Fermentation tank

Abstract

The invention provides a fermentation tank, and particularly relates to the technical field of fermentation equipment. The fermentation tank comprises a tank body, a stirring shaft, an air inlet pipeline, a stirring paddle and a driving device, and the stirring shaft is rotatably mounted in the tank body and is of a hollow structure; the air inlet pipeline penetrates through the side wall of the tank body and is communicated with the hollow structure; the stirring paddles are fixedly arranged on the stirring shaft and are distributed along the axial direction of the stirring shaft, a plurality of air outlet holes are formed in the stirring paddles, and the air outlet holes are communicated with the hollow structure; and the driving device is arranged at the top of the tank body and drives the stirring shaft to rotate. The stirring paddle of the fermentation tank introduces air into a reaction system while stirring, so that multi-point and multi-area ventilation in the fermentation tank is realized, and the oxygen uptake rate in the fermentation process is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of fermentation equipment, and in particular to a fermentation tank. Background Art

[0002] Most biochemical reactions require oxygen, so aeration and fermentation equipment is the core and foundation of aerobic biochemical reaction equipment. At present, commonly used aeration fermentation tanks include mechanical stirring type, airlift circulation type, bubbling type and self-priming type, among which mechanical stirring aeration fermentation tanks have always occupied a dominant position. Under aerobic fermentation conditions, the commonly used oxygen supply method for mechanical stirring aeration fermentation tanks is to directly inject air into the bottom of the fermentation tank through an air distributor. The bubbles generated by this method are unevenly distributed in the tank body, which cannot make the fermented materials more fully contact with the air, affecting the fermentation of the materials. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the above shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a fermenter to improve the problem of low oxygen uptake during aerobic fermentation.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose and other related purposes, the present invention provides a fermentation tank, which includes a tank body, a stirring shaft, an air intake pipe, a stirring paddle and a driving device. The stirring shaft is rotatably installed in the tank body, and the stirring shaft is a hollow structure; the air intake pipe passes through the side wall of the tank body and is connected with the hollow structure; the stirring paddle is fixedly installed on the stirring shaft, and a plurality of air outlet holes are provided on the stirring paddle, and the plurality of air outlet holes are connected with the hollow structure; the driving device is arranged on the top of the tank body, and drives the stirring shaft to rotate.

[0005] In an example of the present invention, the tank body includes a first tank body and a second tank body, and the first tank body and the second tank body are fixedly connected via a flange.

[0006] In an example of the present invention, the air intake pipe is fixedly arranged on the first tank body.

[0007] In an example of the present invention, a support frame is provided at the bottom of the second tank body, and the support frame is rotatably connected to the stirring shaft.

[0008] In an example of the present invention, the air intake pipe is connected to the hollow structure through a first connecting sleeve, the first connecting sleeve is arranged on the stirring shaft, a first gas cavity is arranged between the first connecting sleeve and the stirring shaft, the first gas cavity is arranged circumferentially around the stirring shaft, one end of the air intake pipe is connected to the air intake device, and the other end of the air intake pipe is connected to the first gas cavity.

[0009] In an example of the present invention, the air intake pipe, the stirring shaft and the stirring paddle are connected, and a first through hole is provided at the connection between the stirring shaft, the air intake pipe and the stirring paddle.

[0010] In one example of the present invention, the stirring paddle includes a second connecting sleeve, a connecting plate and a plurality of blades. The second connecting sleeve is sleeved on the stirring shaft and fixedly connected to the stirring shaft. The connecting plate is sleeved on the second connecting sleeve. The plurality of blades are evenly distributed along the circumference of the connecting plate.

[0011] In one example of the present invention, a plurality of second through holes are evenly distributed on the circumference of the second connecting sleeve, a plurality of channels corresponding to and connected to the second through holes are provided on the connecting plate, a plurality of the blades are each provided with a receiving cavity, a plurality of air outlet holes are provided on the receiving cavity, and the air inlet pipe is connected to the air outlet holes through the hollow structure of the stirring shaft, the second through holes and the channels in sequence.

[0012] In an example of the present invention, a sealing ring is disposed between the first connecting sleeve, the second connecting sleeve and the stirring shaft, and a groove for placing the sealing ring is disposed on the first connecting sleeve and the second connecting sleeve.

[0013] In an example of the present invention, the driving device includes a motor and a coupling, the input end of the coupling is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the coupling is fixedly connected to the stirring shaft.

[0014] In the fermentation tank provided by the present invention, the air outlet of the stirring paddle is connected to the air inlet pipe through the hollow structure of the stirring shaft. When the fermentation tank is in use, the stirring paddle conveys air into the material while stirring, thereby realizing multi-point and multi-region ventilation in the fermentation tank and improving the oxygen uptake rate during the fermentation process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a fermentation tank of the present invention in one embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle A area;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle B area;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle C area;

[0020] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stirring paddle in a fermentation tank of the present invention in one embodiment.

[0021] Component number description

[0022] 100, tank body; 110, first tank body; 120, second tank body; 130, support frame; 200, stirring shaft; 210, first connecting sleeve; 211, first gas chamber; 212, sealing ring; 300, air inlet pipe; 400, stirring paddle; 410, second connecting sleeve; 411, second through hole; 412, second gas chamber; 420, connecting plate; 421, channel; 430, paddle; 431, accommodating chamber; 500, driving device; 510, motor; 520, coupling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following is an explanation of the embodiments of the present invention by specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the features in the following embodiments and the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. It should also be understood that the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are intended to describe specific embodiments, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The test methods for which specific conditions are not specified in the following examples are usually carried out under conventional conditions or according to the conditions recommended by the manufacturers.

