JPH05123164A - Method for continuous temperature control in production of koji - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify inputting operation and stabilize the control by inputting and setting numerical values of material temperature to be the target at a time corresponding to timing of each work in start of control, intermediate stirring and mixing, final stirring and mixing, taking out of KOJI (yeast), etc., during the production of KOJI in setting a program for the target material temperature in the production of the KOJI. CONSTITUTION:The material temperature of steamed rice is controlled with time based on the preset stirring and mixing schedule during the production of KOJI and the set material temperature in a KOJI-producing chamber 1 under environmental control. In the process, the temperature control process is divided into a preheating section, a follow-up control section and a section after taking out the KOJI of the KOJI-producing chamber 1. In the sections of the preheating and after taking out the KOJI, the temperature is an indicated one by an optional fixed value. In the follow-up control section, follow-up control is carried out according to the optional target material temperature curve. Thereby, the set program is collectively set in the whole sections and the respective sections are continuously changed over to perform the program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous temperature control method for koji making.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the brewing of high-quality sake, in order to obtain high-quality koji called smashed-out koji, steamed rice is traditionally stored in many book-making boxes (koji lids). A koji lid method in which the positions of koji lids are manually replaced so as to maintain the same environment in the environment room is adopted, but as a mechanical koji making method and device relatively close to this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-269482 The method shown in is known. The above device is a thin box-shaped container that holds steamed rice and is hung with a chain so as to be stacked,
In order to make the environmental conditions uniform in the environment room, it is moved up and down and to the left and right. These transshipment devices (circulation mechanism) use sprockets and chains inside the environment room, and thus do not contain impurities against steamed rice. However, it is difficult to maintain the device, and it is difficult to measure the product temperature as a standard for environmental control. On the other hand, the applicant of the present invention stacks a large number of containers containing steamed rice in which koji mold is planted in an environmental chamber to form an ascending row (line) and a descending row (line), and performs mutual movement of the containers between the rows. It proposes a circulation mechanism (see Fig. 1) for transferring and moving containers in a stacked state.

[0003]

The temperature control in the case of performing mechanical koji making by the above-mentioned apparatus is a program control by a computer, but at this time, it is necessary to adjust the control condition (to prevent cooling during steamed rice arranging). When changing from the preheating of the koji making room to the automatic follow-up control of the steamed rice temperature, and when changing from the follow-up control to after the koji, the selection menu displayed on the screen of the display device is used to manually switch between the preheating and the koji. After that, all were controlled by manually inputting a fixed value with an appropriate value together with humidity. For this reason, there is a drawback in that time management of the switching work is required and labor for switching and setting of a fixed value is required each time, and execution of management and control becomes complicated as a whole.

[0004]

The method of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is the environment-controlled koji making room 1
In, in the method of controlling the product temperature of the steamed rice over time based on the work schedule and the set product temperature during the preset koji making,
The temperature control process is divided into a preheating section of the koji making room, a follow-up control section, and a section after koji-making, and the pre-heating section and the section after koji-making are designated temperature values with arbitrary fixed values, and the follow-up control section is arbitrary. It is characterized in that the setting programs for all the sections are collectively set so as to perform follow-up control according to the target product temperature curve, and the programs are executed by continuously switching between the respective sections.

[0005]

[Function] Preheating in mechanical koji, control of work temperature during operation and work, and control of each of the three sections after koji are collectively switched by a set value set in a single program. Since it is performed by the manual operation, it is not necessary to manually set numerical values or perform switching operations during koji making work.

[0006]

1 is a front view of a koji making apparatus housed in a koji making chamber 1 whose environment is controlled by a control device (not shown). In this embodiment, the koji making device carries a large number of kneading lids 2 on which a kneading fungus is planted with steamed rice, and a large number of koji lids 2 after the kneading are loaded and stacked, and each koji is placed in the stacked state. A circulation mechanism 4 for raising and lowering and transferring circulation (rotation) in order to uniformly apply the koji-making conditions such as temperature, humidity, and CO ₂ concentration to the lid 2, and a raised shape is formed on the circulation mechanism 4 as necessary. And a stirring device 6 for changing and homogenizing fermentation conditions in each koji lid 1.

