JP4608429B2 - Stirrer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stirrer, and more particularly to a stirrer that mixes a powder such as soybean powder and a liquid such as water.

  Tofu has long been eaten not only as a good vegetable protein source but also as a well-balanced food with lipids, carbohydrates and calcium.

  In recent years, a method for producing tofu by mixing soybean powder and water (or warm water) that has been processed into a powder and then boiling it to make soy milk, adding a coagulant (nigari) to the soy milk, and coagulating it. According to this method of producing tofu, soy bean (ocara) is not generated, and active ingredients such as dietary fiber, lecithin, saponin and isoflavone contained in soy bean remain in the tofu as much as a good health food. Collecting.

  In addition, according to this tofu manufacturing method, since soybean meal that has been processed as industrial waste is not generated, the processing cost can be reduced, the manufacturing process is simple, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced in a short time. There is an effect that can be done.

  However, this method for producing tofu has a problem that because the soybean powder contains a large amount of oil and fat, mixing unevenness (dama) occurs in the process of mixing soybean powder and water, and the texture of the resulting tofu is powdery and tasteless. there were.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a rotary blade 153 that rotates at high speed by driving the motor 154 is provided in a space formed by the cylindrical container 151 and the lid 152, and a spray nozzle 156 connected to the water addition tube 155 is provided. A tofu production apparatus 150 has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this tofu manufacturing apparatus 150, soybean powder and water are put into a cylindrical container 151, and a rotating blade 153 is rotated at an ultra high speed of 1 to 30,000 revolutions per minute to generate a vigorous stirring flow C in the cylindrical container 151. The soy powder particles and water molecules collide violently by spraying water that has been formed and sprayed from the spray nozzle 156 to the stirring flow C with a separately provided high-pressure pump in the S direction, so that the hydrophilicity of the soy powder. The property is improved and the mixed state with water becomes homogeneous.

The tofu production apparatus 150 is provided with an outlet 157, a valve 158, a heater 159, and an addition port 160 connected to the addition pipe 161. After the soybean powder is dissolved in water, the rotational speed of the rotary blade 153 is increased. The inside of the container is heated with a heater 159 while stirring at low speed and boiled to make soy milk. Further, a coagulant is added to the soy milk from the addition port 160 to make the tofu in the initial solidified state, and the valve 158 is opened and discharged. The tofu can be manufactured by transferring from the outlet 157 to another container (not shown) and solidifying.
JP 2003-289821 A

  However, in the stirring device of the tofu production apparatus 150, since the rotary blade 153 rotates at an ultra high speed of 1 to 30,000 rotations per minute, the mixed solution of soybean powder and water is struck by the rotary blade 153 and instantaneously. Therefore, heat denaturation occurs and the original flavor of soybeans is significantly lost.

  Moreover, since the rotary blade 153 rotates at an ultra-high speed, a large amount of fine bubbles are generated, and the fine bubbles are taken into the mixed liquid of soybean powder and water, and the flavor of tofu is lowered.

  Furthermore, it is necessary to increase the output of the motor 154 in order to realize the ultra high speed rotation of the rotary blade 153, and the rotating shaft of the rotary blade 153 and the holding portion such as the motor 154 are created with high accuracy and high rigidity. There is also a need. The rotary blade 153 needs to be made of a special alloy or the like so as to be able to withstand wear, or to be subjected to wear-resistant surface treatment. In order to spray water from the spray nozzle 156, it is necessary to provide a high-pressure pump. Thus, the stirrer of this tofu production apparatus 150 is very expensive.

  The present invention provides a stirrer that can mix powder and liquid without deteriorating the properties of the liquid mixture due to heat denaturation or mixing of bubbles, and can keep the apparatus cost low.

  In order to solve the above problems, the stirring device of the present invention is a stirring device provided with stirring means for mixing powder and liquid at the bottom of the container, wherein the stirring means is opened at the bottom of the container. The stirring blade chamber and a stirring blade housed in the stirring blade chamber are configured such that the stirring blade is provided with an upper vortex blade and a lower centrifugal blade coaxially, and the vortex blade is a rotor body. And an impeller provided radially on the upper end surface of the rotor body, and a pressurizing chamber is formed between the lower end surface of the rotor body, the inner wall surface of the stirring blade chamber, and the inner bottom surface of the stirring blade chamber. The centrifugal blade is disposed in the pressurizing chamber, and the pressurizing chamber communicates with an opening provided in the upper side wall of the container through a circulation passage.

