Temperature regulation of the mass flow in a filling machine

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a filling machine according to the preamble of claims 1 and 14.

[0002] Such a method and such a filling machine is already known from DE-A-102005032678. This document describes a method for controlling temperature, in which case the mass flow flows through several sections of the filling machine and the mass temperature is measured in these sections of the filling machine. Measurements are used for control and documentation. Depending on the measured temperature, the process is stopped or a large number of portions are discarded. Document US-A-2002/075754 relates to a mixer in which various pasty masses are mixed together. In addition, it uses several temperature sensors and a heat exchange device for heating or cooling.

[0003] Such fillers for filling sausage casing with a pasty mass are already known. When processing certain types of filling mass, e.g. raw sausage, care must be taken that the temperature of the filling mass is not lower or higher than the specified temperature throughout the entire process chain. When the filling mass is at a lower or higher temperature than the specified one, the process can no longer be carried out. For this reason, the mass flow temperature is measured, but after reaching a certain limit value, the operator must actively and manually influence the process. For heated funnels, this interaction can last as long as the filling mass is in them. Alternatively, production must be stopped and the filling mass must be removed from the machine, as the process can no longer be continued. Removing the filling mass from the machine or cleaning the machine, however, is associated with high costs and, accordingly, expensive. Pre-emptive measures must therefore be taken for known filling machines. Therefore, increased attention of the operator is necessary.

[0004] On this basis, the object of the present invention is to ensure the safe processing of also temperature sensitive types of filling mass with minimal effort.

[0005] This task is solved according to the invention thanks to the features mentioned in claims 1 and 14.

EP 1 997 384 [0006] Due to the fact that the mass temperature is measured in several sections of the filling machine, the mass flow temperature can be controlled, adjusted and optimized during the whole time the mass is in the machine. Because some sections of the filler are difficult to access for temperature measurements, measurements can also be made indirectly. Then the temperature of the structural parts is measured through which the mass flows. Thanks to this, the temperature influences that the filling mass undergoes during the production process can be effectively compensated. This means that such temperature influences as filler heat loss, internal mass friction, occurring especially in the transport mechanism, but also the influence of room temperature can be effectively taken into account. The operator no longer has to act in advance, and does not need to actively influence the process, which significantly relieves the operating personnel. The safety of the process is increased, and the machine's performance is increased due to less downtime.

[0007] Thus, according to the method of the invention, the product stream, i.e. the filling mass stream squeezed out of the filling pipe, which travels through the suction section, loading hopper, transport mechanism, can be adjusted to achieve a certain temperature. The process of the invention may also find application for a coextruded mass stream.

[0008] Preferably, the temperature is measured at least in the hopper section or in the suction section and in the transport mechanism or after it. By "suction section" is meant, for example, a suction pipe or also a pre-container, for example a floor funnel. Thus, as soon as the mass is fed into the filling machine, the temperature control can be effectively started. If, in addition, the temperature is measured in or after the conveying mechanism, then temperature influences due to internal friction are also effectively detected and can be well compensated. The term "after the conveying mechanism" means, for example, in sections that connect directly to the outlet of the conveying mechanism, for example in a meat grinder (for example in a meat grinder) or in a filling tube.

[0009] According to the present invention, the temperature can be measured not only in specific sections, but also can be adjusted and brought to a certain value in one or several sections of the filling machine by means of a suitable device

EP 1 997 384 heating or cooling. Thanks to this, the set mass flow temperature can be perfectly maintained without large fluctuations. This increases the safety of the process. In particular, the mass temperature in either the loading hopper and / or the transporting mechanism and / or the meat grinder and / or the filling pipe and / or in or on the suction section can be adjusted by means of the heating / cooling device.

