BR112020023940B1 - CEREAL MILL AND ROLLER HOLDER WITH MULTIPLE GRINDING PASSES FOR OPTIMIZED GRINDING OF GRINDING MATERIAL, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

CEREAL MILL AND ROLLER HOLDER WITH MULTIPLE GRINDING PASSES FOR OPTIMIZED GRINDING OF GRINDING MATERIAL, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD. The present invention relates to a grinding installation (1) and associated method for grinding and/or crushing grains or the like, in particular, an optimized regulation and control method, and an associated central regulation and control device (4 ) for optimized control of grinding lines (3). Processing line (3) may, for example, comprise grinding passages (B, C) featuring pairs of grinding rolls (B1,B2, Bx; C1, C2, Cx) for grinding grinding material and, for example, passages sifting tool (S) for passing through a sieve and sifting grinding material. Grinding installation (1) further comprises central regulation and control device (4) for optimized control of the grinding installation (1), in which programmable logic controllers (201/PLC) 10 are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces ( 202) to the central regulation and control device (4) controlled by means of transmitted control parameters (4311,..., 431x). Control device (4) centrally controls, in particular on the web, processing devices (31) of different passes (3) of the same mill or of different mills (2). During the generation of control parameters (4311,...,431x), a distinction is made between parameters (...).

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical process and device technology for processing and reducing an initial product with specific initial product parameters to a desired final product with defined final product properties/dispersion properties; in particular, the invention relates to technology for regulating and/or controlling batch-oriented process mills in the food industry, concentrated feed industry or similar technical areas of application of grinding or crushing technology, such as, for example , the reduction of stones or other coarse materials. The specific focus of the invention is on the control and monitoring of crushing/grinding installations, such as cereal mills with roller supports having several grinding passes for the grinding or reduction of grinding materials, i.e. regulation and control system for the automated regulation and control of process devices of mechanical processing plants for dispersed products, such as grinding and rolling systems, particularly cereal milling plants with one or more roller supports. The invention further relates to the technical optimization of control devices for cereal mills and other installations for the processing and reduction of cereals, particularly installations for reducing, transporting, fractionating and packaging, and to regulation and control processes and optimized regulating devices for the optimized control and monitoring of such installations. Possible applications of the device according to the invention also relate to grinding and rolling systems with real-time or near-real-time measurement, real-time monitoring and real-time regulation/control of operating parameters such as laminate temperature. - nation, roller gap, roller speed, roller compression force and/or energy consumption of one or several roller drives, and/or with real-time or near-real-time measurements of ingredients or quality parameters during the preparation of products and - processing in cereal mill facilities for the purposes of process monitoring (measurement, monitoring), and control and/or regulation of facilities and/or processes, such as, for example, measuring quantities, such as water content, protein content, starch damage, ash content (mineral materials) of flours (or milling intermediate products), residual starch content, grinding fineness, etc. However, the invention can be, as mentioned, generally used in grinding systems, for example ball mills or so-called semi-autogenous grinding mills (SAG) intended for crushing coarse-grained materials such as ores or cement, etc., for example. Also with such mills, productivity and product quality parameters are controlled by adjusting several control variables or guidance variables, such as rotational speed of the grinding drum, energy consumption of the grinding drum, feeding of initial/grain input materials (coarse), water supply when grinding ore and/or discharge speed of the ground material present at the exit. Also in these mills, the grain size distribution of the material to be ground is an important quality characteristic. In particular, it can affect the yield of additional components downstream of the grinding system, such as, for example, flotation. Typically, in grinding plants and grinding systems, the highest possible productivity and yield with high product quality and low energy consumption and material requirements, i.e. costs, are desired.

[0002] The present invention therefore relates, in the preferred application, to lamination systems, processing plants and product grinding plants containing rolls or pairs of rolls, as well as an associated method for the optimized operation of such grinding and rolling systems and/or product processing facilities. Facilities mentioned include complete facilities for (i) the milling of cereals, (ii) the preparation of flours for industrial bakeries, (iii) facilities for special milling, (iv) production facilities for the manufacture of high quality livestock feed and domestic animals, (v) special installations for the manufacture of feed for fish and crustaceans, (vi) pre-mix and concentrate installations for the manufacture of mixtures of active ingredients, (vii) production of oil from oilseeds, (viii) treatment of extraction residues and white flakes, (ix) high-power facilities for biomass processing and the manufacture of energy pellets, (x) facilities for the manufacture of ethanol, (xi) complete rice processing facilities , (xii) sorting facilities for food, seeds and plastics, (xiii) cereal and soy handling, (xiv) industrial malting and malt handling facilities, (xv) machines and facilities for processing cocoa beans, nuts and coffee beans (xvi) machines and installations for the manufacture of chocolate, fillings and toppings (xvii) systems and installations for the extrusion (cooking and forming) of breakfast cereals, food and feed ingredients, pet food , aquaculture and pharmaceutical products, (xviii) total solution planning for wet grinding technology and manufacturing of machines and process equipment for the manufacture of printing inks, coatings and particle dispersions for the cosmetics, electronics and chemistry, (xix) isolation and characterization of aleurone from wheat bran, rice fortification, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Many mechanical process technology processes are directed at changing particle properties, such as particle size, for example, by reduction, or otherwise changing the state of the mixture, for example, by sieving or sieving the material. initial. The characterization of the dispersion properties of the initial product, that is, the particle measurement technology and the configuration selected by selecting suitable measurement parameters, is normally used to ensure the success of the relevant process measurements. In view of this, the success of a process itself is often decisively determined by the dispersion condition of the product/initial material to be processed. Therefore, normally in mechanical grinding processes, materials are more difficult to reduce and more difficult to separate as particle size decreases. The mechanical process technology processes of interest in this case can be classified if they are associated with a change in dispersion condition, such as, for example, reduction within a grinding pass of a mill, or a change in composition. , such as, for example, sieving within a screening pass or sieving in a mill. The starting material and the final product can be characterized by various properties, such as, for example, size, shape, stiffness, structure, color, porosity, homogeneity, etc. Features can be arranged differently within the process material, for example as primary particle, cluster of ordered structures, etc. The characteristics and their arrangement/mixing condition can be decisive for the properties of the product. The importance of mechanical processes and associated devices in the materials conversion industry is enormous and encompasses chemistry, nutritional and feed production, as well as the manufacturing of construction materials. The present invention essentially relates to grinding installations, such as are used in cereal mills, for example. However, fundamentally, it is in no way restricted to these applications, but can generally be used in the control, inspection and monitoring of mechanical process technology processing systems and installations comprising several processing lines.

[0004] The assessment of the effect of the mechanical processing device, such as, for example, the grinding installation or the cereal mill and the control/regulation of the operational or process parameters in the processing device accordingly, is decisive for the manufacture, characterization and/or evaluation/monitoring of dispersion products. To do this, it is necessary to record and configure (characterize) the properties, particularly the physical, chemical or even dispersion properties of the initial product or any intermediate product and the final product. For example, it is important for the selection and control of a separation process, such as a sieving process, to determine the size and shape distribution and their proportions. In the typical application of mechanical processing devices, certain product properties and characteristics of the final product are expected. One of the objectives is to obtain the properties, particularly the dispersion properties of the final product, in a targeted and reproducible way, through the appropriate selection of operational or process parameters in the processing device depending on the initial product. In doing so, the dispersion properties of the process material have a direct effect on the properties of the desired product, for example, flour particle size on the properties of the flour in further processing. The selection of operational or process parameters in a process device is therefore based on the determination or measurement of product properties, particularly dispersion properties. Frequently required product properties result from a determination of certain operational and/or process parameters, based on empirical optimization and adaptation relative to the processing, application and/or product, often determined by a human operator or expert. If it is known with what characteristics of the initial product, particularly what dispersion sizes of the initial products the desired product properties can be obtained, it will be determined which operational or processing parameters of the processing device/process will be set for it at the relevant stage of the process. and/or throughout the process. It is mainly characteristic for these processes that the condition and behavior of a product, particularly during the processing process, are not known or even only known and imprecisely predictable in advance. Although the technology for measuring particle and product properties is very advanced today compared to before, in most systems a complete description is not possible. The effects of machines, apparatus and process/operational parameters on the properties of the final product, such as its dispersion properties, must be determined in all or most cases for each initial product and desired final product experimentally and/or based on the operator's experience and intuition. To maintain an overview of the plurality of parameters, a structured process plays a dominant role in this. In many cases of mechanical process technology, dispersion properties form the link between starting materials, intermediate products, and desired product properties. After selecting the appropriate processing installation, it is essential that it is determined, for all measurement and control concepts, which operational and processing parameters exhibit a particularly direct dependence on the obtained properties of the final product depending on the measurement properties of the material. initial. Reproducible production and scalability in processing by a given facility is not possible with such complex processes.

