OIL DEGRADATION METER AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING OIL DEGRADATION

Abstract

An oil degradation meter and a method for evaluating oil degradation are provided, in which a user is enabled to arbitrarily set a degradation of oil/fat using an acid value (AV value) as an index, and capable of learning a replacement time of oil/fat easily with a stable reproducibility, even in a case where a condition such as a moisture amount in food (deep-fried food) is different. In a setup procedure, an acid value (AV.sub.0) of unused oil/fat is set to 0, a dielectric constant (D.sub.0) at that time is measured and recorded, a dielectric constant (D.sub.100) of oil/fat at a replacement time under a specific oil/fat usage condition is measured, and it is recorded along with an acid value (AV.sub.100) at that time, and in a measurement procedure, a dielectric constant (D.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat is measured, and an acid value (AV.sub.n) of said sample oil/fat is calculated based on the dielectric constants (D.sub.0, D.sub.100) and the acid value (AV.sub.100) recorded in said setup procedure, according to a calculation formula of [AV.sub.n=AV.sub.100×{(D.sub.n−D.sub.0)/(D.sub.100−D.sub.0)}].

Claims

1. An oil degradation meter characterized by having a dielectric constant measuring means for measuring a dielectric constant of sample oil/fat; a memory means for storing the dielectric constant measured by said dielectric constant measuring means; an input means for inputting an acid value, and storing the inputted acid value in said memory means; a calculation means for carrying out a calculation based on the dielectric constant and the acid value stored in said memory means; and a control means for controlling said dielectric constant measuring means, said input means, said memory means and said calculation means; wherein said control means, in a setup mode, sets an acid value (AV.sub.0) of unused oil/fat to 0, measures a dielectric constant (D.sub.0) at that time, stores it in said memory means, measures a dielectric constant (D.sub.100) of oil/fat at a replacement time under a specific oil/fat usage condition, and stores it along with an acid value (AV.sub.100) at that time in said memory means; and wherein said control means, in a measurement mode, measures a dielectric constant (D.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat, stores this measurement result (D.sub.n) in said memory means, and calculates an acid value (AV.sub.n) of said sample oil/fat based on the dielectric constants (D.sub.0, D.sub.100) and the acid value (AV.sub.100) stored in said memory means in said setup mode, according to a calculation formula of [AV.sub.n=AV.sub.100×{(D.sub.n−D.sub.0)/(D.sub.100−D.sub.0)}] by using said calculation means.

2. The oil degradation meter as described in claim 1, characterized in that the acid value (AV.sub.100) of oil/fat at the replacement time is defined as 100.

3. A method for evaluating oil degradation, characterized in that: in a setup procedure, setting an acid value (AV.sub.0) of unused oil/fat to 0, measuring and recording a dielectric constant (D.sub.0) at that time, measuring a dielectric constant (D.sub.100) of oil/fat at a replacement time under a specific oil/fat usage condition, and recording it along with an acid value (AV.sub.100) at that time; and in a measurement procedure, measuring a dielectric constant (D.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat, and calculating an acid value (AV.sub.n) of said sample oil/fat based on the dielectric constants (D.sub.0, D.sub.100) and the acid value (AV.sub.100) recorded in said setup procedure, according to a calculation formula of [AV.sub.n=AV.sub.100×{(D.sub.n−D.sub.0)/(D.sub.100−D.sub.0)}].

4. The method of evaluating oil degradation as described in claim 3, characterized in that the acid value (AV.sub.100) of oil/fat at the replacement time is defined as 100.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an oil degradation meter according to the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relationship between a dielectric constant and an acid value (AV value) of oil/fat.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining a method for evaluating oil degradation according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In the following, embodiments of an oil degradation meter and a method for evaluating oil degradation according to the present invention will be described with references to the drawings.

[Outline of a Configuration of an Oil Degradation Meter According to the Present Invention]

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an oil degradation meter according to the present invention.

[0026] This oil degradation meter is a device for measuring a dielectric constant of sample oil/fat, and calculating an AV value (acid value) from this measurement result.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, this oil degradation meter has a CPU 1 that constitutes a control means. This CPU 1 controls a dielectric constant sensor 2 that constitutes a dielectric constant measuring means. The dielectric constant sensor 2 has comb electrodes to be immersed into the sample oil/fat, such that an impedance of the sample oil/fat can be measured from a change in frequency by applying AC voltage between these comb electrodes. From this impedance measurement result, it is possible to calculate the dielectric constant of the sample oil/fat.

[0028] Also, the CPU 1 controls an input unit 4 that constitutes an input means, and processes input signals from this input unit 4. To the input unit 4, it is possible to input various numerical values and commands for operation mode selection, etc., besides the AV values (acid values).

[0029] Then, the CPU 1 controls a memory 3 that constitutes a memory means. The memory 3 stores a dielectric constant measured by the dielectric constant sensor 2, an inputted AV value (acid value), and other various numerical values.

[0030] Also, the CPU 1 controls a calculation circuit 5 that constitutes a calculation means. The calculation circuit 5 carries out a calculation based on dielectric constants and AV values (acid values) stored in the memory 3, and other various calculations.

[0031] Further, a liquid crystal display unit 6 is connected to the CPU 1. The liquid crystal display unit 6 displays various types of information such as an AV value (acid value) inputted by a user of this device, other various numerical values, calculation results by the calculation circuit 5, etc.

[A Method for Evaluating Oil Degradation According to the Present Invention (an Operation of the Oil Degradation Meter)]

[0032] FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relationship between a dielectric constant and an acid value (AV value) of oil/fat.

