Method for increasing the bond of a raw pulp using the feed flow of a de-germing mill

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of corn starch production technology and discloses a method for increasing the Baume degree of coarse pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of the degerming mill. Addressing the problems of unstable feed flow rate and large fluctuations in the Baume degree of coarse pulp in existing corn starch production processes, this invention achieves precise control of the feed flow rate and water addition by modifying the degerming mill feed hopper, integrating a variable frequency auger and flow meter, adding a secondary drainage device, and optimizing process parameters. This stabilizes the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp at approximately 8.0 be and the feed concentration of the separator at approximately 7.0 be, while simultaneously reducing system water load and equipment current fluctuations, thereby improving the stability and product yield of corn starch production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of corn starch production technology and discloses a method for increasing the Baume of coarse pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of the degerming mill. Background Technology

[0002] Corn is one of the most widely cultivated and highest-yielding food crops globally, and also an important industrial raw material. Corn starch, as a core product of corn deep processing, is widely used in food processing, feed production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and biochemical industries due to its high purity and stable performance. With the rapid development of the global food industry and biotechnology, market demand for corn starch continues to grow. According to industry statistics, global corn starch consumption exceeded 120 million tons in 2025, maintaining an average annual growth rate of 3.5%.

[0003] In my country, the corn starch industry has formed a relatively complete industrial chain, with Northeast and North China being the main production bases. However, compared with international advanced levels, Chinese corn starch producers still lag behind in terms of process automation and product quality stability. Most small and medium-sized enterprises still rely on traditional manual experience to control production parameters, leading to significant fluctuations in the production process and making it difficult to effectively guarantee product yield and quality.

[0004] In the corn starch production process, the degerming mill is a crucial step in separating corn germ from endosperm, directly impacting subsequent starch extraction efficiency and product quality. Currently, most domestic starch companies face the following problems in degerming mill operations: 1. Traditional degerming mill feeding systems rely on manual adjustment of the feed inlet opening. The operator's experience and sense of responsibility directly affect the stability of the feed flow rate. Due to natural differences in corn particle size and moisture content, manual adjustment cannot adapt to real-time changes in raw material, resulting in feed flow rate fluctuations of up to ±15%, which in turn triggers a chain reaction in subsequent processes. 2. The degerming mill typically uses top-pipe water intake. Water flow is easily affected by pipeline pressure, making it impossible to ensure the pipeline is completely filled. This leads to significant errors in the flow rate data collected by the flow meter, making it difficult to accurately match the water volume with the corn feed volume. During production, the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp fluctuates between 6.0be and 8.5be, directly affecting the stability of the feed concentration in the subsequent separator. The separator's feed concentration fluctuates between 6.0be and 7.5be, reducing germ separation efficiency and starch extraction rate. 3. To ensure effective demolding, traditional processes typically employ high-volume rinsing, leading to excessive load on the demolding mill and low equipment drainage efficiency. A large amount of unused wash water enters subsequent processes, increasing wastewater treatment costs and causing drastic fluctuations in the demolding mill motor current, resulting in higher equipment failure rates and disrupting production continuity. 4. Manual adjustment requires dedicated personnel to monitor production parameters in real time, increasing labor costs. Furthermore, due to unstable process parameters, the equipment frequently operates below its optimal state, leading to higher energy consumption per unit of product.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, some companies have attempted optimizations by adding sensors and improving control algorithms. However, most improvements only target single aspects and fail to provide a systemic solution. For example, some companies have only automated the feed flow rate but haven't resolved the flow data errors caused by the water inlet method; others have optimized the water addition ratio but haven't considered the secondary water separation within the demolding mill, leaving the problem of excessive system water load unresolved. Therefore, a technical solution is urgently needed that can address the control of feed flow rate and coarse slurry Baume degree in the demolding mill at a system-wide level. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to overcome the technical defects of the degerming mill process in existing corn starch production and to provide a method and apparatus for increasing the Baume degree of coarse pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of the degerming mill. Through systematic optimization of the degerming mill feed system, water inlet method, drainage structure, and process parameters, precise matching of feed flow rate and water addition is achieved, stabilizing the Baume degree of coarse pulp and the feed concentration to the subsequent separator, reducing the system water load, and ultimately improving the stability, product yield, and economic benefits of corn starch production.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A method for increasing the Baume degree of coarse pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of a degerming mill includes the following steps: (1) conveying corn raw materials to the feed hopper, monitoring the material level in the hopper in real time through a material level sensor, automatically controlling the replenishment of raw materials to ensure continuous feeding; (2) installing a variable frequency auger at the feed inlet of the degerming mill, adjusting the auger speed through a PLC controller to achieve precise control of the feed flow rate; (3) using a lower pipe for water inlet, increasing the diameter of the water inlet pipe, installing a high-precision electromagnetic flow meter, and collecting water inlet flow data in real time; (4) the PLC controller dynamically adjusts the water inlet flow rate according to the feed flow rate and the preset corn-to-water ratio to achieve precise matching of corn and water; (5) installing an inclined stainless steel filter screen inside the variable frequency auger to perform secondary drainage treatment on the mixed materials and separate excess water; (6) monitoring the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp in real time through a Baume degree sensor, and automatically adjusting the water inlet flow rate when the Baume degree deviates from the set value to stably control the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp at around 8.0be.