[0005] Requirements can, for example, be shown for a grinding installation to reduce grinding material. Once a suitable grinding installation has been selected depending on the grinding material, the process behavior can be determined, as neither the reduction behavior of the grinding material is unambiguously characterizable, nor the effects of the operational and process parameters of the grinding installation on the final product and/or particle properties are unambiguously predictable. To be balanced for the operator is, for example, how tangible the productivity, specific speed/energy or geometric parameters of the mill or grinding installation, such as, for example, the width of the gap between the grinding rolls, affect the properties of the final product, particularly the dispersion properties of the product. The most important control parameters, i.e. the dispersion size, in grinding material reduction are the desired particle size or even the particle size distribution. Due to complex interconnections, the effect of, for example, the rotational speed of the rollers, the productivity, the orientation of the product in the passes, the thickness of the grinding body and the size of the grinding body on the resulting distribution of grinding sizes particles is normally determined experimentally, that is, based on the process of "trial and error" and empirical values. It is also true that with associated regulation and control technologies, due to the complexity of the interactions between the properties and measurements of the grinding material, the operational and process parameters and the properties of the desired final product, to date, mainly only Particle size can be considered as a physical quantity.

[0006] At the forefront of the present invention are grinding and crushing facilities to reduce grinding material. The term "milling installation", as used below, comprises all technological devices and processes for the production of granulated and/or powdery (flour-like) or just peeled or crushed end products from coarse and solid grinding materials (and in installation, grain mills), which are used to process grinding material, particularly grain mills. Grinding material in the sense of this application particularly comprises all types of grains and cereals that are ground into a milling product or even a final milling product, such as flour, semolina, coarse grain flour and whole grains. Such grinding installations are also used, for example, in the context of shell milling for threshing, shelling, with any subsequent crushing of the milling material, such as, for example, cereal grains. The types and varieties of grains and cereals comprise, for example, wheat, rye, spelt, maize, etc., which are processed into various types of milling products, such as flour, according to the principle high crushing. In this case, the cereal is normally cleaned and rinsed with water before being milled, so that the water penetrates the husk (bran), which can be better separated from the flour body. The cereal is then milled with associated roller stands and grinding passes. Then, in the mill passages, the grinding material is sieved, as appropriate, in sieving passages on an oscillating sieve/sieve. In this document, the flour is sieved and the whole grains are additionally ground again in the milling passes until, as far as possible, the entire body of the flour is fragmented. This orientation of the product (grinding and any screening) is called passing. A grinding line of a grinding/crushing plant may comprise several passes, wherein the grinding material is processed in the grinding line into the grinding product/final grinding product.

[0007] In the previous art, the cereal is ground on roller supports, most often with four or eight metal rollers that rotate in different directions at various speeds (advance). A distinction is made between smooth rolls and fluted rolls with twist. By means of fluting and various speeds, the cereal grains are fragmented. In each milling product, different sizes of grain parts are produced. With multiple siftings on the screens (also: oscillating screens), the grain parts can be classified and separated according to size. The predefined grinding product that occurs is therefore sieved and the remaining whole grain is introduced back into a roller holder, where, once again, the grinding product is separated, until the entire grinding product can be fragmented. . The milling product to be obtained can be, for example, predefined as flour (grain size < 180 μm), coarse-grain flour (grain size 180-300 μm), semolina (grain size 3001000), whole grain (grain size > 1000 μm), wholemeal flour (approximately 80% reduced to 180 μm; contains all components of the clean cereal grain). In prior art installations, cereal and such products for milling typically pass through 10-16 passes. The term "passage", also route or rapid passage, is defined in cereal milling as guiding the product through a mill. This product orientation, which consists of the described grinding and then screening, is called passing. In general, the passage is differentiated by type, by passages of whole grains, by passages through oscillating screens, by a bran finisher, by a semolina cleaning machine, by fragmentation and comminution. In whole grain passes (e.g. passes B1 to B5), the whole grain is continuously reduced in the fluted rollers. In the shredding passes (e.g. passes C1, C2, C4), flour or even semolina platelets are processed into fine fluted and smooth rolls. In the milling passes (e.g. passes C3 and C5 to C11), semolina and coarse grain flours are reduced to flours of the appropriate type. Semolina and coarse grain flours always contain parts of bran, which must be handled separately, in separate passes C1B and C2B.

[0008] Grinding facilities comprise batch-oriented processes in which high standards of repeatability and failure-safety, such as in the food industry, concentrated feed or even the chemical industry, are required. Controlling these processes requires complex control concepts and adaptive and intelligent control devices. Furthermore, it is true that, unlike other areas of industry, where the effect of various factors and process parameters are, for the most part, well known, the dynamics of determining a process, and in which relevant processes can therefore , be configured simply by associated equations and formulas, or even the apparatus and device involved can be simply activated and controlled accordingly, the number of relevant factors that affect the grinding quality and, likewise, the yield of final processed product when grinding, it is extraordinarily high. Therefore, it is often necessary for a miller, i.e. a human expert, after analyzing the starting material/raw material, to adjust and set the entire grinding or crushing installation manually based on his intuition and know-how, to obtain the desired results in terms of the expected quality and yield of the final product (e.g. ash content, yield, cooking quality, etc.). This optimization must also consider cost minimization, that is, particularly energy efficiency. It must also be considered that the grinding properties of the starting material, for example wheat or rolled cereal, are fundamental to the grinding process. Since the milling plant normally has to be controlled by the senior miller, the senior miller also has a decisive effect on the properties of the flour produced. This begins with the selection of wheat grade, which can also refer to the location or region of wheat production, to affect certain grain attributes, such as, for example, a certain protein range. The miller also controls the hard wheat mixture/grains, which is supplied at the milling facility. The miller can also determine mill flow, roll speed, speed differentials, fluted roll distribution, for example, precise roll pressure for smooth rolls. The miller presents other regulation options in combination with sifting and cleaning, and finally in the mill flow selection for mixing the final flour produced. All of these parameters and regulation options are used by the miller consistently to produce flour of a certain quality.

[0009] As the discussed example shows, particularly, for example, grinding rollers, as used in cereal mills, among others, need to be constantly monitored and, as appropriate, operational and control parameters need to be adjusted or even corrected . In addition to optimizing the operation and defining the characteristics of the final product, it is possible, for example, for a so-called dry run, an oscillation in the control system or other operational anomalies to occur. If an abnormal condition persists for a long time then, for example, the temperature of the grinding rollers may increase over a critical range and possibly cause a fire, or damage to the rollers. Operational anomalies can also affect the optimal operation of the installation in different ways, in particular, quality, performance or energy consumption. Although grinding plants are at least partially automated in many areas, current systems regarding automated control and operation optimization are only barely automated. In the prior art, grinding systems are therefore still often manually adjusted by an operating team according to their empirical values.

[0010] When regulating and monitoring grinding installations, it is noted that each pass is monitored separately and, as appropriate, its operation has to be adapted or even optimized. In doing so, control can be done locally at the milling facility, which limits monitoring options relative to the number of mills controlled by an individual operator or even a miller. Also, prior art installations are problematic for other reasons, since each pass is evaluated by the operator completely independently of the operation of other passes. Also this type of control is multiplied in order to cause errors, since the valuable information available regarding the operation of installations that operate in parallel and/or that are similarly located is taken into account.

[0011] With regard to the automation of control or regulation of the operation of prior art systems, for the reasons mentioned above, these are mainly restricted to signal transmission and transmission of control commands, for example, by means of a control PLC and input devices connected with a graphical user interface. PCL herein means a programmable logic controller, which can be used as a device to control or regulate a machine or an installation and can be programmed on a digital basis. If the quality of the input material changes, typically a certain amount of time will pass before high productivity with good product quality can be achieved again. Furthermore, the operator also often only presents an indirect quality control which, for example, is produced using a yield feedback on one of the downstream components. This also makes it more difficult to make a good adjustment of the grinding system or to intervene promptly when anomalies occur in the grinding process. However, if the regulation and control of a grinding roller system consists of one operator (senior miller), a complete command of the entire production flow will be absolutely necessary, in order to be able to carry out this control "by hand". The result of the control is therefore essentially dependent on the relevant specialist knowledge and experience of the operator, i.e. the supervising senior miller. If less qualified personnel are employed for the operation, for example during special periods (holidays, night working hours, etc.), then depending on the circumstances, a deficiency in the result may occur when adjusting the mill, such as due to a lower yield of brilliant flours or similar. Tests to replace the senior miller with processor-supported control devices have shown that the complex knowledge and experience of the senior miller cannot be automated simply by regulation-controlled devices, in particular, not by independent autonomously functioning regulatory devices that operate without regular routine human interventions.

[0012] With regard to grinding and reduction systems, several grinding and reduction systems are known in the art. For cereals and grain mills, the roller stand is by far the most important grinding device. Whether corn, common wheat, durum wheat, rye, barley or malt are processed, the roller stand will, in the vast majority, provide the most optimal processing of all cereal varieties. The process used in a grain mill is a step reduction. The endosperm is gradually reduced by passing it through several pairs of fluted or smooth steel rollers. It is separated into sieves by sieving the bran and seed. In pairs of rollers on a roller stand, typically one roller rotates faster than the others. With the counter rotation of both rollers, the material is drawn into the gap between the rollers. The shape, depth and twist of the flute together with the speed differential determine the grinding intensity at each stage. Impact mills are also known. Impact mills are suitable, for example, for grinding the most varied products in cereal mills (cereals and milling by-products), feed factories (feed, legumes), breweries (manufacturing of fine whole grains for wort filtration), oil milling (whole grain extraction and whole grain oil cake) or even pasta factories (pasta waste). The product is sent to the impact mill or hammer mill from a preliminary container and carried by the beater rotor. Particles are reduced until they can pass through openings in a screen sleeve around the rotor. Finally, flaking plants are known, in which the flaking mill forms the core together with the associated vaporization apparatus. In the upstream steaming apparatus, the flaking material is hydrothermally treated, before entering the flaking mill. The installation is suitable for processing bran (whole, cleaned and hulled oat grains) and groats (cut oat grains), corn, common wheat, barley, buckwheat and rice. It will be noted that, owing to the specific problems and requirements in the manufacture of cereal flour and semolina and similar products, an independent type of rolling mill, known as the milling roller stand, has been developed, which, somewhat different from milling technology for rocks, include a very peculiar grinding technology for the manufacture of flakes from vegetable raw materials, etc.