[0033] A part (a) of FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relationship between a dielectric constant and an acid value (AV value) of oil/fat at a deep-fried food restaurant (1), a deep-fried food restaurant (2) and a deep-fried food restaurant (3).

[0034] A part (b) of FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relationship between a dielectric constant and an acid value (AV value) of oil/fat at a tempura restaurant, a Japanese food restaurant, a meat store, and a supermarket.

[0035] Note that, in FIG. 2, the horizontal axis indicates a TPM value, and this TPM value is a value that is correlated with the dielectric constant of oil/fat. Therefore, this FIG. 2 is showing a relationship between a dielectric constant and an acid value (AV value) of oil/fat.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the relationship between the dielectric constant and the AV value of oil/fat is different depending on a condition such as a moisture amount in food (deep-fried food) to be dealt with and the like. Namely, when the relationship between the dielectric constant and the AV value is fit to a linear approximation, a slope of a linear approximation equation is different depending on stores. This is supposed to be so because there are differences in types of deep-fried foods and heating times. For example, in the case where an amount to be deep-fried and a frequency for deep-frying are high as in the case of the deep-fried restaurants shown in a part (a) of FIG. 2, a rate by which the AV value is increased with respect to an increase of the dielectric constant is large, and a slope of a linear approximation equation is steep, in comparison with the other stores shown in a part (b) of FIG. 2.

[0037] Note that, in a process of degradation of oil/fat, no tendency for an increase of the AV value to be a curve can be observed, so that experimental data of each store can be expressed by a linear approximation. When points off a linear approximation line are looked, there are errors of about ±0.5 or ±1.0 with respect to the AV value. Causes of the errors are supposed to be a precision in the measurement, a fact that data are re-plotted via colors of oil/fat, a fact that usage conditions of oil/fat are not uniform, etc. Even when these errors are taken into account, it can be said that an increase of the AV value in a process of degradation of oil/fat can be expressed by a linear approximation.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining a method for evaluating oil degradation according to the present invention.

[0039] This oil degradation meter executes a method for evaluating oil degradation according to the present invention by operating as shown in FIG. 3.

[0040] Namely, when a command for a setup mode start is inputted, the CPU 1 starts an execution of a setup mode (setup procedure) at step st1, and proceeds to step st2, where an acid value (AV.sub.0) of unused oil/fat is set to 0, a dielectric constant (D.sub.0) at that time is measured, and it is stored (recorded) in the memory 3.

[0041] Next, it proceeds to step st3, where a dielectric constant (D.sub.100) of oil/fat at a replacement time (usage limit) under a specific oil/fat usage condition is measured, and it is stored (recorded) along with an acid value (AV.sub.100) at that time in the memory 3. The acid value (AV.sub.100) at that time is obtained in advance by a measurement method such as a neutralization titration and the like.

[0042] The specific oil/fat usage condition refers to a usage condition of oil/fat at each store such as a deep-fried food restaurant (1), a deep-fried food restaurant (2), a deep-fried food restaurant (3), a tempura restaurant, a Japanese food restaurant, a meat store, and a supermarket, etc., where a usage condition of oil/fat is regarded as constant as long as it is an identical store.

[0043] Then, the CPU 1 proceeds to step St4, and when a command for a measurement mode start is inputted, it starts an execution of a measurement mode (measurement procedure), and proceeds to step st5, where a dielectric constant (D.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat is measured, and this measurement result (D.sub.n) is stored (recorded) in the memory 3.

[0044] Next, the CPU 1 proceeds to step St6, and calculates an acid value (AV.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat based on the dielectric constants (D.sub.0, D.sub.100) and the acid value (AV.sub.100) stored (recorded) in the memory 3 in the setup mode, according to the following calculation formula by using the calculation circuit 5.

AV.sub.n=AV.sub.100×{(D.sub.n−D.sub.0)/(D.sub.100−D.sub.0)}

[0045] Then, the CPU proceeds to step st7, and displays the calculated acid value (AV.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat by using the liquid crystal display unit 6.

Another Example (1) of the Calculation Method

[0046] In this oil degradation meter, it may be made to define the acid value (AV.sub.100) of oil/fat at the replacement time as 100. In this case, the acid value (AV.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat that is calculated from the measured dielectric constant (D.sub.n) of the sample oil/fat will be indicating a percentage to the replacement time.

Another Example (2) of the Calculation Method

[0047] In this oil degradation meter, it may be made to set a scale, by dividing a section between the dielectric constants of oil/fat at the unused state S.sub.0 and at the replacement time (usage limit) S.sub.100 of the sample oil/fat, i.e., a section between the dielectric constant D.sub.0 at S.sub.0 and the dielectric constant D.sub.100 at S.sub.100, into for example 100 equal parts. Note that such a numerical value for dividing into equal parts may not necessarily be 100.

[0048] Namely, define 1 degree: δ.sub.D as follows.

1 degree: δ.sub.D=(D.sub.100−D.sub.0)/100

[0049] When the degradation is defined as A.sub.n, the degradation A.sub.n can be obtained from the measurement value D.sub.n of the dielectric constant, as follows.

A.sub.n=(D.sub.n−D.sub.0)/δ.sub.D

[0050] Therefore, A.sub.n=0 if D.sub.n=D.sub.0, and A.sub.n=100 if D.sub.n=D.sub.100.

UTILIZABILITY IN INDUSTRY

[0051] The present invention will be applied to an oil degradation meter and a method for evaluating oil degradation for evaluating a state of oil/fat.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0052] 1 CPU [0053] 2 Dielectric constant sensor [0054] 3 Memory [0055] 4 Input unit [0056] 5 Calculation circuit