JPH04258300A - Sugar cane treating system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the title system for separating stems of sugar cane arranged by cutting into a fixed length and further separating into groups by thickness thereof, providing rotary teeth of raking pitch part and ones of raking epidermis part for the each group, raking the pitch part and the epidermis part in values corresponding to the thickness of sugar cane diameter, and effectively extracting active ingredients. CONSTITUTION:Thickness of stems 1 of sugar cane arranged by cutting into a fixed length is individually detected by an optical means or by measuring weight, stems of sugar cane are separated into groups by thickness by a selector whose operation is controlled corresponding to the detected values and each group is provided with rotary teeth 2 of raking a pith part 1a and rotary teeth 2 of raking epidermis part 1c. The pith part 1a and the epidermis part 1c are raked by rotary teeth 2 having raking depth set into a value corresponding to thickness of stems of each group and active ingredients of sugar cane are efficiently extracted by this system for separately treating the stems of sugar cane having a thicker tendency and the stems of sugar cane having thinner tendency by different processes.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for processing cane that can efficiently extract the active ingredients of cane.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The active ingredient contained in cane in the largest amount is, needless to say, sugar, but it also contains other physiologically active lipids and high-quality fibers, which can be used beneficially.

[0003] Conventionally, when cane was processed, the main purpose was to extract sugar, and other active ingredients were not considered, so that sufficient extraction was not carried out. This conventional method of processing sweet potato is called the mill-pressing method, and the sweet potato stems are either left as they are or are cut into arbitrary lengths, and then shredded using a sweet potato shredding machine to create roughly cylindrical pieces. Sugar is extracted from the juice obtained by crushing the cane stems with a roll. One of the drawbacks of this mill-pressing method is that it simultaneously shreds the hard, tough skin and skin along with the soft juice-containing fibers.

[0004] Another conventional technique for extracting sugar from cane is the cane separation method, in which the cane stalk is cut to a certain length (20 to 30 cm) and then the cane stalk is further cut along its axis. Cut the cane vertically, and use rotating teeth to scrape off the soft tissue (pissing part) that occupies the core of the cane. This scraped-off pit part is a part that sufficiently contains sugar-rich cane juice, and most of the sugar content of the cane stem is contained in this pit part. Physiologically active lipids are low in the pimple area, and are abundant in the outer hard skin part (epidermis/integument), especially the epidermis, so after removing the pimple area, a thinner layer of epidermis is scraped off. The purpose is to extract physiologically active lipids and to use the outer skin after removing the thin epidermis as a high-quality board fiber.

[0005]

[Problems with the prior art] Both of the above-mentioned two prior art techniques have problems. For example, although the mill-pressing method has extremely high efficiency in recovering cane juice from cane, it does not collect the skin, outer skin, and pimple part all together. Because of the crushing process, the utilization efficiency of active ingredients other than sugar was poor, and there were problems, especially in terms of the utilization of high-quality fibers. Furthermore, when using the cane separation method, there was a problem that the thickness of the cane stems was not constant and varied, making it difficult to properly divide the cane stems vertically or scrape off the pit parts. That is,
The thickness of the cane stem differs between the tip and the root, with the tip being thinner and the root thicker. In addition, the thickness of the stem varies depending on various conditions such as the growth state, the type of sweet potato, and the soil. Since a mixture of sweet potato with different stem diameters is delivered to the sweet potato processing site, it is extremely difficult to sort them according to the thickness of the stem diameter.

When using the Cane separation method, FIG.
When cutting the cane stem 1 vertically as shown in FIG. 1, the rotary teeth 2 rotate in the direction of arrow A so as to press the outer skin 1c of the outer skin 1b against the fixed part 3 when scraping off the piston part 1a. Scrape off the piston part 1a from the outer skin. Without this fixed part 3, the cane stem 1 would be pushed by the rotating teeth 2 and escape, making it impossible to scrape off the piston part 1a. However, rotating tooth 2
The size of the gap d between the rotating tip and the fixed part 3 can be adjusted, but since a constant gap d is maintained after fixing, it is possible to adjust the size according to the standard thickness of the cane stem, for example 23 mm. If a cane stem with a thick outer diameter comes from the direction of arrow B with the gap d set, the outer skin 1b is also thick corresponding to the outer diameter, so the rotary teeth 2 will scrape down to the outer skin 1b, and conversely, the thin cane stem will scrape off the outer skin 1b. When the stem 1 is sent from the direction of arrow B, the piston part 1
A cannot be scraped off sufficiently. The number of sweet potato stems 1 to be processed is extremely large, and the thickness of the sweet potato stems 1 to be processed changes randomly, so it is impossible to change the setting of the gap between the rotating teeth 2 and the fixed part 3 accordingly. It is possible.

