Production system having a near-infrared spectrometer

Abstract

In this specification, a production system (1) is disclosed, which includes a plurality of production lines (2, 3, 4) on which bulk products are transported respectively, a sampling configuration (12) for collecting samples of the bulk products from a plurality of sampling positions included at least in each product line (2, 3, 4) and providing substances to an optical analysis system (19, 20, 21, 22) including at least one near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21), and control means (24) having a data communication interface connected to the interface of the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21), wherein the control means (24) is adapted to transfer data for identifying the substance sample in the sample container (17) to the control means of the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21), an optical analysis system (19, 20, 21, 22) configured to process analysis results using the above data for identifying the substance sample and provide an analysis output to the control means (24) as appropriate, and the control means is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices (5, 105, 205, 9, 109, 209, 10, 110, 210, 11, 111, 211) of the production lines (2, 3, 4) in response to the analysis output received from the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a production system including a plurality of production lines in which bulk products are transported respectively, and a sampling configuration for automatically collecting a substance sample of the product flow of the bulk product for analysis with a near-infrared spectrometer.

Background Art

[0002] International Patent Application No. WO2020 / 169622 discloses a production process in which a physical sample of a chemical substance used in the production process is analyzed in a laboratory facility, and experimental data from the analysis is used to generate a control signal for controlling the production process. This control signal closes a control loop for adjusting the process until the experimental data indicates compliance.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective method of controlling a production process by a control loop based on analysis of the content of a physical sample.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a production system, comprising: a plurality of production lines in which bulk products are each transported, heated if possible, extruded, dried, or otherwise processed; a sampling configuration for automatically collecting substance samples of the product flow of the bulk products from a plurality of sampling positions by an automatic sampling device, wherein the plurality of sampling positions include at least one sampling position of each of the above product lines, and the substance samples in separate sample containers are provided to an optical analysis system of the production system; a sampling configuration, wherein the optical analysis system includes at least one near-infrared spectrometer; control means having a data communication interface connected to the data communication interface of the near-infrared spectrometer, wherein the control means is adapted to transfer data for identifying the substance sample in the sample container to the control means of the near-infrared spectrometer before performing an optical analysis of the substance sample in the sample container; an optical analysis system configured to perform an optical analysis of the substance sample in the sample container through a transparent bottom of the sample container, wherein the optical analysis system processes the analysis results using the above data for identifying the substance sample and provides an analysis output to the control means as appropriate; and the control means is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices of the production line in response to the analysis output received from the near-infrared spectrometer.

[0005] Such a production system provides a sampling configuration configured to automatically collect substance samples of the product flow of bulk products from a plurality of sampling positions, including at least one sampling position of each of the above product lines, provide the substance samples to at least one near-infrared spectrometer, and configure control means of the production system to control the operation of one or more production devices in response to the analysis output from the near-infrared spectrometer. By means of such a production system, substance samples can be automatically collected from a plurality of sampling positions in a plurality of product lines and provided to the same optical analysis system, and an analysis result is used to form a control loop of the production system, thereby realizing a cost-effective method for controlling the production process.

[0006] To perform an automatic analysis for monitoring the quality of a product, it is known from the prior art, such as international patent application WO2020 / 094199, to obtain a sample directly from the product process of bulk products, for example, animal feed in pellet form, grains, etc. The sample is subjected to an optical analysis, such as spectroscopic analysis by near-infrared reflection (NIR).

[0007] The term production line is understood as a separate line of production devices through which a flow of material in the form of a bulk product passes, and the bulk product is presented as the final product at the outlet of the production line. The production devices can include, for example, a product mixer, an extruder, a product drying device, and / or a product cooling device.

[0008] The bulk product may be, for example, in the form of powder, particles, or pellets, or it may be a liquid, sludge, or slurry.

[0009] An automatic sampling device is a device typically placed in a production line, such as a conduit, to sample the flow of a bulk product during operation. Such sampling devices are disclosed, for example, in international applications WO2012 / 083966 and WO2009 / 092378, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0010] A separate sample container is an open container, the open side of which is left for filling and removing the material sample, and the side opposite the open side is a transparent bottom through which the material sample in the container can be optically analyzed by a near-infrared spectrometer operating in near-infrared reflection (NIR).