[0008] Preferably, in step (2), the auger speed range is 0-50 r / min, and the feed flow rate control accuracy is ±2%.

[0009] Preferably, in step (5), the stainless steel filter screen is tilted at an angle of 18°, which can separate 10%-15% of the moisture in the mixture.

[0010] Preferably, the mass ratio of corn kernels to water is 1:1-2.

[0011] Most preferably, the mass ratio of corn kernels to water is 1:1.45.

[0012] Preferably, in step (1), the cone angle of the feed hopper is 60°-70°, the material level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, and the measurement accuracy is ±10mm.

[0013] Preferably, in step (2), the speed range of the variable frequency auger is 0-50 r / min, and the feed flow rate control accuracy is ±2%.

[0014] Preferably, the feed hopper is made of 304 stainless steel with a polished inner wall to prevent bridging and blockage of the corn raw materials.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Through the integrated control of the variable frequency auger and flow meter, the feed flow control accuracy is improved to ±2%, and the matching error between water addition and feed flow is reduced to ±1%, completely solving the production fluctuation problem caused by manual adjustment. The production process is controlled by data, and all process parameters can be monitored and traced in real time, facilitating production management and quality control.

[0016] 2. The Baume degree fluctuation range of the primary crude pulp is reduced from the traditional 6.0be-8.5be to 7.8be-8.2be, the feed concentration of the separator is stabilized at 6.8be-7.2be, the germ extraction rate is increased by 3%-5% compared with the traditional process, and the starch yield is increased by 2%-3%. The product quality stability is significantly improved, and the starch purity can reach over 99.2%, meeting the quality requirements of the high-end food and pharmaceutical industries.

[0017] 3. The system water load is reduced by 20%, the water consumption per ton of starch production is reduced by 1.2-1.5 tons, and the wastewater treatment cost is reduced by 15%-20%; the current fluctuation rate of the degerming mill motor is reduced from the traditional 2.3% to 1.5%, the equipment operation is more stable, and energy consumption is reduced by 8%-10%; the production process is automated, reducing the need for manual monitoring and reducing labor costs by 20%-30%.

[0018] 4. The secondary drainage device effectively reduces the load on the demolding mill, reduces equipment wear, reduces current fluctuation, makes the motor run more smoothly, extends the service life of the demolding mill and related equipment by 15%-20%, and reduces equipment maintenance costs by 10%-15%. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention. Example 1

[0020] The device for increasing the Baumé of coarse pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of the demolding mill mainly consists of three parts: a demolding mill feed system, a secondary drainage system, and a control system. The specific structure is as follows: 1. Feeding system for the de-embryo mill Feed hopper: Made of 304 stainless steel, with a capacity of 10m³. 3 (The original feed hopper capacity was 6m³) 3 The inner wall is polished, the cone angle is 65°, and an ultrasonic level sensor is installed on the top with a measurement accuracy of ±10mm. Variable frequency auger: The auger has a diameter of 250mm and a length of 3m. It is equipped with an 11kW variable frequency motor with a speed range of 0-50r / min. Water inlet device: A DN100 stainless steel pipe (the original pipe was DN80) is used, connected from below the demolding mill. An electromagnetic flow meter, model LDG-100, is installed on the pipe, with a measuring range of 0-100m. 3 / h, accuracy ±0.5%.

