Gas burner and heating device using same

Abstract

Provided is a gas flow rate adjusting device for supplying a supply gas received from the outside to a target device so that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section.　This gas burner comprises: a receiving chamber for a supply gas from the outside; and a flow rate adjustment pipe for supplying the received supply gas to a target device so that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section of the target device. The flow rate adjustment pipe includes: an outer circumferential pipe in which one end is opened and the other end is closed and which is provided with a plurality of gas supply ports along the longitudinal direction; (n-1) partition plates for dividing the internal space of the outer circumferential pipe into first to n-th sections (n is a natural number of 3 or more) in the longitudinal direction; (n-1) embedded pipes for individually supplying the supply gas from the receiving chamber to 2nd to nth sections, by penetrating partition plates located at midpoint positions; a cap member which is located at a boundary with the receiving chamber and which has individual openings for supplying the supply gas to one end of each embedded pipe and the first section; and a means for adjusting the flow rate of the supply gas flowing in each opening of the cap member. At least one of the partition plates is movable in the longitudinal direction of the outer circumferential pipe.

Description

Gas burner and heating device using same

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas burner as a form of gas flow rate control device and a heating device using the same, and in particular to a gas burner having a plurality of sections divided along the longitudinal direction, equipped with a flow rate control pipe capable of adjusting the flow rate for each section, and capable of supplying the required amount of supply gas (combustion gas) to the required location, and a heating device using the same.

[0002] In food manufacturing processes, many heating devices are used, such as ovens for baking ingredients and steamers for steaming ingredients. As an example, tunnel ovens, which are used as heating devices on mass production lines for baking ingredients, are often used. These ovens transport ingredients arranged in multiple rows by a belt conveyor or the like in a fixed direction while passing them through a tunnel-shaped heating area to heat them.

[0003] In such heating devices involving conveyance, a heating structure is often used in which multiple long, rod-shaped gas burners are arranged in a line perpendicular to the direction of food transport by the conveyance device. In this case, if the heat of the gas burners is uniform along the length, the temperature inside the tunnel tends to be higher near the center of the tunnel toward the conveyance direction and lower at both ends near the tunnel walls. Therefore, when focusing on a row of food arranged perpendicular to the conveyance direction, the food near the ends is likely to be undercooked compared to the food near the center. Conversely, adjusting the heat to properly heat the food near the ends will result in excessive heat being applied to the food near the center.

[0004] Therefore, in heating devices, especially those used for mass production that heat many ingredients at once, it is important to control the temperature distribution within the heating area within a certain range so that the heating state of each ingredient is consistent. The need to reduce temperature variations within the heating area is not limited to ovens; it is also true for steamers. Methods for reducing temperature variations within the heating area include strongly heating areas that are difficult to heat up within the heating area, and generating efficient convection to disperse the air in the hotter areas within the heating area even if the heating itself is uniform.

[0005] As a technique for applying strong heating to parts of a heating area, Patent Document 1 discloses a continuous confectionery baking device in which gas burners are arranged above and / or below part of a moving track along which confectionery dough moves continuously, at predetermined intervals perpendicular to the direction of travel of the moving track, and this gas burner forms an ejection section for combustion gas etc. along the longitudinal direction of the burner body which has a circulation path for combustion gas etc., and an opening and closing means is provided on the outside of this burner body to control the area of ​​the combustion gas ejection section at at least part of the ejection section.

[0006] Patent Document 2 also discloses a method of controlling combustion in a gas burner, in which a plurality of flame ports are provided on the surface of a combustion tube, the inside of the combustion tube is partitioned to form a plurality of gas passages, the flame ports are divided into a plurality of flame port groups by these gas passages, and the flow rate of combustion gas sent into each gas passage is adjusted to control combustion in the combustion tube.

[0007] The continuous baking machine described in Patent Document 1 is expected to bake the confectionery dough evenly by making the flames stronger at both ends than at the center, preventing uneven baking. However, since the heat adjustment method for both ends is adjusted simultaneously using a single ring, the adjustment pattern is fixed and individual fine adjustments cannot be made. Furthermore, there are no scales or other markings for adjusting the heat, which creates the problem of poor reproducibility of the adjustment.

[0008] According to the gas burner combustion control method described in Patent Document 2, the flame power of the gas burner can be adjusted by hand using a knob, and since the knob is equipped with a scale around it, it is easy to achieve repeatability of the adjustment. However, since the invention described in Patent Document 2 is not intended to improve the temperature distribution variation inside the furnace, the gas burner is adjusted in only two zones, the front side and the back side, and there is no mention of three or more zones.