[0011] Data transferred to the near-infrared spectrometer to identify the substance sample of the sample container includes information regarding the substance sample such as the expected content ranges of moisture, fat, protein, and / or other constituents, which can be used to convert raw data from an infrared scan of the substance sample through the transparent bottom of the container into an analysis output. The raw data includes, for example, very precisely determined measurements of the content of substances in the substance sample such as moisture, protein, fat content, hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, amines, or sucrose / glucose. The data for identifying the substance sample may further include, for example, data indicating the production line, sampling location, sampling time, and / or unique identification code, which may be included in the analysis output.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the near-infrared spectrometer is adapted to provide data indicating the water content of the substance sample in the analysis output, and the control means is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices of the production line according to the water content. The water content may be used, for example, to control the amount of water added to the product mixer device of the production line where the substance sample is obtained, and / or to control the operation of the product drying device of the production line such as the drying temperature, the speed of the drying air, or the residence time of the bulk product in the product drying device.

[0013] Generally, the production devices adapted to be controlled in response to the output received by the control means preferably include one or more of the product mixer device, the product drying device, and the product cooling device.

[0014] The production system may further include at least one in-line spectrometer for each of the above product lines, the in-line spectrometer being configured to analyze the product flow of the bulk product at at least one in-line analysis position of each of the above product lines, provide an in-line output to a control means as appropriate, and the control means of the production system being adapted to provide the received analysis output from the near-infrared spectrometer to the in-line spectrometer for calibration. The in-line spectrometer is preferably adapted to perform analysis in the near-infrared spectrum.

[0015] The advantage of the in-line spectrometer is that the in-line spectrometer provides the control means with operating information of the production system almost instantaneously with little delay, whereas the analysis output from the near-infrared spectrometer is received by the control means with a much greater delay, but contains much more precise information regarding the contents of the bulk product. The in-line spectrometer has low accuracy, but the usefulness of the in-line output to the control means is significantly improved when the calibration of the in-line spectrometer can be continuously improved and adjusted by the analysis output from the near-infrared spectrometer. In particular, the control means may be adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices on the production line in response to the in-line output received from the in-line spectrometer.

[0016] The in-line spectrometer may in particular be adapted to provide data indicating the water content of the substance sample in the in-line output, and the control means is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices on the production line according to the water content.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the production devices adapted to be controlled by the control means in response to the in-line output received from the in-line spectrometer may include one or more of a product mixer device, a product drying device, and a product cooling device.

[0018] The sampling configuration may preferably be configured to provide substance samples automatically collected from more than one production line, and in some cases from more than one sampling position on each production line, to the same near-infrared spectrometer. Thereby, one and the same near-infrared spectrometer can be used to analyze substance samples obtained from a number of sampling positions within different production lines. However, the production system may include only one near-infrared spectrometer, but it does not rule out the production system including more than one near-infrared spectrometer.

[0019] The sampling configuration may further include a grinding system configured to grind the substance sample before placing the substance sample in the sample container. This is particularly useful when the bulk substance is in the form of particles or pellets, in which case, by grinding the substance sample finer before the optical analysis of the substance sample by the near-infrared spectrometer, a more precise and homogeneous analysis can be obtained, whereby an analysis output from the near-infrared spectrometer is obtained.

[0020] The production system may further include weighing means configured to weigh the substance sample before placing the substance sample in the sample container, in particular to ensure that all of the transparent bottom of the sample container is sufficiently covered by the substance sample so that the substance sample surely contains a sufficient amount of the substance to be analyzed for satisfactory analysis results. The automatic sampling device may further or alternatively be adapted to collect a predefined volume of sample substance for the substance sample for the same reason.

