the pulverizing chamber 11 is highly dried powder, it is preferable to use dry air for forming the air current in order to maintain the state (moisture content, etc.). It is from.
The "dry air preparation means 62" can be connected to the grinding chamber 11, for example. Then, when the powder remaining in the pulverizing chamber 11 after water is removed from the water-containing food material is sucked and recovered into the powder recovery container 61, the air dried by the dry air preparation means 62 can be supplied to the pulverizing chamber 11. It is a means. As a result, a dry air stream is formed that flows through the dry air preparation means 62, the pulverizing chamber 11, and the powder recovery container 61 in this order, so that the powder remaining in the pulverizing chamber 11 can be efficiently recovered into the powder recovery container 61. Collection can be done while keeping the body dry.

As the dry air preparation means 62, a dry air compressor, a dry compressor, a dehumidifier, etc. can be used, and for example, a compressed air cylinder adjusted to have a low moisture content can also be used. Among these, it is preferable to use a dry air compressor.
In addition, the dry air preparation means 62 should be able to form air with a lower humidity than the air outside the pulverization chamber 11, but preferably dry air with a humidity of 75% or less (more preferably 10 to 65%). It is preferable to be able to supply.

(7) Sealing Means The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention preferably has sealing means. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the solid-liquid separation apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 1A and a drive source 50 for driving the apparatus main body 1A. shall be prepared. As the outer shell G, for example, (a) a cylindrical body configured by arranging the input chamber 40, the communication chamber 70a, and the crushing chamber 11 in this order (see Example 1 described later), or (b) the input chamber 40, a connecting chamber 70a, a pulverizing chamber 11, a connecting chamber 20a and a discharge chamber 41d arranged in this order (see Example 2 to be described later).

When the device main body 1A is provided with such an outer shell G, the rotating shaft 30 penetrates the outer shell G, one end 30a of the rotating shaft 30 protrudes to one side of the outer shell G through the insertion opening K1 of the outer shell G, and rotates. A mode in which the other end portion 30b of the shaft 30 protrudes to the other side of the outer shell G through the insertion opening K2 of the outer shell G can be exemplified. In this case, sealing means may be provided to prevent water vapor from leaking out between the rotating shaft 30 and the insertion opening K1 and between the rotating shaft 30 and the insertion opening K2.
Although the configuration of this sealing means is not particularly limited, a sealing means including a sealing material and a sealing material fixture for fixing the sealing material can be exemplified. Specifically, packing for various rotating shafts can be used as a sealing means. a packing impregnated with a resin, etc.), and the like. These may use only 1 type and may use 2 or more types together.

(8) Cooling means The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention can be provided with cooling means 18 . The “cooling means 18 ” is, for example, provided on at least part of the outer periphery of the grinding chamber 11 to cool the inside of the grinding chamber 11 . The cooling means 18 may have any structure, and various methods such as a refrigerant system, a cooling system, a decompression system, and a combination of a cooling system and a decompression system can be used. As a refrigerant system, a cooling means 18 shown in FIG. 6(a) can be used. That is, there is a configuration in which a refrigerant jacket is arranged on the surface of the pulverization chamber 11 and the inside of the pulverization chamber 11 is indirectly cooled by circulating the refrigerant in the refrigerant jacket. The type of coolant to be used is not particularly limited, and water, liquefied gas, or the like can be used. Among these, water is preferable from the viewpoint of the convenience and safety of the apparatus. Further, as the cooling method, there is a configuration in which the liquid is cooled and liquefied while passing through the flow path in which the cooling fins are arranged.

