REFINER ORDER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a refiner arrangement for grinding and homogenizing a food mass, in particular chocolate mass, with a housing arrangement in which a roller assembly is provided, wherein at least two rollers are rotatably mounted at their respective roller ends via bearing means and can be driven by a drive arrangement, wherein at least one sensor element is provided for detecting film movement of the food mass on at least one roller, wherein at least one light source is provided which is arranged on the housing arrangement such that the light source sends light in the direction of the at least one roller, wherein the sensor element and / or the light source are designed such that a reflectance of a certain wavelength of a portion of the light reflected by the film of the food mass can be detected.

[0002] Such refiner arrangements are well known in the prior art. To ensure that the chocolate achieves the required consistency after conching, the food mass is rolled into a wafer-thin layer by several rollers in a refiner arrangement. Besides the necessary fineness, the refiner process also influences the chocolate's aroma. During rolling, the particles are subjected to strong compressive and shear forces, and the temperature in the roller gap also rises; all these factors have a significant impact on the chocolate's flavor. A refiner arrangement of this type is known, for example, from international patent application WO 2015 / 022374 A1. In this arrangement, the particle size of the food mass to be ground is measured and evaluated by means of one or more sensors.

[0003] Other refiner arrangements in which the food mass is monitored are known, for example, from IT MI 971 277 A1, WO 2018 / 196970 A1, and US 6,213,749 B1. Refiner arrangements of this type are known from US 4,519,304 A and EP 1,043,070 A1. These arrangements use the reflection of the food mass film on at least one roller for monitoring. However, all these methods have the disadvantage of being very inaccurate due to the large variation in the particle size of the food mass. Furthermore, this method is essentially limited to measuring the particle size of the food mass at an exit roller. Because of this limited measurement, adjusting the grinding process is extremely difficult and inaccurate.

[0004] The present invention therefore aims to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages in a simple and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, it seeks to optimize the consistency of the rolled mass, which in turn influences flavor development.

[0005] This task is accomplished by assigning at least two sensor elements to a single light source, with the sensor elements measuring the reflectance of different rollers. The sensor elements are, of course, optimally aligned to the light reflection. This creates a refiner arrangement that ensures the most uniform possible film of food mass with consistent particle size across all rollers. Depending on the food mass, a wavelength of colored light with greater or lesser absorption can be selected to assess the film's quality based on its reflection, thereby preventing streaking in the film.By appropriately positioning the light source, it is possible to illuminate multiple rollers with light via reflection, with the reflections from these rollers then being detected by one or more sensor elements. Furthermore, the use of different light wavelengths eliminates interfering influences such as stray light, temperature, etc. The comprehensive and rapid detection of the food mass film also makes it possible to optimize the fineness, aroma, and throughput of the refiner assembly. These measures can also positively influence the flavor-enhancing properties of a subsequent conching process.

[0006] In a particularly advantageous way, the light source emits colored light with a specific wavelength. With multiple light sources, each light source can, of course, emit colored light with different wavelengths. It is also conceivable that a sensor could detect a defined wavelength of the light emitted by the light source. This allows the different reflectances of the wavelengths to be utilized to optimally detect the film movement on different rollers via the sensor.

[0007] Particularly advantageous means are provided for adjusting the roller speed, such that the differential speed of the rollers relative to each other can be adjusted. This allows the particle size of the food mass to be adjusted particularly quickly, if desired.

[0008] Another way to directly influence particle size is by providing means for adjusting the roller gap and / or the back pressure that can be built up between the rollers. "Horizontally independent" in this context means that adjustment can also be made on only one side of the rollers. This adjustment can take place both during and outside of a refiner process. It is advantageous if the means for horizontally independent adjustment of the roller gap and / or back pressure are located in the bearing area, such that the gap or back pressure can be set differently. Due to the complex physical processes involved in drawing the food mass into the roller gap and the back pressure of the rollers against each other, differences in particle size can occur along the length of the rollers, even with a horizontally parallel arrangement.Correcting the roller gap specifically in the area of ​​the bearings ensures a uniform film thickness. The combination of these two fineness adjustments allows for further stabilization of the maximum throughput.