[0021] 2. Secondary drainage system Stainless steel filter screen: The material is 316L stainless steel, the mesh size is 80 mesh, the filter screen size matches the inside of the auger, and the tilt angle is 18°; Drainage pipes: DN80 stainless steel pipes are used, which are connected to the workshop's wastewater treatment and circulation system; Drain valve: Installed on the drainage pipe, it is an electric ball valve, and the opening degree can be controlled by a PLC controller to adjust the drainage speed.

[0022] 3. Control System PLC controller: Equipped with analog input / output modules to realize signal acquisition and control of equipment such as frequency converters, flow meters, and level sensors; Human-Machine Interface (HMI): It adopts a 10-inch touch screen, which can display production parameters such as feed flow rate, water flow rate, coarse pulp Baume degree, and equipment current in real time, and supports manual / automatic mode switching, parameter setting and other operations. Sensor system: In addition to level sensors and flow sensors, it is also equipped with Baume sensors and current sensors to collect production process data in real time and provide a basis for the control system. Example 2

[0023] A method for increasing the Baumé of rough pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of a de-embryo mill, specifically including: The corn raw material is transferred to a soaking tank, and warm water at a temperature of 50-55℃ is added. The soaking time is 48-72 hours to allow the corn germ to fully expand, facilitating subsequent separation. The soaking water is changed regularly during the soaking process to prevent microbial growth that could affect the quality of the raw material.

[0024] Feed flow control: The soaked corn raw material is conveyed to the modified feed hopper via an elevator. The material level sensor monitors the material level in the hopper in real time. When the material level is lower than the set lower limit (30% of the hopper capacity), the elevator is automatically started to replenish the raw material; when the material level is higher than the set upper limit (80% of the hopper capacity), the elevator is stopped. The PLC controller adjusts the speed of the variable frequency auger according to the preset feed flow rate value to achieve precise control of the feed flow rate. The feed flow rate set value is determined according to the processing capacity of the degerming mill, and is usually 15-20 t / h.

[0025] Dynamic matching of inlet water flow: The electromagnetic flow meter collects inlet water flow data in real time and transmits the data to the PLC controller. The PLC controller automatically adjusts the opening of the inlet valve according to the feed flow and the preset corn-to-water ratio (1:1.45), achieving dynamic matching between the water supply and the feed flow. When the feed flow changes, the water supply is adjusted within 2 seconds to ensure that the corn-to-water ratio always remains within the set range.

[0026] Secondary drainage treatment: Corn raw materials and water are mixed and conveyed in a variable frequency auger. When the mixture passes through an inclined stainless steel filter screen, excess water is collected through the filter screen pores and discharged through a DN80 drainage pipe. The secondary drainage device can separate 10%-15% of the moisture in the mixture, effectively reducing the moisture content of the material entering the degerming mill and further stabilizing the Baume degree of the coarse pulp.

[0027] Degerming and Grinding: The material, after secondary drainage treatment, enters the degerming mill. The gap between the mill rollers is adjusted to 0.18mm. Through the squeezing and grinding action of the rollers, the corn germ and endosperm are separated. The current of the degerming mill motor is monitored in real time by a current sensor. When the current fluctuation exceeds the set range, the PLC controller automatically fine-tunes the feed flow rate to ensure stable operation of the degerming mill.