(9) Pressure Detecting Means, Temperature Detecting Means, Rotation Control Means, etc. The solid-liquid separation device 1 of the present invention can control pulverization in the powder generation process by arbitrary means. That is, various controls are performed in order to maintain the state of transpiration caused by pulverizing the water-containing food material with the stirring blades 15 and the properties of the powder formed in the pulverization chamber 11 (for example, to prevent excessive heating). is preferred. In order to perform this control, it is preferable to provide pressure detection means and temperature detection means. Although they may be arranged at any position in the solid-liquid separator 1, it is preferable to provide temperature detection means 82 for detecting the temperature of at least one of the crushing chamber 11 and the charging chamber 40. FIG.
By providing the temperature detection means 82, the device is controlled based on the data output from the temperature detection means 82, and it is detected that the temperature in the pulverization chamber has reached the dehydration completion temperature, which is a temperature exceeding the boiling point of water. can be used to terminate the grinding. This control includes control of the cooling state by the cooling means 18 and rotation control of controlling the rotational speed of the rotating shaft. In order to control the rotation, it is preferable to provide rotation control means. Specifically, a circuit or the like for controlling the driving force of the driving means may be used. Furthermore, this control can be performed based on not only temperature data but also pressure data by providing the pressure detection means 83 for detecting the pressure in the pulverization chamber 11 .
Further, it is also possible to provide control means for collectively controlling the movement of each part provided in the apparatus and the above-mentioned data, etc. to control the apparatus. Further, the apparatus of the present invention can be appropriately equipped with various pipes and various valves (automatic valves, manual valves, etc.).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described by way of examples with reference to the drawings.
[Example 1]
1. A solid-liquid separator 1 used in the food powder production method of Example 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 . The solid-liquid separation apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 1A, a driving source 50 which is a motor for driving the apparatus main body 1A, and a decompression means 60 connected to the apparatus main body 1A. Further, the apparatus main body 1A includes a cylindrical outer shell (body) G and a rotating shaft 30 penetrating the outer shell G in the horizontal direction. The outer shell G is a cylindrical body configured by arranging the charging chamber 40, the connecting chamber 70a, and the crushing chamber 11 from one end in the width direction to the other end. The outer shell (body) G is a closed cylindrical body whose top, bottom, left and right sides are sealed, and the decompression means 60 is connected to the crushing chamber 11 .

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the portion forming one end side of the outer shell G1 is the first outer shell portion G1, the portion forming the other end side is the second outer shell portion G2, the first outer shell portion G1 and the second outer shell portion G2. A portion arranged in the middle is called an intermediate outer shell portion G3. The first outer shell portion G1 constitutes the charging chamber 40, the intermediate outer shell portion G3 constitutes the connecting chamber 70a, and the second outer shell portion G2 constitutes the grinding chamber 11. The charging chamber 40, the connecting chamber 70a, and the grinding chamber 11 are It continues from the left-right direction one end side of the outer shell G to the other end side. Further, the intermediate outer shell portion G3 and the second outer shell portion G2 are cylindrical bodies arranged coaxially, and the inner diameter of the intermediate outer shell portion G3 is stepwise smaller than the inner diameter of the second outer shell portion G2. In addition, the first outer shell portion G1 includes an inner space formed by integrating a rectangular parallelepiped inner space above a cylindrical inner space similar to the intermediate outer shell portion G3. The vertical width of the space is made larger than the vertical width (inner diameter) of the intermediate outer shell portion G3.

As shown in FIG. 2, one end 30a of the rotating shaft 30 protrudes outside the input chamber 40 (first shell), and the other end 30b of the rotating shaft 30 protrudes outside the crushing chamber 11 (second shell). Protruding. The one end portion 30a and the other end portion 30b are rotatably supported by bearing members B1 and B2. The drive force generated by the drive source 50 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 30 by the pulleys 53 and 54 and the transmission member 51 of the other end portion 30 b and the drive source 50 .

The pulverizing chamber 11 is provided with a stirring blade 15 erected on a rotating shaft 30 (second shaft portion 30B) inside the chamber. Further, the pulverization chamber 11 has a columnar internal space corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the stirring blade 15 . The capacity of this grinding chamber is about 56 liters, which is suitable from the viewpoint of energy efficiency and the mass of the water-containing foodstuff to be charged.

The pulverizing chamber 11 has a powder discharge port 11a at its lower portion for recovering powder obtained by pulverizing in the pulverizing chamber 11 as necessary. The powder discharge port 11a is provided with a lid portion 12b arranged so as to be openable and closable.

A total of six stirring blades 15 are arranged on the rotary shaft 30 in the pulverizing chamber 11, with three blades each. Here, the manner in which the stirring blades 15 are arranged will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 3(a) and 4. FIG. When the amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 30 reaches a specific amount, the three stirring blades 15 from the surface portion 31a located near the top of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 30 are spaced apart along the axis J direction of the rotating shaft 30. are placed. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 30 reaches a specific amount, three stirring blades 15 move in the direction of the axis J from the surface portion 31b located near the bottom of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 30. spaced apart along the Further, the surface portion 31a and the surface portion 31b are present at positions separated by 180 degrees, which are symmetrical with respect to the rotating shaft 30 as an axis.
The stirring blades 15 arranged on the surface portion 31a and the stirring blades 15 arranged on the surface portion 31b are arranged alternately on the rotating shaft 30, and the center of the stirring blades 15 arranged on the surface portion 31a Each of the stirring blades 15 arranged on the surface portion 31b is arranged at a portion (middle of the grinding chamber 11 along the direction of the axis J).

