JP5801563B2 - Drain discharge device for continuous pressure steaming device and drain discharge method for continuous pressure steaming device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to drain discharge in a continuous pressure steaming apparatus that steams raw materials.

  As a device for steaming raw materials, a continuous pressure steaming device is known (for example, Patent Document 1 below). The continuous pressure steaming apparatus is provided with a net conveyor in which a net-like net circulates in a steaming can. The raw material loaded on the net is transported in the steaming can as the net moves. A steaming nozzle is provided in the steaming can, steam is jetted from the steaming nozzle, and the raw material loaded on the net is steamed under pressure in a steam atmosphere while being transported.

  When the steam blown into the steaming can condenses, it becomes drained and accumulates at the bottom of the steaming can. For this reason, drain discharge is required in the continuous pressure steaming apparatus. When draining, it is energy saving to drain the drain without leaking steam from the steaming can as much as possible. A steam trap is an example of the drain discharge mechanism for this purpose. Patent Document 2 below describes a configuration in which a steam trap is connected to a steaming can.

Japanese Patent No. 3397901 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-41494

  However, the steam trap has a reduced diameter part whose inside diameter is significantly narrowed in the flow path of the valve mechanism part, and clogging is likely to occur if high viscosity drainage or drainage mixed with solid matter is passed through. When clogging occurs, there is a problem that normal drainage cannot be performed.

  On the other hand, in the continuous pressure steaming device, especially when the raw material is whole soybean or pressed soybean, a large amount of candy-like drain containing polysaccharide is generated. Furthermore, the raw material peels and fragments attached to the net fall and mix into the drain. Therefore, in order to use the steam trap in the continuous pressure steaming device, it is necessary to take measures to prevent clogging. In order to prevent this clogging, when a strainer or the like was provided in the upstream pipe of the steam trap, cleaning work such as a strainer was required after the completion of the steaming process every time, and the steaming process for a long time could not be tolerated. .

  Therefore, the drain discharge device of the continuous pressure steaming device and the drain discharge method of the continuous pressure steaming device, which can discharge the steam from the steaming can as much as possible and without clogging the drain, were examined.

  As a result of the study, the drain discharge device of the continuous pressure steaming device of the present invention that has been developed is a drain discharge device of a continuous pressure steaming device that continuously pressurizes the raw material in the steaming can and is connected to the steaming can A drain collecting storage tank, a sensor for detecting the drain amount in the storage tank, and an automatic valve for drain discharge connected to the storage tank. A control mechanism that automatically controls the opening and closing drive and discharges the drain from the storage tank is provided.

  The drain discharge method of the continuous pressure steaming device of the present invention is a drain discharge method of a continuous pressure steaming device that continuously pressurizes and steams the raw material in the steaming can. The drain generated in the storage tank is collected in a storage tank connected to the steaming can, and the automatic valve for drain discharge connected to the storage tank is opened and closed based on the detection signal of the sensor that detects the drain amount in the storage tank And draining the drain automatically from the storage tank.

  According to the present invention, since the open / close drive of the drain discharge automatic valve is controlled based on the detection signal of the sensor that detects the drain amount in the storage tank, each time a certain amount of drain is stored in the storage tank. In addition, drain is discharged from the storage tank. That is, the automatic valve is kept closed until a certain amount of drain is stored in the storage tank, and the automatic valve is kept open while the stored drain is discharged. That is, it becomes possible to make the drain of the storage tank always filled with drain. Therefore, during operation of the continuous pressure steaming apparatus, the airtightness of the storage tank is ensured, and pressure loss in the steaming can connected to the storage tank can be prevented. This makes it possible to discharge the drain while preventing leakage of steam from the steaming can as much as possible.

  Moreover, the said effect is based on control of the opening / closing drive of an automatic valve, and having provided the storage tank which can store a drain. For this reason, it is sufficient for the automatic valve to be able to discharge and stop the drain by opening and closing. Therefore, since it is not necessary to interpose a valve mechanism or the like having a large diameter-reduced portion in the drain discharge path, it is possible to prevent the discharge path from being clogged and to prevent a drain discharge failure.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize drain discharge while preventing leakage of steam from the steaming can as much as possible. It becomes possible to prevent defective discharge.