[0010] A solution is also possible in which, depending on the temperature measured in the filling machine, the mass reaches a certain temperature before it is brought to the filling machine, especially when preparing the pasty mass. Thus, the mass, or the filling product, can reach a suitably adjusted temperature before it is brought to the filling machine, whereby the heating or cooling device of the filling machine can regulate the temperature, bringing it to the appropriate setpoint. This has the advantage that a heating or cooling device placed directly in the filling machine may have lower maximum capacity and smaller dimensions.

[0011] According to the present invention, the temperature control in the individual sections can be carried out by means of a common heating or cooling device or by means of at least two separate heating or cooling devices. The common heating or cooling circuit has a simpler structure. The split heating or cooling circuit, i.e. separate heating or cooling circuits for different sections, however, allow even more accurate mass temperature control in different sections. For example, in a transport mechanism in which the mass is subjected to greater internal friction and in which greater heat losses are absorbed by the machine, the mass must be cooled more strongly than, for example, in the filling pipe or in the loading hopper.

[0012] It is possible that the temperature control is performed in advance, depending on the expected or measured mass flow rate, the cooling or heating performance of the cooling / heating device being regulated depending on the mass flow rate. The mass flow rate can be measured or set here. This means that, for example, for large mass flow rates at the beginning of the process, the heating or cooling capacity of the heating / cooling device is first set to a higher value than for the smaller mass flow rate, so that at the beginning

EP 1 997 384 ensure sufficient control of the mass temperature. It is also possible that the temperature control is carried out in advance, depending on the expected or measured mass pressure, the cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device being regulated depending on the mass pressure. The mass pressure is the mass pressure generated in the transport mechanism. Under high mass pressure, the product heats up more than under low pressure, which can be compensated by the appropriate control of the heating / cooling device. Advancing temperature control is also possible depending on the expected or measured power consumption of the filling machine, whereby the cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device is regulated depending on the expected or measured power consumption.

[0013] If, in the process according to the invention, a coextrusion device is additionally provided, and the mass stream whose temperature should be controlled is a co-extruded mass stream, the temperature is measured in the co-extruded mass feed section, e.g. in a loading hopper co-extruded mass and / or in the section of the mechanism transporting the co-extruded mass and / or in the co-extruding head section. The mass temperature can then also be controlled in at least one of these sections by means of a heating / cooling device. Thus also the stream of co-extruded mass can be processed with great safety during the process, as already described above.

[0014] The present invention allows documenting temperature as a function of time and place. The appropriate protocol increases the safety of the process and also provides evidence that the appropriate set temperature has been maintained.

[0015] The filling machine according to the present invention comprises several temperature sensors, which are arranged in different sections of the filling machine, and a heating / cooling device for heating or cooling the mass, and an adjustment unit that regulates the mass temperature depending on the measured temperature. Optionally, the temperature can also be adjusted depending on the expected temperature. The heating / cooling device can be located at least partly on the hopper and / or on the transport mechanism and / or on the filling pipe and / or on the suction section. If the filling machine is also equipped with a meat grinder or meat grinder, then

Also, at this point, the heating / cooling device can be at least partially located here. Thanks to this, the temperature can be regulated in different sections. The temperature sensors are preferably located at least in the hopper section or in the suction section and after or after the transport mechanism. A filling / heating device for cooling machines that heats or cools mass in several sections may have a common cooling or heating circuit for these sections. The heating / cooling device may also have several independent units with separate cooling or heating circuits.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the filling machine has a coextrusion unit comprising several sections, for example a co-extruded section, a transport mechanism and a coextrusion head, whereby the temperature sensors are located in several coextrusion units. Thus also the coextruded mass stream can be precisely controlled as already described above to obtain a certain temperature, with different influences in different sections of the coextrusion apparatus being taken into account. The heating / cooling device can then be placed in at least one section of the coextrusion device.

[0017] Furthermore, the filler according to the invention preferably has a device for documenting the measured temperature as a function of time and place.

[0018] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the temperature measured in a specific section or in sections can be used to control the temperature in another section or in other sections. Thus, feedforward control is possible, which takes into account different temperature influences in different sections.

