Apparatus for supplying grain and flour to container of food processing machine

A grain and flour supply apparatus is provided, including a holding bin provided above a container and having an exhaust port from which gas is discharged, an introduction port into which grain and flour are introduced, and a supply port which supplies the grain and flour to the container; a first vacuum breaker valve opening and closing the exhaust port; a second vacuum breaker valve opening and closing the introduction port; a third vacuum breaker valve opening and closing the supply port; a temperature sensor measuring the temperature in the holding bin; a vacuum device drawing a vacuum in the holding bin; and a control device configured to control the first vacuum breaker valve, the second vacuum breaker valve, the third vacuum breaker valve, and the vacuum device, and set with a target temperature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Japan application no. 2018-222998, filed on Nov. 29, 2018. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The disclosure relates to an apparatus for supplying grain and flour to a container of a food processing machine. In particular, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for supplying powdered and granular materials made of cereals or legumes to an apparatus for producing confectionery, bread or noodle dough.

Description of Related Art

In many food production plants, grain and flour such as wheat flour, barley flour, cornstarch, oat flour, rye flour, rice flour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, wheat grain, barley grain, corn grain, oats, rye grain, rice grain, buckwheat grain, and soybeans are stored in huge outdoor silos. The grain and flour are taken out from the outdoor silos and weighed, and predetermined amounts of grain and flour are conveyed to a holding bin that is provided above a food processing machine. The holding bin is also called a hopper or a receiver tank. The grain and flour in the holding bin are gravity fed into the food processing machine.

The food processing machine is, for example, a mixer, an extruder, a stirrer or a grinder. In a plant that produces udon, for example, a predetermined size of wheat flour is stored in an outdoor silo. The wheat flour that has been weighed is conveyed to the holding bin. The wheat flour in the holding bin is gravity fed into the container of the mixer that produces udon dough.

In such a food production plant, the temperature of the grain and flour in the outdoor silo may change due to the influence of the outside air temperature during the storage period. Therefore, the temperature of the grain and flour sent to the food processing machine may become excessively high in the summer and excessively low in the winter. When the temperature of the grain and flour exceeds the appropriate temperature range, the quality of food is adversely affected. For example, if water is added to grain and flour having an excessively high temperature, gluten is excessively formed and the dough particles become large. When such dough is rolled, air may easily enter the dough. As a result, the surface of the dough sheet may become uneven and the noodles may easily break.

In general, the temperature of the material tends to be high even in a food processing machine. For example, in a grinder, the temperature of the material increases due to the heat generated by collision and cutting of the material. As a result, the flavor of the product may be impaired. Many food processing machines are equipped with a cooler to prevent the temperature of the material from rising. In order to prevent the material from freezing, a heater for maintaining the temperature of the material above 4° C. may also be provided in the food processing machines.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-143357 discloses a mixer that is provided with a cooler and a heater. The mixer produces dough for noodles from flour. A gas at a predetermined temperature is supplied into the container of the mixer to directly cool or heat the flour. Furthermore, a mixer that injects hot water or cooling water into the outer wall of the container is also disclosed. The wheat flour that is often used in noodle production has a size of several tens to several hundreds of μm. Such fine flour is known to have low thermal conductivity. The equilibrium moisture of wheat flour is approximately 13% by weight when the average temperature of the material is 25° C. and the humidity is 40%. Although it depends on the bulk density, the thermal conductivity of wheat flour is 0.0409 W/(m·K) for soft flour, 0.0461 W/(m·K) for medium flour, and 0.0383 W/(m·K) for strong flour.

For this reason, when a cooler or heater using a gas or liquid as the heat medium is provided in the food processing machine, cooling or heating inside the lump of flour in the container is delayed. As a result, particularly for a large-sized food processing machine that processes a relatively large amount of flour at one time, it will take a longer time for all the flour to reach the required temperature uniformly. If the product is required to have higher quality than before, it is desirable to shorten the time required for cooling.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-222918 discloses a mixing device in which a horizontal rotating plate is housed in the container. A liquid supply pipe for supplying a liquid to the upper surface of the rotating plate is provided. A flour supply pipe extends upward through the ceiling of the container, and the flour is supplied from the lower end of the flour supply pipe to the upper surface of the rotating plate. A storage tank is provided above the mixing device and connected to the upper end of the flour supply pipe. A hopper is provided on the storage tank and connected to the storage tank via an on-off valve. A vacuum pump is provided to draw a vacuum in the hopper, the storage tank, and the container. The flour falls from the hopper to the container via the storage tank with small air resistance.

