Aging equipment

Abstract

To provide a maturing device capable of automatically maturing an object to be maturated while maintaining proper temperature and humidity. [Solution] The device comprises an aging tank 2 for storing objects to be aged, and a control tank 4 which is connected to the aging tank 4 through an intake hole 31 and an exhaust hole 32. The control system 5 installed in the control tank 4 comprises a first thermoelectric unit 63 which has a first fin 61 on the first surface 6a of a first Peltier element 6 for cooling the gas drawn in from the aging tank 2 and a second fin 62 on the second surface 6b for radiating heat, a second thermoelectric unit 73 which has a third fin 71 on the third surface 71 of a second Peltier element 7 on the inside of the control tank 4 for cooling or heating the gas which has passed through the second fin 62 and a fourth fin 72 on the fourth surface 7b on the outside of the control tank 4 for radiating or absorbing heat, and one or more fans for circulating the gas in the aging tank 2 between the control tank 4 and the aging tank 2.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aging device for aging food at appropriate temperature and humidity. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for a plant growing device. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a cabinet body surrounded by a heat-insulating wall, an opening / closing door on one appropriate surface of the cabinet body, an illumination window on the top surface or an appropriate side surface, an LED lighting device installed in the illumination window so as to face the illumination window, an LED control means for controlling the LED lighting device near the LED lighting device or on an appropriate side surface of the cabinet, and the cabinet body further comprises a growth detection sensor for detecting the growth status of the plant, a growth environment monitoring means for monitoring the plant growth environment, and at least a part of a growth environment generation means for generating the growth environment, and a growth environment control means for controlling the growth environment generation means based on information from the growth environment monitoring means, in an appropriate position.

[0003] Also, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a vanilla carrying device. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a processing chamber in which vanilla beans are stored, an irradiation unit that irradiates the processing chamber with electromagnetic waves, a spray unit that sprays water or an aqueous solution containing an acid or an oxidizing agent into the processing chamber in the form of a mist using an ultrasonic vibrator, and a control unit that controls the operation of the irradiation unit and the spray unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-79254 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7714315 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is based solely on the cultivation of plants and is not suitable for processes that require detailed control, such as aging. Furthermore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 effectively cures vanilla, but is not sufficient for detailed control.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a aging device that can automatically perform aging of an object to be aged while maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The aging apparatus of the present invention comprises an aging tank for storing aging objects, and a control tank having an intake hole and an exhaust hole between the aging tank and the control tank, and a control system for controlling the humidity and / or temperature of the aging tank installed therein.The control tank is equipped with a first thermoelectric unit having a first fin on a first surface of a first Peltier element for cooling the gas intake from the aging tank and a second fin on a second surface of the first Peltier element for dissipating heat generated by the cooling, a second thermoelectric unit having a third fin on the inside of the control tank for cooling or heating the gas supplied via the second fin on a third surface of a second Peltier element and a fourth fin on the outside of the control tank for dissipating the heat generated by the cooling or absorbing the heat required for the heating, and one or more fans that send the gas in the aging tank from the intake hole to the control tank, and then through the first fin, the second fin, and the third fin to the aging tank from the exhaust hole.

[0008] As described above, the aging apparatus according to the present invention comprises an aging tank for accommodating an object to be aged, and a control tank having an intake hole and an exhaust hole between the aging tank and the control tank, and accommodating a control system for controlling the humidity and / or temperature of the aging tank. The control tank has a first thermoelectric unit having a first fin on a first surface of a first Peltier element for cooling the gas suctioned from the aging tank and a second fin on a second surface of the first Peltier element for radiating heat generated by the cooling, and a third fin on the inside of the control tank for cooling or heating the gas supplied to a third surface of a second Peltier element via the second fin. In addition, the device is equipped with a second thermoelectric unit having a fourth fin on the outside of the control tank for radiating heat generated by the cooling on the fourth surface of the second Peltier element or absorbing heat required for the heating, and one or more fans for sending gas from the aging tank to the control tank through the intake hole and then through the first fin, the second fin, and the third fin to the exhaust hole and then to the aging tank.This makes it possible to dehumidify the gas sucked in from the aging tank by the first thermoelectric unit, and by adjusting the temperature of the dehumidified gas by the second thermoelectric unit and circulating it back to the aging tank, it is possible to maintain an appropriate environment inside the aging tank.

