JPH08308554A - Apparatus for feeding seed malt in inoculation apparatus for solid culture raw material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To accurately supply a seed malt and uniformly apply the seed malt prevented from the scattering of the malt by vigorously monitoring the quantitative supply of the seed malt in the inoculation work of a solid culture raw material. CONSTITUTION: In an inoculation apparatus for a solid culture raw material, a blow-off port for a compressed gas for supplying a seed malt is placed at an end of a positive-displacement supplying mechanism to deliver a seed malt from a hopper holding the seed malt. The positive-displacement supplying mechanism is preferably a single-screw eccentric screw pump and the flow rate of the compressed gas for supplying seed malt is adjusted to >=0.01 NL/g and <=10.0NL/g.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seed feeding device for feeding seeds (aspergillus) in a seeding device for seeding solid culture raw material with seeds (for example, steamed rice for koji seeding). .

[0002] The inoculum referred to in the present invention is represented by the weight of koji mold plus an extender such as pregelatinized starch.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, the operation of seeding steamed rice for koji with koji mold has been automated by mechanically seeding steamed rice so that a large amount of steamed rice can be seeded. In this case, the problem is how to quantify the koji mold to be supplied and to uniformly seed the koji mold, and the conventional seeding device has been developed with a focus on the uniformity and quantitativeness of the koji mold to be sprayed on the steamed rice.

For example, a seeding device for sprinkling and spreading the koji mold leaked from the small holes on the bottom of the hopper with a rotating blade.
(Actual Publication No. 49-27519), a hopper equipped with a rotating brush, etc., and a seeding device (Actual Publication No. 47-42555) that sprinkles and sprays Aspergillus oryzae directly from the hopper, and inoculum for steamed rice transferred by air pressure. A seeding device that sprays koji mold with pressurized air for supply, stirs and mixes with a screw conveyor (Jitsuko Sho-45-33
No. 276) has been proposed.

[0005]

In the above proposal, the seeding device for scattering the koji mold by the rotating blades or the rotating brush is difficult to ensure the uniformity of the koji mold, and the quantitative property is poor. Further, since the koji mold supply device is open, it is easily contaminated with miscellaneous bacteria, and the koji mold is easily scattered. On the other hand, a seeding device equipped with a koji mold supply device that sprays koji mold with pressurized air for supplying the seed bacteria is considered to be good because uniformity can be easily adjusted and controlled by a spraying method that is added from the outside. However, since the koji mold is sprayed directly from the hopper, strict quantification cannot be ensured.

[0006] Therefore, a seed-feeding device which realizes accurate feed of seeds with the aim of strictly monitoring the quantitativeness of seeds in a seeding operation of a solid culture raw material and performing more efficient and reliable seeding. Considered to develop.

[0007]

What has been developed as a result is that in a seeding device for a solid culture material, a pressurized gas for supplying seeds is blown out at the end of a positive-displacement feeding mechanism for sending the seeds from a hopper storing the seeds. It is a seed feeding device provided with. The positive displacement mechanism includes a Rock Hill pump, a gear pump,
There are general-purpose pumps such as rotary pumps, diaphragm pumps, and tubing pumps, and those with a scraper on a roller with recesses or grooves. It is better to use a pump. Further, the supply flow rate of the pressurized gas for supplying the inoculum is preferably 0.01 NL (0.01 normal liter, hereinafter expressed as 0.01 NL / g) or more and 10.0 NL / g or less, and preferably 0.04 NL / g or more and 4.00 NL / g per 1 g of the inoculum. It should be g or less.

[0008]

The koji mold feeding device of the present invention guarantees the strict quantification of continuous feeding of the seed bacteria by feeding the seed bacteria from the hopper by the positive displacement type feeding mechanism. As a result of the passage from the hopper to the solid culture raw material being closed, a small amount of pressurized gas for inoculum supply is sufficient. The pressurized gas can be easily sterilized with a filter or the like, and the problem of infection of seeds by miscellaneous bacteria is eliminated. Further, since the amount of the seed culture to be supplied is known, it is not necessary to prepare an excessive pressure gas for supplying the seed culture, the seed culture is not scattered, and it is possible to appropriately spray according to the state of the solid culture raw material. .

The inoculum is supplied by a fixed amount of the inoculum in the hopper, which is in a flow state, fed by a uniaxial eccentric screw pump, and is extruded by a predetermined amount of pressurized gas for inoculum supply. The pressurized gas for feeding the inoculum used for transferring the inoculum has a predetermined supply flow rate although it is a small amount, so that the inoculum is fluidized and transferred at a high density. As a result, the transfer of the inoculum realizes highly accurate quantification in combination with the positive-displacement supply mechanism, and is stable regardless of the supply amount of the inoculum, so that the minute amount of the inoculum is also stabilized.