As shown in FIG. 5, each stirring blade 15 is provided with a wide beating portion 16 formed on the front side for crushing the water-containing food material, and the striking portion 16 is inclined so as to beat the water-containing food material. It has a striking surface 16a. Further, the striking surface 16a has a shape inclined toward the inside of the crushing chamber 11. As shown in FIG. Because of this shape, it is possible to hit the central portion of the crushing chamber 11, and more efficient hitting can be performed. Similarly, the portion connecting the striking portion 16 and the rotating shaft 30 is also formed to be inclined toward the interior of the crushing chamber 11 .

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the stirring impeller 15 has a curved surface portion 17 protruding toward the rotation direction on the root side, so that the water-containing food material can be sprung up in the circumferential direction. That is, by rotating the rotary shaft 30, the convex surface 17a of the curved surface portion 17 can flip up the water-containing food material in the circumferential direction. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the water-containing food material from clinging to the rotating shaft 30 . The curved surface portion 17 is formed thick and has a block shape that is strongly joined to the rotary shaft 30, and is excellent in terms of strength.

A feeding screw 43 is provided over a portion of the rotating shaft 30 that is disposed in the input chamber 40 and a portion of the rotating shaft 30 that is disposed in the communication chamber 70a. The feeding screw 43 is composed of a spiral blade 43a protruding from the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 30, and has a portion arranged in the input chamber 40 and a portion arranged in the communication chamber 70a. The feeding screw 43 feeds the water-containing food material put into the feeding chamber 40 into the communication chamber 70a and the crushing chamber 11 in that order, and the water-containing food material and the material being stirred that have been fed into the crushing chamber 11 are fed in the direction of the communication chamber 70a. behavior to prevent

The charging chamber 40 is provided with rod-shaped separating members 80a, 80a. The separation members 80a, 80a have the same height as the rotary shaft 30, and extend from the inner wall positioned at the center of the rotary shaft 30 of the crushing chamber 11 in the direction of the axis J (middle in the left-right direction in FIG. 3(a)) to the rotary shaft. It is provided so as to protrude toward 30 . Also, the separating members 80a, 80a are provided so as to be shifted in the horizontal direction in FIG. 3(a) so as not to overlap each other.

The input chamber 40 is provided with an input port 40d for inputting the water-containing food material, and the input port 40d can be opened and closed using an opening/closing lid 45e. Here, when an input container (for example, a hopper) is connected to the input port 40d, a valve is provided between the input chamber 40 and the input container or in the input container, and this valve is opened, The water-containing foodstuff may be introduced into the charging chamber 40 from the charging container.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a gap 43c is provided between the inner wall of the communication chamber 70a and the outer edge 43b of the feed screw 43, so that the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber 11 can return to the direction of the communication chamber 70a. have been made less viable. That is, since the width of the gap 43b (the distance d between the inner wall of the communication chamber 70a and the outer edge 43b of the feeding screw 43) is narrowed (approximately 0.5 mm), the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber 11 is reduced. The possibility of returning to the communication chamber 70a and, by extension, the input chamber 40 is reduced. In addition, the "length L along the axis J direction of the rotating shaft 30" of the portion of the rotating shaft 30 disposed in the communication chamber 70a is set to a length that allows the spiral blades 43a to be formed at 1.5 pitches. Therefore, the width of the gap 43c (the length along the direction of the axis J of the rotating shaft 30) can be sufficiently secured, and from this point also, the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber 11 can be returned in the direction of the communication chamber 70a. is less sexual.

Further, in this embodiment, the vertical width (diameter) of the charging chamber 40 is larger than the vertical width (diameter) of the communication chamber 70a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the water vapor that has entered the charging chamber 40 is condensed, returns to liquid in the charging chamber 40, and stays in the charging chamber 40 as dew condensation. A water supply means (not shown) is connected to the charging chamber 40, and water is added to the charging chamber 40 to increase the heat transferability in the charging chamber 40, thereby quickly increasing the room temperature of the charging chamber 40. good too.