In general, the purpose of drawing a vacuum in the container of the mixer is to mix flour and water without mixing air bubbles. The temperature suitable for mixing flour is 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less. With the degree of vacuum in the vacuum mixer, it is difficult to lower the temperature of the flour that has become high to an appropriate temperature. In order to lower the temperature of the flour in the container by vaporization latent heat, it is necessary to strengthen the structure of the vacuum mixer so that it can withstand a pressure sufficiently low to generate vaporization latent heat. The mixer has a movable part such as a stirring blade, and it is not easy to increase the pressure resistance of the vacuum container.

In view of the above, the disclosure provides a novel grain and flour supply apparatus that can rapidly and uniformly lower the temperature of grain and flour in the holding bin to a target temperature by vaporization latent heat. Some advantages of the grain and flour supply apparatus of the disclosure are described in the detailed description.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a grain and flour supply apparatus for supplying grain and flour to a container (2A) of a food processing machine is provided. The grain and flour supply apparatus includes: a holding bin (50) provided above the container and having an exhaust port from which gas is discharged, an introduction port into which the grain and flour are introduced, and a supply port which supplies the grain and flour to the container; a first vacuum breaker valve (51) opening and closing the exhaust port; a second vacuum breaker valve (52) opening and closing the introduction port; and a third vacuum breaker valve (53) opening and closing the supply port. The grain and flour supply apparatus further includes: a temperature sensor (54,55,56) measuring a temperature in the holding bin and outputting a measured temperature; a vacuum device (70) including one or more vacuum pumps (22,71) connected to the exhaust port via the first vacuum breaker valve, and drawing a vacuum in the holding bin; and a control device (3) configured to control the first vacuum breaker valve, the second vacuum breaker valve, the third vacuum breaker valve, and the vacuum device, and set with a target temperature. The control device operates the vacuum device in a state where the first vacuum breaker valve is opened and the second vacuum breaker valve and the third vacuum breaker valve are closed until a pressure in the holding bin is lowered to a pressure, at which a temperature of the grain and flour starts to decrease due to vaporization latent heat, or less and the measured temperature in the holding bin falls to the target temperature or less.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The material to which the disclosure is preferably applied is grain and flour made of cereals or legumes. The grain and flour may be barley flour, cornstarch, oat flour, rye flour, rice flour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, wheat grain, barley wheat, corn grain, oats, rye grain, rice grain, buckwheat grain, and soybeans. As shown inFIG. 1, a food production plant1includes one or more outdoor silos10and a vacuum mixer2as an example of a food processing machine. Other food processing machines for producing dough for confectionery, bread or noodle may be a normal pressure mixer that hydrates the flour for kneading or an extruder that includes a screw rotating in a cylinder to extrude the dough into a specific shape, or the food processing machines may also be a stirrer and a grinder. A grain and flour supply apparatus that supplies wheat flour to the vacuum mixer2is included in the food production plant1. The outdoor silo10stores wheat flour.FIG. 1does not accurately illustrate the relative sizes of the devices in the food production plant1.

The food production plant1includes a control device3that performs a remote operation and a continuous operation, and the control device3is a part of the grain and flour supply apparatus. The food production plant1includes a flour-use bin20that is an intermediate storage tank, a scale30which is a weighing device, an inline sifter40, a holding bin50which is a vacuum container, a blower61,62which is a transport device, and a vacuum device70.

The food production plant1includes the vacuum device70, and the vacuum device70cools the wheat flour stored in the holding bin50. In particular, the food production plant1includes a humidifier80shown inFIG. 4. By including the humidifier80, the grain and flour supply apparatus can not only lower the temperature of the wheat flour but also adjust the temperature within a range of error of several degrees Celsius.