[0021] The optical analysis system may further include a camera for recording an image of the upper surface of the substance sample within the sample container through the open side of the sample container for its analysis, for example with respect to the particle size distribution and / or the color distribution of the particles of the substance sample. The camera may preferably be configured to detect the height of the upper surface of the sample substance within the sample container and to determine whether the sample container is sufficiently filled with the sample for subsequent analysis.

[0022] The optical analysis system may further include, or alternatively to the camera, an ultrasonic scanner arranged to scan the upper surface of a substance sample located within a sample container in order to detect the height of the upper surface of the sample substance within the sample container.

[0023] The production system may further include a product sample packaging configuration, the sampling configuration being adapted to provide the substance samples collected by the sampling configuration from a plurality of sampling positions to the product packaging configuration, the product packaging configuration being adapted to provide a sample package having each of the individual substance samples, and the production system including control means adapted to transfer data identifying the substance samples to a labeling configuration for labeling the sample packages with corresponding data identifying the substance samples. Such sample packages can be used to subsequently track and trace deviations that may occur in the production of the final bulk substance.

[0024] The sampling configuration may preferably be adapted to collect a substance sample and divide the substance sample into one part for the optical analysis system and another part for the product sample packaging configuration. Thereby, an analysis output directly connected to the sample package is obtained for subsequently tracking and tracing the production of the final bulk substance.

[0025] Examples of systems according to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

Figure 1

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] The present invention is not limited to the features of the drawings provided to support the understanding of the present invention.

[0028] A production system 1 including three production lines 2, 3, 4 for bulk products such as dry animal feed provided as extruded pellets as the final product is shown in FIG. 1. However, production lines for other bulk products may alternatively or additionally be included.

[0029] Each production line 2, 3, 4 includes mixers 5, 105, 205, and each mixer has an inlet 6, 106, 206 for water, an inlet 7, 107, 207 for a first raw material, and an inlet 8, 108, 208 for a second raw material. More inlets for raw materials may be assumed for each mixer 5, 105, 205.

[0030] From the mixers 5, 105, 205, the bulk product in the form of a paste or wet mass is transferred to extruders 9, 109, 209 where pellets are formed by extrusion and cutting. The pellets are dried by a hot air stream in subsequent dryers 10, 110, 210, and then the pellets are cooled in coolers 11, 111, 211. Thus, the final bulk product in the form of dried and cooled pellets is ready for packaging (not shown). Each production line 2, 3, 4 is provided with several automatic sampling devices arranged at respective sampling positions 13 after the mixers 5, 105, 205, after the dryers 10, 110, 210, and after the coolers 11, 111, 211. After the coolers 11, 111, 211, not only are near-infrared in-line sensors 23 installed for continuous monitoring of the content of the final bulk product such as moisture, fat content, or protein, but the content of hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, amines, or sucrose / glucose may also be monitored.

[0031] The automatic sampling device 13 is operated by the control system 24 to extract a substance sample of the bulk material flow into the sampling configuration 12, and the sampling configuration 12 directs the substance sample to the sample splitter 14, and the sample splitter 14 is operated by the control system 24 to direct the substance sample to the grinder 15, the packaging device 25, or to split the substance sample between the grinder 15 and the packaging device 25. The automatic sampling device 13 is adapted to collect a substance sample of a predefined volume, for example, by using a sampling cup filled to a predefined level a predefined number of times, for example, once or twice, to collect the substance sample.