A discharge port (steam discharge port) 40b is provided in the charging chamber 40, and discharges the steam separated from the water-containing food material in the grinding chamber 11. As shown in FIG. The discharge port 40b is connected to the first valve 101 and the first pressure gauge 111, and is also connected to the liquid recovery device 70. As shown in FIG. Furthermore, the first valve 101 can be opened to the atmosphere, and the first pressure gauge 111 can measure the internal pressure of the injection chamber 40 .

The decompression means 60 consists of one decompression pump. A second valve 102 , a third valve 103 and a fourth valve 104 are arranged between the pulverization chamber 11 and the decompression means 60 .
Further, one powder collection container 61 is provided between the pulverization chamber 11 and the decompression means 60 . Here, the powder collection container 61 is connected between the third valve 103 and the fourth valve 104 . A second pressure gauge 112 is provided between these valves 103 and 104 and the powder recovery container 61, and the second pressure gauge 112 can measure the internal pressure of the powder recovery container 61. . Furthermore, the powder collection container 61 and the dry air preparation means 62 described later are connected via the fifth valve 105 .

Further, the powder recovery container 61 is provided with a dust collection filter 61a inside. As a result, the powder sucked into the powder recovery container 61 is recovered by the dust collection filter 61a. Dry air conditioning means 62 are connected to the grinding chamber 11 . The dry air preparation means 62 is composed of a so-called dry air compressor which sucks air, heats and dehumidifies it, and discharges dry air. A sixth valve 106 is arranged between the grinding chamber 11 and the dry air preparation means 62 .

A liquid collector 70 is connected to the outlet 40b. The water vapor extracted from the discharge port 40b passes through the water vapor recovery pipe 95 and is guided to a liquid recovery tube (not shown) provided in the liquid recovery device 70. As shown in FIG. Although not shown, the liquid recovery unit 70 is provided with a cooling pipe, and by opening a valve, cooling water flows from the cooling water pipe through the cooling water inlet, circulates through the cooling pipe, and exits the cooling water outlet. Ejected. As a result, the steam introduced into the liquid recovery device 70 is cooled and liquefied, and can be recovered as a liquid by opening the valve from the liquid outlet.
Further, a temperature sensor 46 and a pressure sensor 47 are provided in the upper part of the input chamber 40, and a steam temperature sensor 81 for measuring the temperature of steam is provided in the steam recovery pipe 95 just above the valve 85. Note that the first pressure gauge 111 can also be used as the pressure sensor 47 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a cooling means 18 provided with a jacket formed so as to circulate cooling water is provided on the outer periphery of the crushing chamber 11 of the solid-liquid separation device 1, and a valve (not shown) is opened. As a result, the cooling water is allowed to flow into the cooling water jacket. The drive source 50 is also connected to rotation control means (not shown) for controlling the rotational speed of the rotary shaft 30 by a controller.
By interlocking these sensors, the cooling means 18, and the rotation control means, the temperature and pressure in the pulverization chamber 11 and the pressure and recovery speed of the recovered steam can be appropriately controlled. That is, by monitoring the temperature sensor 46, the generation and termination of water vapor can be detected. Also, the temperature inside the pulverizing chamber 11 can be controlled by the temperature sensor 82 and the pressure sensor 83, and damage to the powder inside can be prevented. Furthermore, the pressure sensor 83 can prevent air from entering the grinding chamber 11 and protect the interior from oxidation.

2. Next, preparation of powder of a water-containing food material by the method for producing powder of the present food using the solid-liquid separator 1 will be described in order.
[Example 1]
(1) Input step First, the drive source 50 rotates the rotating shaft 30 at a low speed (for example, about 100 to 200 rpm), and while the feeding screw 43 is operating, the water-containing food material is added to the input port 40d, and the water-containing food material is fed. The materials were fed into the communication chamber 70a and the crushing chamber 11 in this order. The water-containing food material that was put in was 3.3 kg of threshed non-glutinous brown rice, which was washed with water and drained with a colander (see FIG. 13). The gelatinization temperature range of this brown rice is about 60°C to about 80°C.

(2) Powder Generation Step Then, the pressure reducing means 60 is operated while the second valve 102, the third valve 103, and the fourth valve 104 are opened and the other valves are closed. As a result, the pulverization chamber 11 and the powder recovery container 61 are decompressed. Further, the second valve 102 is closed when the pressure value of the first pressure gauge 111 (that is, the pressure value in the pulverization chamber 11) reaches 10-600Pa. Furthermore, when the pressure value of the second pressure gauge 112 reaches 2×10 −6 to 1×10 −3 Pa, all the valves are closed to stop the decompression means 60 .