[0009] On the other hand, an example of a technology for generating convection is Patent Document 3. Patent Document 3 discloses a tunnel oven for baking bread or confectionery, which includes a baking chamber equipped with a gas burner and a conveyor for transporting the baked items through the baking chamber, and which includes a plurality of convection heating devices arranged in the direction of transport of the baked items, each of which has an air ejection tube with small holes that ejects air from outside the oven, taken in through an intake port provided on the outside of the oven, into the baking chamber via a pressurized fan.

[0010] According to the invention described in Patent Document 3, the air jetted into the baking furnace is expected to agitate the air within the baking furnace, thereby reducing temperature variations within the baking furnace. However, the air jet tube is installed across the baking chamber, approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction of the material to be baked on the conveyor, and the jet holes are installed at predetermined intervals, so air is only jetted uniformly along the longitudinal direction of the air jet tube. This leaves the problem of difficulty in adjusting the convection conditions. Therefore, whether it is supplying combustion gas as a gas burner or supplying air to generate convection within the heating device, it is desirable to provide a gas flow rate adjusting device, particularly a gas burner, that can easily adjust the flow rate of the supplied gas in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction within the heating device.

[0011] Jitszen No. 55-157886 JP 7-42918 JP 2013-165685

[0012] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems with the above-mentioned gas flow control device and the heating device using the same, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gas flow control device, in particular a gas burner, and a heating device using the same, which can supply gas received from the outside to a target device in such a way that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section using a flow control pipe.

[0013] The gas burner according to the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, is a gas burner having a receiving chamber that receives supply gas from the outside, and a flow rate adjustment pipe that supplies the received supply gas to a target device in such a way that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section, wherein the flow rate adjustment pipe comprises an outer pipe that is open at one end and closed at the other end and has a plurality of gas supply ports along its longitudinal direction, (n-1) partition plates that divide the internal space of the outer pipe into first section to nth section (n is a natural number of 3 or more) in the longitudinal direction, (n-1) internal pipes that pass through the partition plates midway from the receiving chamber to each of the second section to nth section and supply the supply gas individually, and a cap material that is located at the boundary with the receiving chamber and has individual openings for supplying the supply gas to one end of each internal pipe and to the first section. a flow rate adjusting means for adjusting the opening area of ​​the openings in the cap material to adjust the flow rate of the supply gas flowing through each opening, and an ignition means, wherein the (n-1) internal tubes have a plurality of outlets facing in the opposite direction to the plurality of gas supply ports, at least one of the (n-1) partition plates is installed so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the outer tube, and the plurality of outlets are not located within the expected movable range of the movable partition plate, or if located within the movable range, are arranged so that the exposure or non-exposure of the openings is controlled by a sleeve provided on the partition plate, and the flow rate adjusting means can individually adjust the flow rate of the supply gas flowing through the first to nth sections to adjust the heating power for each section.

[0014] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a heating device comprising the gas burner described above.

[0015] The gas flow rate control device according to the present invention includes a receiving chamber that receives a supply gas from an external source and a flow rate control pipe that supplies the received supply gas to a target device in such a way that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section. Therefore, when used as a gas burner for a heating device, it is easy to reduce the amount of combustion gas supplied to sections corresponding to parts that are likely to become hot in accordance with the temperature distribution in the furnace of the heating device, thereby reducing temperature variations in the furnace. Also, when used as a gas flow rate control device that supplies compressed air to a heating device to generate convection, it is easy to adjust the amount of compressed air supplied to parts that are likely to become hot in accordance with the temperature distribution in the furnace of the heating device, thereby generating appropriate convection within the cross section of the heating device and reducing temperature variations in the furnace.

[0016] According to the gas flow control device of the present invention, by installing a partition plate, the number of built-in pipes for supplying compressed air or combustion gas can be reduced by one compared to the number of sections, thereby realizing a more compact gas flow control device. Furthermore, according to the gas flow control device of the present invention, each section of the flow control pipe is provided with a flow control means with a scale, so that it is easy to individually and reproducibly adjust the flow rate of the supply gas from outside the receiving chamber side that receives the supply gas.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the gas flow control device of the present invention, at least one of the partition plates is installed so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the outer tube, so that it is possible to adjust the ratio of the sections of the flow control tube to more precisely reduce temperature variations depending on the environment of the line on which the heating device is installed and the type and arrangement of foods to which the heating device is applied.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a gas flow regulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a gas flow regulating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining movement of a partition plate of the gas flow regulating device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a gas flow regulating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining movement of a partition plate of the gas flow regulating device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a gas flow rate regulated state by the gas flow regulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a heating device including the gas flow regulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a food manufacturing apparatus incorporating a heating device including the gas flow regulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Next, specific examples of embodiments of a gas flow control device and a heating device using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a gas flow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, a gas flow control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a receiving chamber 12 that receives a supply gas 50 from an external source, and a flow control pipe 20 that supplies the received supply gas 50 to a target device in such a manner that the flow rate of the supply gas 50 can be adjusted for each section (41, 42, 43).