[0013] Even the distribution and dosing of grinding material on the roller support requires, in prior art devices, typically the interaction of an operator (senior miller). In prior art roller holders, the grinding material is normally introduced in the center at the entrance of the relevant grinding passage and supported. The grinding material is then conveyed by gravity, in any case using a paddle roller, distributed to and through a feed roller in the roller gap. At the beginning of the grinding process, the inlet filling height is first specified manually, for example by an operator, as the target level. When doing this, it must be considered that, on the one hand, a sufficiently free buffer volume is available (lowest level possible), but, on the other hand, the grinding material reaches the ends of the discharge unit (high level as possible). With a measuring device (e.g. load cell), a deviation of the actual level from the target level is detected during operation. A regulating device ensures that the discharge is adjusted so that the actual level matches the target level as closely as possible. Load cells have the disadvantage that the filling level of the grinding material is measured not directly, but indirectly and therefore a calibration has to be made, which largely depends on the properties of the grinding material. This is also the case in all other measurement principles in the prior art (e.g. capacitive sensors), even if less pronounced. In the preceding art, in the simplest case, the grinding product only flows towards the ends of the discharge unit due to gravity. Therefore, it cannot be guaranteed in each case that the grinding material is present at the ends of the discharge unit and can be discharged to the ends of the rollers. If there is no grinding material transported into the grinding gap at the ends of the rollers, serious damage could occur. Also part of the prior art are distribution devices (e.g., paddle rollers), which support the transport of the grinding material to the ends of the discharge unit. One of the disadvantages of all systems forming the prior art is that this distribution function cannot be controlled or regulated automatically in operation and independently of the grinding material. In such roll stands it is disadvantageous that the operator has to manually set the filling height as the target level. This "empirical" adjustment of the target level must also ensure that the distribution of grinding material is guaranteed along the length of the feed roller. Testing/monitoring the distribution of grinding material along the feed roller is only done visually, if applicable. In operation, it happens that if an inappropriate target level is selected and/or with inadequate pre-adjustment of the distribution unit, the grinding material does not reach the ends of the discharge unit. Correct adjustment is also difficult for those skilled in the art. With changing properties of the grinding material in operation, with critical passes with the previous technique, the risk of a failure is even greater. On the other hand, it is important that the grinding material is not segregated with the central introduction of the product, as the product is not mixed at the inlet. The risk of segregated grinding material at the inlet will be particularly present if, due to two or more feed pipes, different grades of grinding material flow into the inlet.

[0014] Regardless of the specific properties of cereal mills, in all prior art grinding systems discussed, it is known (see, for example, document DE-OS 27 30 166) that there are and can always be disruptive effects which do not allow for ideal grinding conditions. These disruptive effects include non-uniform roller temperatures, change of spring characteristic of a pair of rollers, change of grinding gap or grinding pressure, etc. The invention particularly relates to a control and regulation device for the stable and adaptive control and regulation of the described grinding systems for grinding cereals and for affecting process elements (grinding material and system elements) and these parameters. operational process attributes of grain mill installations with timely detection of disruptive influences or other operational anomalies. It is known that the provision and automation of such control and regulation systems is complex, since a variety of at least partially mutually dependent, i.e., correlated, parameters have to be considered (see, for example, documents EP0013023B1, DE2730166A1). Thus, the operation of the milling devices is affected by a plurality of parameters, such as, for example, the selection of the type of cereal or cereal mixture and the region of cultivation, the harvesting time, the desired quality criteria, the specific weight and/or humidity of the individual cereal varieties or even the proportions of the cereal mixture, the air temperature, the relative humidity, the technical data of the installation elements used in the milling installation and/or the desired flour quality as specific process quantities and the selection of the distance, the grinding pressure, the temperature and/or energy consumption of the grinding roller motors, the flow rate and/or the moisture obtained from the grinding material and/or the quality of the flour in relation to the mixing proportions, which make it difficult to sufficiently differentiate control of the milling process in cereal milling plants. Often, it is simply enough for some of these process quantities and operative process parameters to escape their tolerance to have a massive effect on mill operation. Thanks to this complexity of the process, despite all efforts to automate the installations, the presence of the senior miller is still essential, since, as a "human expert", he is the one who decides whether a change in the control signals respectively assigned to the quantities of input signal seems desirable or not. In doing this, the senior miller always considers the target parameters. If it finds an optimal assignment between the mentioned input signal quantities and the control signal quantities, then this assignment will normally be guaranteed by the associated memory assignment and spacing within the cereal milling installation.

[0015] In general, the high grinding installation known today is characterized by repeated grinding and screening after each grinding pass. This applies to both soft and hard wheat mills and corn mills. In previous processes, this procedure was repeated 15 to 20 times. Systems today achieve the same result with good operational guidance with grinding twelve to fifteen times. In doing so, a good operator/miller is in a position, even of highly variable raw materials, with the blending of the various grain qualities and targeted milling guidance, particularly by very careful completion of the various parts of each grain. cereal, to obtain the quality required, for example, by other processing technologies, bakers, pasta factories, etc. To satisfy the required requirements, a grinding plant has to operate, for a certain quantity of raw material, i.e. grinding material, a certain quantity of final grinding products with associated quality and product parameters, in that a cereal mill is always sought to achieve the highest possible yield of the milled product (e.g. flour, semolina, etc.). The operation of a grinding plant is good only by maintaining the required quality criteria and structure parameters. An essential aspect is the extent of necessary operating resources, which, in the mill, for example, directly depends on the number of grinding and sieving passes. All the efforts of recent times show that at high grinding without directly decreasing either the yield of the quality of the grinding product, the grinding cannot be further shortened or optimized without further delay, so that in relation to this, a slowdown development of the miller's grinding process and control of such grinding facilities can be established.

[0016] Particularly for dynamic reaction process control systems for the control of process technology and the operation of grinding facilities, in all grinding processes, there is a lack of associated solutions when it comes to the automation of feed transport. material or complex batch processes within the grinding plant or grinding passage. There is also difficulty in achieving process safety through the production/process and distribution control system. The traceability of the final grinding product to the supplier of raw materials/grinding material required by legal provisions and mainly required for certifications may not be sufficiently guaranteed by the provisions of the prior art. This particularly concerns areas of automation and control of cereal mills, such as food, compound feed and feed industry facilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An objective of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages and technical problems known from the prior art. In particular, an optimized, particularly intelligent and/or adaptive control/regulation device is provided for the optimization and simple control of the line and/or grinding passages of a roller system, with which the grinding and/or crushing can be carried out in an optimized and automated way. In doing so, the operational safety of a mill has to be increased and, at the same time, the operation has to be optimized. In particular, the work of an operator has to be technically simplified and more grinding plants can be operated by the same operator. Furthermore, the technical means have to be provided to be able to respond to rapidly occurring anomalies, particularly in real time and near real time, and passages and/or grinding facilities can automatically record comprehensive effects and the operation can be adapted accordingly. .

[0018] According to the present invention, these objectives are achieved, in particular, by the elements of the characterizing part of the independent claims. Additional advantageous embodiments are also highlighted by the dependent claims and the description.