The block diagram of the continuous pressure steaming apparatus which shows the state which connected the drain discharge device which concerns on one embodiment of this invention to the steaming can. The block diagram of the drain discharge apparatus of FIG. 1 which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the continuous pressure steaming apparatus which shows the state which connected the drain discharge apparatus which concerns on another embodiment of this invention to the steaming can. The block diagram of the drain discharge apparatus of FIG. 2 which concerns on another embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a continuous pressure steaming device showing a state in which a drain discharge device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a steaming can 2. First, an outline of the continuous pressure steaming apparatus will be described. The continuous pressure steaming device continuously pressurizes the raw material 3 in the steaming can 2 in a steam atmosphere. Examples of the raw material 3 include cereal raw materials such as defatted soybean, whole soybean, pressed soybean, bran, rice and wheat. Of these, defatted soybean, whole soybean, and pressed soybean are used for soy sauce brewing.

  In the steaming can 2, a net conveyor 4 for conveying the raw material 3 is arranged. The net conveyor 4 includes an annular net 5, and the net 5 is driven so as to circulate in the steaming can 2. The raw material 3 passes through the raw material charging port 7 by the rotation of the rotor of the raw material charging side rotary valve 6 and is charged on the net 5. The raw material 3 put on the net 5 is transported in a state of being loaded on the net 5 by the circulating movement of the net 5. After the raw material 3 conveyed by the net 5 is introduced into the discharge port 8, it is discharged from the steaming can 2 by the rotation of the rotor of the raw material discharge side rotary valve 9.

  A steam pipe 10 having a steaming nozzle 10 a is provided in the steaming can 2. Steam from the boiler 11 is supplied to the steam pipe 10 via the pressure reducing valve 12 and the flow rate control valve 13, and steam is injected from the steaming nozzle 10a. As a result, the raw material 3 is pressure-steamed in a steam atmosphere in the steaming can 2. The steam used for the pressure steaming is condensed in the steaming can 2 and becomes drained, and accumulates at the bottom of the steaming can 2. A drain port 14 is provided in the steaming can 2, and the drain is guided to the drain discharge device 20 side through the drain port 14.

  A pipe 21 is connected to the drain port 14, and the pipe 21 branches into a pipe 22 and a pipe 23. The piping 22 is provided with a valve 25, and the piping 23 is provided with a valve 26. During the operation of the continuous pressure cooking apparatus, the valve 25 is opened and the valve 26 is closed. Accordingly, the drain generated in the steaming can 2 by the pressure steaming is guided into the drain collecting storage tank 24 through the pipe 21 and the pipe 22. On the other hand, when the steaming can 2 is cleaned, a large amount of cleaning water can be discharged without passing through the storage tank 24 by closing the valve 25 and opening the valve 26.

  Hereinafter, the details of the drain discharge device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the drain discharge device 20 shown in FIG. The drain discharge device 20 includes a storage tank 24 that collects drain. In the example of FIG. 2, the storage tank 24 has a horizontally long cylindrical container shape. In FIG. 2, the storage tank 24 shows an internal state, and shows a state in which the drain 30 that has passed through the pipe 22 is accumulated in the storage tank 24.

  The storage tank 24 includes a drain port 37, and a pipe 29 is connected to the drain port 37. An air-driven automatic valve 27 is interposed in the pipe 29. By opening the automatic valve 27, the drain 30 in the storage tank 24 is discharged through the pipe 29 connected to the drain port 37.

  The automatic valve 27 may be any valve as long as it can automatically open and close the valve, and is not limited to the air drive type as in the examples of FIGS. The automatic valve 27 only needs to allow a high-viscosity drain or a solid mixed with a drain to pass therethrough. For example, a ball valve or a butterfly valve can be used.