[0007] Therefore, when using the cane separation method, there is a problem in that the efficiency of recovering cane juice from cane is low, and therefore the extraction efficiency of sugar is low.

[0008]

Purpose of the Invention: In view of the problems of the prior art as described above, the present invention improves the recovery efficiency of cane juice by aligning the thickness of cane stems within a certain range, and removes sugar content without crushing the outer skin. It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing system for cane that can sufficiently extract the active ingredients.

[0009]

[Summary of the Invention] According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by dividing sweet potato stalks cut to a certain length into groups according to diameter thickness, and using rotating teeth to scrape off the piston part and scrape off the epidermis for each group. The piston part and the outer skin are scraped off by the rotary teeth, the rotary teeth having a scraping depth set to a value corresponding to the thickness of the diameter for each group. This is accomplished by providing a processing system.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained in detail below based on illustrated embodiments. First, the system of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0011] The harvested sweet potato stems are cut into a length of, for example, 300 mm±(
In step S1, the stem is trimmed to a length equal to (outer diameter of the stem x 0.01). As shown in FIG. 2, the trimmed cane stem 4 consists of a piston part 4a, an outer skin 4b, and an epidermis 4c, and in step S2
The weight is measured in step S3, and the material is sieved according to weight.

[0012] In this sieving, if the weight of 135 gr is taken as a branching point in step S2, in order to divide the grains into two groups, those lighter than 135 gr and those weighing more than 135 gr, they are divided into two groups: those lighter than 135 gr and those weighing more than 135 gr. 2
A signal indicating the type of sweet potato is transmitted, and the cane stems 4 are sieved according to the signal. That is, the average outer diameter of sweet potato stems is 23.1 mm, which weighs about 135 gr, so the average value is used as the dividing point for sieving. Note that this weight measurement and sorting by weight may be performed using a commercially available measuring machine and a sorting machine whose operation is controlled by the measuring machine, and it is turned ON for items larger than a preset value, and turned ON for items smaller than a preset value. There are some that can emit a signal such as OFF and record data such as the number of large and small pieces, and any one can be selected and used. Then, for example, the cane stalks fed by a belt conveyor are sorted, sieved by weight, that is, by thickness, and placed on conveyors of different courses to switch processes.

[0013] Since the cane stems 4 have been cut to a uniform length in step S1, they are sieved according to weight in step S3 and are naturally divided into those with thick and thin stem diameters, and those with thick stems go to step S4. , and the thin ones are sent to different processing steps such as step S5, and in steps S6 and S7, respectively, the cane stem 4 is vertically split along the axial direction, so to speak, into semicylindrical split stems 4'.

Next, in steps S8 and S9, the semicylindrical split stem 4' is flattened using rolls (not shown) to form a flat plate. In this step, the cane juice is squeezed out to some extent from the piston portion 4a', but the soft tissue is still attached to the outer skin 4b, and the soft tissue still contains the cane juice.

[0015] In the state where the cane stem 4' is flattened from an arc shape to a flat plate shape, the piston portion 4a' is scraped off by rotating teeth, leaving only the outer skin 4b' and the outer skin 4c'. In the next steps S1 2 and S1 3, the outer skin is scraped off from the outer skin by rotating teeth different from those described above, but in the above step S1
0 and S1 1 , and S1 2 and S1 3 , the thickness of the outer skin 4b' is different for each group of different thicknesses of cane stems, so the distance between the rotating teeth and the fixed part is also adapted to each group. The piston part 4a' and the epidermis 4c are set as follows.
' is scraped off from the outer skin 4b' according to the thickness of the cane stem.