The vacuum mixer2is a part of a noodle maker, a confectionery machine or a bread maker. The vacuum mixer2includes at least a container2A and a stirring blade2B that rotates in the container2A. The container2A may be called a bowl, a drum or a cylinder. The vacuum mixer2stirs the wheat flour, to which water and salt have been added, in the container2A with the stirring blade2B, and kneads it to produce dough. An intake port of a vacuum pump22is connected to the vacuum mixer2via a three-way valve75, a filter23, and a butterfly valve21which is a vacuum breaker valve. The vacuum pump22is a water ring vacuum pump which is the first vacuum pump. The filter23removes the wheat flour contained in the gas when the vacuum pump22draws a vacuum in the container2A.

If the temperature of the grain and flour is maintained above 4° C. and there is no risk of freezing, it is not necessary to provide a heater for the vacuum mixer2. In the illustrated food production plant1, it is not necessary to provide a cooling device for the vacuum mixer2. The vacuum mixer2lowers the pressure in the container2A to a pressure suitable for mixing wheat flour. Since the pressure is 80 kPa to 10 kPa, the vacuum mixer2is not required to have high pressure resistance. The vacuum mixer2is provided with a controller that includes an operation panel (not shown). The controller of the vacuum mixer2is connected to the control device3, and the control device3is configured to be capable of remotely operating the vacuum mixer2.

The silo10stores wheat flour. The silo10is a tank made of stainless steel, cloth or steel. The silo10has an opening that can be opened and closed for introducing wheat flour on the upper surface of the tank. A valve10A that is a gate valve is connected to the funnel-shaped bottom of the silo10. By opening and closing the valve10A, a predetermined amount of the wheat flour stored in the silo10is gravity fed into the hopper10B each time. The lower end of the hopper10B is connected to a three-way valve10C. A blower61and the flour-use bin20are connected to the three-way valve10C. When the three-way valve10C is fully opened, the air flow generated by the blower61transports the wheat flour in the hopper10B to the flour-use bin20via a check valve10D.

The flour-use bin20temporarily stores a predetermined amount of the wheat flour transported by the blower61in its tank. The illustrated flour-use bin20is equipped with two tanks. Therefore, while storing the wheat flour transported from the hopper10B in one tank, the flour-use bin20can transport the wheat flour stored in the other tank to the scale30.

The scale30includes a delivery tank30A and a weighing hopper30B. The delivery tank30A is provided under the flour-use bin20and receives the wheat flour in the flour-use bin20. The delivery tank30A gravity feeds the wheat flour into the weighing hopper30B below. The scale30stops gravity feeding the wheat flour when the wheat flour in the weighing hopper30B reaches a predetermined amount. The lower end of the weighing hopper30B is connected to a three-way valve30C. A blower62and the inline sifter40are connected to the three-way valve30C. When the scale30completes weighing, the three-way valve30C is fully opened automatically, and the air flow generated by the blower62transports a predetermined amount of wheat flour from the weighing hopper30B to the holding bin50via the inline sifter40. The inline sifter40has a vibrating screen, and allows only wheat flour of a desired size to pass and discharges foreign matter. A gravitational sifter may be used as the foreign matter removing device.

The holding bin50is provided right above the container2A of the vacuum mixer2, and temporarily stores a predetermined amount of wheat flour sent from the scale30. The food production plant1may include a plurality of holding bins50. In order to produce dough in the vacuum mixer2, a predetermined amount of wheat flour in the holding bin50is gravity fed into the container2A. The holding bin50is provided with a valve51which is the first vacuum breaker valve, a valve52which is the second vacuum breaker valve, and a valve53which is the third vacuum breaker valve. The vacuum breaker valves51,52, and53are electric butterfly valves. The vacuum in the holding bin50can be maintained by closing all the valves51,52, and53. The holding bin50is connected to the vacuum device70via the valve51.