Hereinafter, each of these devices and mechanisms and their respective operations will be described in detail. A. Koji Manufacturing Room As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the koji manufacturing room 1 has a space for accommodating the koji manufacturing chamber device inside and a non-water-containing peripheral wall so as to form an environment room isolated from the external environment. And a function of being able to adjust the temperature and humidity and the air volume through the hood 7 and other oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, etc., through the hood 7, which is made of a heat insulating material and which purifies the outside air by the air conditioner 5 installed outdoors. I have it. Furthermore, in the koji making room 1, a thermometer 9a, a hygrometer 9b, and a carbon dioxide gas (CO ₂ ) which are connected to a host computer 8 composed of an external personal computer to measure and control the internal environment as described above are sampled and measured. Densitometer 10
Etc. are installed. The operation control of each part to which a slave computer 11 such as a sequencer is connected is performed between the host computer 8 and each operating part (described later) of the arranging device 3, the circulation mechanism 4 and the stirring device 6. The host computer 8 includes a display device 12 such as a display screen, a storage unit 25 such as a hard disk 13 and a floppy disk 14, and the air conditioner 5 is connected to the host computer 8 online (RS-
232C) and is controlled.

B. Arrangement device The arranging device 3 is provided with a hopper 18 for charging the steamed rice 15 on the frame 16 via a load sensor 17 for measuring the load based on the amount of strain, and below the hopper 18, the koji lid 2 is attached. A carry-in line 19 composed of a belt conveyor for placing and standing by is installed in the left-right direction. The carry-in line 19 is connected to a lower transfer line 27a described later. The carry-in line 19 is a carry-in frame 2 horizontally projecting below the right side of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4.
0 is inserted into the lower part of the frame 16 of the arranging device 3, and is freely attached to the frame 16 side.

The koji lid 2 has steamed rice 1 in which a predetermined amount of koji mold is planted through a discharge tube 21 provided at the lower end of the hopper 18.
5 is discharged and dropped, and is piled up. At this time, the damper 22 provided in the upper part of the cylindrical discharge port 21 is opened and closed by the driving portion 22a such as a cylinder so that the amount of steamed rice discharged and fed (arrangement) is always constant. Is set to. Arrangement device 3
First, the steamed rice is piled up in an initial shape, and the koji lid 2 after being piled up is fed into the circulation mechanism 4 on the left side in FIG.

Below the hopper discharge cylinder 21 in the carry-in line 19, there is an actuator 38c with a receiving plate 37 such as an air cylinder for supporting and elevating the koji lid 2 sent to the carry-in line 19 from below. The actuator 38c is provided such that the inner bottom surface of the koji lid 2 comes up to a position where it abuts against the lower end opening of the discharge tube 21 and closes it, and when the damper 22 is opened with the discharge tube 21 closed, A fixed amount of steamed rice corresponding to the volume is dropped and stored in the discharge cylinder 21. Then, the damper 22 is closed, and the actuator 38c is operated to lower the koji lid 2 until it is supported on the carry-in line 19, so that the steamed rice 15 in the discharge tube 21 has an ideal chevron shape in the koji lid 2. After being laid up in the initial shape, the laying up is completed, and is fed into the circulation mechanism 4 by the carry-in line 19 and the lower transfer line 27a described later.

C. Circulation Mechanism (a) Lower Transfer Line Below the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4, a lower transfer line 27a, which is integrated with the conveyor of the carry-in line 19 so as to be connected or interconnected, is inserted in the left-right direction. There are two front and rear endless belts 28, a pulley 29 at the right end of the arranging device 3 and a motor 3 at the left end of the circulation mechanism 4.
A guide pulley 33, which is wound around a drive pulley 32 attached with 1, and supports the belt 28 and the koji lid 2 under the upper side of the belt 28.
Is supported at an appropriate pitch.

