JP3098066B2 - Operation control method in automatic koji making - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation control method in automatic koji making.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the brewing and fermentation of sake and the like, in order to obtain the highest quality koji, it is necessary to employ a "koji lid method" for obtaining high-quality crushed fine koji. As a mechanical method, a method disclosed in JP-A-1-269482 is known. Although the quality of koji making is poor,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-16967 discloses a method for mechanically performing koji making similar to the conventional "box koji method". In the above-described conventional technique, the method is such that the temperature of the inoculated steamed rice is controlled by following a preset target value. In particular, in the koji lid method, from the start to the end of koji making, it is necessary to change the shape of the steamed rice and perform a stir operation, such as intermediary work, closing work, and dekoji. and CO ₂ amounts other like, have been controlled mainly corresponds to the product temperature changes and elapsed time of the steamed rice.

[0003] FIGS. 2 and 3 is set in advance the ideal product temperature curve L ₁ and the temperature set an ideal target product temperature of steamed rice, respectively for each A~D koji preparation work points, the product temperature in this setting FIG. 2 shows control points A to K that follow the work points A to K.
The work operation is controlled by setting the time interval of D (time-based control), and FIG.
To D (temperature-based control). L ₂ both show the measured product temperature.

[0004]

However, in the above-described control method, the measured product temperature L ₂ and the ideal product temperature L ₁ are not good due to the responsiveness of temperature control and the temporary fermentation abnormality of steamed rice.
Are, for example, points a 'and b' by actual measurement with respect to points a and b,
Or, even if the control points B and B 'are greatly different from each other,
Since the work operation start control is performed without compensating for these problems, the growth degree of the koji often does not match with each work point, so it has been difficult to stably obtain good-quality koji. .

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a method for controlling a work operation according to the present invention provides a method of controlling a working operation including temperature control, in which steamed rice 15 is placed in a koji making room 1. To control the environment of koji making by housing the koji lid 2
The work time that is scheduled over time after the control start point A of the koji making is defined as the intermediate work time B, the closed work time C, and the dekoji time D.
The ideal integrated product temperature (a) between the work points A, B, C, and D is set in advance, and the environment control and the koji making state are performed based on the set ideal integrated product temperature (a). Operation control of the work is performed, and when the measured integrated product temperature (b) between the work points A, B, C, and D substantially or completely matches the ideal integrated product temperature (a), the operation control of the predetermined work is performed. It is characterized by performing.

[0006]

After the start of koji-making control in the koji-making room 1, the temperature of steamed rice up to the starting point of the koji-making operation is controlled so as to follow a preset ideal temperature, and the actual temperature of the steamed rice is controlled. When the integrated temperature of the steamed rice substantially coincides with the ideal integrated product temperature until the next operation set in advance based on the ideal product temperature, the start of the scheduled operation is controlled. For this reason, steamed rice is in an almost ideal fermentation state by the scheduled work time, so that the work during the koji making is performed at an appropriate fermentation stage, and as a result, good quality koji is stably obtained. be able to.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows an outline of an apparatus used for carrying out the present invention, and is a front view of a koji making apparatus housed in a koji making room 1 whose environment is controlled by a control device (not shown). In the present embodiment, the koji making apparatus includes a placing apparatus 3 for placing the seeded rice on the koji lid 2 and a large number of the koji lids 2 after loading and stacking. A circulation mechanism (rotation) 4 for raising and lowering and transporting (rotating) the koji in order to uniformly give koji making conditions such as temperature, humidity, CO ₂ concentration, etc., and changing the shape of the ascending shape on the circulation mechanism 4 as necessary And a stirrer 6 for equalizing fermentation conditions in each koji lid 1.

[0008] Each of these devices and mechanisms and their operations will be described in detail below. A. Koji-making room The koji-making room 1 has a space for accommodating the koji-making room device therein, and has a peripheral wall made of a non-water-containing and heat-insulating material so as to form an environmental chamber isolated from the external environment. The air conditioner installed in the air purifier purifies the outside air and has a function of adjusting the temperature, humidity, air volume, oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration and the like as required through the hood 7. further,
In the koji-making room 1, a thermometer, a hygrometer, and a densitometer for sampling and measuring carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), which are connected to an external controller to measure and control the internal environment as described above, are not shown. Is installed.