[0020] The gas flow rate control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a target device (hereinafter referred to as a heating device) that performs heating processing, such as an oven or steamer used in the food manufacturing process, and controls the supply gas 50 supplied to the heating device for each section using a flow rate control pipe 20, thereby generating convection to reduce temperature variations within the target space within the heating device, or is used as a gas burner to heat products within the target space within the heating device to reduce variations in the degree of doneness.

[0021] Because the gas flow rate control device 10 has a linear outer shape that is long in one direction, it is particularly suitable for use in a heating device that includes a conveying device and heats food materials while conveying them, by installing the device so that its longitudinal direction is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device. In such devices, the temperature tends to rise easily in the central portion toward the conveying direction, while the temperature tends to rise less easily at both ends due to the influence of the wall surfaces of the heating device, and therefore reducing temperature variation in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is often an issue.

[0022] As described above, the gas flow control device 10 can be used as a convection generator that generates convection within a heating device, or as a gas burner in combination with ignition means. The ignition means need not be special, and ignition means similar to those used in conventional gas burners can be applied. When used as a convection generator, the supply gas 50 is, for example, compressed air, and is used to generate convection by selectively supplying compressed air to a space within the heating device where the temperature is most likely to rise, thereby uniforming the temperature within the heating device. When used as a gas burner, the supply gas 50 is a mixture containing combustion gas, and is used to supply a mixture containing a larger amount of combustion gas to, for example, the side wall of the heating device, where the temperature is least likely to rise, to increase the heat generation density and uniform the temperature within the heating device.

[0023] In addition, the supply gas 50 may be air heated to a high temperature, heated air containing water vapor, superheated steam, etc. In this case, the gas flow control device 10 can be used as a device that simultaneously provides heating and convection. Although the target device has been described as a heating device in the above, the target device may also be a cooling device, in which case the supply gas 50 is cool air.

[0024] The flow rate adjustment pipe 20 comprises an outer pipe 21 having one open end and the other closed end and having a plurality of gas supply ports 22 along the longitudinal direction, two partition plates 23 (23-1, 23-2) that divide the internal space of the outer pipe 21 into a first section 41, a second section 42, and a third section 43 along the longitudinal direction, and two built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2) that pass through the partition plates 23 (23-1, 23-2) midway from the receiving chamber 12 to individually supply the supply gas 50 to each of the second section 42 and the third section 43.

[0025] The partition plates 23 (23-1, 23-2) have a disk-shaped partition portion with an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the outer tube 21, and have through holes with approximately the same outer diameter as the inner tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) at the portions where the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) pass through. This seals off the gap between the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) and the inner wall of the outer tube 21 around them so that the supply gas 50 does not pass through.

[0026] Of the two built-in pipes 24-1, 24-2, built-in pipe 24-1 is a pipe that supplies supply gas 50 to second section 42, with a portion of its closed tip extending to third section 43, and is provided with an outlet 25 for supply gas 50 on the side surface in second section 42. Built-in pipe 24-2 is a pipe that supplies supply gas 50 to third section 43, with a portion of its closed tip extending to the end of third section 43, and is provided with an outlet 25 for supply gas 50 on the side surface in third section 43.

[0027] The flow rate adjustment pipe 20 further includes a cap material 27 at the boundary with the receiving chamber 12 and having individual openings 28 for supplying the supply gas 50 to one end of each built-in pipe 24 (24-1, 24-2) and the first section 41, and a flow rate adjustment means 29 for adjusting the opening area of ​​the openings 28 of the cap material 27 to adjust the flow rate of the supply gas 50 flowing through each opening 28.

[0028] The opening 28 of the cap material 27 has a C-shaped curved through-hole within a circular depression. The openings 28 for the second section 42 and the third section 43 are located at positions aligned with the open ends of the internal tubes 24-1 and 24-2, respectively, and the opening 28 for the first section 41 is located away from the open ends of the internal tubes 24-1 and 24-2.

[0029] The flow rate adjusting means 29 is formed in a disk shape with a C-shaped curved through-hole, and includes a shaft 32 with a disk at its tip that adjusts the opening area of ​​the opening 28 in the cap material 27, a knob 30 for rotating the shaft 32, and a scale 31 for checking the rotation position of the knob 30. Rotating the knob 30 rotates the disk at the tip of the shaft 32, changing the degree of overlap between the through-hole in the disk and the through-hole in the opening 28 in the cap material 27, thereby adjusting the area of ​​the opening that serves as the supply path for the supply gas 50 from the receiving chamber 12. Since the flow rate adjusting means 29 has the knobs 30 for all sections located in one location, it is possible to easily adjust the flow rate of the supply gas 50 for each section. Furthermore, each knob 30 is provided with a scale 31, allowing for repeatable adjustment.