  According to this invention, a flow for sucking liquid into the vortex and the stirring blade chamber is generated by the upper vortex blade, and the liquid pressurized by the lower centrifugal blade is discharged to the upper portion of the container through the circulation passage. . As a result, a swirling flow is generated in the container while swirling downward. However, since the liquid flowing through the circulation passage has a high flow velocity, the liquid discharged from the circulation passage and the liquid in the container collide with each other. The agitation effect is remarkably improved by the impact, and the powder and the liquid are rapidly and uniformly mixed.

  In addition, since the circulation path section has a smaller passage area than the container and can increase the flow rate of the liquid, a sufficient stirring effect can be obtained without increasing the rotation speed of the stirring blade to tens of thousands of rotation as in the conventional case. Can be secured. Therefore, heat denaturation of powder and generation of bubbles can be suppressed, a low output motor can be used as a rotation drive device, and the accuracy and rigidity of the rotation mechanism portion need not be increased more than necessary. Cost can be reduced.

  In addition, bubbles containing powder lumps staying near the liquid surface in the container by stirring are sucked and subdivided into the stirring blade chamber by the downward swirling flow, and the dust disappears by the rotation of the stirring blades. On the other hand, excessive centrifugal force does not act on the air bubbles sucked into the stirring blade chamber, and the air bubbles are not refined and taken into the mixed liquid, but separated from the liquid transferred to the circulation passage. Then, it rises to the liquid level again and disappears.

  Further, in the stirring device, the outer peripheral surface of the impeller and the outer peripheral surface of the rotor body are continuously inclined surfaces, and the lower part of the inner wall surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber is substantially on the extended surface of the continuous inclined surface. The upper end surface of the impeller and the lower end surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber may be arranged close to each other.

  According to this configuration, the shearing force acts on the liquid between the opening of the stirring blade chamber and the stirring can be performed efficiently, and the bubbles easily rise and separate along the inclined surface.

  In the agitator, a cutter blade extending in the rotation direction may be provided on the upper end surface of the impeller.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the liquid from flowing backward from the stirring blade chamber to the container side due to the downward guiding action of the swirling flow by the cutter blade. Therefore, stirring can be performed stably and effectively.

  Further, in the stirring device, a cylindrical portion is provided at a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the rotor body, and irregularities are formed on a surface of the cylindrical portion, and an inner wall of the stirring blade chamber, the cylindrical portion, Can be arranged in close proximity.

  According to this configuration, since the liquid is squeezed between the inner wall of the stirring blade chamber and the cylindrical portion of the rotor body by the irregularities formed in the cylindrical portion, stirring can be performed effectively.

  In the stirring device, the lower part of the container may have a reduced diameter, and the lower part of the inner wall surface of the container may be continuous with the upper part of the inner wall surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber.

  According to this configuration, since the peripheral speed of the swirling flow of the liquid in the container becomes faster as it goes downward, stirring can be performed effectively.

  In the stirring device, the powder is soybean powder, and the liquid is water or warm water, and the circulation passage branches to another tofu production facility, and the branch point includes A three-way valve for switching between a passage leading to the upper side wall of the container and a passage leading to the other tofu production facility may be provided.

  According to this configuration, there is no need to separately provide a pump or the like for transferring the mixture of soybean powder and water or hot water to other tofu production equipment, and the equipment cost can be reduced, and the stirring process in the stirring device can be reduced. Immediately after the completion, the mixed solution can be transferred to the tofu production facility in the next step, so that the cycle time for producing soymilk or tofu can be shortened.

  According to the stirring device of the present invention, the powder and the liquid can be mixed without impairing the properties of the mixed solution due to heat denaturation or mixing of bubbles, and the device cost can be kept low.

  Hereinafter, a stirrer as a tofu production facility according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same components, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

  First, the structure of the stirring apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view from the side direction schematically showing the structure of the stirring device. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view schematically showing the structure in the stirring blade chamber of the stirring apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the impeller shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stirring device 100 includes a container 102, a stirring blade chamber 103 opened in the bottom 102 c of the container 102, and a stirring blade 108 accommodated in the stirring blade chamber 103. These are provided on the mount 117. Further, the stirring blade chamber 103 and the stirring blade 108 constitute stirring means.