[0009] In addition, since cooling (dehumidification) and heating can be controlled using a Peltier element, there is no need to install a heater or other heat-generating device, which simplifies the device configuration and reduces power consumption by utilizing heat from the outside air. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a ripening device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device of a control system in a ripening device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a pattern in which a control device controls the driving of a humidifier, a first Peltier element, and a second Peltier element in the aging device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The ripening device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The ripening device 1 according to this embodiment is a device for ripening an object to be ripened, and examples of the object to be ripened include vanilla, banana, avocado, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, persimmon, peach, pear, plum, tomato, and bell pepper. In particular, in the case of vanilla, post-harvest curing is possible. Below, the ripening device will be described assuming that the object to be ripened is vanilla, and that the vanilla is to be carried.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a ripening apparatus according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the ripening apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a ripening tank 2 for storing vanilla beans B, which are to be ripened, and a control tank 4 for installing a control system 5 for controlling the humidity and / or temperature of the ripening tank 2, via a partition 3 having an air intake vent 31 and an exhaust vent 32 between the ripening tank 2 and the control tank 4. The ripening tank 2 and the control tank 4 are arranged side by side horizontally, with the air intake vent 31 provided below the partition 3 and the exhaust vent 32 provided above the partition 3. The air intake vent 31 is provided with a first fan 81 for drawing in gas (specifically, air) from the ripening tank 2 and sending it to the control tank 4, and the exhaust vent 32 is provided with a second fan 82 for drawing in gas (specifically, air) from the control tank 4 and sending it to the ripening tank 2. In other words, air is constantly circulating between the ripening tank 2 and the control tank 4 via the air intake vent 31 and the exhaust vent 32.

[0013] The control tank 4 has five main spatial regions inside and one spatial region outside. Inside, a first spatial region R1 is provided, which is connected via an air intake 31, and a second spatial region R2 is provided directly above the first spatial region R1 via a first partition plate 51 and a first thermoelectric unit 63 (described later). The first partition plate 51 and the first thermoelectric unit 63 are provided with cutouts on the side opposite to the side where the aging tank 2 is provided (hereinafter referred to as one side, which refers to the right side in the plane of the paper in FIG. 1), and this cutout portion allows the first spatial region R1 and the second spatial region R2 to communicate with each other.

[0014] A third spatial region R3 is provided directly above the second spatial region R2 via a second partition plate 52. The second partition plate 52 has a cutout on the side where the aging tank 2 is provided (hereinafter referred to as the other side, which refers to the left side in the direction of the paper surface of FIG. 1), and this cutout allows the second spatial region R2 and the third spatial region R3 to communicate with each other.

[0015] A fourth spatial region R4 is provided directly above the third spatial region R3 via a third partition plate 53. The third partition plate 53 has a notch on one side, which connects the third spatial region R3 and the fourth spatial region R4. The fourth spatial region R4 is connected to the aging chamber 2 via an exhaust hole 32. In addition, in the fourth spatial region R4, heat is transferred bidirectionally between the interior of the controlled chamber 4 (fourth spatial region R4) and the external spatial region R5 via a second thermoelectric unit 73 (described later). That is, as will be described in detail later, an external spatial region R5 is provided directly above the fourth spatial region R4 via the second thermoelectric unit 73, allowing heat to transfer between the interior and exterior of the controlled chamber 4.

[0016] A storage space region R6 is provided at the bottom of the control tank 4 for storing moisture collected from the circulating air through a funnel 91. The moisture stored here will be described in detail below, along with a method for adjusting humidity.