[0030] The supply gas 50 received in the receiving chamber 12 is supplied into the internal tubes 24-1, 24-2 or around the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) in the outer tube 21 through the opening 28 of the cap material 27, the opening area of ​​which is adjusted depending on the adjustment status of the flow rate adjustment means 29, i.e., the position of each knob 30.

[0031] The supply gas 50 supplied to the built-in pipe 24-1 is blown out from the outlet 25 provided in the second section 42 into the second section 42 of the outer pipe 21, and is further supplied to the heating device from the gas supply port 22 corresponding to the second section 42 of the outer pipe 21 (supply gas 50-2). In this embodiment, the outlet 25 of the built-in pipe 24-1 and the gas supply port 22 of the outer pipe 21 are installed so as to face in opposite directions, and the pressure of the supply gas 50 is equalized to prevent pressure variations in the second section 42 of the outer pipe 21, and then the supply gas 50-2 is supplied from the gas supply port 22.

[0032] Similarly, the supply gas 50 supplied to the internal pipe 24-2 is blown out from the outlet 25 provided in the third section 43 into the third section 43 of the outer pipe 21, and is further supplied to the heating device from the gas supply port 22 corresponding to the third section 43 of the outer pipe 21 (supply gas 50-3). The outlet 25 of the internal pipe 24-2 is also installed so as to face in the opposite direction to the gas supply port 22 of the outer pipe 21.

[0033] The supply gas 50 supplied from the opening 28 of the cap material 27 to the periphery of the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) in the outer tube 21 travels around the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) in the direction of the closed end of the outer tube 21 and is supplied to the heating device from the gas supply port 22 corresponding to the first section 41 of the outer tube 21 (supply gas 50-1). By adopting a structure in which the supply gas 50 supplied around the internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) is supplied to the first section 41 in this way, the number of internal tubes 24 (24-1, 24-2) can be reduced by one compared to the number of sections, and the gas flow rate control device 10 can be made compact.

[0034] The supply gas 50 is a single mass when received in the receiving chamber 12, but when it is split into each section (41, 42, 43) through each opening 28 of the cap material 27, the amount of supply gas 50 supplied to each section (41, 42, 43) is determined according to the opening area adjusted by each flow rate adjustment means 29.

[0035] Although an embodiment has been described above in which the flow rate adjusting pipe 20 includes two partition plates 23 (23-1, 23-2) and two built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2), the combination of the numbers of partition plates 23 and built-in pipes 24 is not limited to this. For example, three partition plates 23 may be used to divide the outer pipe 21 into four sections, and three built-in pipes 24 may be provided to supply the supply gas 50 to the second to fourth sections, respectively, or the number of partition plates 23 may be increased to provide even more sections.

[0036] As described above, the gas flow rate control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in various embodiments, comprises an outer tube 21 that is open at one end and closed at the other end and that is provided with a plurality of gas supply ports 22 along the longitudinal direction, (n-1) partition plates 23 that divide the internal space of the outer tube 21 into first to nth sections in the longitudinal direction (n is a natural number of 3 or more), and (n-1) built-in tubes 24 that supply the supply gas 50 individually from the receiving chamber 12 to each of the second to nth sections by penetrating the partition plates 23 at their midpoints. In contrast, there is only one cap material 27, but n flow rate control means 29 are provided, corresponding to the number of sections.

[0037] In the gas flow control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the internal space of the outer tube 21 is divided into a plurality of sections in the longitudinal direction by the partition plates 23 as described above, but the positions of the partition plates 23 are set so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction. Two embodiments will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0038] Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a gas flow control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the partition plate of the gas flow control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In Figs. 2 and 3, the gas flow control device 10 is shown in the form of an exploded view in which the internal tube 24 is removed from the outer tube 21. The basic configuration is the same as that described in Fig. 1.

[0039] In the gas flow rate control device 10 according to the first embodiment, the partition plate 23 is configured so that its position can be moved along the longitudinal direction. Although not explicitly shown in Figures 2 and 3, for example, the portion of the partition plate 23 through which the internal pipe 24 passes is formed into a sleeve-like shape of a certain length that fits along the internal pipe 24, and the disk-shaped partition portion is movable in the longitudinal direction of the internal pipe 24 while maintaining a shape perpendicular to the outer pipe 21 and the internal pipe 24. Furthermore, to prevent the partition plate 23 from moving during use due to the pressure difference between the supply gas 50 on both sides of the partition plate 23, for example, a tapped hole with an internal thread facing the internal pipe 24 is formed in the sleeve-like portion, and a setscrew is threaded into this to secure the partition plate 23 to the internal pipe 24.