  The container 102 is a cylindrical body composed of a cylindrical upper side wall 102a and a lower diameter-reduced portion 102b that is reduced in diameter downward, and a suction port (an unmixed liquid of hot water and soybean powder described later is provided in the bottom portion 102c. A suction port for suction) is provided, and an opening (an input port for inserting hot water and soybean powder described later) is provided at the upper end, which is open to the atmosphere. The inner wall vertical surface of the bottom portion 102c is continuous with the inner wall vertical surface of the stirring blade opening 104 of the stirring blade chamber 103 described later.

  The stirring blade chamber 103 is opened to the bottom 102c of the container 102 through a stirring blade opening 104 provided so as to be connected to the suction port of the container 102 so as to be connected to the suction port. A substantially box-shaped semi-closed space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface 105a of 105 and the upper surface 106a of the stirring blade chamber bottom plate 106 is formed. In the stirring blade opening 104, an opening inner wall inclined surface 104a and an opening ceiling surface 104b are formed.

  The stirring blade 108 has a configuration in which a vortex blade 110 is provided on the upper stage of the rotation shaft 109 and a centrifugal blade 114 is provided on the lower stage. The vortex blade 110 includes a rotor body 111 and impellers 112 (not shown in plan view) provided radially on the upper end surface of the rotor body 111. The rotating shaft 109 is connected to a motor as a rotation driving device provided in the gantry 117 (not shown).

  The rotor body 111 has a truncated cone shape in which the upper half portion has the rotor body outer peripheral portion 111a as an inclined surface. A pressurizing chamber 107 is formed by the rotor body lower end surface 111c, the inner peripheral surface 105a of the stirring blade chamber side wall 105, and the upper surface of the stirring blade chamber bottom plate 106, and the centrifugal blade 114 is disposed in the pressurizing chamber 107. Has been.

  The impeller 112 is provided on the inclined surface of the truncated cone-shaped base 112b so that the upper end portion of the blade is inclined substantially following the inclined surface of the base 112b. A protruding cutter blade 113 is provided in an inverted L-shaped cross section (see FIG. 3). The outer periphery 112a of the impeller 112 has an inclined surface that extends downward.

  The inclined surface of the rotor body outer peripheral portion 111a and the inclined surface of the outer peripheral portion 112a of the impeller 112 constitute a continuous vortex blade outer peripheral inclined surface 110a, and the inner wall of the opening on the substantially extended surface of the vortex blade outer peripheral inclined surface 110a. An inclined surface 104a is provided. That is, the inclined surface of the rotor body outer peripheral portion 111a, the inclined surface of the outer peripheral portion 112a of the impeller 112, and the opening inner wall inclined surface 104a form one conical surface that expands downward. Further, the stirring space 103a is formed by the swirl blade outer peripheral inclined surface 110a, the inner peripheral surface 105a of the stirring blade chamber side wall 105, and the opening ceiling surface 104b.

  A cylindrical concavo-convex shape forming portion 111b having a concavo-convex shape formed on the surface thereof is provided at the lower portion of the rotor body outer peripheral portion 111a. The concavo-convex shape forming portion 111b is connected to the inner peripheral surface 105a of the stirring blade chamber side wall 105. Closely arranged.

  The container 102 and the stirring blade chamber 103 communicate with each other through a circulation passage 115. One end of the circulation passage 115 opens as an inlet 115a in the pressurizing chamber 107 (more specifically, the inner peripheral surface 105a of the stirring blade chamber side wall 105 where the outer peripheral surface of the centrifugal blade 114 is located), and the other end is the container The upper side wall 102a of 102 is opened as a discharge port 115b. The intake port 115a and the discharge port 115b are each opened toward the rotation direction of the mixed liquid (not shown in plan view).

  The circulation passage 115 is branched to a boiled kiln apparatus that is the next step of the tofu production facility on the way, and at this branch point, there is a passage to the discharge port 115b opened in the upper side wall 102a of the container 102, and this tofu. A three-way valve 116 is provided for switching the passage to the production facility.