B. A hopper 18 for charging steamed rice 15 is attached to the laying device 3 via a load sensor 17 that measures a load on the frame 16 based on the amount of strain, and the koji lid 2 is placed below the hopper 18. A carry-in line 19 composed of a belt conveyor that is placed and put on standby 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 protruding below the right side of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4.
0, it is inserted below the frame 16 of the mounting device 3 and is not fixed to the frame 16 side, or has a mechanism that can be easily disengaged even when fixed.

On the koji lid 2, a predetermined amount of inoculated steamed rice 15 is discharged from a discharge cylinder 21 provided at the lower end of the hopper 18 and dropped and mounted thereon. The damper 22 provided in the drive unit 22a such as a cylinder
It is set so that the amount of steamed rice discharged (supplied) is always constant by opening and closing. In the batch method, the supply amount of steamed rice to the hopper 18 is determined by the amount of steamed rice per sheet and the total amount (for example, 90 to 100 kg) of steamed rice loaded in the circulation mechanism 4 described below. In the laying device 3, steamed rice is laid in an initial shape in the shape of a mountain, and the koji lid 2 after laying 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 provided an actuator 38c having a receiving plate 37 such as an air cylinder for supporting and raising and lowering the koji lid 2 sent to the carry-in line 19 from below. The actuator 38c is provided, and when the inner bottom surface of the koji lid 2 comes into contact with the lower end opening of the discharge tube 21 and rises to a position where it is closed, and when the discharge tube 21 is closed, the damper 22 is opened. A fixed amount of steamed rice corresponding to the volume is dropped and stored in the discharge cylinder 21. Subsequently, when the damper 22 is closed and the actuator 38c is operated to lower the koji lid 2 until the koji lid 2 is supported on the carry-in line 19, the steamed rice 15 in the discharge cylinder 21 has an ideal mountain shape in the koji lid 2. The sheet is laid in the initial shape to complete the laying, and is fed into the circulation mechanism 4 by the carry-in line 19 and a 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 integrated with the conveyor of the carry-in line 19 so as to be connected or interconnected is inserted in the left-right direction. The front and rear two endless belts 28 are connected to a pulley 29 at the right end of the assembling device 3 and a motor 3 at the left end of the circulation mechanism 4.
And a guide pulley 33 that supports the belt 28 and the koji lid 2 under the upper side of the belt 28.
Are supported at an appropriate pitch.

(B) Elevating line In the frame 26, koji lids 2 are provided in a number of stages (in the illustrated example, at least one empty space is provided in each row in eight stages), and the koji lid 2 is provided vertically in the frame. An ascending line 36a and a descending line 36b are formed adjacent to each other in two rows along a guide (not shown).

The lowermost koji cover 2 is received between the belts 28 below the lifting lines 36a, 36b from below.
Alternatively, actuators 38a and 38b formed of an air cylinder with a receiving plate 37 that can be lifted and raised and lowered are installed upward. The actuators 38a and 38b are provided with a weighing device (not shown) for detecting a change in the weight of steamed rice (koji) in the koji lid 2 as koji is made.

The ascending line 36a is connected to the lower transfer line 27a.
The koji lid 2 sent by the actuator 38a
Is a mechanism for intermittently ascending upward one by one at regular time intervals. When the koji lid 2 is transported to the uppermost stage by an upper transport line 27b, which will be described later, the descending line 36b is moved up by the operation of the actuator 38b. Is a mechanism for lowering one step at a time in accordance with the ascending interval in. The actuators 38a, 38
b. Stopper mechanism 3 provided before and after each line
9 is linked.

(C) Structure of koji lid The koji lid 2 is made of, for example, a box-shaped wooden tray of 500 × 700 × 120 (mm), and the center of the inside is divided into right and left by a horizontal partition plate (not shown). Have been. On the front and back sides of the koji lid 2, a handle 40 having an angled cross section is provided laterally.

(D) Operation of Stopper Mechanism and Elevating Line The stopper mechanism 39 is attached to a stopper frame (not shown) which is fixed to the frame 26 and stands upright. It is provided in the form. The stopper mechanism 39 raises and lowers the koji lid 2 stacked on the elevating lines 36a and 36b by a predetermined amount by lower actuators 38a and 38b, or lowers the koji lid 2 by lifting.
Up and down moving line 2 in contact with the left and right ends of the handle 40
Both ends of the handle 40 of the koji-making 2 of the next stage on 7a, 27b are supported from below, and the koji lids 2 on the elevating lines 36a, 36b are respectively moved up and down by one stage.