The vacuum device70includes a vacuum pump71, a filter72, and a cold trap73which is a moisture removing device. The vacuum pump71is an oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump as the second vacuum pump. In general, an oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump can lower the pressure in the container from the atmospheric pressure to a “high vacuum”. The “high vacuum” is determined to be 10−1Pa to 10−5Pa. The vacuum pump71may be a dry vacuum pump as the second vacuum pump. In general, a dry vacuum pump can lower the pressure in the container from the atmospheric pressure to an “intermediate vacuum”. The “intermediate vacuum” is determined to be 102Pa to 10−1Pa. The valve51is connected to the cold trap73via the filter72and a three-way valve74. One end of a bypass exhaust line78that bypasses the cold trap73is connected to the three-way valve74.

An intake port of the vacuum pump71is connected to the cold trap73via a three-way valve77. The three-way valve77is connected to a three-way valve75provided between the intake port of the vacuum pump22and the butterfly valve21. The other end of the bypass exhaust line78is connected to a node79provided between the cold trap73and the three-way valve77. By switching the three-way valve74, the gas discharged from the holding bin50can bypass the cold trap73and pass through the bypass exhaust line78. The control device3can control the operations of the valves51,52, and53, the three-way valves75and77, the vacuum pumps22and71, and the cold trap73.

The holding bin50will be described in detail with reference toFIG. 2andFIG. 3. As best shown inFIG. 2, the holding bin50has a funnel shape so as to gravity feed the wheat flour. The filter72is fixed on the valve51and removes fine particles containing wheat flour. Temperature sensors54,55, and56are provided for measuring the temperature in the holding bin50. The temperature sensors54,55, and56are, for example, probes having temperature detectors in the holding bin50. The temperature detected by the probe is recorded by a data logger, and the data logger wirelessly transmits the measured temperature to the control device3. The temperature sensors54and56are located in the upper part and the lower part of the holding bin50respectively. The temperature sensor55is located at the center of the temperature sensors54and56in height. The temperature sensors54,55, and56output the measured temperature to the control device3.

The control device3switches the three-way valves75and77in synchronization, by which the vacuum pump22that draws a vacuum in the container2A of the vacuum mixer2can be used to draw a vacuum in the holding bin50. Thus, the vacuum pump22and the three-way valve75constitute a part of the vacuum device70. Another water ring vacuum pump may be connected to the three-way valve77in place of the vacuum pump22, and the control device3may control the three-way valve77so as to select the another water ring vacuum pump and the oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump71. In that case, the three-way valve75is not required.

When the volume of the wheat flour in the holding bin50is very small, the control device3can adjust the temperature of the wheat flour only based on the measured temperature from the temperature sensor56. When the volume of the wheat flour is large, the control device3can adjust the temperature in the holding bin50uniformly to a desired value based on the measured temperatures of the temperature sensors54,55, and56. Since the holding bin50does not have a movable part, it is easy to strengthen compared with the container of the food processing machine. Therefore, the pressure in the holding bin50can be made lower than that of the container of the food processing machine.

The first vacuum breaker valve51is provided on the ceiling of the holding bin50so as to open and close the exhaust port that discharges the gas in the holding bin50. The holding bin50is connected to the vacuum device70via the valve51and the filter72. The valve52is provided on the side surface of the upper part of the holding bin50so as to open and close the introduction port that introduces the wheat flour into the holding bin50. The holding bin50is connected to the scale30via the valve52.

The supply port that supplies the wheat flour to the container2A of the vacuum mixer2is formed in the bottom of the holding bin50. The third vacuum breaker valve53is provided so as to open and close the supply port. The third vacuum breaker valve53includes an upper valve57and a lower valve58so as to draw a vacuum in the holding bin50and the container2A at the same time. The upper valve57is provided in the bottom of the holding bin50so as to open and close the outlet that discharges the wheat flour in the holding bin50to the container2A. The lower valve58is provided on the ceiling of the container2A so as to open and close the inlet that introduces the wheat flour to the container2A. The third vacuum breaker valve53includes a duct59provided between the upper valve57and the lower valve58. The duct59forms a canvas connection for buffering vibration. The control device3opens and closes the upper valve57and the lower valve58at the same time.