[0009] A particularly advantageous feature is the integration of a humidification system for moistening the food mass with, for example, water, emulsifiers, cocoa butter, and / or flavorings into at least one roller. This makes it possible to optimize the fineness and conching properties of the food mass, as well as flavor development, within the refiner assembly. For example, caramelization can be directly modified, and throughput can be further increased. Thus, in addition to the primary function of the roller mill—namely, targeted comminution—a targeted flavor optimization is added, which previously occurred inherently and uncontrolled.

[0010] Furthermore, a control unit can advantageously be provided that connects the control devices to each other, wherein the at least one light source is connected to the at least one sensor element, the drive arrangement, and / or the means for adjusting the roller speed, and / or the means for adjusting the roller gap, and / or the at least one humidification arrangement. This makes it possible to make very specific changes to the control devices of the refiner arrangement, depending on the detected film of food mass, in order to ensure optimal quality of the ground food mass in terms of taste and fineness at all times, even at high throughput. In this context, it is particularly advantageous if an algorithm is stored in the control unit, on the basis of which the control devices can be controlled.

[0011] An additional way to increase throughput is to provide a roller mill with five rollers, where the roller diameter of the last two rollers (viewed in the direction of film movement) is larger than the roller diameter of the first three rollers (viewed in the direction of film movement).

[0012] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, which shows: Figure 1 a perspective view of a refiner arrangement according to the invention, and Figure 2 a perspective, schematic view of a roller assembly of the refiner arrangement Figure 1 .

[0013] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a refiner arrangement 2 for grinding and homogenizing a food mass 3, in this case a chocolate mass. The refiner arrangement has a housing 4 in which a roller assembly 6 with five rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 is provided. At their respective roller ends 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, the five rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 are supported on both sides by corresponding bearing means 28, 30, 32, 34, 36. It should be clear that in Figure 1Only one end 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 of the corresponding roller 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 is shown. The rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 can be driven by a drive arrangement 38. In order to drive each roller 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 independently of the other rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, each roller 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 has its own drive device 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, which in this case provide the means for flexibly adjusting the roller speed of the respective rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16. This allows the differential speeds of the rollers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 to be adjusted relative to each other, making it particularly easy to adjust the particle size of the chocolate mass 3 to be ground. However, the drive arrangement 38 can also have only one or two drive units, in which case the means for adjusting the roller speed can also consist of a suitable gearbox, which is then operatively connected to a central drive unit.

[0014] Between the bearing elements 28 and 30, means for adjusting the roller spacing 50 are provided. Here, the bearing element 36 is displaceably arranged relative to the bearing element 34 on a vertically extending axis 52. The same arrangement is provided at the opposite shaft end. The gap between the roller ends 18 and 20 can then be adjusted via suitable drive means (not shown) in order to influence the particle size.

[0015] Corresponding means 52 are also provided for rollers 10, 12, 14, and 16. However, the focus here is on a one-sided or two-sided change in the back pressure / roller spacing of rollers 10, 12, 14, and 16. Axle 52 is mentioned only as an example of a means of adjustment. It should be clear that appropriate drive means must also be provided here.

[0016] A control device is provided at 54, which depends on the signals from several sensor elements 56, 58, 60, 62, 64 (see also Figure 2 , wherein the sensor elements 60, 62, 64 are shown in dashed lines) in the present embodiment control devices, such as the drive arrangement 38 with the respective drive devices 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and the means 52 for adjusting the roller distance / back pressure and a related Figure 2 The humidification arrangement 66 shown is controlled to ensure optimal results in terms of quality, fineness, aroma, and throughput. An algorithm is stored in the control unit 54 for this purpose.

[0017] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of the roller assembly 6. The chocolate mass 3 is guided from the lowest roller 8, via rollers 10, 12, and 14, to the last roller 16. The food mass 3 to be ground is guided from the lowest roller 8, also called the inlet roller, through the gap 68 to the rear of roller 10, then through the gap 70 to the front of roller 12, through the gap 72 to the rear of roller 14, and then through the gap 74 to the last roller 16, the discharge roller. As explained above, the gap width of the gap 68 is adjustable in this embodiment. In the case of "gaps" 70, 72, 74, the corresponding rollers 10, 12, 14 and 16 are at least partially in contact with each other with their circumferential surfaces, so that here we are primarily talking not about a change in the gap dimension, but about a change in the counter-pressure of the rollers on each other.