[0019] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the following drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the filling machine according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a filler according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a signal flow diagram for the first embodiment of the process according to the invention.

EP 1 997 384

Fig. 4 shows a signal flow diagram for the second embodiment of the process according to the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic of a further embodiment of the filler according to the present invention.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a filling machine 100 according to the invention. The filling machine 100 includes a loading hopper 1, e.g. a vacuum hopper, in which a vacuum can be created. In addition, the filler 100 includes a suction tube 2 through which the pasty mass, hereinafter referred to as the filling mass, can be fed to the hopper 1. The suction tube 2 is part of the suction section of the filling mass. The suction section may also include a floor funnel 16 in front of the loading hopper. In addition, the filling machine has a transport mechanism 3, which is located at the bottom end of the hopper tapering downwards like a cone 1. This type of transport mechanism 3 has the form of a known conveying pump or conveying screw, with the filling tube 4 being inserted into the casing sausage.

[0021] The filling machine 100 according to the invention thus comprises several sections, i.e. the suction section 2 described above, the loading hopper 1, the transport mechanism 3 and the section located downstream of the transport mechanism 3, e.g. a filling pipe 4.

[0022] The embodiment of the filling machine shown in Fig. 2 is in accordance with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a meat grinder 5 being disposed at the outlet from the transporting mechanism, and for the sake of simplifying the drawing the suction section is not shown.

[0023] According to the present invention, temperature sensors 7 are provided in several sections of the filling machine 100. As shown in Fig. 1, in the upper part of the loading hopper, for example, a temperature sensor 7a, a further temperature sensor 7b, is located, which measures the temperature of the filling mass in the transporting mechanism 3, as well as a temperature sensor 7c, which in this case measures the temperature of the filling mass in the filling tube 4.

[0024] As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, alternatively or additionally, the temperature could also be measured by means of appropriate temperature sensors 7e, 7h in the suction section 2 of the loading hopper 1, for example in the suction pipe 2 or in the funnel

EP 1 997 384 16. Although not shown, the temperature could also be measured in a meat grinder 5.

[0025] In addition, the filling machine according to the invention has a heating / cooling device 8, whereby the temperature of the filling mass can be adjusted and adjusted to a specific predefined setpoint or to a certain setpoint range. The heating / cooling device 8 is arranged in several sections of the filling machine 100. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 part 8a of the heating / cooling device surrounds the loading funnel 1, i.e. it is arranged around its outer wall. Part 8b of the heating / cooling device is positioned so that it cools the filling mass in the transport mechanism 3. Furthermore, part 8c of the heating / cooling device is placed on the filling pipe 4, whereby the filling mass in the filling pipe 4 can be heated or cooled. Furthermore, part 8d of the heating / cooling device is located in the suction section, i.e. around the suction pipe and / or the floor funnel 16. The heating / cooling device 8 is preferably provided in at least two sections.

[0026] The heating / cooling device 8 is in the form of a heat exchanger, for example a flow heat exchanger, and is equipped with a suitable heating or cooling aggregate.

[0027] If, as shown in Fig. 2, the filler 100 has a meat grinder 5, it can also be equipped with a corresponding heating / cooling device 8.

[0028] The filling machine 100 comprises a control unit 12, comprising a control unit 6, which regulates the temperature of the filling mass depending on the temperature measured by the temperature sensors 7. Furthermore, the filling machine according to the invention has a device 10 that continuously records temperature values ​​measured as a function of time and place . Such a documenting device may have a storage medium and / or a suitable printer for printing measurement reports. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the heating / cooling device 8 heats or cools the filling mass in sections 8a, 8b, 8c, a common cooling or heating circuit is provided for these sections. This means that these sections can be heated or cooled until they reach a certain common temperature.