[0040] 3, the partition plate 23-1 separating the first section 41 and the second section 42 is shown as being movable a distance x in the front and rear directions along the internal pipe 24, and the partition plate 23-2 separating the second section 42 and the third section 43 is shown as being movable a distance y in the front and rear directions along the internal pipe 24, but the distances x and y are shown for convenience's sake, and the distances x and y may be the same or different. The distances in the front and rear may also be different, for example, x1 in the front and x2 in the rear. In addition, in a gas flow control device 10 installed in a location where the temperature distribution is stable due to the structure of the heating device, some of the multiple partition plates 23 may not be movable.

[0041] When a movable partition plate 23 is provided, if the partition plate 23 is moved and the partition plate 23 crosses over the outlets 25 of the built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2), the supply gas 50 that should be supplied to the second section 42 may end up being supplied to the third section 43. Therefore, in the gas flow control device 10 of this embodiment, the outlets 25 of the built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2) are not provided within the expected movable range. For example, in the example of FIG. 3 , the partition plate 23-1 does not provide the outlets 25 of the built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2) within a range that is a distance x both before and after the designed set position. As a result, even if the partition plate 23-1 is moved, the supply gas 50 that should be supplied to the first section 41 will not be supplied to the second section 42, and conversely, the supply gas 50 that should be supplied to the second section 42 will not be supplied to the first section 41. Regarding the partition plate 23-2, no air outlets 25 are provided within the range of distance y on both the front and rear sides, which is the assumed movable range.

[0042] Making the partition plate 23 movable allows for flexibility in the division positions of the sections. For example, even if temperature variations cannot be sufficiently reduced due to the structure of the heating device to which the gas flow control device 10 is attached or the environment of the installation location, more precise adjustments can be made by moving the partition plate 23. As a result, it is expected that the number of food items to be fed into the conveying device can be increased and the process margin for the heat treatment of food items can be improved.

[0043] Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a gas flow control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating movement of the partition plate of the gas flow control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The gas flow control device 10 according to the second embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 has the same basic configuration as that described in Fig. 1. Like the gas flow control device 10 according to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the partition plate 23 is configured to be movable, but differs from the first embodiment in that the partition plate 23 is combined with a sleeve 26 having a specific configuration.

[0044] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the partition plate 23-1 is provided with a sleeve 26-1 extending along the built-in tube 24-1 toward the first section 41, and the partition plate 23-2 is provided with a sleeve 26-2 extending along the built-in tube 24-1 toward the third section 43, and a sleeve 26-3 extending along the built-in tube 24-2 toward the second section 42.

[0045] 5, the assumed movement range of partition plate 23-1 is a distance x before and after the designed set position, and the assumed movement range of partition plate 23-2 is a distance y before and after the designed set position, but these distances x and y are for convenience only, and distances x and y may be the same or different. Furthermore, the distances before and after may be different, for example, x1 in the front and x2 in the rear. Furthermore, the multiple partition plates 23 may include partition plates 23 that are not movable.

[0046] The sleeves 26 (26-1, 26-2, 26-3) of the gas flow control device 10 shown in Fig. 5 not only guide the movement of the partition plate 23, but also have the role of controlling the opening and closing of the outlets 25 of the built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2) within the assumed movement range. For this reason, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the outlets 25 may also be provided within the assumed movement range.

[0047] The case where the partition plate 23-1 is moved will be described. First, when the partition plate 23-1 is moved a distance x toward the first section 41, the first section 41 becomes shorter by the distance x, and the second section 42 becomes longer by the distance x. The outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-1 provided within this range of distance x become exposed as the sleeve 26-1 moves, and begin to function as outlets 25. In other words, the number of outlets 25 increases by the amount that the second section 42 becomes longer, and the supply density of the supply gas 50 to the second section 42 remains almost the same as before the partition plate 23-1 was moved.

[0048] Conversely, when the partition plate 23-1 is moved a distance x from its original position toward the second section 42, the second section 42 is shortened by the distance x. At this time, the outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-1 that were provided within the range of the distance x from the original position toward the second section 42 are blocked by the sleeve 26-1 as the sleeve 26-1 moves. In other words, the number of outlets 25 is reduced by the amount that the second section 42 is shortened, and the supply density of the supply gas 50 to the second section 42 remains almost the same as before the partition plate 23-1 was moved.

[0049] When the partition plate 23-2 is moved, the two sleeves (26-2, 26-3) perform opposite functions. First, when the partition plate 23-2 is moved a distance y toward the second section 42, the second section 42 is shortened by the distance y, and the third section 43 is lengthened by the distance y. The outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-1 provided within this range of distance y are blocked by the sleeve 26-2 as the sleeve 26-2 moves. On the other hand, the outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-2 are exposed as the sleeve 26-3 moves, and begin to function as outlets 25. As a result, the number of outlets 25 in the second section 42 is reduced by the amount that the second section 42 is shortened, and the number of outlets 25 in the third section 43 is increased by the amount that the third section 43 is lengthened, and the supply density of the supply gas 50 in each section remains almost the same as before the partition plate 23-2 was moved.