(B) Ascending / descending line The koji lids 2 are provided in the frame 26 in multiple stages (in the illustrated example, eight stages are provided with at least one vacant space in each column) and the koji lids 2 are provided vertically in the frame. An ascending line 36a and a descending line 36b are formed along the guide (not shown) so as to be adjacent to each other in two rows and to be stacked in parallel. Belts 28, 2 below the lifting lines 36a, 36b
Between the eight, actuators 38a and 38b, which are air cylinders with a receiving plate 37 that receives the lowermost koji lid 2 from below or lifts it up and down, are installed upward. The ascending line 36a is a mechanism for intermittently ascending the koji lid 2 sent by the lower transfer line 27a upward one by one by the actuator 38a at regular time intervals, and the descending line 36b is an upper transfer line 2 described later.
When the koji lid 2 is transferred to the uppermost stage by 7b, it is a mechanism for lowering it one stage at a time by operating the actuator 38b in accordance with the ascending interval in the ascending line.
For these operations, in addition to the actuators 38a and 38b, stopper mechanisms 39 provided before and after each line are interlocked.

(C) Structure of Koji Lid The koji lid 2 is made of, for example, a 500 × 700 × 120 (mm) box-shaped wooden tray, and its inner center is divided into left and right by a partition plate (not shown) in the left-right direction. Has been. A handle 40 having an angled cross section is laterally attached to the front and back of the koji lid 2. Each koji lid 2 is configured to have a gap or a ventilation window through which air can be ventilated from the side surface or the like in the stacked state.

(D) Operation of Stopper Mechanism and Elevating Line The stopper mechanism 39 is attached to a stopper frame (not shown) that is fixedly installed on the frame 26 side and is erected so as to face the front and rear positions of the elevating lines 36a and 36b. Is provided. In the stopper mechanism 39, the koji lids 2 stacked on the elevating lines 36a and 36b are lifted and lowered by a predetermined amount by the lower actuators 38a and 38b, or lowered and lifted to make the koji lid 2
The upper and lower moving lines 2 in contact with the left and right ends of the handle 40
Both ends of the handles 40 of the koji making 2 in the next stage on 7a and 27b are supported from below, and the koji lids 2 on the raising and lowering lines 36a and 36b are moved up and down by one stage.

(E) Upper transfer line The lower transfer line 27a has the belt 28 as described above.
Also, the motor 31 is shared with the carry-in line 19, and the koji lid 2 descended from the descending line 36b is the transfer line 27a.
Is transferred to a localization value below the ascending line 36a. On the other hand, on the elevating lines 36a and 36b, the frame 26 is provided with an upper transfer line 27b for horizontally transferring the koji lid 2 at the uppermost position of each line from left to right, and the transfer line 27b is provided on the frame 26. It consists of a sprocket 57 pivotally supported by brackets 56 at the front and rear ends of the left and right sides, two chains 58 wound around the sprocket 57 in the left and right directions, and a motor (not shown) for driving the sprockets 57 and the chain 58. A transfer drive unit is provided. Then, when the koji lid 2 rises to the uppermost position on the ascending line 36a and the uppermost position of the descending line 36b becomes an empty space, the koji lid 2 slides horizontally from above the ascending line 36a to above the descending line 36b. It is moved and transferred. The front and rear chains 58 are stretched along the handle 40 of the koji lid 2, and a predetermined locking portion 61 for locking the left and right ends of the handle 40 to feed the koji lid 2 in the left-right direction is provided. It is provided at a pitch of.

D. Stirrer The stirrer 6 changes the shape of the steamed rice put up by the putting apparatus 3, and this change makes the entire koji in the koji lid 2 under uniform conditions according to the progress of the koji making. In order to koji, it is carried out after every rotation or at several rotation intervals. The stirrer 6 includes a bracket 63 projecting on the ascending line 36a, a swing arm 64 made up of front and rear parallel links pivotally supporting the bracket 63 at a base end portion or a bending point, and a tip end of the swing arm 64. A stirring unit 67 with a motor 66 attached to the front and rear,
The air cylinder 68 is attached to the frame 26 side so as to swing the right end of the swing arm 64 up and down.