The humidifier80is connected to the holding bin50by suitable piping. As shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the piping passes through the upper side wall of the holding bin50. A nozzle88is provided at the tip of the piping to follow the inner wall surface of the holding bin50in order to generate mist and spray water vapor. The nozzle88is directed in a direction parallel to the tangent of the inner wall surface of the holding bin50. As a result, the mist and water vapor descend in a spiral manner along the inner wall surface of the holding bin50and are evenly sprayed in the holding bin50as indicated by the dash-dot line. The water vapor supplied from the nozzle88is in the state of water vapor at 20° C. or more and 50° C. or less in the holding bin50which is in a vacuum state, and is the so-called vacuum vapor.

An embodiment of a grain and flour supply apparatus of the disclosure will be described with reference toFIG. 4. The grain and flour supply apparatus includes the holding bin50, the valves51,52, and53, the temperature sensors54,55, and56, the vacuum device70, a pressure sensor76, the humidifier80, and the control device3. The pressure sensor76is connected to the holding bin50so as to measure the pressure in the holding bin50. The grain and flour supply apparatus has a function of cooling the wheat flour in the holding bin50, and the cooling is mainly achieved by the vacuum device70.

The humidifier80includes the nozzle88which sprays mist and water vapor, a tank87which is a water storage tank, and a heating/cooling device86which heats or cools water in a range of 5° C. or more and less than 100° C. The humidifier80further includes a faucet81, a water supply pump82, a relief valve83which is a safety valve, a filter84, and a temperature sensor85in the circuit from the water source to the nozzle88. The tank87stores drinking water. In the humidifier80ofFIG. 4, when the faucet81is opened, purified tap water from the water source (not shown) is supplied to the tank87. The heating/cooling device86includes a heat exchanger, and is provided with a heating device for generating water vapor at 20° C. or more and 50° C. or less, and a cooling device for generating mist, which is not water vapor, at 5° C. or more and the normal temperature of 25° C. or less. The heating/cooling device86can be operated by switching between the heating device and the cooling device.

The vaporization latent heat of water differs depending on the water temperature, and the moisture content required until the temperature is lowered to the target water temperature is different. If the equilibrium moisture of wheat flour is about 13% by weight, the cooling time can be shortened by supplying more moisture than that. Prior to the operation of the vacuum device70, the control device3controls the humidifier80so that mist at 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less is supplied to the holding bin50. As a result, moisture is evenly retained in the holding bin50, which has an advantage that the wheat flour can be cooled quickly.

When cooling or heating the wheat flour in the holding bin50, a target pressure and a target temperature are set in the control device3by the operator. The target temperature is 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less which is suitable for the mixing of wheat flour. The control device3inputs the measured temperatures in the holding bin50from the temperature sensors54,55, and56and inputs the measured pressure from the pressure sensor76.

When the temperature of the wheat flour in the holding bin50falls below the appropriate temperature, the control device3closes all the valves51,52, and53. Further, the control device3operates the water supply pump83and the heating/cooling device86so that the humidifier80supplies water vapor at 20° C. or more and 50° C. or less to the holding bin50. The water vapor sprayed from the nozzle88to the low-temperature holding bin50rapidly changes into water. As a result, the temperature in the holding bin50rapidly rises due to the condensation latent heat. The control device3compares at least one measured temperature of the temperature sensors54,55, and56with the target temperature. The control device3stops the water supply pump83and the heating/cooling device86when at least one measured temperature falls to the target temperature or less. Compared with using a general heater to directly heat the inside of the holding bin50, the temperature of the wheat flour can be increased from a low temperature to around 10° C. in a shorter time. Since the humidifier80preliminarily raises the temperature of the wheat flour in the holding bin50, the vacuum mixer2does not require a heater.