If the flow rate of the pressurized gas is less than 0.01 NL / g, the flow becomes pulsating flow, and the flow passage is easily blocked. Also, if the flow rate is higher than 10.0 NL / g, it will cause the seed bacteria to be scattered. In order to transfer the inoculum at high density and obtain good spraying, the flow rate of the pressurized gas is 0.04NL / g or more and 4.00NL
It is preferably not more than / g. In the past, for example, a flow rate of pressurized gas of 95 NL / g was required using a fan,
It can be said that the above values are very small.

[0011]

Embodiments of the seed feeding device in the seeding device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
2 is a sectional view showing the whole inoculum feeding device using the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 as a positive displacement feeding mechanism, and FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view of the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 used in the homologous bacteria feeding device. In this embodiment, in order to make the inoculum in the hopper 2 in a fluidized state, a ribbon screw that interlocks with the outlet 3 of the pressurized air in the casing and the rotor 4 of the uniaxial eccentric screw pump is provided in the lower part of the hopper that reaches the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1. 5 is arranged.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 is connected to the lower end of a hopper composed of a funnel-shaped casing 11 by an end stud 6, and the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 is provided with a delivery port 7. Blow-out port 8 of pressurized air for inoculum supply
And the transfer tube 9 is attached. By the transfer tube 9, the inoculum is sent to the steamed rice or the like being transferred, and is uniformly sprayed by an appropriate spraying method. Further, a ribbon screw 5 wound around a coupling rod 10 connected to a rotor 4 of a uniaxial eccentric screw pump is arranged at the lower part of the hopper, and the blowout port 3 for the pressurized air in the casing is
The ribbon screw has an opening at the lower end.

The inoculum stored in the hopper 2 is in a fluidized state at the lower part of the hopper reaching the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 due to the diffusion by the ribbon screw 5 and the blowing up by the pressurized air in the casing. On the inner wall of the casing that is continuous with the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1, a metal net 12 is provided for the purpose of preventing adherence of inoculum and dispersing and supplying pressurized air in the casing.
Is installed, and a ventilation hole having a dustproof cover 13 is provided on the upper surface of the hopper to make the pressure inside the hopper constant. Each of the above parts realizes fluidization of the inoculum in the hopper and makes the volume efficiency of the inoculum sent to the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 constant.

The uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 is generally called a mono pump, and as shown in FIG. 2, a spiral rotor 4 having a circular cross section and a stator 14 having a screw-shaped passage having an oval cross section. It is a volumetric supply mechanism that swirls inside and gradually moves an object that fills the gap between the rotor 4 and the stator 14. As described above, since the seed germ to be fed has a constant volumetric efficiency, the uniaxial eccentric screw pump 1 can change the feed amount of the seed germ per unit time in proportion to the rotation speed of the rotor.

FIG. 3 is a graph summarizing the test results of the capacity of the inoculum supply apparatus of this embodiment, which was obtained by measuring the rotor of the uniaxial eccentric screw pump with the rotation speed as a variable. In the test, the pressurized air amount in the casing was 1000 NL / h and the pressurized air amount for inoculum supply was 200 NL / h, and the inoculum supply amount sent out in 1 minute was measured. As is clear from the graph, the supply amount of inoculum and the rotation speed of the rotor in the uniaxial eccentric screw pump are in a nearly perfect proportional relationship, and controlling the rotation speed of the rotor enables the supply amount to be controlled quite accurately. I understand.

This is because, when arranged by apparent bulk specific gravity of the inoculum, the inoculum maintains a certain volumetric efficiency in the stator, and when calculated from the supply amount, it is 1 on average.
It was found that the volumetric efficiency was 7.69% and the standard deviation was 0.50%. This is not only the volumetric efficiency within the range suitable for using the uniaxial eccentric screw pump, but also the volume efficiency is almost constant, so that the supply amount of inoculum that can be sent out can be adjusted by the rotation speed of the rotor. .

[0017]

[Table 1]

Next, based on the results of the above test, the suitability in actual koji production was tested. Table 1 is a table summarizing the results of measuring the malted water, protease activity, and total saccharification power of each of the present invention and the conventional apparatus for seeding steamed rice as a miso raw material. Steamed rice is 3% by weight of raw material
t was processed at 1 t / h. The seeding amount was 30 g of seed bacteria (including an extender) per 100 kg of steamed rice, and the seed feed amount was 5 g / min. Furthermore, in the inoculum supply device of the present invention, the pressurized air amount in the casing is 1000 NL / h, and the inoculum supply pressurized air amount is 20 NL / h.
It was set to 0 NL / h.