In the stirring section 67, the koji lid 2 is moved up the line 36a.
When the transfer is started from above to the descending line 36b, it descends from above and continues reverse rotation interlocking alternately, and is rocked upward by the cylinder 68 before the peripheral wall abuts the stirring section 67 by the transfer of the koji lid 2. And is stored in the standby position for the next stirring operation. By this operation, the koji in the koji lid 2 is stirred,
The speed of the upper transfer line 27b may be changed or the shaking of the stirring section 67 may be repeated as necessary to obtain a desired heap shape. The agitation and changing of the filling shape are done after the first arrangement and transshipment (rotation),
Rotation is performed during work such as koji work and koji, and each work has a different growth stage of koji. Therefore, different agitation and change of shape to change heat dissipation and evaporation, and other environmental control Also corresponds to each stage.

E. Setting and Rotating Koji Lid Next, the first setting method of the koji lid 2 in the circulation mechanism 4 will be described. First, the lowermost stage of the ascending line 36a and the uppermost and lowermost stages of the descending line 36b are made empty spaces. As described above, the koji lids are stacked and set on each line, and the koji lids are set under the hopper 18.

Next, after performing the arranging described as the arranging operation of the arranging device 3, the koji lid 2 is transferred to the empty space at the lowermost stage of the ascending line 36a, and then the ascending line 36.
While the koji lid 2 is pushed up by one step by the actuator 38a of a to set the koji lid, the actuator 38b of the descending line 36b lowers the koji lid on the descending line side by one stage to support the second or more stages, and the ascending line 3b is fed by the upper transfer line 27b.
The uppermost koji lid 2 of 6a is transferred to the empty space at the uppermost stage of the descending line 36b. The koji lid 2 lowered onto the belt 28 is transferred to the lower part of the hopper 18, and the same operation is performed thereafter.
The automatic arranging work is completed by repeating the number of times, and the koji making work accompanied by the rotation of the next koji lid 2 is started.

F. Product temperature sensor Vertical guide rods 71 are erected on both left and right sides of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4 in parallel with the operation of the elevating lines 36a and 36b, and the magnet rods 72 with cords are respectively elevated on the guide rods 71. It is slidably attached. On the other hand, a product temperature sensor 73 for detecting the product temperature of the steamed rice is installed inside the koji lid 2 on the opposite sides of the ascending / descending lines 36a and 36b, and at the lowermost position on the ascending line 36a. Product temperature sensor 7
3 and the magnet plug 72 are attracted and connected, and the magnet plug 72 also rises as the ascending line 36a is driven,
During that time, the product temperature of the koji lid 2 is constantly sampled and measured. The koji lid 2 with the product temperature sensor 73 is the upper transfer line 2.
When moved to the right at 7b, the magnet plug 72 separates from the article temperature sensor 73 and descends due to its own weight or the like, and waits for the next koji lid 2 with the article temperature sensor.

Similarly, in the descending line 36b, the magnet plug 72 is attracted to the koji lid 2 with the article temperature sensor 73 at the uppermost stage and descends to the lower stage of the descending line 36b to sample and measure the article temperature of the koji lid 2. The koji lid with the sensor is moved up by the operation of the lower moving line 27a.
When moved to the 6a side, the connection between the article temperature sensor 73 and the magnet plug 72 is released and the magnet plug 72 is released.
Moves up along the guide rod 71 by the hoisting machine 74 to the uppermost stage of the descending line 36b, and stands by for the next product temperature measurement.

In the above example, the koji lid 2 with the article temperature sensor 73
Is arranged at each of the circulation symmetrical positions of the ascending / descending lines 36a, 36b, and serves as a mechanism for detecting a more average product temperature of the whole koji lid 2. The detected value is the koji-making state of steamed rice during koji-making. Or the reference value for temperature control in the koji making room 1.