[0050] Conversely, when the partition plate 23-2 is moved a distance y toward the third section 43, the second section 42 becomes longer by the distance y, and the third section 43 becomes shorter by the distance y. The outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-1 provided within this range of distance y become exposed as the sleeve 26-2 moves. On the other hand, the outlets 25 of the built-in pipe 24-2 become blocked by the sleeve 26-3 as the sleeve 26-3 moves. As a result, the number of outlets 25 increases in proportion to the length of the second section 42, and the number of outlets 25 decreases in proportion to the length of the third section 43, so the supply density of the supply gas 50 in each section remains almost the same as before the partition plate 23-2 was moved.

[0051] The outlets 25 of the built-in pipes 24 (24-1, 24-2) provided within the assumed range of movement of the partition plates 23 (23-1, 23-2) are preferably provided at positions that match the pitch of the outlets 25 provided outside the assumed range of movement. In addition, the sleeves 26 (26-1, 26-2, 26-3) are made long enough so that the outlets 25 outside the assumed range of movement are not newly exposed as the sleeves 26 move within the assumed range of movement.

[0052] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating examples of gas flow rate control states by a gas flow rate control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 6A illustrates a case where the supply gas is adjusted to be uniformly supplied, Fig. 6B illustrates a case where the supply gas is adjusted to be restricted only in the center, Fig. 6C illustrates a case where the supply gas is adjusted to be different in each section, and Fig. 6D illustrates a case where the section is changed by moving a partition plate.

[0053] Figure 6(a) shows a state in which the flow rate control means 29 is adjusted so that the supply gas 50-1 supplied from the first section 41, the supply gas 50-2 supplied from the second section 42, and the supply gas 50-3 supplied from the third section 43 are uniform.

[0054] 6(b) shows a state in which only the supply gas 50-2 supplied from the second section 42 is reduced by adjusting the flow rate control means 29 so as to reduce the opening area of ​​the opening 28 that supplies the supply gas 50 to the second section 42, from the state shown in FIG. 6(a). In the case of a heating device that includes a conveying device and heats food while conveying it, it is difficult for the temperature to rise on both sides in the conveying direction of the conveying device, so when the gas flow rate control device 10 is used as a gas burner, it is effective to supply a mixture containing combustion gas with a distribution as shown in FIG. 6(b). When the gas flow rate control device 10 is used as a convection generator, a distribution that strengthens only the supply gas 50-2 supplied from the second section 42, which is the opposite of the state shown in FIG. 6(b), is often preferable.

[0055] Figure 6(c) shows a state in which the supply of supply gas 50 to the first section 41 is throttled from the state in Figure 6(b) and the supply gas 50-1 supplied from the first section 41, the supply gas 50-2 supplied from the second section 42, and the supply gas 50-3 supplied from the third section 43 are all adjusted to be different.

[0056] 6(d) shows a state in which the partition plate 23-1 has been moved a distance x toward the first section 41 and the partition plate 23-2 has been moved a distance y toward the second section 42 from the state shown in FIG. 6(b). As shown in FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), the gas flow control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can create various supply conditions for the supply gas 50.

[0057] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a heating apparatus equipped with a gas flow rate regulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heating apparatus 6 equipped with the gas flow rate regulator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 7 is a tunnel oven 70 equipped with a conveying device 3. The conveying device 3 includes a conveying body 76 that circulates within the tunnel oven 70, folding back at folding sections 75 provided at the entrance and exit sides of the tunnel oven 70. The conveying body 76 conveys food materials such as dough from the entrance to the exit of the tunnel oven 70. The conveying body 76 may be a caterpillar-shaped conveying body driven by a chain that circulates multiple baking plates, or an endless steel belt-like conveying body. The conveying speed of the conveying device 3 can be adjusted using a control panel 73.

[0058] An upper baking unit 7 is provided above a carrier 76 that transports food ingredients, and a lower baking unit 8 is provided below the carrier 76 that transports food ingredients and above the carrier 76 that, after transporting the food ingredients, turns around at a turning section 75 and returns to the inlet side. Both the upper baking unit 7 and the lower baking unit 8 include a gas flow rate regulator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the gas flow rate regulator 10 of the upper baking unit 7 and the lower baking unit 8 takes the form of a gas burner 35 equipped with ignition means.

[0059] A plurality of gas flow rate regulators 10 are provided in each of the upper baking section 7 and the lower baking section 8, and each is installed so that its longitudinal direction is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 , the plurality of gas flow rate regulators 10 are configured to divide the tunnel oven 70 into three zones, A, B, and C, from the entrance side toward the exit side, and temperature regulation is performed for each zone. Each zone is provided with a viewing window 74 so that the heating state of the ingredients can be checked. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 , each zone is configured to include at least one gas flow rate regulator 10.