[0019] Particularly, these objectives are achieved by the invention for a grinding installation comprising one or more mills with one or more processing lines for the industrial production of a plurality of grinding products, in which a line and/or passage processes comprise at least one grinding pass (B, C) with pairs of grinding rolls (B1 (B11/B12), B2, Bx: C1 (C11/C12), C2, Cx) for grinding a grinding material and at least one downstream sieving pass (S) to pass through a sieve or sieve the grinding material, which, through a processing line, can be produced a specific grinding product with specific yield parameters and ground product parameters and wherein each mill of the grinding facility comprises at least one programmable logic controller (PLC) for local control and/or regulation of the processing devices (Bx/Cx/Sx) assigned to the processing lines via allocated I/O interfaces, that the grinding installation comprises a central regulation and control device for optimized control of the grinding installation, wherein programmable logic controllers (PLC) are bidirectionally connected via network interfaces (202) to the central regulation and control device and can respond to the control parameters transferred through the central regulation and control device and that the processing devices (Bx/Cx/Sx) of a processing line can be actuated based on the control parameters transferred from the regulation device and control by means of programmable logic controllers (PLC) remotely via assigned I/O interfaces and the operation of which is individually optimally regulated and/or remotely controlled. Remote control and regulation of the processing devices (Bx/Cx/Sx) of the local machine processes of the processing devices (Bx/Cx/Sx) can, for example, be carried out by means of the regulation and control device in real-time data exchange. The regulation and control device may, for example, comprise a network interface, through which the regulation and control device accesses a mill control system comprising programmable logic controllers and network interfaces. The central regulation and control device may further comprise means for generating the control parameters to be transferred depending on the pass-specific and/or pass-wide batch parameters, wherein, by means of at least one of the control parameters with Based on one or more of the pass-specific and/or environment-specific parameters, several grinding lines with assigned processing devices (Bx/Cx/Sx) are centrally optimized by means of the regulation and control device and/or are individually regulated. The comprehensive pass-through parameters may, for example, comprise measurement parameters dependent on location, humidity and/or air pressure and/or ambient temperature and the specific pass-through parameters may, for example, comprise local operating parameters of the processing devices ( Bx/Cx/Sx) comprising energy consumption of the pairs of grinding rolls (B1, B2, ..., Bx: C1, C2, ... , Cx) and/or preliminary pressure and/or introduced temperature of the grinding material milling. By means of the regulation and control device, for example, the comprehensive passing parameters can be globally, i.e. covering the device, optimized and regulated over at least two grinding passes, while the specific passing parameters are optimized. and independently regulated in relation to the relevant grinding pass. The regulation and control device may, for example, comprise operating process recipes wherein, based on an operating process recipe, a batch control with a defined processing sequence of processing units (Bx/Cx/Sx) of one of the grinding lines or passes is regulated and/or controlled and in which, based on the operating process recipe, a defined quantity of a final product with specific property parameters is generated from one or more input materials with specific property parameters. During the grinding process of an operational process recipe, the operational control parameters and/or batch parameters are continuously monitored by means of the regulation and control device, whereby, when a fluctuation or anomaly in the value of parameter definable as defined deviation of the control parameters and/or monitored batch parameters from the defined control parameters/batch parameters, the control parameters will be corrected and/or adapted automatically by means of the regulation and control device. The pass-specific measuring parameters may, for example, additionally comprise at least measuring parameters relating to the flows and/or energy consumption of one or more roller supports of the grinding installation. One or more roll supports may, for example, be fluted rolls (B1 (i.e. the pair of rolls B11, B12), B2 (B21, B22), ..., Bx (Bx1, Bx2)) and/or smooth rollers (C1 (i.e. the roller pair C11, C12), C2 (C21, C22), ..., Cx (Cx1, Cx2)). The pass-specific measuring parameters may, for example, comprise at least measuring parameters relating to the flows and/or energy consumption of all roller supports of the mill. By means of typical process operational control parameters of an optimized batch process, for example, the quality parameters of the final product can be set in the standard range and the specific flour yield can be determined depending on the input products. As a result, deviations from the standard range can be triggered and detected. The defined property parameters of the final product may further comprise, for example, at least particle distribution and/or starch damage and/or protein quality and/or water content. The operational control parameters and/or monitored batch parameters may, for example, comprise at least the yield and/or energy consumption and/or productivity/runtime of the machine. The central regulation and control device may, for example, comprise a single displayable web-based monitoring system of several grinding lines, by means of which the grinding plant is centrally monitored and/or controlled in an optimized manner. A monitoring or control screen of the operating device control system and/or the regulation and control device may, for example, also comprise a proximity sensor and/or a motion sensor, wherein the screen is turned on and automatically switched off depending on the measurement results of the proximity sensor and/or motion sensor of the grinding plant based on the measured distance to an operator of the grinding plant and/or the mill. In addition to the energy saving function, this allows the useful life/operation time of the screen to be increased considerably.

[0020] In particular, one of the advantages of the invention is that grinding installations can be optimized in an innovative way encompassing the device. The process function or even the processing function must be optimized as much as possible after a suitable selection of grinding passes of a grinding plant for a certain grinding material, and be reproducible for the operation of the plant. However, as usual, neither the reduction behavior can be uniquely characterized, nor the effects of the process or even the operational parameters on the particle properties are unambiguously predictable, i.e. how and in what dependence the productivity, speed or even the specific energy, the energy consumption of the grinding devices or the geometric parameters of the grinding installation affect the properties, particularly the dispersion properties of the grinding product, is decisive for an optimized regulation of the operating parameters. Through the possibility of central control by means of the device according to the invention and the possibility of separate control for specific and global operating or process parameters of the passage, a new type of optimized operation of grinding plants is possible, which relates to efficient control and adaptation based on real-time operation parameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the following, illustrative examples of the present invention will be described using examples. Examples of illustrative examples are illustrated by the following attached drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a representation of an illustrative example according to the invention in which, for example, passage 3 with roller supports (Bx/Cx) is regulated and/or controlled and/or monitored, subdivided into passage B (in this document: fluted rollers B1 (roller pair B11, B12), ..., Bx (Bx1/Bx2)) and in passage C (in this document: smooth rollers C1 (roller pair C11/C12) , ..., Cx). The grinding installation 1 comprises one or more mills or operating devices 2 (installations) with respectively one or more passages/processing lines 3 for the industrial manufacture of various grinding products. In this case, a processing line or passage 3 may comprise at least one grinding passage B, C, with pairs of grinding rolls B1, B2, ..., Bx; C1, C2, ..., Cx for grinding a grinding material, and/or at least one downstream sieve pass S1, ..., Sx for screening the grinding product. Through grinding line 3, a specific grinding product with specific yield parameters and grinding product parameters is produced. Each operating device or mill 2 of the grinding installation 1 comprises at least one remote-response programmable logic controller 201 (typically designed as PLC) for local control and/or regulation of processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx assigned to one or more grinding lines 3 via I/O interfaces 32. The control device 4 centrally controls, particularly, for example, web-based processing devices 31 of several passes 3 of one or more mills 2.

[0023] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a representation of an illustrative example according to the invention, in which the regulation and control device 4 is connected via an interface 42 to the global backbone network, that is, the Internet, and/or or an Intranet. The regulating and control device 4 is connected via the network interface 42 via a data transmission network 41 and the network interface 202 to the operating device control system (installation control system) 20. A web server application 72 provides the desired display options and input/output and/or control/monitoring pages 721/722 to a remote client 7 or browser, wherein the remote client 72 is connected to the network 41 via of the network interface 71. The regulation and control device 4 also provides the necessary data services or interfaces to allow the exchange of data between the local regulation and control device 4 as a machine/process server and the remote system 7 with the client. In this illustrative example, the only prerequisite for remotely viewing data and/or web pages from web server 72 is the need for a standard browser interface. If a programmable logic controller (PLC) 20 is used in the control system 20 of the operating device 2, e.g. the mill, in an optimization or in any company-specific control software for exchanging real-time data with the system 20, compatible data exchange services will be required. For example, the PLC 201 may be capable of responding in a standardized or proprietary manner via a Control Client (e.g., OPC UA Client) and an associated interpreter of the regulation and control device 4 via an associated protocol ( for example, OPC UA). In this illustrative embodiment, the web server/data service 46 (e.g., realized as a thin server) provides the connection between the operating device 2 (e.g., realized as a thin client) or even the process and the Internet. The PLC 201 or a proprietary controller comprises the plant control system 20 by means of which the processing units 31 of the processing line 3 can be controlled and/or regulated. Most PLCs, such as PLCs from AB, Schneider/Modicon or Siemens, for example, support at least one series connection with associated communication protocols from the PLC manufacturer or third-party provider. Typically, the relevant data transfer driver from the thin server manufacturer is provided as integrated software applications. For certain illustrative examples, which require PLCs, optimizations or company-specific software/protocols for real-time data exchange, an associated remote server and compatible data exchange may be required.

[0024] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a representation of a processing line 3 based on a roller support 33 with 8 grinding rollers, as is known in the prior art. Such as an eight-roller support 33, for example, consists of two halves, with a left half as a whole grain passage 331 and a right half as a comminution passage 332. The whole grain passage 331 may comprise, for example , fluted rollers 3311/3312, wherein, in Figure 3, the fastest running roller 3311 is marked with two arrows. Underneath each of the rollers 3311 and 3312 is located a scraper brush 3313. In the comminution passages 332, multiple smooth rollers 3321 or 3322 are used, and to keep the roller surface clean, a scraper knife 3323. Depending on the specific grinding job , the respective lower roller pair 3315, 3316 or even 3325, 3326 is formed as the same type of coarse fluted, fine fluted or smooth rollers as an associated upper one. The material can, for example, be directed by the associated left or right feed rollers 333 in the roller holder 33. In doing so, for example, for high grinding powers, the left and right halves of the roller holder can be designed to be identical, so that both halves each process half of the grinding product. In the feed cylinder 333, for example, a sensor 3331 may be formed which controls a product feed 3332, so that a respective incoming quantity of material, which flows up to the feed cylinder 333, is discharged in the same amount. through the product supply system. The material is directed through a feed channel 334 directly into the roll gap. An air flow is generated in the feed channel 334 which can be trapped by two air channels 335 directed around the rollers 3311, 3312 or even 3321, 3322. The crushed material by the upper pair of rollers 3311, 3312 is directed through a product removal funnel 336 directly into the grinding gap of the lower pair of rollers 3315, 3316. Also in the lower pair of rollers 3315, 3316, air is drawn in through the air channels 335. All four pairs of rollers 3311, 3312, 3315, 3316, 3321, 3322, 3325, 3326 can be adjusted by an adjusting device 3314 and 3317 or even 3324 and 3327 in relation to the grinding gap. All other devices such as foreign body protection, coupling and disengaging device, etc. can be used in eight-roll installations, for example, as in four-roll installations. In the product removal funnel, air guidance can also be carried out. This can bring advantages, particularly for coarse grain flour and flour milling products, as by separate air and product orientation, a more compact orientation of the falling product flow is possible. Each pair of grinding rollers 3311, 3312 - 3321, 3322 each exhibits its own grinding gap adjusting device 3314, 3317, 3324, 3327, which, for example, consists of a wheel and the adjusting elements the -associates. Furthermore, one or more servo motors 337 can be provided to automatically adjust the grinding gap adjustment devices 3314, 3317, 3324, 3327. Through a screen, for example, the momentary gap value of two grinding rollers can be monitored. milling. Furthermore, the servomotors can be automatically operated by means of a control device and a storage medium, both of which can be realized as an integrated component of the control system 20 of the operating device. Particularly, the servomotors 337 and therefore the grinding gap adjustment devices 3314, 3317, 3324, 3327 can also be monitored, controlled and automatically regulated as well as the product control system 3332 and the sensors 3331 as processing units. 31 and I/O interfaces 32 via the operating device control system 20.