  Next, the case where the liquid mixture of the soybean powder which is an intermediate raw material of tofu (or soymilk) and warm water is manufactured using the stirring apparatus 100 is demonstrated.

  The three-way valve 116 is switched so that the stirring blade chamber 103 and the container 102 communicate with each other, hot water of 30 to 40 ° C. and soybean powder obtained by finely pulverizing dried soybeans are introduced from the inlet at the upper end of the container 102, and the motor is operated. Start and rotate the stirring blade 108. At this time, the rotation speed of the motor is about 4000 rpm.

  A liquid in which hot water and soybean powder are mixed (hereinafter referred to as an unmixed liquid) is swirled in the container 102 by the action of the vortex flow by the vortex blade 110 and stirred from the suction port of the container 102 through the stirring blade opening 104. It is sucked into the blade chamber 103. That is, a downward swirling flow is generated in the container 102. The swirling flow of the unmixed liquid increases in swirling speed toward the bottom 102c by the lower diameter reducing portion 102b. The unmixed liquid is stirred and mixed with warm water and soybean powder by the swirling flow in the container 102.

  The unmixed liquid sucked into the stirring blade chamber 103 is stirred by the shear force acting because the upper end surface of the impeller 112 and the opening ceiling surface 104b of the stirring blade opening 104 are arranged close to each other. Mixed. Further, the dam is crushed and subdivided by the cutter blade 113 at the upper end of the impeller 112. At this time, since the downward flow is imparted by the inclined surfaces of the cutter blade 113 and the base 112b, the unmixed liquid does not flow backward to the container 102 side. Here, the unmixed liquid temporarily stays in the stirring space 103a, and at this time, the bubbles are separated from the unmixed liquid, and rise along the swirl blade outer peripheral inclined surface 110a and the opening inner wall inclined surface 104a, It returns to the container 102 and floats up to the liquid level and disappears.

  The unmixed liquid from which the bubbles are separated is accelerated again because the cross-sectional area decreases as the stirring space 103a moves downward, and is stirred and mixed. Further, when the unmixed liquid is transferred and reaches the concave / convex shape forming portion 111b, the unmixed liquid is stirred and stirred in the narrow space between the inner peripheral surface 105a of the stirring blade chamber side wall 105 and the concave / convex shape forming portion 111b. , Mixed. In this manner, the unmixed liquid has the bubbles separated in the stirring space 103a, and is more effectively stirred and mixed in the stirring space 103a and the uneven shape forming portion 111b.

  The unmixed liquid transferred to the pressurizing chamber 107 through the uneven shape forming portion 111b is pressurized by the centrifugal blade 114 and is pumped from the intake port 115a to the circulation passage 115. The unmixed liquid transferred through the circulation passage 115 via the three-way valve 116 is discharged from the discharge port 115b into the container 102. The unmixed liquid discharged into the container 102 collides with the unmixed liquid swirling in the container 102, improves the stirring and mixing action, and pulverizes bubbles including lumps staying near the liquid surface.

  Since the circulation passage 115 has a smaller passage area compared to the suction port of the lower diameter-reduced portion 102b and the bottom portion 102c of the container 102, the flow rate of the unmixed liquid passing therethrough can be increased and discharged. The stirring effect is remarkably improved by the impact when the unmixed liquid in the container 102 collides.

  When the agitation process is completed when the unmixed liquid is sufficiently mixed to obtain a liquid in which warm water and soybean powder are sufficiently mixed (hereinafter simply referred to as a mixed liquid), the three-way valve 116 is turned on. The mixture is switched and transferred to a boiled kiln apparatus (not shown) which is the next step of the tofu production facility.

  Thus, since the stirring apparatus 100 has a configuration that does not require a separate pump or the like to transfer the mixed solution to the boiled kiln apparatus that is the next step of the tofu production facility, the facility cost is reduced. can do. Moreover, since the stirring of the unmixed liquid and the transfer of the mixed liquid can be performed continuously, the cycle time of tofu production can be shortened. In particular, in tofu production, the tofu flavor differs depending on how quickly stirring and boiling kilns are completed among the entire processes such as stirring, boiling kiln, thermal insulation storage, and cooling molding. It is important to save time.