[0016] In steps S1 4 and S1 5, the outer skin 4
The cane stems 4' of the heavy group and the light group, which are now only b', are then mixed together to extract high quality fibers. Note that the separately squeezed sweet potato juices of the heavy and light groups, that is, the large diameter and small diameter, which are flattened in steps S8 and S9, are combined into one, and
0 and S1 1 are collected into one piece after being scraped off, and then in steps S1 2 and S1 3
The epidermis 4c' that has been scraped off is also combined into one, and the active ingredients contained in each skin are extracted. Of course, the sweet potato juice squeezed from the combined piston portion 4a' is processed in step S above.
8. When flattening in S9, it is mixed with the cane juice squeezed from the cane stems and subjected to extraction processing.

[0017] The cane juice separated and collected as described above,
The following active ingredients are extracted from the juice of the soft tissue of the piston portion 4a' having the diameter from which the cane juice was squeezed out, the epidermis 4c', and the outer skin 4b'.

Needless to say, sugar is first extracted from the cane juice, but since there is no rind or epidermis waste mixed in and there are few impurities, high-grade brown sugar is extracted and produced using a membrane concentration system. In addition, hemicellulose, which is a raw material for dietary fiber, is extracted as food from the soft tissue of the piston portion produced as dregs, and high-grade feed for livestock such as cattle with good digestibility is produced from the lignin-poor area. This feed passes through the livestock's bodies and turns into organic fertilizer by improving compost production, and when it is applied to the sugarcane again, a complete cycle is completed.

[0019] From the epidermis, natural wax for waterproofing paper packs and hormones (plant origin) are extracted using a lipid separation and extraction system.
, medicinal lipids (Otakusanol (anti-hemostatic agent, blood cholesterol suppressant, virility restoring agent)), etc. are extracted.

[0020] Furthermore, heat insulating boards and the like can be manufactured from the husk, making it possible to make comprehensive use of cane. In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention has been shown in which the thickness of cane stems is selected using a weighing scale, it is possible to determine the standard diameter of cane by using, for example, an optical outer diameter measuring device using a laser beam. outer diameter (e.g. 23m)
m) as a standard, and is set to emit different signals depending on whether the cane stems are above or below this standard, and this is received by a sorter, which separates thick and thin cane stems into vertically dividing devices. It may also be conveyed to

[0021]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the juice extraction efficiency can be dramatically improved compared to the conventional cane separation method, which had poor juice extraction efficiency.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, even if active ingredients other than sugar, which have not been sufficiently recovered and utilized in the past, are extracted, this does not mean that the amount of extracted sugar is reduced, but rather tends to increase the amount of extracted sugar. Therefore, instead of extracting other active ingredients at the expense of sugar extraction, all active ingredients including sugar are sufficiently extracted at the same time, and resources can be used effectively.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, during the process of processing cane stems, the process of measuring the thickness of the cane stems and sieving them can be carried out automatically without requiring any human intervention, and moreover, the processing quantity can be reduced. Since data recording can be performed automatically, the number of personnel can be reduced and high-quality work contents can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a system of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cane stem cut to a certain length.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cane stem in a vertically divided state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a part of the process of the cane separation method, showing a state in which the pit portion is scraped off from the cane stem.

[Explanation of symbols]

4. Sweet potato stem 4a Piss part 4b Outer skin 4c Epidermis

Claims (3)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A sugarcane stem cut to a certain length is divided into groups according to diameter thickness, and each group is provided with rotating teeth for scraping the piston part and rotating teeth for scraping the epidermis, and the rotating The cane processing system is characterized in that the piston part and the epidermis are scraped off by rotating teeth whose scraping depth is set according to the diameter of each group. 2. The diameter of each cane cane is individually detected by optical means, and each cane diameter is divided into groups according to thickness by a sorter whose operation is controlled according to the detected value. The cane processing system according to claim 1. [Claim 3] A claim characterized in that the weight of each cane diameter is measured individually, and each cane diameter is divided into groups according to thickness by a sorting machine whose operation is controlled according to the measured value. 1. The sugarcane processing system described in 1.