Then, the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 30 is increased to approximately 1800 rpm, and the water-containing food material is started to be stirred. The water-containing food material is pulverized by agitation, and the water is heated to become steam. As a result, the internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 gradually rises, and the internal pressure of the pulverizing chamber 11 rises, and at the same time, the moisture turns into steam and separates from the water-containing food material. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 was maintained below the dehydration completion temperature while steam was newly generated. Thereafter, the internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 rose and reached 110° C., which is the dehydration completion temperature, two minutes after the start of pulverization.

(3) Discharging Step The valve 85 is opened to discharge steam in the pulverizing chamber 11 toward the liquid collector 70 . After that, the pressure value at the first pressure gauge 111 decreases as the evaporation of water converges. When the pressure value of the first pressure gauge 111 becomes 10 Pa or less, it is considered that the discharge of water vapor is almost completed, so the valve 85 is closed. In the pulverizing chamber 11 after one minute of transpiration, the solid content of the water-containing food material that has been dried and pulverized into powder remains.

After that, while the stirring blade 15 is kept rotating (50 to 200 rpm, especially about 100 rpm), the second valve 102, the third valve 103 and the sixth valve 106 are opened, and the other valves are closed, and the dry air preparation means 62 is operated to send dry air into the pulverization chamber 11. As a result, a dry air flow is formed along the route of the dry air preparation means 62, the pulverization chamber 11-second valve 102-third valve 103-powder recovery container 61. FIG. Then, the powder remaining in the pulverizing chamber 11 rides on the dry airflow and is sucked and recovered into the powder recovery container 61 which has already been pressure-reduced.
The collected powder becomes uniform powder as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 3.3 kg to 3.1 kg and 0.2 kg (6.1% before powder) of water was dehydrated. Moreover, when the brown rice was licked, it had a sweet taste, indicating that at least part of the starch in the brown rice had changed to α-starch.

[Example 2]
As Example 2, 3.0 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 1.4 kg of yellow paprika (dulce) were used as a water-containing food (see FIG. 15). This water-containing food material was introduced from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 3 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 120° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 4.4 kg to 3.1 kg and 1.3 kg (30% before powder) of water was dehydrated. Moreover, when the powder was licked, in addition to the same sweetness as in Example 1, a sweetness thought to be derived from paprika was felt.

[Example 3]
As Example 3, 3 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 1.4 kg of red paprika (dulce) were used as a water-containing food (see FIG. 17). This water-containing food material was introduced from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 3 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 120° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. The weight was 4.4 kg to 3.1 kg, and it was found that 1.3 kg (30% before powder) of water, which was the same rate as in Example 2, was dehydrated. Moreover, when the powder was licked, in addition to the same sweetness as in Example 1, a sweetness thought to be derived from paprika was felt.

[Example 4]
As Example 4, 1.0 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 170 g of pumpkin were used as water-containing food materials (see FIG. 19). This water-containing food material was put in from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 2.5 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 80° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 1.2 kg to 1.1 kg and 0.1 kg (8.3% before powder) of water was dehydrated.

[Example 5]
As Example 5, 1.1 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 60 g of raw wakame seaweed were used as a water-containing food (see FIG. 21). This water-containing food material was introduced from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 3 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 140° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 0.82 kg from 1.2 kg and 0.38 kg (32% before powder) of water was dehydrated.

[Example 6]
As Example 6, 1.1 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 0.16 kg of apples were used as a water-containing food (see FIG. 23). This water-containing food material was introduced from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 3.5 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 140° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 0.96 kg from 1.3 kg and 0.34 kg (26% before powder) of water was dehydrated.

[Example 7]
As Example 7, 1.1 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander and 0.18 kg of adzuki beans were used as a water-containing food material (see FIG. 25). This water-containing food material was put in from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 2.5 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 140° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The collected powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was 1.3 kg to 1.1 kg and 0.2 kg (15% before powder) of water was dehydrated.

[Example 8]
As Example 8, 1.2 kg of brown rice washed with water and drained with a colander, and 0.17 g of kinako (roasted soybean flour) were used as a water-containing food (see FIG. 27). This water-containing food material was introduced from the inlet 40d, pulverized for 2 minutes under the same conditions as in Example 1, and then discharged. The internal temperature of the pulverizing chamber 11 at the end of the powder production step was 150° C., which exceeds the dehydration completion temperature.
The recovered powder was uniform as shown in FIG. It was found that the weight was dehydrated from 1.4 kg to 1.0 kg and 0.4 kg (29% before powder).