(E) Upper transfer line The lower transfer line 27a is connected to the belt 28 as described above.
And the motor 31 are shared with the carry-in line 19, and the koji lid 2 descending from the descending line 36b is transferred to the transfer line 27a.
Is transferred to the localization value below the ascending line 36a. On the other hand, on the lifting 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. It comprises a sprocket 57 pivotally supported by brackets 56 at the front and rear ends on the left and right sides, two chains 58 wound around the sprocket 57 in the left and right direction, and a motor (not shown) for driving the sprocket 57 and the chain 58. It has a transfer drive. 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 on the descending line 36b from above the ascending line 36a. Moved and transported. The front and rear chains 58 are stretched along the handle 40 of the koji lid 2, and the chain 58 is provided with locking portions 61 for locking the left and right ends of the handle 40 to feed the koji lid 2 in the left and right direction. The pitch is provided.

D. Stirrer The stirrer 6 changes the shape of the steamed rice laid by the laying device 3, and this change ferments the entire koji in the koji lid 2 under uniform conditions according to the progress of koji making. This is performed every rotation or at intervals of several rotations. The stirring device 6 includes:
A bracket 63 protruding from the ascending line 36a, a swing arm 64 composed of front and rear parallel links supporting a base end or a bending point of the bracket 63, and two front and rear swing arms 64 are attached to the tip of the swing arm 64. Stirrer 6 with motor 66
7. An air cylinder 68 attached to the frame 26 to swing the right end of the swing arm 64 up and down.
It is composed of

The agitating section 67 includes a koji lid 2 having an ascending line 36a.
When the transfer is started from above to the descending line 36b, it descends from above and continues to alternately rotate in reverse. The transfer of the koji lid 2 causes the cylinder 68 to swing upward by the cylinder 68 before coming into contact with the stirring section 67. Then, it is stored in the standby posture 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 agitation of the stirring unit 67 may be repeated as necessary to obtain a desired embossed shape.

The agitation and the change of the shape are performed via rotation after the initial laying and reloading (rotation), and during operations such as intermediary work, finishing work, and koji starter, and each operation has a different fermentation stage. Therefore, different agitation and sculpture changes are made to make the heat radiation, transpiration, etc. different, and other environmental controls are also adapted to each stage.

E. Setting and Rotation of Koji Lid Next, the first method of setting the koji lid 2 in the circulation mechanism 4 will be described. First, the lowermost stage of the rising line 36a and the uppermost stage and the lowermost stage of the descending line 36b are set as empty spaces. Thus, the koji lids are stacked on each line and set, and the koji lids are set below the hopper 18.

Next, after performing the laying described as the laying operation of the laying device 3, the koji lid 2 is transferred to the lowermost empty space of the rising line 36a.
a, the koji lid 2 is pushed up one step by the actuator 38a to be set, and the koji lid on the descending line side is lowered one step by the actuator 38b of the descending line 36b to support the second or more stages.
The koji lid 2 at the top of 6a is transferred to the empty space at the top of the descending line 36b. The koji lid 2 that has been lowered onto the belt 28 is transported below the hopper 18 and the same operation is performed thereafter.
Is repeated by the number of times to complete the automatic laying operation, and shift to the next koji making operation involving rotation of the koji lid 2.

F. Product temperature sensor On both left and right sides of the frame 26 of the circulation mechanism 4, vertical guide rods 71 are erected in parallel with the operation of the elevating lines 36a, 36b. It is slidably mounted. On the other hand, a product temperature sensor 73 for detecting the product temperature of steamed rice is installed inside the koji lid 2 on the both sides of the raising and lowering lines 36a and 36b, which are opposite to each other. Product temperature sensor 7
3 and the magnet plug 72 are attracted and connected, and the magnet plug 72 also rises with the driving of the rising line 36a,
During this time, the temperature of the koji lid 2 is constantly sampled and measured. Koji lid 2 with product temperature sensor 73 is upper transfer line 2
When the magnet plug 72 moves rightward at 7b, the magnet plug 72 separates from the temperature sensor 73 and descends due to its own weight or the like, and waits for the next koji lid 2 with the temperature sensor.