[0032] In the case of a substance sample directed to the crusher 15, the content of the substance sample is crushed into a uniform particulate substance suitable for the following NIR (near-infrared) spectroscopy method. The mass of the substance sample is determined by the weight 15 by which the substance sample is transferred from the crusher 15. Since the volume is fixed from the automatic sampling device 13, the determined mass is provided to the control system 24 for calculating the density of the substance sample. If the detected mass is outside a predefined range, the substance sample is discharged, and a new sample from the same sampling position / automatic sampling device 13 is requested from the control system 24. From the weight 16, the crushed substance sample is placed on a sample container 17 having a transparent bottom, and a container operating device in the form of a robotic arm 18 is configured to transfer the sample container 17 to the analysis upper plate 17 of one of the two near-infrared spectrometers 19, 21. In the near-infrared spectrometers 19, 21, an optical analysis of the content of the sample container 17 by NIR is performed through the transparent bottom of the sample container 17. Identification data of the problematic substance sample, including data for the interpretation of the analysis such as the expected range of contents such as moisture, fat, protein, etc., and / or other data used for the calibration and / or interpretation of the analysis results, is transferred from the control system 24 of the production system 1 to the NIR spectrometers 19, 21, and the analysis output is returned to the control system 24. The analysis output typically includes data related to the water content of the substance sample, and may also be related to the fat or protein content, hydrocarbon, carboxylic acid, amine, or sucrose / glucose content. The analysis output can be used to control the operation of various production devices of the production system, such as mixers 5, 105, 205, dryers 10, 110, 210, and / or coolers 11, 111, 211. Further, the analysis output from the NIR spectrometers 19, 21 can be used to calibrate and / or adjust the near-infrared in-line sensor 23 in order to achieve a more reliable input from the near-infrared in-line sensor 23 to the control system 24. This is because the NIR spectrometers 19, 21 have the advantage of obtaining more precise measurements of the content of the analyzed substance sample, while the near-infrared in-line sensor 23 provides in-operation measurements of the content of the bulk substance.When the sample container 17 is placed on the upper plate of one of the two near-infrared spectrometers 19, 21 for analysis, cameras 20, 22 arranged to be visually accessible to the upper part of the sample container 17 record or scan the upper surface of the substance sample in the sample container 17 in order to analyze physical properties such as the particle size and size distribution of the substance sample.

[0033] The control system 24 may apply the analysis output received from the NIR spectrometers 19, 21 and / or the in-line output received from the in-line near-infrared sensor 23 to control the operation of one or more of various production devices of the production system, such as mixers 5, 105, 205, dryers 10, 110, 210, and / or coolers 11, 111, 211. The measured water content of the bulk substance can be used to control the operation of the water inlets 6, 106, 206 of the mixers 5, 105, 205, for example, by controlling the amount of water added to the mixture. The water content of the bulk substance can be used, additionally or alternatively, to control the drying and / or cooling processes by controlling the operation of the dryers 10, 110, 210 and / or the coolers 11, 111, 211, since both the drying and / or cooling processes remove water from the final product.

[0034] In the case of a substance sample directed to the packaging device 25 by the sample splitter 14, data identifying the substance sample is transferred from the control system 24 to the labeling device 26, whereby the package of the substance sample is labeled by the labeling device with, for example, production lines 2, 3, 4, sampling position 13, sampling time, type of final product, and / or other data, for example, data from the analysis output from the NIR spectrometers 19, 21 by analysis of the corresponding substance sample, especially the substance sample divided by the sample splitter 14 from the substance sample in the package. Such packaged substance samples may be used to subsequently track and trace deviations that may occur in the production of the final bulk substance.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1 Production system 2 First production line 3 Second production line 4 Third production line 5, 105, 205 Mixers 6, 106, 206 Water inlets of mixers 7, 107, 207 Inlets to mixers for the first raw material 8, 108, 208 Inlets to mixers for the second raw material 9, 109, 209 Extruders 10, 110, 210 Dryers 11, 111, 211 Coolers 12 Sampling configuration 13 Sampling positions with automatic sampling devices 14 Sample splitter 15 Crushers 16 Weight 17 Sample containers 18 Container operating devices 19 First near-infrared spectrometer 20 First camera 21 Second near-infrared spectrometer 22 Second camera 23 Near-infrared in-line sensor 24 Control system 25 Packaging device 26 Labeling device