When cooling the wheat flour in the holding bin50, the control device3opens the valve51and closes the valve52and the valve53. The control device3operates the valve77and the valve75to operate the vacuum pump22, and the vacuum device70draws a vacuum in the holding bin50. The control device3controls the valve74to select the bypass exhaust line78in order to improve the exhaust efficiency. The gas in the holding bin50is sent to the vacuum pump22through the valve51, the filter72, the three-way valve74, the bypass exhaust line78, the node79, and the three-way valves77and75. Fine particles containing unwanted wheat flour are removed by the filter72.

Thus, the vacuum device70reduces the pressure in the holding bin50to a pressure, at which the temperature in the holding bin50starts to decrease due to the vaporization latent heat, or less. Referring to the graph ofFIG. 5, a pressure of 40 hPa is required in order to expect cooling by vaporization latent heat for wheat flour at 30° C. If the target temperatures are 25° C., 20° C., 15° C., 10° C., and 5° C., the required pressures are 31.69 hPa, 23.38 hPa, 17.06 hPa, 12.28 hPa, and 8.73 hPa or less, respectively.

In general, the water ring vacuum pump has a relatively high exhaust speed, but the ultimate pressure is about 8 kPa. The ultimate pressure is the lowest pressure that the vacuum pump can exhaust alone. It is difficult for the water ring vacuum pump to achieve the cooling effect by vaporization latent heat alone. In general, the oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump has an ultimate pressure that reaches a “high vacuum”, but the exhaust speed is not high. In the initial stage of drawing a vacuum, a large amount of air moves, and grain and flour are likely to soar and cause the oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump to malfunction. The control device3controls the opening and closing of the valves75and77so as to operate the water ring vacuum pump22until the pressure in the holding bin50is lowered to the target pressure. The target pressure is about 16.3 kPa depending on the capacity of the pump or the capacity of the holding bin. The water ring vacuum pump22greatly improves the cooling speed when the holding bin50stores a large amount of wheat flour.

The control device3compares the measured pressure with the target pressure. When the measured pressure falls to the target pressure or less, the control device3stops the vacuum pump22. The control device3operates the valve74to incorporate the cold trap73into the exhaust line. The control device3controls the opening and closing of the valves75and77so as to operate the vacuum pump71which is an oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump. When the control device3operates the vacuum pump71, the gas remaining in the holding bin50is sent to the vacuum pump71through the valve51, the filter72, the three-way valve74, the cold trap73, the node79, and the three-way valve77. The moisture that may cause the oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump to malfunction is removed by the cold trap73. The pressure in the holding bin50is further reduced by the vacuum pump71as compared with the target pressure.

The control device3compares at least one measured temperature of the temperature sensors54,55, and56with the target temperature. When at least one measured temperature falls to the target temperature or less, the control device3stops the vacuum pump71and closes the valve51. The control device3slowly opens the valve53, returns the pressure in the holding bin50to the normal pressure, and gravity feeds the wheat flour into the container2A.

When the moisture content is not sufficient in the cooling period of the wheat flour, the control device3operates the water supply pump82and the heating/cooling device86. Thus, mist at 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less, which is not water vapor, is sprayed from the nozzle88to the holding bin50. The mist diffuses and remains in the holding bin50while descending in a spiral manner in the holding bin50. As a result, falling of the temperature due to vaporization latent heat is promoted, and the cooling time is shortened.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a grain and flour supply apparatus for supplying grain and flour to a container (2A) of a food processing machine is provided. The grain and flour supply apparatus includes: a holding bin (50) provided above the container and having an exhaust port from which gas is discharged, an introduction port into which the grain and flour are introduced, and a supply port which supplies the grain and flour to the container; a first vacuum breaker valve (51) opening and closing the exhaust port; a second vacuum breaker valve (52) opening and closing the introduction port; and a third vacuum breaker valve (53) opening and closing the supply port. The grain and flour supply apparatus further includes: a temperature sensor (54,55,56) measuring a temperature in the holding bin and outputting a measured temperature; a vacuum device (70) including one or more vacuum pumps (22,71) connected to the exhaust port via the first vacuum breaker valve, and drawing a vacuum the holding bin; and a control device (3) configured to control the first vacuum breaker valve, the second vacuum breaker valve, the third vacuum breaker valve, and the vacuum device, and set with a target temperature. The control device operates the vacuum device in a state where the first vacuum breaker valve is opened and the second vacuum breaker valve and the third vacuum breaker valve are closed until a pressure in the holding bin is lowered to a pressure, at which a temperature of the grain and flour starts to decrease due to vaporization latent heat, or less and the measured temperature in the holding bin falls to the target temperature or less.