  A sensor 31 is attached to the storage tank 24. The sensor 31 includes an upper limit detection sensor 32 and a lower limit detection sensor 33 on the drain liquid surface 30 a of the drain 30. A control mechanism 36 for controlling the opening / closing drive of the automatic valve 27 based on the detection signal of the sensor 31 and automatically discharging the drain 30 from the storage tank 24 is provided.

  Specifically, the detection signal of the sensor 31 is input to a sequencer provided as the control mechanism 36, and a command signal for opening and closing the automatic valve 27 is output from the sequencer to the electromagnetic switching valve 34. The electromagnetic switching valve 34 is supplied with compressed air from a compressed air supply source 35. Tubes 28 a and 28 b are interposed between the electromagnetic switching valve 34 and the automatic valve 27. The electromagnetic switching valve 34 can switch between setting to supply the compressed air from the compressed air supply source 35 to the automatic valve 27 via the tube 28a and setting to supply the automatic valve 27 via the tube 28b.

  In the state of FIG. 2 showing the state where the drain 30 is accumulated, the electrode 32 a of the upper limit detection sensor 32 is in the air in the storage tank 24, and the electrode 33 a of the lower limit detection sensor 33 is in the liquid of the drain 30. It is in. In this state, the electromagnetic switching valve 34 is set so that the compressed air from the compressed air supply source 35 is supplied to the automatic valve 27 via the tube 28a. In this setting, the automatic valve 27 is closed by the compressed air supplied from the tube 28a, and the drain 30 in the storage tank 24 is not discharged. Therefore, if drain continues to be supplied from the pipe 22 into the storage tank 24, the water level of the drain liquid surface 30a will rise.

  If the water level of the drain liquid level 30a continues to rise, the drain liquid level 30a comes into contact with the lower end of the electrode 32a of the upper limit detection sensor 32. In this state, the setting of the electromagnetic switching valve 34 is switched to the setting in which the compressed air from the compressed air supply source 35 is supplied to the automatic valve 27 via the tube 28b. In this setting, the automatic valve 27 is opened by the compressed air supplied from the tube 28 b, and the drain 30 in the storage tank 24 is discharged through the pipe 29 connected to the drain port 37.

  When the drain 30 starts to be discharged, the drain liquid level 30a continues to descend and reaches a state in which the drain liquid level 30a is separated from the lower end of the electrode 33a of the lower limit detection sensor 33. In this state, the setting of the electromagnetic switching valve 34 is switched again to the setting in which the compressed air from the compressed air supply source 35 is supplied to the automatic valve 27 via the tube 28a. In this setting, the automatic valve 27 is switched to the closed state by the compressed air supplied from the tube 28a, and the discharge of the drain 30 is stopped.

  Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the water level of the drain liquid surface 30a repeatedly rises and falls. Every time a certain amount of drain 30 is stored in the storage tank 24, the drain 30 is discharged from the storage tank 24. become.

  According to the drain discharge device 20 according to the present embodiment, the lower limit of the water level in the storage tank 24 is substantially the same position as the lower end of the electrode 33a of the lower limit detection sensor 33, and the drainage port 37 of the storage tank 24 is always in the position. The state filled with the drain 30 can be maintained. For this reason, during the operation of the continuous pressure steaming device, the airtightness of the storage tank 24 is ensured, and the pressure loss in the steaming can 2 connected to the storage tank 24 via the pipe 21 and the pipe 22 is prevented. be able to. Thereby, the leakage of steam from the steaming can 2 can be prevented as much as possible, and the drainage can be realized while preventing the steaming ability in the steaming can 2 from being lowered.

  This effect is due to the provision of the storage tank 24 that can store the drain 30 and the control of the opening / closing drive of the automatic valve 27. For this reason, it is sufficient for the automatic valve 27 to be able to discharge and stop the drain by driving to open and close. Therefore, there is no need to intervene a valve mechanism or the like having a large diameter-reduced portion in the drain discharge path, so that drains with high viscosity drain or solid matter can pass through, and the discharge path is clogged. It becomes possible to prevent the drain discharge failure due to.