[0028] Baume degree monitoring and adjustment of coarse pulp: A Baume degree sensor is installed at the discharge port of the degerming mill to monitor the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp in real time. When the Baume degree deviates from the set value (8.0be) ±0.2be, the PLC controller automatically adjusts the water flow rate to correct the Baume degree of the coarse pulp. For example, when the Baume degree is higher than 8.2be, the water flow rate is increased appropriately; when the Baume degree is lower than 7.8be, the water flow rate is decreased appropriately.

[0029] Subsequent processes: The primary coarse slurry with a stable Baume degree is conveyed to the separator, where the feed concentration is stabilized at around 7.0be, significantly improving the germ separation efficiency. The separated germ, after washing and drying, can be used to produce germ oil; the starch-containing slurry enters the subsequent refining process to ultimately produce high-quality corn starch. Example 3

[0030] To verify the effectiveness of the technical solution of this invention, an industrial-scale test was conducted at a corn starch production enterprise. The test period was 30 days, and a control group using the traditional process was also set up. The test results are as follows: 1. Experiment on optimizing the ratio of corn to water The optimal ratio of corn to water was determined through orthogonal experiments. The experimental results are shown in Table 1. Table 1 As shown in Table 1 above, the experimental results show that when the ratio of corn to water is 1:1.45, the concentration of primary crude pulp is most stable, the feed concentration of the separator is exactly within the optimal separation range, and the germ extraction rate reaches the highest level, which is 4.3 percentage points higher than that of the traditional process.

[0031] 2. Experiment on optimizing the amount of water used for embryo washing To determine the optimal amount of water for washing the germ, experiments were conducted on the equipment current fluctuation rate under different water volumes. The results are shown in Table 2. Table 2 As shown in Table 2 above, the experimental results show that when the amount of washing water for germ is reduced by 20% compared with the traditional process, the equipment current fluctuation rate drops to 1.5%, which is 34.8% lower than the traditional process. At the same time, the starch content of germ only increases slightly, still meeting the requirements of subsequent processing. This indicates that reducing the amount of washing water by 20% can significantly improve the stability of equipment operation while ensuring product quality.

[0032] 3. Overall Results of Industrial-Scale Testing During a 30-day industrial trial, the technical solution of this invention showed significant improvements in all indicators compared to traditional processes, as detailed in Table 3: Table 3 As shown in Table 3 above, the test results indicate that the technical solution of the present invention can effectively solve the problems existing in the current corn starch production, significantly improve production stability and product quality, and reduce production costs, thus having good application prospects.

[0033] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the disclosed technical content without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, resulting in equivalent embodiments. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the Baumé of rough pulp by utilizing the feed flow rate of a de-embryo mill, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: (1) The corn raw material is transported to the feed hopper, and the material level in the hopper is monitored in real time by the material level sensor. The material replenishment is automatically controlled to ensure the continuity of feeding; (2) A variable frequency auger is installed at the feed port of the degerming mill. The speed of the auger is adjusted by the PLC controller to achieve precise control of the feed flow rate; (3) Water is introduced through the lower pipe, the diameter of the water inlet pipe is increased, and a high-precision electromagnetic flow meter is installed to collect the water flow data in real time; (4) The PLC controller dynamically adjusts the water flow rate according to the feed flow rate and the preset corn to water ratio to achieve precise matching of corn and water; (5) An inclined stainless steel filter screen is installed inside the variable frequency auger to perform secondary drainage treatment on the mixture and separate excess water; (6) The Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp is monitored in real time by the Baume degree sensor. When the Baume degree deviates from the set value, the water flow rate is automatically adjusted to stabilize the Baume degree of the primary coarse pulp at about 8.0be.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the auger speed range is 0-50 r / min, and the feed flow rate control accuracy is ±2%.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (5), the stainless steel filter screen is tilted at an angle of 18°, which can separate 10%-15% of the moisture in the mixture.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of corn kernels to water is 1:1-2.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of corn kernels to water is 1:1.

45.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), the cone angle of the feed hopper is 60°-70°, and the material level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor with a measurement accuracy of ±10mm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feed hopper is made of 304 stainless steel with a polished inner wall to prevent bridging and blockage of corn raw materials.

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