[0025] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an excerpt of the "global" parameters, i.e. pass-wide and pass-specific 43211, ..., 4321x/43221, ..., 4322x. Dark gray are pass-through relevant parameters 43221, ..., 4322x, light gray are pass-specific parameters 43211, ..., 4321x. The term "global or pass-through parameters" 43221, ..., 4322x is understood in the following to mean parameters that have the same effect or an associated effect on several processing lines or passes 3 with the processing devices 31 , for example, because of their geographic allocation or device-specific equivalence. According to the invention, they are used centrally by the regulation and control device 4 to generate control/regulation and monitoring of several processing lines 3. In comparison to this, the specific pass parameters 4311, ...4321x they are only specifically relevant to a certain processing line 3 or even specifically to one of the processing devices 31.

[0026] Figure 5 illustrates a block diagram of an illustrative example according to the invention with a mobile application with a human-machine interface (HMI) identification for the remote operation of machines without a local operation panel and remote access via via the mobile application on the network server for remote control of the machine via the control device 4. The control device 4. The control device 4 centrally controls the multi-pass processing devices 31 3 of the same or from mills different 2 and/or processing devices 31 of the same grinding facilities or different grinding facilities 1 or common facilities of the process industry, thereby responding to the PCL 201 location of the processing lines 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a representation of an illustrative example of the invention in which, for example, the passing or processing line 3 with roll supports (Bx/Cx) is controlled and/or monitored, for example, further subdivided in passage B (in this document: fluted rollers B1 (roller pair B11, B12), ..., Bx (Bx1/Bx2)) and in passage C (in this document: smooth rollers C1 (roller pair C11/C12 ), ...,Cx). Such processing lines or passages 3 may, for example, also comprise processing units 31 in addition to the roll supports. In general, passages (also route or rapid passage) designate the introduction of the product into a mill, for example, a cereal mill. In this case, the cereal ground with roller supports or granulated material is sieved with an oscillating sieve. The flour is sifted and the whole grains are ground again until all the flour has been broken down. This product orientation (grinding and then screening) is referred to in this document as passing. The cereal and granulated product can (according to the grinding diagram) pass through 10-16 passes. However, the invention generally relates to process-controlled processing lines of process industry facilities. As process industry facilities are herein facilities for industrial processing of substances and materials in chemical, physical, biological or other technical processes and procedures. In view of this, substances and materials are, for example, implemented, formed, mixed or separated, melted, ground, pressed or many more through the associated processing lines. Several typical processes are chemical reactions and the preparation of reaction products, such as by distillation or crystallization, the production and processing of chocolate, the preparation of crude oil, such as by rectification, the melting of glass, but also material grinding granulate (e.g. organic material such as cereals, or also inorganic material such as rock) or industrial bread baking or pasta manufacturing and processing (e.g. industrial pasta manufacturing), etc.

[0028] However, the present invention is, for example, essentially explained for other processing facilities that use grinding facilities. Reference number 1 designates the grinding installation or, generally speaking, a processing installation comprising one or more mills or operating devices 2 (installations) respectively with one or more processing lines 3 for the industrial manufacture of various food products. grinding or other products processed through the processing line. A processing line 3 may, for example, comprise at least one grinding pass B, C, with pairs of grinding rolls B1, B2, ..., Bx; Ci, C2, ...,Cx for grinding a grinding product. The selection of the grinding or reduction installation 1 may be determined by the metrological characterization of the initial product and/or final product and/or quantity specifications for the initial product. In particular, when selecting the grinding installation i, often few parameters such as, for example, (i) the product is dry, moist or wet, (ii) the product is hard, brittle or plastic, (iii) the particle size of the initial product, (iv) the fineness of the final product, (v) the product productivity, etc. As mentioned above, at least one roll, particularly two rolls 3i of a pair of grinding rolls of a grinding plant i or processing line 3 may be designated as smooth roll Ci, C2,., Cx or as fluted rollBi , B2,., Bx or as roll base body with screw-on plates. Ci, C2,., Cx smooth rollers can be cylindrical or dish-shaped. The Bi, B2,., Bx fluted rollers may exhibit various fluted geometries, for example, roof-shaped or trapezoidal fluted geometries, and/or exhibit overlapping segments on the circumferential surface. At least one roller, in particular both rollers of the pair of grinding rollers, in particular at least one grinding roller, in particular both grinding rollers of the pair of grinding rollers, may have a length in a range of 500 mm to 2000 mm and a diameter in the range of 250 mm to 300 mm. The circumferential surface of the roller, in particular the grinding roller, is preferably irremovably connected to the roller body and, in particular, is formed as a part thereof. This allows simple manufacturing and reliable and robust processing of the product, in particular its grinding. The rollers may be designed with at least one sensor for recording measurements characterizing a condition of at least one of the rollers, in particular, both rollers of the roller pair. In particular, this may be a condition of a circumferential surface of at least one of the rollers, in particular both rollers of the roller pair. The condition may be, for example, a temperature, a pressure, a force (force component(s) in one or more directions), wear, a vibration, a deformation (extension and/and deflection path), a rotational speed, a rotational acceleration, an ambient humidity, a position or an orientation of at least one of the rollers, in particular, both rollers of the roller pair. The sensors can be designated, for example, as a MEMS sensor (MEMS: Micro-Electro-Mechanical System). The sensor is preferably in data connection with at least one data sensor, wherein the data transmitter is designed for contactless transmission of measurements from at least one sensor to a data receiver. With the aid of at least one data transmitter, measurements can be transmitted contactlessly to a data receiver that is not part of the roll. The grinding installation may comprise other sensors and measuring units for recording process or product or operational parameters, particularly measuring devices for measuring the current/power consumption of one or more rolls. Among other things, the sensors may be (i) at least one temperature sensor, but preferably, several temperature sensors for measuring roll temperature or a temperature profile along a roll, (ii) one or more temperature sensors pressure, (iii) one or more force sensors (to determine the force component(s) in one or more directions); one or more wear sensors; (iv) one or more vibration sensors, particularly for determining a torsion, therefore an adhesion of the product to be processed on the circumferential surface of the roller that impedes processing, particularly grinding in this position; (v) one or more strain sensors (to determine an extension and/or a deflection path); (vi) one or more rotational speed sensors, particularly for determining a stationary condition of the roll; (vii) one or more rotational acceleration sensors; (viii) one or more sensors for determining ambient humidity, preferably arranged on a contiguous side of the roll; (ix) one or more gyroscopic sensors to determine the position and/or orientation of the roller, particularly to determine the position and/or orientation dependent on the gap between both rollers of the roller pair and the parallelism of the rollers: and/or (x) one or more sensors for determining the width of a gap between both rollers of the roller pair, particularly a grinding gap between both grinding rollers of the grinding roller pair, for example, a sensor arranged on one side adjacent to the roll, particularly a MEMS sensor. Any combinations of this are also possible. For example, a roll may contain several temperature sensors and strain sensors. It is also possible and in the context of the invention that all sensors are of the same type, therefore designated as measuring units for measuring energy consumption or one or more rollers.

[0029] Furthermore, one or more processing lines 3 comprise at least one downstream passage S1, ..., Sx for passing through a sieve or sieving the grinding material. Grinding rollers, in the sense of the invention, are designed to grind granulated grinding material that is normally directed between a pair of grinding rollers of two grinding rollers. The grinding rollers, particularly the grinding rollers of the pairs of grinding rollers according to the invention generally present an essentially inelastic surface (particularly on their circumferential surface) which, for this purpose, for example, may contain metal or may be formed thereof, such as steel, particularly stainless steel. Between the grinding rollers of the grinding roller pair, there is generally a relatively solid and often hydraulically controlled grinding gap. In many grinding installations, the grinding material is essentially directed vertically downwards through a grinding gap. Also, the grinding material is directed in many grinding installations 3 to the grinding rollers of a pair of grinding rollers by means of its gravitational force, whereby this feed can optionally be pneumatically supported. The grinding material is generally granulated and a fluid flow moves through the grinding gap. By means of these properties, a distinction is made between a grinding roller and a grinding installation 3 containing at least one said grinding roller and the other rollers used in the technology, for example those used to transport paper.