  Here, in the continuous pressure steaming apparatus, especially when the raw material is round soybean or pressed soybean, a large amount of candy-like drain containing polysaccharide is generated, and the drain becomes highly viscous. Furthermore, solids such as raw material peels and fragments are mixed in the drain. As described above, the drain discharge device 20 according to the present embodiment can prevent clogging of the discharge path, and is therefore suitable for a case where a high-viscosity drain or a drain mixed with solid matter flows.

  Further, in FIG. 1, it is desirable to use a full bore type for the valve 25 and the automatic valve 27. By using a full bore type valve, the flow path diameter and the pipe diameter in the valve become substantially the same, which is more advantageous for preventing clogging of the discharge path.

  In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the drain collecting storage tank 24 has a horizontally long cylindrical container shape. The shape of the storage tank may be another shape as long as a predetermined volume of drain can be stored. For example, the storage tank 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may have a cylindrical shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 below, the shape of the drain collecting storage tank is a pipe shape.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a continuous pressure steaming device showing a state in which a drain discharge device 40 according to another embodiment of the present invention is connected to the steaming can 2. While the storage tank 24 of FIG. 1 has a horizontally long cylindrical container shape, the storage tank 41 of FIG. 3 has a pipe shape. In FIG. 3, the configuration of the continuous pressure cooking apparatus is the same as the configuration of the continuous pressure cooking apparatus shown in FIG. Further, the drain discharge path from the steaming can 2 and the control of the opening / closing drive of the automatic valve 27 are the same as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. Detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Hereinafter, the details of the drain discharge device 40 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the drain discharge device 40 shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the storage tank 41 shows an internal state, and in this drawing, the state where the drain 30 that has passed through the pipe 22 is accumulated in the storage tank 41 is shown.

  A sensor 42 is attached to the storage tank 41. The sensor 42 includes an upper limit detection sensor 43 and a lower limit detection sensor 44 of the drain liquid surface 30 a of the drain 30. The electrode 43a of the upper limit detection sensor 43 and the electrode 44a of the lower limit detection sensor 44 are disposed sideways.

  If the water level of the drain liquid level 30 a continues to rise from the state of FIG. 4, the drain liquid level 30 a comes into contact with the electrode 43 a of the upper limit detection sensor 43. In this state, the automatic valve 27 is opened and the drain 30 is discharged. When this discharge proceeds and the drain liquid level 30a reaches a state of separating from the electrode 44a of the lower limit detection sensor 44, the automatic valve 27 is closed and the discharge of the drain 30 is stopped. 1 and 2, the water level of the drain liquid surface 30a repeatedly rises and falls, and every time a certain amount of drain 30 is stored in the storage tank 41, the drain 30 is discharged from the storage tank 41. Will be discharged.

  As described above, the two types of embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the open / close drive control of the automatic valve 27 may be any control that automatically discharges the drain 30 from the storage tank 24 (41). It is not limited to the configuration of the form. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sensor 31 (42) provided in the storage tank 24 (41) has been described as an example using two sets of upper limit detection sensors and lower limit detection sensors. It is possible to omit only the upper limit detection sensor. In this case, the upper limit detection sensor and the timer are linked to each other so that the upper limit detection sensor contacts the liquid surface and detects the full state, opens the automatic valve 27, and then closes the automatic valve 27 after a predetermined time has elapsed. That's fine.

  Moreover, although the example which uses a level sensor for the detection of the drain amount in the storage tank 24 (41) was shown in the said embodiment, for example, an electrode type level sensor and a capacitance type level sensor may be used for a level sensor. it can. Moreover, you may make it detect the amount of drains in a storage tank not only using a level sensor but using a pressure sensor.