G. Environmental control a, computer control In the above-mentioned koji making device, the environmental conditions similar to the temperature, humidity, CO ₂ concentration, etc., which were given in the koji making process when the conventional manual work was performed, were set. , Which is controlled by the host computer 8 so as to obtain the most ideal koji sexual feeling. Of these, the temperature and humidity of steamed rice are controlled in the koji making room 1.
The koji lid 2 is set in the circulation mechanism 4 to adjust the conditions at the start of koji making control, and for example, spending 1 to 2 hours to adjust the preheating and humidity so that the temperature of the steamed rice product at the start of the control does not decrease. , It will be started after the steamed rice is arranged.

B, Setting of Working Point Standard As shown in the condition setting table of FIG. 4 and the graph of FIG. 3, this control is performed during the koji making from the start of the control to after the koji making, The time standard of the work stage of each work time point A to D of koji is set, the ideal product temperature and humidity are set for each work point A to D, and an ideal product temperature curve is formed for the temperature. The product temperature is controlled so as to follow this in a fuzzy manner. All of the graphs and tables of FIGS. 3 to 4 are displayed on the display device 12, and the above numerical values are set in FIG.
The setting table is set or changed by a keyboard or cursor operation and stored in the storage device 25. However, it may be stored in the floppy disk 14 as stored data (program) and used again. In addition, after the completion of the koji-koji work, it may be taken out immediately for the convenience of later work.
Koji chamber 1 as it is with the growth of koji stopped by rapid cooling
In some cases, it may be placed in a standby state.

C, Replenishment of set value between works Koji control is generally sufficient by setting a control value only at points A to D as described above, but each work in FIG. 4 is different due to differences in steamed rice characteristics and other conditions. It is also possible to perform high-precision control at even finer intervals by setting one or more numerical values for the work in the blanks between points A to D while setting the basic values as points A to D (imagination in FIG. 3). (Refer to the line), it is possible to control according to the koji-making conditions each time, and it is possible to contribute to quality improvement.

D, Batch setting of program and continuous switching control FIG. 5 shows a constant control between the preheating and the post-koji in FIGS. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control method of fuzzy control that follows a set product temperature curve.
When the product temperature control by automatic follow-up and after koji are divided into 3 sections and input and set in a single program at once, and switching of these 3 sections is automatically performed according to the set time. Besides, it may be performed by a manual switching operation. As a result, the koji making control is controlled while being continuously switched from the start of preheating to after the koji is made.In automatic switching, the program is executed properly, and as long as the progress of koji making is normal, the control during this period is manual. There is no need for manipulation.

[0027]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above,
Compared to the method of changing the preheating operation of the koji making room and the temperature control operation after koji making to manual each time to set the room temperature, the setting can be done only once, which is more efficient and the monitor on a single screen It has the advantage that it can be displayed and can be managed comprehensively.
In addition, since there is no need for manual setting after preheating and after starting koji, and since the temperature is set to a preset temperature value, the process for all sections can be continuously executed by setting once until the end.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a koji making device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of koji making control.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a humidity curve of a product temperature showing a temperature and a temperature control state in koji making.

FIG. 4 is a table of setting values such as product temperature corresponding to the above graph.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control method of temperature and humidity in koji making.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Koji making room 2 Container (koji lid)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling the temperature of steamed rice in a koji making room (1) which is environmentally controlled, wherein the temperature of steamed rice is controlled over time based on a preset work schedule during koji making and a set product temperature. The control process is divided into a preheating section of the koji making room, a follow-up control section, and a section after malting, and the preheating section and the zone after malting are set to an instructed temperature with an arbitrary fixed value, and the following control section is an arbitrary target. A continuous temperature control method in koji making in which a setting program for all sections is collectively set so as to perform follow-up control according to a product temperature curve, and the program is executed by continuously switching between the above-mentioned sections.