[0017] As described above, the first thermoelectric unit 63 constituting the control system 5 is provided between the first spatial region R1 and the second spatial region R2 of the control vessel 4. The first thermoelectric unit 63 has a first fin 61 on the first surface 6a of the first Peltier element 6 for cooling the air drawn in from the aging vessel 2, and a second fin 62 on the second surface 6b of the first Peltier element 6 for dissipating heat generated by cooling on the first surface 6a. In FIG. 1, the first surface 6a is the lower surface of the first Peltier element 6, and the second surface 6b is the upper surface of the first Peltier element 6. In addition, the second surface 6b of the first Peltier element 6 is provided with a first thermal conductor 64 with high thermal conductivity between the second surface 6b and the second fin 62 to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

[0018] A second thermoelectric unit 73, which constitutes the control system 5, is provided between the fourth spatial region R4 and the external spatial region R5 of the controlled vessel 4. The second thermoelectric unit 73 includes a third fin 71 in the fourth spatial region R4 for cooling or heating air delivered to the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 via the second fin 62, and a fourth fin 72 in the external spatial region R5 for radiating heat generated by cooling on the third surface 7a or absorbing heat required for heating on the fourth surface 7b of the second Peltier element 7. In FIG. 1 , the third surface 7a is the lower surface of the second Peltier element 7, and the fourth surface 7b is the upper surface of the second Peltier element 7. A third fan 83 for cooling the fourth fin 72 is provided in the external spatial region R5. Furthermore, a second thermal conductor 74 with high thermal conductivity is provided between the fourth surface 7b of the second Peltier element 7 and the fourth fin 72 to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

[0019] In other words, in the first thermoelectric unit 63, heat is transferred between the first spatial region R1 and the second spatial region R2 inside the controlled tank 4, whereas in the second thermoelectric unit 73, heat is transferred between the fourth spatial region R4 inside the controlled tank 4 and the external spatial region R5 outside the controlled tank 4.

[0020] The control system 5 also includes a humidifier 92 that sprays water into the first spatial region R1 of the control tank 4, a storage tank 93 that stores the water collected by the funnel 91, a first drain pipe 94 for draining the water from the storage tank 93, a second drain pipe 95 for draining the water to the outside when water accumulates in the third spatial region R3, and a control device 100 (not shown in Figure 1) that manages and controls the overall operation of the control system 5.

[0021] In the aging device 1, air from the aging tank 2 flows in through the intake holes 31 due to the suction force of the first fan 81 and the second fan 82, passes through the first fins 61 from the first spatial region R1 of the control tank 4, and moves to the second spatial region R2, which is connected to the control tank 4 on one side. In the second spatial region R2, the air flowing in from the first spatial region R1 passes through the second fins 62 and moves to the third spatial region R3, which is connected to the control tank 4 on the other side. The air that has moved to the third spatial region R3 moves directly to the fourth spatial region R4, which is connected to the control tank 4 on one side, and in the fourth spatial region R4, passes through the third fins 71 and flows out of the exhaust holes 32 into the aging tank 2. This air flow allows air to circulate between the aging tank 2 and the control tank 4.

[0022] In order to perform curing in the aging tank 2 so as to maximize the aroma of vanilla B, it is important to strictly control the humidity and temperature of the aging tank 2. In the configuration of the aging device 1 described above, the air flow described above makes it possible to properly control the humidity and temperature of the aging tank 2. The adjustment of humidity and temperature accompanying the air flow will be described in detail below.

[0023] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device of the control system in the aging apparatus according to this embodiment. The control device 100 includes a temperature sensor 101 for measuring the temperature in the aging chamber 2, a humidity sensor 102 for measuring the humidity in the aging chamber 2, a control microcomputer 110 for controlling the operation of the first Peltier element 6, the second Peltier element 7, the humidifier 92, and various fans (first fan 81, second fan 82, third fan 83) based on the measurement results of the temperature sensor 101 and the humidity sensor 102, a liquid crystal display 103 for displaying the calculation results of the control microcomputer 110 and the management status of the control system 5 by the control microcomputer 110, and a power supply unit 104 for supplying power for operating the control microcomputer 110.

[0024] The control microcomputer 110 basically controls the first fan 81 and the second fan 82 to operate constantly while the vanilla B is being cured. In other words, the air circulation as described above is constantly occurring. This air circulation adjusts the temperature and humidity inside the aging tank 2. First, the adjustment of humidity will be described below.