[0030] Through a grinding line 3, a specific grinding product with specific yield parameters and grinding product parameters is produced. These parameters particularly depend on the selection of the grinding installation 1 of the processing device. By the term "product" or "grinding material" in the sense of the invention is meant particularly bulk goods or a mass. By the term "bulk goods" in the sense of the present invention is meant a powdery, granular or pellet-formed product, which is used in the bulk goods processing industry, i.e. in the processing of cereals, grinding of cereals and cereal end products from the milling industry (particularly grinding of hard soft wheat, rye, corn and/or barley) or special milling industry (particularly hulling and/or grinding of soybeans, buckwheat, barley, spelt , millet/sorghum, pseudocereals and/or legumes), the manufacture of feed for livestock and domestic animals, fish and crustaceans, the processing of oilseeds, the processing of biomass and the manufacture of energy pellets, industrial malting and handling facilities of malt; the processing of cocoa beans, nuts and coffee beans, the manufacture of fertilizers, in the pharmaceutical industry or in solid chemistry. By the term "dough" in the sense of the invention is meant a food mass, such as a chocolate mass or a sugar mass, or a printing ink, a coating, an electronic material or a chemical product, particularly a fine chemical. By the term "processing of a product" in the sense of the invention is particularly meant the following: (i) the grinding, reducing and/or flaking of bulk goods, particularly cereals, cereal milling products and final products of cereals from the milling industry or special milling industry as mentioned above, for which pairs of grinding rollers can be used, for example the pairs of grinding rollers or flaking rollers described without further details below; (ii) the refining of doughs, particularly food doughs, such as chocolate doughs or sugar doughs, for which, for example, pairs of fine rollers may be used, and (iii) wet grinding and/or dispersing, particularly from printing inks, coatings, electronic materials or chemicals, particularly fine chemicals.

[0031] Each operating device or mill 2 of the grinding installation 1 comprises at least one remote response programmable logic controller 201 (also PLC) for local control and/or regulation of the assigned processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx to the grinding lines 3 via assigned I/O interfaces 32. The control device 4 particularly, for example, centrally controls multi-pass web-based processing devices 31 3 of the same mills 2 or of different mills and, by the local PLC 201 which responds to the processing lines 3. In this way, a distinction is made between the specific pass parameters 43211, ..., 4321x and the global, i.e. comprehensive pass parameters 43221, ..., 4322x , being handled differently by the control device 4 (see also Figure 4 with an excerpt of "global" parameters, i.e. pass-wide and pass-specific 43211, ..., 4321x/43221, ..., 4322x, where the relevant pass-through parameters 43221, ..., 4322x are highlighted in dark gray, while pass-specific parameters are highlighted in light gray). By the term "global or pass-through parameters" 43221, ..., 4322x, it is meant parameters that, in several processing lines or passes 3 present the same relevance, associated relevance or at least pass-through relevance to the devices of processing 31, for example, because of their geographic allocation or device-specific equivalence. According to the invention, they are used centrally by the regulation and control device 4 to generate control/regulation and monitoring of various processing lines. In comparison to this, the specific pass parameters 43211, ..., 4321x are only specifically relevant to a certain processing line 3 or even specifically relevant to one of the processing devices 3'. The programmable logic controllers 201/PLC are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces 202 to the central regulation and control device 4 and can be responded to via control parameters 4311, ..., 431x transferred via the central control device regulation and control devices 4. The processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx of a processing line 3 are driven based on the transferred control parameters 4311, ..., 431x from the regulation and control device 4 via the programmable logic controllers 201/PLC remotely via the assigned I/O interface 32, and their operation is individually locally regulated.

[0032] For process technology, linking measurement parameters for characterization of the initial product and/or final product and/or quantity specifications for the initial product and/or productivity, etc., can be done with the control parameters 4311,...,431x for controlling the processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx of a processing line 3 by the central regulation and control device 4, that is, the specific pass parameters 43211,. ..,4321x and the global, i.e. comprehensive passing parameters 43221,...,4322x, for example, via a predetermined process function. This means that the process function is the particularly, for example, time-dependent technical configuration of the processing process of a specific grinding plant 1 and/or processing line/pass 3 and/or processing unit 31 during the process process and allows a technical context to be produced between the parameters that affect the processing process, such as, for example, measurement parameters relative to the initial product (moisture, granulation, etc.), environmental influence parameters (air pressure , temperature, etc.), measurement parameters relating to intermediate products during the processing process and operational parameters such as, for example, energy consumption, roll temperature, rotational speed of the rolls, and measurement parameters of the final product (grinding fineness, granulation, productivity, etc.). The determination of the associated process function, at least the initial determination, can be made experimentally for the relevant type of a grinding plant 1, for example by means of a current grinding plant, as it is often difficult to characterize the behavior of unambiguously reduce and/or predict the effects of process parameters on particle properties. For example, it is more difficult to connect mill productivity, rotational speed/specific energy or geometric parameters with final product dispersion properties with mapping functions. In this case, the process function has to be based on all quantities and parameters relevant to the process, particularly the permissible bandwidths of the process parameters and the control parameters 4311, ..., 431x, within which it is guaranteed safe operation of the grinding plant 1 or even the processing device. Experimental metrological quantities weighed to determine the function of the process can be, for example, the particle size distribution within the processing line 3, the effect of rotational speed, the productivity, the effect of grinding body thickness and the size in particle size distribution. In this case, the process function can, for example, be determined for all stages of the process chain of the processing line 3 to obtain the process function of the grinding plant 1.

[0033] The central control system 4 of the pass-through devices 31 may be based particularly on web technology, that is, on decentralized network technologies, which allows collective parameter changes and collective software updates via any number of web- and/or network-based gateways, and provides interconnectivity to multiple terminals. Collective parameter changes and collective software updates over any number of passages 3, and interconnectivity to multiple terminals 31 are advantages of the centrally formed control system of passage devices 31 according to the invention. Comprehensive pass parameters 43221, ..., 4322x are assigned to the regulation of batch operation in several processing lines/passes 3, but, in contrast to the specific pass parameters 43211, ..., 4321x, are not connected to one individual determined processing line/pass 43221, ..., 4322x and/or specific pass parameters 43211, ..., 4321x.

[0034] A possible illustrative example in which the regulation and control device 4 is connected via an interface 42 to the global backbone network, that is, the Internet and/or an Intranet, is shown, for example, in Figure 2 The regulation and control device 4 is connected via the network interface 42 via a data transmission network 41 and the network interface 202 to the operating device control system (installation control system) 20. A web server application 46 provides the desired display possibilities and input/output and/or control/monitoring pages 721/722 to a remote client 7 or browser, wherein the remote client 72 is connected to the network 41 via the network interface 71. The regulation and control device 4 also provides the necessary data services or interfaces to allow the exchange of data between the local regulation and control device 4 as machine/process server and the remote system 7 as a customer. In this illustrative example, the signal prerequisite for remotely viewing data and/or websites from web server 46 is that a standard browser interface is required.

[0035] This illustrative example can be realized as a mobile application for accessing the web server application 46 for the machine control system. The use can, for example, be restricted to a LAN (Local Area Network) to which installations 1 are connected. Furthermore, the mobile application can search the network remotely for accessible control systems and select installations 1 with control systems. compatible machine control. For example, to do this, User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Transmission may be used, where the machine control system is permanently held at a specific address (255.255.255.250) in incoming UDP messages. As soon as a smartphone, for example, sends an associated ANLAGN_PLC_DISCOVERY broadcast using the installed mobile application, all control systems on this network receive this broadcast and respond with the desired properties, as shown in the following example: {"ApplicationName":"MDDYZ_2nd_Gen ", "ApplicationVersion":"MDDYZ_2nd_Gen_RC_3.17.1_2019-03-22T10_28_48.610Z", "FirmwareVersion":"FIRMWARE=03.00.35(b05)", "MachineType":"MDDY", "MachineNumber": 1235545, "MachinePartName1":"Passage 1", "MachinePartName2":"Passage 2", "NumberOfSides":2, "IpAddress":" 10.76.243.31", "MacAddress":"00:30:de:43:8a:a3 ''}

[0036] The machine control connection can be carried out, for example, by means of a software-based motor (see Figure 5), for example, even by means of commercial motors, such as the Phoenix Motor. The Phoenix engine is a software framework consisting of a Wago PLC with integrated Linux and a codesys runtime. The web server and an additional server can be integrated. The database forms the central interface between the machine control software and the generic web-based display. The connection between the web server and the machine control software can, for example, be carried out via a direct connection via websockets. In this illustrative example, the screen can therefore be operated with any conventional browser on a touch screen, a smartphone, PC. Figure 5 shows an illustrative example according to the invention with such a mobile application with human-machine interface (HMI) identification for remote operation of machines without local operation panel and remote access via the mobile application on the web server for control remote machine control via control device 4 (Control Logic). The control device 4 centrally controls the processing devices 31 (machine elements) via a multi-pass PLC 3 of the same mill or different mills 2 and/or processing devices 31 of the same grinding plant or a grinding plant. different grinding 1 or general process industry installations, as they respond to the local PLC 201 of the processing lines 3. Remote control of various grinding installations 1 and/or processing lines 3 by means of the central control device 4, particularly grinding facilities 1 and/or processing lines 3 in geographically comparable locations that exhibit the same or similar collective parameters, e.g., environmental parameters such as air pressure, humidity, etc., allow for parameter adaptations. collectives, particularly of control parameters 4311, ..., 431x transferred to the installation control system 20 or even the PLCs 201., and collective control and collective software updates on any number of processing lines and passes 3. This it also enables a new type of interconnectivity to multiple terminals. The web technology described in this document can in this case be used as the basis so that an additional degree of independence can be achieved. It should be added that collective, i.e. global, parameters can also refer only to device elements in one line or processing pass 3, such as, for example, control by collective parameters of the adaptation of two rolls of a pair of rollers in a grinding pass 33, such as, for example, in a whole grain pass 331 or a selection pass 332.