[0060] The gas flow rate regulator 10 can adjust the flow rate of the supply gas 50 for each section separated by the partition plate 23 along the longitudinal direction. When used as a gas burner 35, the amount of mixture containing combustion gas supplied to the end sections in the conveying direction, where the temperature is less likely to rise, can be increased compared to the central section, depending on the temperature variation within the tunnel, thereby suppressing variations in the doneness of the food. When used as a convection generator, the amount of supply air supplied to the central section in the conveying direction, where the temperature is more likely to rise, can be increased to efficiently reduce temperature variations. Furthermore, because the gas flow rate regulator 10 can move the partition plate 23 along the longitudinal direction, the position of the partition plate 23 can be adjusted to suppress temperature variations within the tunnel oven 70, further reducing variations in the doneness of food and stabilizing quality.

[0061] In the embodiment of Figure 7, the tunnel oven 70 is shown as being divided into three zones for temperature control, but the number of temperature control zones may be more or less depending on the heating conditions of the food materials to be processed in the tunnel oven 70. The arrangement of the gas flow control devices 10 is not limited to the arrangement shown in Figure 7. All of the gas flow control devices 10 may be gas burners 35, or all may be convection generators, or a mixture of gas burners 35 and convection generators may be installed. The tunnel oven 70 may be provided with installation holes and caps so that additional gas flow control devices 10 can be installed as needed.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a food manufacturing apparatus incorporating a heating device equipped with a gas flow rate regulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The food manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a conveying device 3, a dough filling machine 2, a heating device 6, and a take-out device 9. The conveying device 3 continuously or intermittently circulates multiple baking plates 4 by folding back at two folding sections, the most upstream and the most downstream. The baking plates 4 are rectangular metal plates elongated in the depth direction of FIG. 8 , and transport ingredients placed on the baking surface 5 from upstream to downstream. The dough filling machine 2 is located upstream of the conveying device 3 and fills the baking surface 5 of the baking plate 4 with dough 60 fed from a hopper in predetermined amounts. Mass production machines typically have multiple discharge nozzles, and the dough filling machine 2 in FIG. 8 also fills multiple doughs 60 along the longitudinal direction of the baking plate 4.

[0063] The filled dough 60 is transported to the heating device 6 together with the baking plate 4. The heating device 6 according to this embodiment of the present invention is a tunnel oven, and includes a lower baking section 8 that heats the dough 60 from below the baking plate 4, an upper baking section 7 that directly heats the dough 60 from above, and a tunnel-shaped cover that completely covers the upper baking section 7. Although the tunnel oven is shown simply in Figure 8, the food production apparatus 1 may also incorporate a tunnel oven 70 having the configuration shown in Figure 7. Both the upper baking section 7 and the lower baking section 8 are configured to include a gas flow rate regulator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the gas flow rate regulator 10 of the upper baking section 7 and the lower baking section 8 takes the form of a gas burner 35 equipped with ignition means.

[0064] In order to bake the multiple pieces of dough 60 packed along the longitudinal direction of the baking plate 4, which is long in the depth direction of Figure 8, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 3, the gas flow rate control device 10 is installed so that its longitudinal direction is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 3.

[0065] In the area where the lower baking section 8 is provided, the baking plate 4 is heated from below by the gas flow rate regulator 10 used as the gas burner 35, but the temperature rises less at both ends of the baking plate 4 in the conveying direction than at the center. Therefore, in the gas burner 35 of the embodiment in Figure 8, the supply of the mixture containing combustion gas is suppressed in the second section 42, which is the center of the three sections (41, 42, 43) as shown in Figure 6(b), compared to the end sections (41, 43), thereby suppressing temperature variation in the longitudinal direction of the baking plate 4.

[0066] The variation in the degree of doneness of the products in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the baking plate 4 also varies depending on the shape and arrangement of the products being heated. The present invention allows the combustion balance and gas flow rate of each burner zone to be adjusted reproducibly with a knob, making it easy to change the adjustment each time a product is switched, and to maintain quality while also being able to handle the heating of a variety of products. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the partition plate 23 is designed to be adjustable in position, so that the position of the partition plate 23 can be adjusted according to the situation, resulting in a heating environment with less variation.

[0067] Furthermore, in order to achieve a uniform temperature distribution inside the tunnel-shaped cover, the heating device 6 is equipped with a gas flow rate regulator 10 as a convection generator in addition to the gas burner 35. The gas flow rate regulator 10 supplies compressed air supplied from the outside into the cover to promote convection inside the cover. In this case, the flow rate of the compressed air supplied by the gas flow rate regulator 10 is adjusted so that it is stronger in the central part where the temperature tends to be high.