Similarly, in the descending line 36b, the magnet plug 72 is attracted to the koji lid 2 having the uppermost temperature sensor 73 and descends to the lower stage of the descending line 36b to sample the temperature of the koji lid 2. The koji lid with the sensor is raised by the operation of the lower moving line 27a.
6a, the connection between the material temperature sensor 73 and the magnet plug 72 is released, and the magnet plug 72 is disconnected.
Rises along the guide rod 71 by the hoisting machine 74 to the uppermost stage of the descending line 36b, and waits for the next product temperature measurement.

In the above example, the koji lid 2 with the product temperature sensor 73
Are arranged at symmetrical positions of circulation of the elevating lines 36a and 36b, respectively, and serve as a mechanism for detecting a more average product temperature of the entire koji lid 2, and the detected value is based on the fermentation state of steamed rice during koji making. It becomes a display value or a reference value for temperature control in the koji making room 1.

G. Control of product temperature In this embodiment, environmental control for obtaining ideal koji characteristics, for example, by combining information obtained in a conventional manual koji making process with information obtained when the koji making process is performed by the apparatus. The fermentation conditions and the like are controlled by environmental control using a control device so as to follow these ideal data. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional ideal temperature curve relating to the product temperature shows the product temperature from the fermentation start time to the end time after the end of the fermentation of steamed rice, as shown in FIG. The starting point of each of the work time point C and the dekoji time point D is
The work stage is set in advance by setting a reference over time (time reference), or as shown in FIG.
The ideal product temperature was set (temperature reference) for each of the work stages A to D, such as the closing work and the koji, to form.

In this embodiment, the process from the start to the end of koji making is divided into a koji making control start point A, an intermediate work time B, a finishing work time C, and a koji making time D after completion of koji making as shown in FIG. set a target for product temperature at each point, product temperature curve L ₁ connecting the points
Is set in advance as a target (ideal) product temperature curve, and the integrated product temperature in each of the points A to B, points B to C, and points C to D is calculated as the ideal integrated product temperature (A) (SH · C ° H). It is set as. And while fuzzy control so as to follow the product temperature control through environmental control in an ideal product temperature curve L _1, the operation control of the work, for example, the operation of the relationship work control after the start of the integration product temperature actually measured (b ) is an ideal integration product temperature based on the measured product temperature curve L ₂ between points a-b and (b) only when substantially matched controls to start (no different Toka time and temperature changes between a-b) In addition, the start of the closing work and the operation of the dekoji are controlled so that the start of each work operation is performed at the time when the ideal integrated product temperature (A) between points B and C or C and D substantially coincides with the above. I do. However, this does not prevent the control of the allowable temperature difference and the allowable time difference until the operation control is set in advance. The start control of each operation at points B and C is performed based on the above-described time reference or temperature reference, and the measured integrated product temperature (b) after point A is equal to the value of the ideal integrated product temperature (a) at points A to D. It is also possible to perform operation control by an arbitrary combination with each control method, such as starting the koji start operation when they substantially coincide with each other.

[0029]

The present invention is configured as described above.
Since the control of the product temperature and work operation in automatic koji making is performed by the most ideal integrated product temperature calculated empirically or theoretically, the control method is extremely simple and accurate, and the next work operation Since the control is performed when the measured integrated product temperature completely or substantially coincides with the ideal integrated product temperature, there is an effect that a high-quality and homogeneous koji can be easily obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a koji making apparatus used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time-based product temperature control curve showing a conventional product temperature control method.

FIG. 3 is a product temperature control curve based on a temperature showing a conventional product temperature control method.

FIG. 4 is a product temperature control curve based on the ideal integrated product temperature according to the method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Koji making room 2 Koji lid 15 Steamed rice (A) Ideal cumulative product temperature (B) Measured cumulative product temperature

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C12M 1/00-1/36

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A method for controlling the environment of a koji-making process by accommodating a koji cover (2) on which steamed rice (15) is placed in a koji-making room (1) in which environment control including temperature control is performed. Koji control
Negotiating work points scheduled over time after the start point (A)
The time of the event (B), the time of the closing work (C), the time of the dekoji (D)
And the above work points (A), (B), (C),
Preset ideal integration product temperature (i) between (D), controls the operations of the work in accordance with the environmental control and koji state based on the set ideal integration product temperature (a), the task time (A),
Measured integrated product temperature between (B), (C) and (D) (b)
The operation control method in the automatic koji-making that controls the operation of a predetermined operation when the temperature substantially or completely coincides with the ideal integrated product temperature (a).