[0025] The control microcomputer 110 controls the humidifier 92 to operate when the humidity value in the aging chamber 2 measured by the humidity sensor 102 is below a predetermined optimum range. Note that this predetermined optimum range is a value indicating an optimum humidity range registered in advance in the control microcomputer 110, and the optimum range is registered in advance depending on the curing process and the passage of time. By operating the humidifier 92, moisture is added to the circulating air, making it possible to maintain the humidity in the aging chamber 2 within the optimum range. The control microcomputer 110 controls the humidifier 92 to stop operating when the value of the humidity sensor 102 returns to the optimum range.

[0026] Furthermore, the control microcomputer 110 drives the first Peltier element 6 when the humidity value in the aging chamber 2 measured by the humidity sensor 102 is greater than a predetermined appropriate range. When the first Peltier element 6 is driven, the first surface 6a is cooled by absorbing heat, and the second surface 6b is heated by radiating heat. The cooling of the first surface 6a causes condensation to form on the first fins 61, and the air passing through these first fins 61 is dehumidified. That is, the dehumidified air passing through the first fins 61 is sent to the aging chamber 2 through the exhaust holes 32, thereby lowering the humidity in the aging chamber 2 and keeping it within the appropriate range. The control microcomputer 110 controls the driving of the first Peltier element 6 to stop when the value of the humidity sensor 102 returns to the appropriate range. The condensed water droplets on the first fins 61 naturally flow downward along the vertically arranged fins and are eventually collected from the funnel 91 into the storage tank 93.

[0027] The water collected in the storage tank 93 may be constantly discharged to the outside of the apparatus through the first drain pipe 94, or may be periodically discharged to the outside of the apparatus through the first drain pipe 94. Alternatively, the first drain pipe 94 may not be provided, and the storage space region R6 may be configured to be openable and closable, and the storage tank 93 may be configured to be removable, so that the water in the storage tank 93 can be manually discarded periodically. Alternatively, a liquid level meter may be provided in the storage tank 93, and the liquid level measured by the liquid level meter may be acquired by the control microcomputer 110 and displayed on the liquid crystal display 103. At this time, if the liquid level exceeds a predetermined value, information indicating that maintenance of the storage tank 93 is required may also be displayed on the liquid crystal display 103.

[0028] Next, the temperature adjustment in the aging chamber 2 will be described. The control microcomputer 110 controls the second Peltier element 7 to be driven when the temperature value in the aging chamber 2 measured by the temperature sensor 101 is below a predetermined optimum range. Note that this predetermined optimum range is a value indicating an optimum temperature range pre-registered in the control microcomputer 110, and the optimum range is pre-registered depending on the curing process and the elapsed time. When driving the second Peltier element 7, the control microcomputer 110 drives the second Peltier element 7 with a current direction such that the third surface 7a is heated by heat radiation and the fourth surface 7b is cooled by heat absorption. By driving the second Peltier element 7 in this manner, the third surface 7a is heated and the third fin 71 is heated to a high temperature, and the temperature of the air passing through this third fin 71 increases. In other words, the air heated after passing through the third fin 71 is sent to the aging chamber 2 through the exhaust hole 32, thereby raising the temperature of the aging chamber 2 and maintaining it within the optimum range. The control microcomputer 110 controls the second Peltier element 7 to stop driving when the value of the temperature sensor 101 returns to the appropriate range.

[0029] The control microcomputer 110 also drives the second Peltier element 7 when the temperature value inside the aging chamber 2 measured by the temperature sensor 101 is greater than a predetermined optimum range. When driving the second Peltier element 7, the control microcomputer 110 drives the second Peltier element 7 with a current direction such that the third surface 7a is cooled by absorbing heat and the fourth surface 7b is heated by radiating heat. Driving the second Peltier element 7 in this manner cools the third fins 71 as the third surface 7a absorbs heat, lowering the temperature of the air passing through the third fins 71. That is, the air cooled after passing through the third fins 71 is sent to the aging chamber 2 through the exhaust holes 32, lowering the temperature of the aging chamber 2 and keeping it within the optimum range. At this time, the control microcomputer 110 drives the third fan 83 to effectively cool the heat radiated from the fourth surface 7b, preventing heat-related malfunction or damage to the second Peltier element 7. The control microcomputer 110 controls the second Peltier element 7 to stop driving when the value of the temperature sensor 101 returns to the appropriate range.