[0037] If a programmable logic controller (PLC) 201 is used in the control system 20, the operating device 2, e.g. the mill, in an optimization or any company-specific control software for real-time data exchange with control system 20, compatible data exchange services will be required. For example, the PLC 201 may be responded to as a standard or proprietary manner via a Control Client (e.g. OPC UA Client) and an associated interpreter of the regulation and control device 4 via an associated protocol (e.g. , OPC UA). In this illustrative example, the web server/data service 46 (e.g., described as a thin server) provides the connection between the operating device 2 (e.g., realized as a thin client 7) or even the process and the Internet. The PCL 201 or a proprietary controller comprises the plant control system 20 by means of which the processing units 31 of the processing line 3 can be controlled and/or regulated. Most PLCs, such as PLCs from AB, Schneider/Modicon or Siemens, for example, support at least one series connection with associated communication protocols from the PLC manufacturer or third-party provider. Typically, the manufacturer-relevant data transfer driver of the thin server 46 is provided as an integrated software application. For certain illustrative examples, which require PLCs, company-specific optimizations or protocols/software for real-time data exchange, an associated remote server, and compatible data exchange services may be required. In the illustrative example according to Figure 2, a web server/data service device (thin server 46) produces the connection between device 3 or even the process and the Internet. Normally in this case, a connection between the PLCs 201 or a proprietary controller 201 or even the control system 20 is necessary to extract data 20 from the control system or even to allow the necessary control of the control system 20 over the network 41. Many PLCs, such as, for example, those from Schneider Modicon or Siemens, etc., support at least one series connection based on the communication protocols of the PLC provider or third-party manufacturers. Often, an associated driver for thin server 46 provider communication is available as part of an integrated software application. The use of standard PLC protocols PLCs 201 simplifies the connection of the thin server 46. If a processing unit 31 features a controller that does not have any external communications ports, it may be necessary to provide the processing unit 31 with additional sensors and I/O interfaces. 32. If thin server 46 is installed and an associated driver is selected, thin server 46 is configured so that data from processing units 31 and control system 20 presents a network link. For example, a gateway server can map the PLC register to network variables or a remote PC connection. Advantageously, the thin server 46 allows a web page to be configured to monitor data processing unit 31 and to provide standard data interfaces, such as OPC. The Internet or Intranet (LAN) connection to the thin server 46 may comprise, for example, standard Ethernet, dial-up modem lines, or wireless connections (e.g., 802.11b Ethernet). Through the network connection (e.g., Internet), a PC browser (desktop PC, lap-top, PDA, or other thin client 7) access can be obtained to the associated web page of the thin server 46. Through the web page, which is provided by the thin server 46, through the browser, the regulation and control device 4 and/or the control system 20 or even the processing unit control system 31 are monitored by the PLCs, and its control system is adapted. By means of the device 1 according to the invention, it is therefore possible to provide web-based monitoring of several grinding lines via the central regulation and control device 4, by means of which the grinding plant 1 is centrally monitored. and/or optimally controlled. As an illustrative example, a monitoring or control screen 21;45 of the control system 20 of the operating device 2 and/or the regulation and control device 4 may comprise a proximity sensor and/or a motion sensor (211/ 451), wherein the screen is automatically turned on and off depending on the measurement results of the proximity sensor and/or the motion sensor, based on the distance measured to an operator of the grinding plant (1) and/or the mill 2 .

[0038] Remote control and regulation of the processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx locally is done by machine processes of the processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx through the regulation and control device 4 in real-time data exchange. In particular, the regulation and control device 4 as described above may comprise the network interface 42. Through the network interface 42 access to the control system 20 of the mill 2 with the programmable logic controllers 201 can be achieved. /PLC and the network interfaces 202 of the regulation and control device 4. The central regulation and control device 4 may comprise appropriate means and data processing processes 44 for generating control parameters 4311,..., 431x to be transmitted depending on pass-specific batch parameters 43211, ..., 4321x and/or pass-through comprehensive 43221, ... 4322x 432. In doing so, according to the invention, by means of at least one of the control parameters 4311, ... 431x based on one or more of the pass-specific and/or environment-specific parameters 432, several grinding lines 3 with assigned processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx are centrally optimized and/or individually controlled by the regulation and control device 4. At least the control parameters 4311, ..., 431x can be optimized and controlled by means of the regulation and control device 4 based on the comprehensive passing parameters 43221, .. ., 4322x globally for at least two different processing lines or passes 3, while pass-specific parameters 43211, ..., 4321x act independently in optimizing and controlling the control parameters 4311, ..., 431x of the relevant pass 3. The location-dependent passing comprehensive measurement parameters 43221, ..., 4322x may comprise at least humidity and/or air pressure and/or ambient temperature. The specific parameters 43211, ..., 4321x may comprise at least local operating parameters of the processing devices 31/Bx/Cx/Sx, such as, for example, the power consumption of the grinding roll pairs B1, B2, . .., Bx; C1, C2, ..., Cx) and/or preliminary pressure and/or inlet temperature of the grinding material. The pass-specific measuring parameters 43211, ..., 4321x may also comprise at least measuring parameters relating to the flows and/or energy consumption of one or more roller supports 31 of the grinding installation 1.

[0039] For optimization, the central regulation and control device 4 may comprise operational process recipes 431 in which, based on an operational process recipe 431, a batch control with a defined processing sequence of units is controlled. process 31/Bx/Cx/Sx of one of the grinding lines 3, and wherein, based on the operating process recipe 431 of one or more input materials 5 with specific property parameters 51, a defined quantity of a final product 6 with specific property parameters 61. The defined property parameters 61 of the final product 61 may comprise at least a particle size distribution 611 and/or starch damage 612 and/or protein quality 613 and/or content of water 614. During the grinding process of an operational process recipe 431, the operational control parameters 4311, ... 431x and/or the batch parameters 432 are continuously monitored by means of the regulation and control device 4. Monitored operational control parameters 4311, ..., 431x and/or batch parameters 432 may, for example, comprise at least one yield 62 and/or energy consumption and/or productivity/machine runtime. If a definable parameter fluctuation or anomaly is detected as defined deviation from monitored control parameters 4311, ..., 431x and/or batch parameters 432 deviate from defined control parameters 4311, ..., 431x and/or of the batch parameters 432, the control parameters 4311, ..., 431x will be corrected and/or adapted automatically by means of the regulation and control device 4. By means of the typical process operational control parameters 43111, ... , 431x of an optimized batch process in the standard range, for example, defined quality parameters of the final product 6 and a specific flour yield 62 can be determined or predefined depending on the input products 5.