Preferably, the target temperature is 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less. The holding bin has a funnel shape. The grain and flour include wheat flour, barley flour, cornstarch, oat flour, rye flour, rice flour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, wheat grain, barley grain, corn grain, oats, rye grain, rice grain, buckwheat grain, and soybeans.

Preferably, the vacuum device includes a first vacuum pump (22) and a second vacuum pump (71), and the control device connects one of the first vacuum pump and the second vacuum pump to the exhaust port. The first vacuum pump is a water ring vacuum pump and the second vacuum pump is an oil-sealed rotary vacuum pump or a dry vacuum pump.

Preferably, the vacuum device includes a first three-way valve (77) connected to the exhaust port, the first vacuum pump, and the second vacuum pump. When the food processing machine is a vacuum mixer (2) that hydrates flour for kneading, the vacuum device includes a second three-way valve (75) connected to the vacuum mixer, the first vacuum pump, and the first three-way valve, and the control device connects one of the first vacuum pump and the second vacuum pump to the exhaust port.

Preferably, the grain and flour supply apparatus further includes a pressure sensor (76) measuring the pressure in the holding bin and providing a measured pressure to the control device. The control device connects the first vacuum pump to the exhaust port, and when the measured pressure reaches a target pressure, the control device stops the first vacuum pump and connects the second vacuum pump to the exhaust port to lower the pressure in the holding bin below the target pressure. The control device stops the second vacuum pump when the measured temperature reaches the target temperature.

Preferably, the vacuum device includes a cold trap (73) connected between the first vacuum breaker valve and the one or more vacuum pumps. The vacuum device includes a bypass exhaust line (78) connected between the first vacuum breaker valve and the one or more vacuum pumps to bypass the cold trap. The vacuum device includes a third three-way valve (74) connected between the first vacuum breaker valve and the cold trap, and a node (79) connected between the cold trap and the one or more vacuum pumps, wherein the bypass exhaust line connects the third three-way valve to the node.

Preferably, the grain and flour supply apparatus further includes a pressure sensor measuring the pressure in the holding bin and providing a measured pressure to the control device. The control device sends gas in the holding bin to the one or more vacuum pumps via the bypass exhaust line, and when the measured pressure reaches a target pressure, the control device sends the gas in the holding bin to the one or more vacuum pumps via the cold trap.

Preferably, the grain and flour supply apparatus further includes a humidifier supplying mist at 5° C. or more and 25° C. or less to the holding bin, wherein the control device controls the humidifier to supply the mist prior to an operation of the vacuum device. The humidifier includes a nozzle that is directed in a direction parallel to a tangent of an inner wall surface of the holding bin and sprays the mist.

Preferably, the grain and flour supply apparatus further includes a humidifier supplying water vapor at 20° C. or more and 50° C. or less to the holding bin to increase the temperature in the holding bin by condensation latent heat. The humidifier includes a nozzle that is directed in a direction parallel to a tangent of an inner wall surface of the holding bin and sprays the water vapor.

The food processing machine is, for example, a vacuum mixer that hydrates flour for kneading to produce dough. In that case, the third vacuum breaker valve includes an upper valve (57), a lower valve (58), and a duct (59) that is provided between the upper valve and the lower valve and forms a canvas connection for buffering vibration.

The disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is possible to modify the embodiments, replace the members, and combine the grain and flour supply apparatus of the disclosure with a known apparatus without departing from the technical concept of the disclosure. The control device3selects one of the cold trap73and the bypass exhaust line78by controlling the three-way valve74. In addition, the control device3selects one of the vacuum pumps22and71by controlling the three-way valves77and75. One skilled in the art can switch between the two elements with other configurations.