[0030] As described above, the control device 100 can adjust the humidity and temperature of the aging chamber 2. However, more complex and precise adjustments are possible by controlling the first thermoelectric unit 63, the second thermoelectric unit 73, and the humidifier 92 in combination. For example, when the humidity in the aging chamber 2 is high and the temperature is low, the control microcomputer 110 drives the first Peltier element 6 to dehumidify the air by passing it through the first fin 61 and raise the air temperature by passing it through the second fin 62. Furthermore, if the temperature is still low, the second Peltier element 7 can be driven to raise the air temperature. If the humidity can be adjusted by driving the first Peltier element 6 but the temperature becomes too high, the second Peltier element 7 can be driven to lower the air temperature.

[0031] Specific examples will be described below regarding control patterns by the control device 100. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a pattern when the control device controls the drive of the humidifier, the first Peltier element, and the second Peltier element.

[0032] In FIG. 3, pattern (1) is a case where the control device 100 controls to drive only the humidifier 92. In this case, the humidity in the aging chamber 2 can be increased. Pattern (2) is a case where the control device 100 controls to drive only the first Peltier element 6. In this case, the humidity in the aging chamber 2 can be decreased and the temperature can be increased. Pattern (3) is a case where the control device 100 controls to drive the first Peltier element 6 and also drives the second Peltier element 7 as heating means (with the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 as the heat dissipation side and the fourth surface 7b as the heat absorption side). In this case, the humidity in the aging chamber 2 can be decreased and the temperature can be increased significantly (more than in pattern (2)).

[0033] Pattern (4) is a case where the control device 100 controls the first Peltier element 6 and the second Peltier element 7 to be driven as a cooling means (with the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 as the heat absorption side and the fourth surface 7b as the heat release side). In this case, it is possible to lower the humidity and temperature in the aging chamber 2. Note that, in order to lower the temperature of the aging chamber 2, it is necessary to use the third fins 71 to lower the temperature of the air whose temperature has been increased by the second fins 62 to a temperature equal to or higher than that increased temperature. In other words, the control device 100 controls the current to flow at a magnitude that generates a cooling function such that the cooling temperature of the third fins 71 becomes lower than the temperature before the temperature increased by the second fins 62.

[0034] Pattern (5) is a case where the control device 100 controls so that only the second Peltier element 7 is driven as a heating means (with the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 as the heat dissipation side and the fourth surface 7b as the heat absorption side). In this case, the temperature of the aging chamber 2 can be increased. Pattern (6) is a case where the control device 100 controls so that only the second Peltier element 7 is driven as a cooling means (with the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 as the heat absorption side and the fourth surface 7b as the heat dissipation side). In this case, the humidity in the aging chamber 2 can be reduced and the temperature can be reduced.

[0035] Pattern (7) is a case where the control device 100 controls the humidifier 92 and the second Peltier element 7 to be driven as a cooling means (with the third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7 as the heat absorption side and the fourth surface 7b as the heat release side). In this case, the temperature can be lowered while maintaining the humidity in the aging chamber 2. Note that, to maintain the humidity in the aging chamber 2, it is necessary to humidify the humidifier 92 to an extent equivalent to the amount of moisture that condenses on the third fin 71. In other words, the control device 100 controls the driving state of the humidifier 92 to such an extent that the humidity in the aging chamber 2 is maintained. For example, when a spray unit such as that shown in Patent Document 2 is used, the amount of moisture to be humidified can be adjusted by controlling the frequency and amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrator.

[0036] In the case of pattern (7), condensation occurs on the third fins 71, and more moisture adheres to the third fins 71 due to humidification by the humidifier 92. This moisture can then be used to clean the third fins 71. Furthermore, moisture dripping from the third fins 71 falls onto the third partition plate 53. As shown in FIG. 1, the third partition plate 53 is disposed so as to slope downward from the other side to one side. The second partition plate 52 is also disposed so as to slope downward from the other side to one side. That is, moisture that falls onto the third partition plate 53 falls onto the second partition plate 52 according to the slope of the third partition plate 53, and is then stored on one side of the second partition plate 52 due to the slope of the second partition plate 52. A second drain pipe 95 is provided in this storage area, as shown in FIG. 1, to allow the stored moisture to be discharged to the outside.