Claims

1. Production system (1), Multiple production lines (2, 3, 4) where bulk products are transported, heated, extruded, dried, or otherwise processed, respectively. A sampling configuration (12) for automatically collecting material samples from a bulk product flow from multiple sampling locations (13) using an automated sampling device (13), wherein the multiple sampling locations (13) include at least one sampling location (13) in each of the product lines (2, 3, 4), and the material samples in separate sample containers (17) are provided to an optical analysis system (19, 20, 21, 22) of the production system (1), the optical analysis system includes at least one near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21), and the sampling configuration (12) is provided. A control means (24) having a data communication interface that connects to the data communication interface of the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21), wherein the control means (24) is adapted to transfer data identifying the substance sample in the sample container (17) to the control means of the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21) before performing optical analysis of the substance sample in the sample container (17), The optical analysis system (19, 20, 21, 22) is configured to perform optical analysis of the substance sample in the sample container (17) through the transparent bottom of the sample container (17), and processes the analysis results using the data that identifies the substance sample, and provides the analysis output to the control means (24) as appropriate. Equipped with, The production system (1) wherein the control means is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices (5, 105, 205, 9, 109, 209, 10, 110, 210, 11, 111, 211) of the production line (2, 3, 4) in response to the analysis output received from the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21).

2. The production system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21) is adapted to provide data indicating the water content of the substance sample in the analysis output, and the control means (24) is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices (5, 105, 205, 9, 109, 209, 10, 110, 210, 11, 111, 211) of the production line (2, 3, 4) in accordance with the water content.

3. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the production device, which is adapted to be controlled by the control means (24) in response to the received output, includes one or more of the following: product mixer devices (5, 105, 205), product drying devices (10, 110, 210), and product cooling devices (11, 111, 211).

4. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one inline spectrometer (23) for each of the product lines (2, 3, 4), wherein the inline spectrometer (23) is configured to analyze the product flow of bulk products at at least one inline analysis location for each of the product lines (2, 3, 4), and provides inline outputs as appropriate to the control means (24), and the control means (24) of the production system (1) is adapted to provide the analysis output received from the near-infrared spectrometer to the inline spectrometer (23) for calibration.

5. The production system (1) according to claim 4, wherein the in-line spectrometer (23) is adapted to perform the analysis in near-infrared spectroscopy.

6. The production system (1) according to claim 4, wherein the control means (24) is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices (5, 105, 205, 9, 109, 209, 10, 110, 210, 11, 111, 211) of the production line (2, 3, 4) in response to the inline output received from the inline spectrometer (23).

7. The production system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the inline spectrometer (23) is adapted to provide data indicating the water content of the substance sample in the inline output, and the control means (24) is adapted to control the operation of one or more production devices (5, 105, 205, 9, 109, 209, 10, 110, 210, 11, 111, 211) of the production line (2, 3, 4) in accordance with the water content.

8. The production system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the production device, which is adapted to be controlled by the control means (24) in response to the inline output received from the inline spectrometer (23), includes one or more of the following: product mixer devices (5, 105, 205), product drying devices (10, 110, 210), and product cooling devices (11, 111, 211).

9. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sampling configuration (12) is configured to automatically provide material samples collected from more than one of the production lines (2, 3, 4), and possibly from more than one of the sampling locations (13) of each production line (2, 3, 4), to the same near-infrared spectrometer (19, 21).

10. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sampling configuration (12) further comprises a grinding system (16) configured to grind the substance sample before placing the substance sample into the sample container (17).

11. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a weighing means (15) configured to weigh the substance sample before placing the substance sample into the sample container (17).

12. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the automatic sampling device (13) is adapted to collect a predefined volume of sample material from a material sample.

13. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical analysis system further includes cameras (20, 22) for recording images of the surface of a material sample in the sample container (17).

14. The product further comprises a product sample packaging configuration (25), wherein the sampling configuration (12) is adapted to provide substance samples collected by the sampling configuration (12) from the plurality of sampling locations (13) to the product packaging configuration (25), and the product packaging configuration (25) is adapted to provide a sample package having each of the individual substance samples. The production system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the production system (1) includes control means (24) adapted to transfer data identifying the substance sample to a labeling configuration (26) for labeling the sample package with the corresponding data identifying the substance sample.

15. The production system (1) according to claim 14, wherein the sampling configuration (12) is adapted to collect a substance sample and divide the substance sample into one substance sample portion for the optical analysis system and another portion for the product sample packaging configuration (25).

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