[0040] During the grinding process of an operational process recipe, the operational control parameters are continuously monitored by means of the regulation and control device, whereby when an anomaly is detected as a defined deviation from the operational process recipe monitored, an alert signal will be transmitted, for example, to an alarm unit. The batch parameters may, for example, comprise at least the flows of one or more roller supports of the grinding plant. One or more roll supports may, for example, comprise at least fluted rolls (passage B) and/or smooth rolls (passage C). The batch process parameters may, for example, comprise at least the flows of all roller supports of the grinding plant. By means of the typical batch process parameters of an optimized batch process in the standardized range, for example, defined quality parameters in the final product and the specific flour yield can be determined depending on the initial products. The defined quality parameters may, for example, comprise at least a particle size distribution and/or starch damage and/or protein quality and/or water content. The monitored batch process parameters may, for example, comprise at least yield and/or energy consumption and/or productivity/machine runtime. During the grinding process, for example, in the detection of anomalies, continuous long-term changes in the monitored batch process parameters of the regulation and control device are recorded, whereby the defined deviation of the monitored operational control parameters from the operational control generated from the process recipe is determined depending on continuous long-term changes. The monitored batch process parameters may, for example, be transmitted by a plurality of control systems 20 according to the invention over the network 41 to the central regulation and control device 4, wherein the plurality of control systems 20 is centrally monitored and controlled. Among other things, the invention has the advantage of enabling, in a technically new way, centrally monitored and controlled identification of long-term or short-term trends in production, automated recognition of abnormalities, automated 24/7 (remote) monitoring and detection of production parameters for (i) yield, (ii) energy and (iii) productivity/machine runtime, etc. REFERENCE LIST 1 Grinding plant or general process industry plant 2 Operating device (installation), mill 20 Operating device control system (installation control system) 201 Programmable logic controllers (PLC) 202 Network interface installation control system 203 Control client (e.g. OPC UA client) 204 Interpreter 21 Operating device monitoring or control screen 2 211 Proximity sensor and/or motion sensors 3 Processing line/pass 31 B1 processing units , B2, ..., Bx fluted rolls C1, C2, ..., Cx smooth rolls S1, S2, ..., Sx screening/sieving devices 32 I/O interface; interlocking elements 33 Illustrative example of a roller holder with an eight-roller passage 331 Whole grain passage 3311/3312 Fluted rollers of the whole grain passage 3313 Scraper brush 3314 Adjusting device for adjusting the grinding gap 3315/3316 Pair of rollers bottom of the whole grain passage 3317 Adjusting device for adjusting the grinding gap 332 Comminution passage 3321/3322 Smooth rollers of the comminution passage 3323 Scraper knife 3324 Adjusting device for adjusting the grinding gap 3325/3326 Lower pair of rollers of the comminution passage 3327 Adjusting device for adjusting the grinding gap 333 Feed cylinder 3331 Sensor 3332 Product control system 334 Feed channel 335 Air channels 336 Product removal hopper 337 Servo motor 4 Control and regulation device 41 Data transmission network 42 Regulation and control device network interface 43 Parameters 431 Operating process recipe 4311, ... 431x Control parameters 432 Batch parameters 43211, ..., 4321x specific pass parameters 43221, . .., 4322x comprehensive passing parameters 44 Means of generating control parameters 4311, ..., 431x 45 Monitoring or control screen of the regulation and control device 4 451 Proximity sensor and/or motion sensors 46 Service network data; web server/ thin server 47 Machine/process control 5 Input products 51 Input material measurement parameters 6. Final products 61 Final product measurement parameters 611 Particle size distribution 612 Starch damage 613 Protein quality 614 Water content 62 Specific yield 7 Web-based control client/thin client 71 Network interface 72 Browser interface 721 Control/steering of operating device/grinding installation 722 Monitoring of operating device/grinding installation

Claims (16)

1. Grinding installation (1) comprising one or more mills (2) with one or more processing lines (3) for the industrial production of a plurality of grinding products, wherein one processing line (3) comprises at least a grinding pass (B, C) with pairs of grinding rolls (B1, B2, Bx; C1, C2, Cx) for grinding a grinding material and at least one downstream screening pass (S) for passing through a sieve or sieve the grinding material, whereby, via a grinding line, a specific grinding product with specific yield parameters and grinding product parameters can be produced, and wherein each mill (2) of the grinding plant (1) comprises at least one programmable logic controller (201/PLC) for local control and/or regulation of processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) assigned to processing lines (3) via I/ The allocated, characterized by the fact that the grinding installation (1) comprises a central regulation and control device (4) for the optimized control of the grinding installation (1), in which the programmable logic controllers (201/PLC) are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces (20) to the central regulation and control device (4) and can respond to the transferred control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) via the central regulation and control device (4) and wherein the processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) of a processing line (3) can be activated based on the control parameters (4311,...,431x) of the regulation and control device (4) through programmable logic controllers (201 /PLC) remotely via assigned I/O interfaces (32) and the operation of which is locally controllable. 2. Grinding installation (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote control and regulation of the processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) are carried out by a local machine process of the processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) via the regulation and control device (4) in a real-time data exchange. 3. Grinding installation (1), according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the regulation and control device (4) comprises a network interface (42) through which a control system is accessible (20) of the mill (2), which comprises the programmable logic controllers (201/PLC) and the network interfaces (202) of the regulation and control device (4), and the central regulation and control device (4 ) comprise means (44) for generating the control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) to be passed depending on the passing-specific (43211, ..., 4321x) and passing-wide (43221, ..) batch parameters. ., 4322x), wherein, by means of at least one of the control parameters (4311,..., 431x) based on one or more of the pass-specific and/or environment-specific parameters (432), multiple lines processing devices (3) with assigned processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) are centrally optimizable and/or individually controllable by the regulation and control device (4). 4. Grinding installation (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the comprehensive passing parameters (43221, ..., 4322x) comprise location-dependent measuring parameters comprising humidity and/or air pressure and/or ambient temperature, and that the specific passing parameters (43211, 4321x) comprise local operating parameters of the processing devices (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) comprising energy consumption of the pairs of grinding rolls (Bi, B2, ..., Bx; Ci, C2, ..., Cx) and/or preliminary pressure and/or inlet temperature of the grinding material. 5. Grinding installation (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, by means of the regulation and control device (4), the comprehensive parameters (43221, ..., 4322x) are passed. be optimized and controlled globally for at least two grinding passes, while the pass-specific parameters (43211, ..., 4321x) are optimized and controlled independently with respect to the relevant grinding pass. 6. Grinding installation (1), according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that the control parameters (4311, ..., 431x), by means of the regulation and control device (4), with based on the comprehensive pass parameters (43221, ... 4322x), being optimized and globally controlled by at least two processing lines (3) or passes (3), while the specific pass parameters (43211, ... 4321x) that are optimized and controlled independently affect an optimized generation of the control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) of the relevant passage (3). 7. Grinding installation (1), according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the central regulation and control device (4) comprises operating process recipes (431) in which, based on a recipe of operative process (431), a batch control is controllable with a defined processing sequence of processing units (31; Bx/Cx/Sx) of one of the processing lines (3), and in which, based on the recipe operating process (431), from one or more input materials (5) with specific property parameters (51), a defined quantity of a final product (6) with specific property parameters (61) can be generated, wherein , during the grinding process of an operational process recipe (431), the operational control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) and/or batch parameters (432) can be continuously monitored by means of the regulation device and of control (4), wherein, upon detection of a definable parameter value fluctuation or anomaly as a defined deviation of the monitored control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) and/or the batch parameters (432) of the parameters control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) and/or batch parameters (432), the control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) are corrected and/or adapted automatically by means of the control device and control (4). 8. Grinding installation (1) and grinding lines (3) of roller systems or roller supports (31) with the central regulating and control device (4) for self-optimized control of a grinding installation ( 1) and a grinding line of a roller system of a mill (1), according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the specific measuring parameters of passage (43211, ..., 4321x) comprise at least measuring parameters relating to flows and/or energy consumption of one or more roller supports (31) of the grinding installation (1). 9. Grinding installation (1), according to claim 8, characterized in that one or more processing devices (31) comprise at least fluted rolls (Bi, B2, ..., Bx) and/or smooth rolls (Ci, C2, ..., Cx). 10. Grinding installation (1), according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the specific measuring parameters of passage (432ii, ..., 432ix) comprise at least measuring parameters relating to flows and/or energy consumption of all roller supports (3i) of the mill (2). 11. Grinding installation (i), according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized by the fact that, by means of typical process operating control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) of an optimized batch process In the standard range, defined quality parameters of the final product (6) and the specific flour yield (62) can be determined depending on the input products (5). 12. Grinding installation (1), according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the defined property parameters of the final product (61) comprise at least one particle size distribution (611) and/or damage thickness (612) and/or protein quality (613) and/or water content (614). 13. Grinding installation (1), according to any of claims 7 to 12, characterized by the fact that the monitored operational control parameters (4311, ..., 431x) and/or the batch parameters (432) comprise at least minus yield (62) and/or energy consumption and/or productivity/machine runtime. 14. Grinding installation (1), according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the central regulation and control device (4) comprises a single web-based displayable monitoring system of several processing lines, by means of which the grinding installation (1) can be monitored and/or is optimally controllable. 15. Grinding installation (1), according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by the fact that a monitoring or control screen (21/45) of the control system of the operating device (20) and/or the control device regulation and control (4) comprise a proximity sensor and/or motion sensor (211/451), in which the screen is automatically turned on and off depending on the measurement results of the proximity sensor and/or motion sensor of the installation of grinding, based on the distance measured to an operator of the grinding plant (1) and/or the mill (2). 16. Method for the optimized control of a grinding installation (1) comprising one or more mills (2) with one or more processing lines (3) for the industrial manufacture of a variety of grinding products, wherein the line process (3), by means of at least one grinding pass (B, C) with pairs of grinding rolls (Bi, B2, ...,Bx; Ci, C2, ...,Cx), a product of grinding is ground and is sieved and/or sieved through at least one downstream sieving pass (Si, S2,., Sx), whereby, by means of a grinding line, a product is produced specific grinding parameters with specific yield parameters and grinding parameters, and wherein each mill (2) of the grinding installation (i) comprises a programmable logic controller (2i0/PLC) for local control and/or regulation of the grinding devices. processing (3i; Bx/Cx/Sx) assigned to the processing lines (3) on assigned I/O interfaces (32), characterized by the fact that the grinding installation (i) comprises a central regulation and control device (4 ) for the optimized control of the grinding installation (i), in which the programmable logic controllers (20i/PLC) are connected bidirectionally via network interfaces (202) with the central regulation and control device (4) and can respond to the transferred control parameters (43ii, ..., 43ix) through the central regulation and control device (4), and in which the processing devices (3i; Bx/Cx/Sx) of a processing line (3) are activated based on the control parameters (43ii, ..., 43ix) of the regulation and control device (4) through programmable logic controllers (20i/ PLC) remotely via the assigned I/O interfaces (32) and the operation of which is locally controllable.