[0029] However, it is also possible to provide a solution in which the heating / cooling device has several independent units 8a, b, c with separate cooling or heating circuits, which allows the temperature to be even more precisely adapted to the requirements.

[0030] Due to structural conditions, the heating / cooling device 8d in the suction section is separated from the sections 8a, b, c.

[0031] Furthermore, the filling machine according to the invention may have a sensor for measuring the filling mass pressure 9 and a measuring unit 15 for measuring the power consumption of the filling machine.

[0032] During production, the filling mass is subject to various temperature influences. They can be caused by: heat loss of the filler, internal friction of the filling mass and the influence of room temperature. When processing certain types of filling mass, e.g. raw sausage, it should be noted, however, that the specified temperature of the filling mass should not be exceeded throughout the entire process chain. During the processing of the cheese, which is also introduced into the casings, the temperature of the filling mass must, for example, not be lower than the specified temperature. This guarantees, according to the method according to the invention, the temperature measurement with sensors 7 in several sections of the filling machine 100. In the control unit 6 the corresponding measured temperature is compared with the corresponding set point, previously entered, depending on the product being manufactured. Then the temperature of the filling mass, depending on the measured temperature, i.e. depending on the comparison of the set value with the measured value, is controlled by a heating / cooling device in order to reach a certain temperature. Due to the fact that the temperature of the filling mass is measured in several sections and also in several sections automatic cooling or heating of the filling mass takes place, the temperature of the mass stream can be kept perfectly without major fluctuations. Thanks to the integrated control circuit, the temperature of the mass flow in the filling machine can be controlled, regulated and optimized during the entire residence time of the mass in the filling machine. Thanks to this, temperature-sensitive fillers can also be processed safely.

[0033] It is also possible that the temperature of the filling mass, especially when preparing the paste mass, is set depending on the temperature

EP 1 997 384 measured in the filling machine 100 before the filling mass is fed into the filling machine. This has the advantage that the filling mass during its feeding to the hopper 1 already has a specific, pre-set, suitable temperature, so that the heating / cooling device quickly, without large fluctuations, as a result of heating or cooling can bring the temperature of the filling mass to a certain temperature setpoint. In addition, for example, the adjustment assembly 6 can be connected to a heating / cooling device which heats or cools the filling mass before it is fed to the filling machine. However, it is also possible to show on a display not shown what temperature or what temperature range the filling mass should have before it reaches the filling machine.

[0034] According to the present invention, it is also possible to carry out temperature control in advance according to certain parameters, whereby the cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device 8 or its heating / cooling aggregate 11 is controlled according to these parameters. The cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device can be adjusted, for example, depending on the filling mass pressure, which can be measured, for example, with a pressure gauge 9 in the transport mechanism 3. In the event of high filling mass pressure, a stronger heating of the filling mass due to internal friction, and thus, for example, the cooling efficiency of the heating / cooling device 8 must be relatively high. The expected filler pressure can, however, also be stored by means of a suitable data entry unit. The cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device 8 can also be adjusted depending on the mass flow rate, it can also be entered or measured. For example, if the mass flow rate is high, there must be more cooling than when the mass flow rate is lower, so the cooling or heating capacity must be set to the right value at the beginning of the process. The temperature control can also take place in advance, depending on the predicted or measured power consumption of the filling machine by the sensor 15, wherein the cooling or heating capacity of the heating / cooling device 8 is regulated depending on the expected or measured consumption

EP 1 997 384 power. When the filling capacity is high, the filling mass gets very hot and therefore the cooling capacity must be high.