1, 2; solid-liquid separator, 11; crushing chamber, 11a; powder outlet, 12b; lid portion, 15; stirring blade, 18; Shaft 40; input chambers 40b, 41e; discharge port; 41D; discharge section 41d; discharge chamber 43; , 60; decompression means, 61; powder recovery container, 62; dry air preparation means, 70; liquid recovery device, 70a; communication chamber, 72a;

Claims (11)

A solid-liquid separation device comprising: an input chamber into which a water-containing food material is added; and a pulverizing chamber which is connected to the input chamber and pulverizes the water-containing food material input in the input chamber and separates the water-containing food material into powder and steam. A food powder manufacturing method using
The solid-liquid separator is
The input chamber and the crushing chamber are connected via a communication chamber,
a rotating shaft disposed across the input chamber, the communication chamber and the crushing chamber;
a feed screw configured by a spiral blade rotatably provided integrally with the rotating shaft located in the feeding chamber and the communication chamber, and feeding the water-containing food material fed into the feeding chamber toward the grinding chamber; ,
a stirring blade that is rotatable integrally with the rotating shaft positioned in the grinding chamber and stirs the water-containing food material sent into the grinding chamber while flipping it up and hitting it;
The water-containing food material to be stirred is disposed so as to protrude from the central portion of the grinding chamber in the axial direction of the rotation shaft at the same height as the rotation shaft on the inner wall of the grinding chamber toward the rotation shaft. a separating member that separates by colliding;
with
a charging step of charging the water-containing food material into the charging chamber and rotating the rotating shaft to send the water-containing food material into the grinding chamber through the communication chamber;
The water-containing food sent into the pulverizing chamber is pulverized by the stirring blade and the separating member, the water content of the water-containing food is evaporated as steam, and then the water-containing food is separated from the water to obtain powder. a body generation process;
a discharging step of discharging the obtained powder from the pulverizing chamber;
in this order,
The water-containing food material is a mixture of washed undried grains and one or more selected from vegetables, fruits, seaweeds and beans,
The charging step includes charging the water-containing food material into the charging chamber without drying the washed undried grains,
In the powder generation step, the temperature in the grinding chamber reaches a dehydration completion temperature that is a temperature above the boiling point of water and 150 ° C. or less in order to gelatinize the starch contained in the washed undried grains. A method for producing powdered foodstuffs, characterized by finishing pulverization and obtaining the powders colored with one or more pigments selected from the vegetables, the fruits, the seaweeds and the beans . 2. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 1 , wherein the washed undried grains are brown rice. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the vegetable yellow or red paprika,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 2, wherein the step of producing powders obtains powders with a yellow tint. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the vegetable pumpkin,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 2, wherein the step of producing powders obtains powders with a yellow tint. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the raw wakame seaweed,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuff according to claim 2, wherein said powdery powder producing step obtains powdery greenish tint. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the fruit apple,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 2, wherein the powder producing step obtains powders with a white tint. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the adzuki beans that are beans,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 2, wherein the powder producing step obtains powders with a white tint. The water-containing food material is a mixture of the brown rice and the soybean that is the legume,
3. The method for producing powdered foodstuffs according to claim 2, wherein the powder producing step obtains powders with a white tint. 9. Any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the stirring blades constitute pressing means that rotates together with the rotating shaft and presses the water-containing food material sent into the grinding chamber along the rotating shaft toward the separation member. A method for producing powdered foodstuff described. A discharge port is provided in the charging chamber, and the steam separated from the water-containing food sent into the grinding chamber enters the charging chamber through the gap of the communication chamber and is then discharged from the discharge port. 10. The food powder manufacturing method according to any one of 1 to 9 . further comprising a discharge chamber connected to the crushing chamber via a discharge communication chamber;
The rotating shaft of the rotating shaft is disposed across the input chamber, the communication chamber, the crushing chamber, the discharge communication chamber, and the discharge chamber,
The rotation shaft of the rotation shaft at the position in the discharge communication chamber and the discharge chamber is constituted by a spiral blade provided to be rotatable integrally. 11. The food powder manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , further comprising an outflow prevention screw for preventing the water-containing food material from flowing out into the discharge chamber.

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