  Further, when the transfer of the mixed liquid in the container 102 to the boiling device is completed, the motor is stopped and the rotation of the stirring blade 108 is stopped. Thereafter, the same stirring process is repeated.

  As described above, in the stirring device of the present invention, the swirl flow in the container, the shearing force between the stirring blade and the opening, the stirring space, the stagnation in the uneven shape forming part, and the collision caused by the discharge from the circulation path part In other words, the mixed solution has a structure that improves the mixing action and improves the mixing action, so that the unmixed liquid does not have a high load that causes cavitation and is good in a short time. A mixed liquid in a mixed state can be obtained. Further, the mixed solution of soybean powder and hot water obtained by the stirring device as the tofu production facility of the present invention is ideal as an intermediate raw material for tofu production because it has very little heat denaturation and little bubble mixing.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, but these are exemplifications of the present invention, and various configurations other than those described above can be adopted.

  For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, a stirrer as a tofu production facility has been described as an example. However, the stirrer of the present invention can be further combined with a mixture of powder and liquid in a short time and without heat denaturation. Is suitable when it is required to obtain a mixed liquid with less air bubbles mixed, and the object to be mixed is not specified as soybean powder and water (or hot water).

It is sectional drawing from the side surface which represented typically the structure of the stirring apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is the elements on larger scale which represented typically the structure in the stirring blade chamber of the stirring apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing from the arrow direction in the figure in the AA cross section of the impeller shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing from the side surface which represented typically the structure of the conventional stirring apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Stirrer 102 Container 102a Upper side wall 102b Lower diameter-reduced part 102c Bottom 103 Stirring blade chamber 103a Stirring space 104 Stirring blade opening 104a Opening inner wall inclined surface 104b Opening ceiling surface 105 Stirring blade chamber side wall 105a Inner peripheral surface 106 Stirring blade Chamber bottom plate 106a Upper surface 107 Pressurizing chamber 108 Stirring blade 109 Rotating shaft 110 Vortex blade 110a Vortex blade outer peripheral inclined surface 111 Rotor body 111a Rotor body outer peripheral portion 111b Convex shape forming portion 111c Rotor body lower end surface 112 Impeller 112a Outer peripheral portion 112b Base 113 Cutter Blade 114 Centrifugal blade 115 Circulation passage 115a Intake port 115b Discharge port 116 Three-way valve 117 Mounting base

Claims (6)

In a stirrer equipped with a stirring means for mixing powder and liquid at the bottom of the container,
The stirring means comprises a stirring blade chamber opened at the bottom of the container and a stirring blade housed in the stirring blade chamber, and the stirring blade is provided with an upper vortex blade and a lower centrifugal blade coaxially provided. The vortex blade is composed of a rotor body and an impeller provided radially on the upper end surface of the rotor body, and includes a lower end surface of the rotor body, an inner wall surface of the stirring blade chamber, and an inner surface of the stirring blade chamber. A pressurizing chamber is formed between the pressurizing chamber, the centrifugal blade is disposed in the pressurizing chamber, and the pressurizing chamber and an opening provided in the upper side wall of the container are connected via a circulation passage. A stirrer characterized by being communicated with each other.   The outer peripheral surface of the impeller and the outer peripheral surface of the rotor body are continuous inclined surfaces, and the lower part of the inner wall surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber is an inclined surface on a substantially extended surface of the continuous inclined surface, and the impeller The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein an upper end surface of the stirring blade and a lower end surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber are disposed close to each other.   The stirring device according to claim 1, wherein a cutter blade extending in a rotation direction is provided on an upper end surface of the impeller.   A cylindrical portion is provided at a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the rotor body, and irregularities are formed on the surface of the cylindrical portion, and an inner wall of the stirring blade chamber and the cylindrical portion are arranged close to each other. The stirring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stirring device is provided.   The lower part of the container has a reduced diameter, and the lower part of the inner wall surface of the container is continuous with the upper part of the inner wall surface of the opening of the stirring blade chamber. A stirrer according to the above. The powder is soybean powder and the liquid is water or warm water;
The circulation passage is branched to another tofu production facility, and a three-way valve for switching a passage leading to the upper side wall of the container and a passage leading to the other tofu production facility is provided at the branch point. The stirring device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stirring device is provided.

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