[0018] Reference numerals 76 and 78, represented here by lines, denote humidification devices of the humidification arrangement 66. Depending on the appearance of the film of the chocolate mass 3, the chocolate mass 3 is moistened here with, for example, water, cocoa butter, emulsifiers and / or flavorings.

[0019] As already mentioned above, sensor elements 56, 58, 60, 62, 64 are provided in the form of optical sensors that detect colored light emitted from light sources 80, 82 at specific wavelengths onto the film of the chocolate mass 3. The light sources 80, 82 are arranged such that the emitted colored light results in maximum reflection to the optical sensors. Based on the degree of reflection, a precise assessment of the appearance, particularly regarding streaking or the fineness of the film of the chocolate mass 3, is possible. The light sources 80, 82 are directed at one front and one back of the roller assembly 6. This precise alignment of the light sources 80, 82 makes it possible to illuminate multiple rollers and thus multiple areas of the film of the chocolate mass 3, enabling a particularly simple and cost-effective assessment of the quality of the chocolate mass 3.In this context, it is of course also possible to emit light with a broad spectrum, such as white light, and to use sensor devices that each detect only a specific wavelength range.

[0020] In this embodiment, the last two rollers 14, 16 have a larger diameter in order to significantly increase the throughput (>30%).

Claims

1. Refiner assembly for grinding and homogenizing a food mass (3), in particular a chocolate mass, comprising a housing assembly (4), in which a roll mill (6) is provided, wherein at least two rolls (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) are rotatably mounted at respective roll ends (18, 20, 22, 24, 26) by bearing means (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) and are drivable by a drive assembly (38), wherein at least one sensor member (56, 58, 60, 62, 64) is provided for detecting a reflection of a film of the food mass (3) on at least one roll (8, 10, 12, 14, 16), wherein at least one light source (80, 82) is provided, which is arranged on the housing assembly (4) such that the light source (80, 82) emits light in the direction of the at least one roll (8, 10, 12, 14, 16), wherein the sensor member (56, 58, 60, 62, 64) and / or the light source (80, 82) are configured such that a degree of reflection of a specific wavelength of a portion of the light reflected by the film of the food mass (3) is detectable, characterized in that at least two sensor members (56, 58, 60, 62, 64) are assigned to one light source (80, 82), wherein the sensor members detect the degree of reflection of different rolls (8, 10, 12, 14, 16).

2. Refiner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source (80, 82) emits colored light having a specific wavelength.

3. Refiner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor member (56, 58, 60, 62, 64) detects a defined wavelength of the light emitted by the light source (80, 82).

4. Refiner assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means for adjusting (40, 42, 44, 46, 48) a roll speed are provided such that a differential speed of the rolls (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) relative to one another is adjustable.

5. Refiner assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means for adjusting a roll spacing and / or a counterpressure which can be built up between the rolls (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) are provided.

6. Refiner assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the means are provided for horizontally independent adjustment of a roll spacing and / or of a counterpressure in the region of the bearing means (28, 30, 32, 34, 36), such that the gap dimension or the counterpressure is adjustable differently.

7. Refiner assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a moistening assembly (66) for moistening the food mass (3), for example with water, emulsifiers, cocoa butter and / or aromas, is assigned to at least one roll (8, 10, 12, 14, 16).

8. Refiner assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a control device (54) is provided, which connects control units to one another in terms of control technology, wherein the at least one light source (80, 82) is connected, in terms of control technology, to the at least one sensor member (56, 58, 60, 62, 64), to the drive assembly (38) and / or to the means for adjusting the roll speed (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) and / or to the means for adjusting the roll spacing (50) and / or to the at least one moistening assembly (66).

9. Refiner assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that an algorithm is stored in the control device (54), on the basis of which the control units are controllable.

10. Refiner assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a roll mill (6) having five rolls (8, 10, 12, 14, 16) is provided, wherein a roll diameter of the last two rolls (14, 16), as seen in the direction of film movement, is greater than a roll diameter of the first three rolls (8, 10, 12), as seen in the direction of film movement.