[0035] In accordance with the present invention, the temperature values ​​measured in a specific section or in sections can be used to control the temperature in other sections. [0036] Fig. 3 shows a possible signal flow diagram for the process of the invention. As it results from Fig. 3, the measured temperature values, here, for example, only three temperature values, are transmitted to the control unit 6. The measured temperature values ​​are compared with the corresponding setpoints S. Further control parameters for controlling the temperature, as explained above, may be: mass flow rate and / or filler pressure and / or filler capacity. The control assembly 6 then regulates the heating / cooling device 8 or its heating / cooling aggregate 11. The cooling or heating device 8 cools or heats the filling mass until the temperature at the appropriate set point or the appropriate set point range is reached. In addition, the temperature of the heat exchange medium may, for example, be adapted to the flow rate, etc. Fig. 3 shows the common heating or cooling circuit of the heating / cooling device 8 used for the various sections of the filling machine 100.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, however, it is also possible to use separate heating / cooling circuits for different sections for different units 8a, b, c of the heating / cooling device. The temperature of the filling mass can then be even more precisely adapted to the requirements, whereby in sections where the filling mass is subjected to greater temperature influences, it can be respectively more or less heated or cooled. In this way, unwanted temperature fluctuations can be avoided. The temperature adjustment of the filling mass by means of various heating or cooling circuits is always carried out at least depending on the measured temperature. [0038] It is also possible to use several, in this case three independent control circuits to regulate the temperature of the filling mass in different sections. There are also own setpoints for the various control circuits. The respective units of the heating / cooling device 8 can then be controlled in various ways.

[0039] Furthermore, also several units, e.g. 8a, b, c, as shown in Fig. 3, may have a common heating or cooling circuit, while one unit or several units, e.g. 8d, may have a separate heating or cooling circuit as shown in Fig. 4.

[0040] Fig. 5 shows a second possible embodiment of the device according to the invention. As it results from Fig. 5, the filling machine additionally has a so-called coextrusion device 21. Such coextrusion devices are used to extrude one pasty mass around another pasty mass extruded through the filling tube 4. In this way, for example, a sausage casing can be applied to the filling mass or a second pasty mass can also be applied, i.e. a second external filling mass can be applied to the internal filling mass squeezed out by the filling tube 4. Such a coextrusion device comprises, as is known, an assembly feeding a pasty mass, hereinafter collectively extruded mass. In this case, this assembly 18 has the form of a loading hopper. Furthermore, the coextrusion device 21 comprises a transport mechanism 19 in the form of, for example, a vane pump or a gear pump. Finally, the coextrusion device 21 comprises a coextrusion head 17 for extruding coextruded masses. Exactly as for the mass stream explained in relation to Fig. 1 and 2, also the temperature of this stream of co-extruded masses is controlled depending on the same parameters, e.g. external temperature, heat lost by the filling machine, internal friction of the filling mass. For this reason, also in this case, the filler for this mass stream has one or several temperature sensors 7f, g, h in at least two of several sections comprising a loading hopper, a transport mechanism and a joint extrusion head. Also, the device 21 for coextrusion, in at least one of several sections, has a corresponding device 8f, g, h heating / cooling. As described in connection with the first mass stream, the filling machine in these sections may have separate heating / cooling devices with separate respective 8f, g, h heating or cooling circuits or one heating or cooling circuit for several units. In addition, this embodiment, which relates to a stream of co-extruded mass, is in accordance with the embodiment which has been described in connection with the mass which is squeezed through the filling tube 4. This also applies in particular to the method

The regulation shown in Figs. 3 and 4 as well as the forward temperature control depending on the expected or measured power consumption of the filling machine or the mass pressure measured in the transport mechanism 19, or on the predicted flow rate of the coextruded mass.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the temperature of the first mass stream and the temperature of the coextruded mass stream are adjusted independent of each other in order to reach the respective set temperature each time. The temperature control in both different mass flows could, however, also be made dependent on one another.

[0042] According to the present invention, it can be guaranteed that the temperature is kept within appropriate limits without the need for manual intervention during the entire production process. Thanks to this process security can be significantly increased. Shorter downtimes increase the performance of the device. The operating personnel are then relieved and continuous parameter documentation is possible.

Proxy:

Ewa Grenda, patent attorney

EP 1 997 384