The koji seeded in each of the conventional devices of the present invention was measured in accordance with the analysis method prescribed by the National Tax Agency, with a drawing water content of 36.5% and an ordinary koji temperature of 42 hours. The results are as shown in Table 1, and with the seeding device of the present invention, koji having a high enzyme titer could be produced without smashing. This is considered to be the result of supporting that the inoculum distribution situation was appropriate.

As described above, the uniaxial eccentric screw pump is a positive-displacement type feed mechanism capable of controlling the feed rate with a high degree of accuracy,
There are other similar supply mechanisms, and they can be sufficiently used as the positive displacement supply mechanism of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an eccentric rotor 15
And a combination of this rotor and a scraper 16 which is slidable in the direction perpendicular to the axis (commonly called rock hill pump), FIG. 5 has rotors 17 and 18 having a three-lobed cross section (rotary pump), and FIG. Roller 20 with lateral groove 19 on
The scrapers 21 and 22 are slidably contacted with each other.

In both cases, the space formed by the rotor or the roller and the scraper or between the rotors is limited to a predetermined amount, and the space is filled with an object to be sent, whereby the supply amount of the object per unit time is quantified. It is a thing. Similar to the uniaxial eccentric screw pump of this embodiment, these can control the supply amount by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotor. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the supply amount can also be changed by changing the shape, size, and depth of the recess or groove on the roller surface. For example, a hemispherical recess 23 (Example 1, FIG. 7), a spiral groove 24 (Example 2, FIG. 8), and a grid-shaped groove 25 (Example 3, FIG.
9) etc.

[0022]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The seed-feeding device of the present invention enables the seed-feeding in the seeding device to be continuously carried out while maintaining a strict quantification property, and further, even when a small amount of the seed-feeding material is supplied, the quantification property is improved. Therefore, the quality of products can be improved by seeding work. Moreover, the amount of supply can be adjusted easily and accurately in the form of a positive-displacement type supply mechanism, especially in the form of controlling the number of rotations of the rotor in a uniaxial eccentric screw pump. Can supply koji mold.

Further, even if the pressurized gas for supplying the seed bacteria is a very small amount, the seed bacteria can be fluidized and transferred at a constant and high density, and the quantitativeness of the seed bacteria supply can be secured, resulting in uniform spraying without scattering. To do. For example, even if the inoculum to be supplied is sprayed to the left and right at a constant speed with respect to steamed rice that is transported on a straight line, the inoculum is sent at a constant supply per unit time, so uniform and easy spraying is possible. It will be.

In addition to the above, the seed germ supply device of the present invention can improve the workability of seeding work. The inoculum is generally sprayed from above. Therefore, depending on the device,
It is necessary to transfer and accumulate the inoculum upwards as a pre-stage of seeding work, which requires a large amount of work, labor and labor, which reduces workability and poses a safety problem. It was However, according to the present invention, since the inoculum can be transferred from below by a tube or the like, it is possible to improve work efficiency and ensure safety.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the whole inoculum supply device using a uniaxial eccentric screw pump.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a uniaxial eccentric screw pump used in the homologous bacteria supply device.

FIG. 3 is a graph summarizing the test results of measuring the ability of the homologous bacterium supply device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a positive-displacement supply mechanism in which an eccentric rotor and a scraper are combined.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a positive-displacement supply mechanism in which a three-leaf rotor is engaged.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a positive-displacement supply mechanism in which a scraper is brought into sliding contact with a roller.

7 is a diagram of Example 1 of the roller of FIG.

8 is a diagram of Example 2 of the roller of FIG.

9 is a diagram of Example 3 of the roller of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Uniaxial eccentric screw pump 2 Hopper 3 Outlet of pressurized air in casing 5 Ribbon screw 8 Outlet of pressurized air for supplying inoculum

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Sumio Ono 1-154 Misakihonmachi, Hyogo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture Hyojin Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Maruyama 1 Misakihoncho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture 1-54 No. 54 Hyojin Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshiya Fujiwara 1-926 Tsushimaminami, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture (72) Inventor Akio Fujiwara 1-926 Tsushimaminami, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A seed feeding device for seeding a solid culture material, wherein a positive-discharging gas outlet for feeding seed is provided at the end of a positive-displacement feeding mechanism for feeding the seed from a hopper that stores the seed. 2. An inoculum supply device in which the positive displacement supply mechanism according to claim 1 is a uniaxial eccentric screw pump. 3. An inoculum supply device in which the supply amount of the pressurized gas for inoculum supply according to claim 1 is 0.01 NL or more and 10.0 NL or less per 1 g of the inoculum.