[0068] FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which the lower baking section 8 and the upper baking section 7 are provided with a plurality of gas burners 35 arranged at regular intervals, and a plurality of gas flow rate regulators 10 as convection generators above the gas burners 35 in the upper baking section 7. However, the combination and arrangement of the gas burners 35 and the gas flow rate regulators 10 as convection generators can be varied in various ways. For example, the gas flow rate regulators 10 as convection generators may be arranged among the gas burners 35 in both the lower baking section 8 and the upper baking section 7. Furthermore, if the desired temperature variation can be achieved by arranging the gas burners 35 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas flow rate regulators 10 as convection generators may not be installed. Furthermore, even if the heating device 6 includes conventional gas burners 35 that cannot be adjusted for each zone, rather than the gas burners 35 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas burners 35 with adjustable supply rates for each zone may not be installed if the desired temperature variation can be achieved by installing the gas flow rate regulators 10 as convection generators.

[0069] The gas flow rate control device 10 used for the heat treatment of food materials is not limited to the form of the gas burner 35. It may also be used to adjust and supply externally supplied air heated to a high temperature, heated air containing steam, or the like, for each section.

[0070] The dough 60 baked by the heating device 6 is transported as is and transferred to the take-out device 9 at the most downstream position for removal. The take-out device 9 stretches a conveyor belt over rollers provided on the upstream and downstream sides, receives the dough 60 when the baking plate 4 turns back at the most downstream position of the conveyor device 3, and transports the dough 60 to the next processing device, stocker, etc. by the conveyor belt.

[0071] As described above, Figure 8 shows food production apparatus 1 including a device for filling and baking dough 60, but the configuration of food production apparatus 1 including gas flow rate regulator 10 or gas burner 35 according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, food production apparatus 1 may be combined with a filling device that further fills baked dough 60 with a filling such as bean paste, or a forming device that processes baked dough 60 by folding it. Conversely, the food production apparatus may be configured with only heating device 6 that includes gas flow rate regulator 10.

[0072] The gas flow control device 10 of an embodiment of the present invention can supply the supply gas 50 to the target device in such a way that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section, and the positions at which the sections are separated can be adjusted as needed, making it possible to more finely and efficiently suppress temperature variations inside the target device.

[0073] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the technical scope of the present invention.

[0074] 1 Food manufacturing apparatus 2 Dough filling machine 3 Conveyor device 4 Baking plate 5 Baking surface 6 Target device (heating device) 7 Upper baking section 8 Lower baking section 9 Removal device 10 Gas flow rate regulator 11 Gas supply pipe 12 Receiving chamber 20 Flow rate regulator pipe 21 Outer pipe 22 Gas supply port 23 Partition plate 24, 24-1, 24-2 Built-in pipe 25 Outlet 26, 26-1, 26-2, 26-3 Sleeve 27 Cap material 28 Opening 29 Flow rate regulator 30 Knob 31 Scale 32 Shaft 33 Disk 35 Gas burner 41 First section 42 Second section 43 Third section 50, 50-1, 50-2, 50-3 Supply gas 60 Dough 70 Tunnel oven 71 Turbo blower 72 Exhaust fan 73 Control panel 74 View window 75 Turning section 76 Conveyor

Claims

1. A gas burner having a receiving chamber which receives a supply gas from the outside, and a flow rate adjustment tube which supplies the received supply gas to a target device in such a way that the flow rate can be adjusted for each section, said flow rate adjustment tube comprising: an outer tube which is open at one end and closed at the other end and which is provided with a plurality of gas supply ports along its longitudinal direction; (n-1) partition plates which divide the internal space of the outer tube in the longitudinal direction into a first section to an nth section (n is a natural number of 3 or more); (n-1) internal tubes which supply the supply gas from the receiving chamber to each of the second section to the nth section by penetrating the intermediate partition plates; a cap material which is located at the boundary with the receiving chamber and has individual openings for supplying the supply gas to one end of each internal tube and to the first section; flow rate adjustment means which adjusts the opening area of ​​the openings of the cap material to adjust the flow rate of the supply gas flowing through each opening; and ignition means, said (n-1) internal tubes are provided with a plurality of outlets which face in the opposite direction to said plurality of gas supply ports, At least one of the (n-1) partition plates is installed so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the outer tube, the plurality of outlets are arranged so that they are not located within an expected movable range of the movable partition plate, or if they are located within the movable range, the exposure or non-exposure of the openings is controlled by a sleeve provided on the partition plate, and the flow rate of the supply gas flowing in the first to nth sections is individually adjusted by a flow rate adjustment means to adjust the flame power for each section.

2. A heating device comprising the gas burner according to claim 1.

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