[0037] The same can be done for the first fins 61, and the first fins 61 can be cleaned with condensation formed on the first fins 61 and water sprayed from the humidifier 92. These cleaning processes may be performed during maintenance when the aging process is not being performed in the aging tank 2.

[0038] As described above, the aging apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes the aging tank 2 for storing objects to be aged, and the control tank 4 having an intake hole 31 and an exhaust hole 32 between the aging tank 2 and the control system 5 for controlling the humidity and / or temperature of the aging tank 2. The control system 5 includes a first thermoelectric unit 63 having a first fin 61 for cooling the gas drawn in from the aging tank 2 on a first surface 6a of the first Peltier element 6 and a second fin 62 for radiating heat generated by cooling on a second surface 6b of the first Peltier element 6, and a second fin 63 for radiating heat generated by cooling on a third surface 7a of the second Peltier element 7. The device is equipped with a second thermoelectric unit 73 having a third fin 71 on the inside of the control tank 4 for cooling or heating the gas supplied via the fin 62, and a fourth fin 72 on the outside of the control tank 4 for radiating heat generated by cooling on the fourth surface 7b of the second Peltier element 7 or absorbing heat required for the heating, and one or more fans (first fan 81, second fan 82, etc.) that send the gas from the aging tank 2 to the control tank 4 through the intake hole 31, and then send it to the aging tank 2 through the exhaust hole 32 via the first fin 61, second fin 62 and third fin 71.

[0039] Therefore, the first thermoelectric unit 63 can dehumidify the gas drawn in from the aging tank 2, and the second thermoelectric unit 73 adjusts the temperature of the dehumidified gas and circulates it back to the aging tank 2, thereby maintaining an appropriate environment inside the aging tank 2. Furthermore, because cooling (dehumidification) and heating can be controlled by a Peltier element, there is no need to provide a heater or other device as a heat generating device, which simplifies the device configuration and reduces power consumption by utilizing heat from the outside air.

[0040] Furthermore, if necessary, the aging tank 2 and the control tank 4 are arranged side by side horizontally, and an intake hole 31 is provided below the partition 3 between the aging tank 2 and the control tank 4, and an exhaust hole 32 is provided above the partition 3. In the control tank 4, the gas from the aging tank 2 that flows in through the intake hole 31 flows from bottom to top through the first fin 61, the second fin 62, and the third fin 71 in that order, and is then sent out to the aging tank 2 through the exhaust hole 32. This allows for smooth circulation of the gas, and since the gas circulates from top to bottom in the aging tank 2, the object to be aged can be aged in an overall uniform environment.

[0041] Furthermore, if necessary, the device may be provided with a control device 100 for controlling the operation of the first Peltier element 6 and the second Peltier element 7, and a water recovery mechanism consisting of a funnel 91 for recovering water droplets adhering to the first fin 61, a storage tank 93, and a first drain pipe 94. The control device 100 controls the first Peltier element 6 to cool the first fin 61 in the first thermoelectric unit 63, thereby cooling the gas passing through the first fin 61 and condensing the water vapor, thereby dehumidifying the gas circulating within the device and reducing the humidity within the aging tank 2.

[0042] Furthermore, if necessary, a control device 100 is provided that controls the driving of the first Peltier element 6 and the second Peltier element 7, and the control device 100 controls the second Peltier element 7 to heat the third fin 71 of the second thermoelectric unit 73 when increasing the temperature of the aging tank 2, and controls the second Peltier element 7 to cool the third fin 71 of the second thermoelectric unit 73 when decreasing the temperature of the aging tank 2, thereby adjusting the temperature of the gas circulating within the device and maintaining an appropriate temperature within the aging tank 2.