  When the pressure sensor is used, for example, when the pressure value reaches the upper limit set pressure, the automatic valve 27 is opened and the drain is discharged, and when the pressure value reaches the lower limit set pressure, the automatic valve 27 is closed and discharged. Can be stopped.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples. The continuous pressure steaming apparatus according to the embodiment has the same configuration as the continuous pressure steaming apparatus of FIG. 1, and the drain discharge device according to the embodiment has the same configuration as the drain discharge apparatus 20 shown in FIGS. is there. In the example, the raw material 3 in FIG. 1 was round soybean, and this was steamed with a capacity of 6 ton / Hr. The cooking time of the whole soybean was 4 minutes, the cooking pressure was 0.18 MPa, and the cooking temperature at this time was 131 ° C.

The storage tank has a horizontally long cylindrical shape like the storage tank 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and has an outer diameter of 406 mm, a length of 1500 mm, and a volume of 0.124 m ³ . The sensors corresponding to the upper limit detection sensor 32 and the lower limit detection sensor 33 in FIG. 2 are electrode type level sensors. The valve corresponding to the automatic valve 27 was an air driven ball valve and a full bore type.

When the example was operated, the amount of steam used was 4 ton / Hr, and the amount of drain was about 3 m ³ / Hr. During operation, a steaming pressure of 0.18 MPa was secured, and the phenomenon of steam leakage was hardly seen. On the other hand, when a comparative example in which drain was discharged directly from the drain port 14 (FIG. 1) was omitted from the example, the amount of steam used was 4.5 ton / Hr. That is, in this example, the amount of steam used was reduced by about 11% compared to the comparative example, and the energy saving effect of the present invention was observed. Moreover, since the raw material was whole soybeans, the drain had a high viscosity, but there was no sign of drain clogging in the drain discharge route. Furthermore, the opening / closing frequency of the automatic valve 27 is about once every 2.5 minutes, and if it is this level of opening / closing frequency, it can be considered that it can withstand long-term use.

2 Steaming Can 3 Raw Material 20, 40 Drain Discharger 24, 41 Storage Tank 27 Automatic Valve 30 Drain 30a Drain Liquid Level 31, 42 Sensor 36 Control Mechanism

Claims (2)

A drain discharge device of a continuous pressure steaming device that continuously steams the raw material in the steaming can,
A storage tank for collecting drain connected to the steaming can;
A sensor for detecting the amount of drain in the storage tank;
It has an automatic valve for drainage connected to the storage tank,
A control mechanism that automatically controls the opening and closing drive of the valve based on the detection signal of the sensor and discharges the drain from the storage tank is provided .
A first pipe is connected to the steaming can,
The first pipe is branched into a second pipe connected to the storage tank and a third pipe from which the cleaning water in the steaming can is discharged without passing through the storage tank.
Each of the second pipe and the third pipe is provided with a valve.
During the operation of the continuous pressure steaming device, the drain generated in the steaming can by pressure steaming by opening the valve provided in the second pipe and closing the valve provided in the third pipe, Through the first pipe and the second pipe, and led into the storage tank,
When cleaning the steaming can, the valve provided in the second pipe is closed and the valve provided in the third pipe is opened so that the cleaning water is discharged without passing through the storage tank. A drain discharge device for a continuous pressure steaming device. A drain discharge method of a continuous pressure steaming device that continuously steams the raw material in the steaming can,
Drain generated during pressure cooking of raw materials is collected in a storage tank connected to the steaming can,
Based on the detection signal of the sensor for detecting the drain amount in the storage tank, controlling the opening and closing drive of the automatic valve for drain discharge connected to the storage tank,
Drains automatically from the reservoir ,
Connect the first pipe to the steaming can,
The first pipe is branched into a second pipe connected to the storage tank and a third pipe that allows the washing water in the steaming can to be discharged without passing through the storage tank. ,
A valve is provided for each of the second pipe and the third pipe,
During the operation of the continuous pressure steaming device, the drain generated in the steaming can by pressure steaming by opening the valve provided in the second pipe and closing the valve provided in the third pipe, Through the first pipe and the second pipe, and led into the storage tank,
When cleaning the steaming can, the valve provided in the second pipe is closed and the valve provided in the third pipe is opened so that the cleaning water is discharged without passing through the storage tank. A drain discharge method for a continuous pressure steaming apparatus.

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