[0043] Furthermore, if necessary, when the control device 100 reduces the humidity in the aging tank 2 and adjusts it to a predetermined temperature, it controls the first Peltier element 6 to cool the first fin 61 of the first thermoelectric unit 63, and controls the second Peltier element 7 so that the temperature of the gas passing through the third fin 71 via the second fin 62 becomes the predetermined temperature by adding the temperature heated by the second fin 62.Therefore, even if the circulating gas is dehumidified and unnecessarily heated by the first thermoelectric unit 63, the temperature can be readjusted by the second thermoelectric unit 73 to maintain an appropriate environment in the aging tank 2.

[0044] Furthermore, if necessary, the control tank 4 is provided with a humidifier 92 that sprays water into the space within the control tank 4, so that even if the humidity in the aging tank 2 becomes too low, the humidity can be adjusted by the humidifier 92. Furthermore, the humidifier 92 can increase the moisture content in the gas by spraying moisture into the gas, and this moisture can be condensed on the first fin 61 and the third fin 71, thereby cleaning the fins. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1. Aging equipment 2 Aging tank 3 Partition 31 Air intake 32 Exhaust vent 4 Control Tank 5. Control System 6. First Peltier element 7 Second Peltier element 6a 1st page 6b 2nd side 7a 3rd page 7b Side 4 51 First partition 52 Second partition 53 Third partition 61 First Fin 62 Second Fin 63 First thermoelectric unit 64 First thermal conductor 71 Third Fin 72 4th Fin 73 Second thermoelectric unit 74 Second thermal conductor 81 First Fan 82 Second Fan 83 Third Fan 91 Roth 92 Humidifier 93 Reservoir 94 First Drain Pipe 95 Second Drain Pipe 100 control device 101 Temperature Sensor 102 Humidity sensor 103 LCD display 104 Power supply section 110 Control microcomputer R1 1st spatial region R2 2nd spatial region R3 3rd spatial region R4 4th spatial region R5 External space area R6 Storage space area

Claims

1. an aging tank for storing an object to be aged; a control tank having an intake port and an exhaust port between the control tank and the maturation tank, and a control system for controlling the humidity and / or temperature of the maturation tank installed therein; The control system includes: a first thermoelectric unit having a first fin on a first surface of a first Peltier element for cooling the gas sucked from the maturation tank and a second fin on a second surface of the first Peltier element for radiating heat generated by the cooling; a second thermoelectric unit having a third fin on the inside of the control tank for cooling or heating the gas supplied via the second fin to a third surface of the second Peltier element, and a fourth fin on the outside of the control tank for radiating heat generated by the cooling or absorbing heat required for the heating to a fourth surface of the second Peltier element; one or more fans that send the gas in the aging tank through the intake hole to the control tank, and then send the gas through the first fin, the second fin, and the third fin to the aging tank through the exhaust hole; A maturing device comprising:

2. The ripening apparatus according to claim 1, the aging tank and the control tank are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, the intake hole is provided below a partition plate between the maturation tank and the control tank, and the exhaust hole is provided above the partition plate; In the control tank, the gas from the aging tank that flows in through the intake hole flows from bottom to top through the first fin, the second fin, and the third fin in that order, and is sent out to the aging tank through the exhaust hole. A maturing device characterized by:

3. The ripening apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, a control unit that controls driving of the first Peltier element and the second Peltier element; a water recovery mechanism that recovers water droplets adhering to the first fin, The control unit controls the first Peltier element to cool the first fin of the first thermoelectric unit, and cools the gas passing through the first fin to condense water vapor. A maturing device characterized by:

4. The ripening apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, a control unit that controls driving of the first Peltier element and the second Peltier element, The control unit controls the second Peltier element to heat the third fin of the second thermoelectric unit when increasing the temperature of the maturation tank, and controls the second Peltier element to cool the third fin of the second thermoelectric unit when decreasing the temperature of the maturation tank. A maturing device characterized by:

5. The ripening apparatus according to claim 4, When the humidity in the aging tank is reduced and the temperature is adjusted to a predetermined value, the control unit controls the first Peltier element to cool the first fin of the first thermoelectric unit, and controls the second Peltier element so that the temperature of the gas passing through the second fin and the third fin becomes the predetermined temperature by adding the temperature heated by the second fin. A maturing device characterized by:

6. The ripening apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, a humidifying unit that sprays water into the space inside the control tank; A maturing device comprising:

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