[0024] It should be noted that the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle" and "one" etc. used in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially changing the technical content, should also be regarded as the scope of implementation of the present invention.

[0025] See also Figure 1 and Figure 4 The present invention provides a fermentation tank, which includes a tank body 100, a stirring shaft 200, an air inlet pipe 300, a stirring paddle 400 and a driving device 500. The stirring shaft 200 drives the stirring paddle 400 to rotate in the tank body 100, and the stirring paddle 400 releases air into the material while stirring, thereby increasing the interface area and exchange time between air and fermented material, and improving the oxygen uptake rate during the fermentation process.

[0026] A fermentation chamber is provided in the tank body 100 for the material to undergo a fermentation reaction. The material of the tank body 100 is selected from a material that is not easy to react with the material to avoid affecting the fermentation reaction. For example, the material of the tank body 100 is selected from stainless steel. In one embodiment, the tank body 100 includes a first tank body 110 and a second tank body 120. The first tank body 110 and the second tank body 120 are arranged opposite to each other. The first tank body 110 is a hemispherical structure that bulges away from the second tank body 120. The second tank body 120 is used to place the fermentation material. The second tank body 120 is preferably a cylindrical structure to prevent uneven mixing of the material from affecting the reaction. The first tank body 110 and the second tank body 120 are fixedly connected by a flange to form a closed fermentation chamber. Air is introduced into the material in the fermentation chamber to allow the material to undergo aerobic fermentation.

[0027] The stirring shaft 200 is rotatably mounted in the tank body 100, and the stirring shaft 200 is a hollow structure, which can be a cylinder, a cuboid or other shapes. A support frame 130 is provided at the bottom of the second tank body 120 of the stirring shaft 200, one end of the stirring shaft 200 is provided on the first tank body 110, and the other end of the stirring shaft 200 is rotatably connected to the support frame 130, and the rotatable connection includes but is not limited to the rotatable connection through a bearing. The air intake pipe 300 passes through the side wall of the tank body 100 and is connected to the hollow structure. The stirring paddle 400 is fixedly mounted on the stirring shaft 200, and a plurality of air outlets are provided on the stirring paddle 400, and the plurality of air outlets are connected to the hollow structure. The number of stirring paddles 400 can be one, two or more, and when the number of stirring paddles 400 exceeds one, the stirring paddles 400 are distributed along the axial direction of the stirring shaft 200. The shape of the air outlet can be any shape such as a rectangle, a square, a circle or the like. The material of the stirring shaft 200 and the stirring paddle 400 is also selected from materials that are not easy to react with the material, for example, the stirring shaft 200 and the stirring paddle 400 are both made of stainless steel.

[0028] The driving device 500 is arranged at the top of the tank body 100, and drives the stirring shaft 200 to rotate, and the stirring shaft 200 drives the stirring paddle 400 to rotate in the tank body 100. In one embodiment, the driving device 500 is at the top of the first tank body 110, and the driving device 500 includes a motor 510 and a coupling 520, the input end of the coupling 520 is connected to the output end of the motor 510, and the output end of the coupling 520 is fixedly connected to the stirring shaft 200. When the motor 510 is working, the output end of the motor 510 rotates to drive the coupling 520 to rotate, and the coupling 520 further drives the stirring shaft 200 to rotate, and the stirring shaft 200 drives the stirring paddle 400 to stir the material.

[0029] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2, the air intake pipe 300 can be arranged on the first tank body 110 or on the second tank body 120. In one embodiment, the air intake pipe 300 is fixedly arranged on the first tank body 110. When the fermenter is inspected and repaired, the air intake pipe 300 and the first tank body 110 and the second tank body 120 can be separated to facilitate the inspection and repair of the stirring shaft 200 and the stirring paddle 400. In this embodiment, two air intake pipes 300 are arranged on the tank body 100, and the two air intake pipes 300 are arranged on both sides of the stirring shaft 200 in a horizontal direction. Both ends of the air intake pipe 300 are in an open state, one end of the air intake pipe 300 is connected to an additionally configured air supply device, and the other end of the air intake pipe 300 is connected to the hollow structure of the stirring shaft 200. The air supply device includes but is not limited to a compressed air tank. Preferably, in order to be integrated in this application, the fermenter includes an air supply device, which is arranged on one side of the tank body 100 and is connected to the fermentation chamber. The air intake pipe 300 can be an integral structure or a split structure. The air intake pipe 300 in this embodiment is a split structure. If the air intake pipe 300 leaks, it is easy to repair without having to replace the entire air intake pipe 300.

[0030] The top of the first tank 110 is also provided with an air outlet, which is in a normally closed state. When the gas pressure in the tank 100 reaches the maximum pressure value set by the system, the air outlet opens to discharge the gas in the tank 100 to prevent the excessive gas pressure in the tank 100 from causing safety hazards. When the gas pressure in the tank 100 drops to the minimum pressure value set by the system, the air outlet closes. Exemplarily, the pressure in the tank 100 is stabilized at 0.1-0.3 MPa.

[0031] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the air intake pipe 300 is connected to the hollow structure through the first connecting sleeve 210. The first connecting sleeve 210 is sleeved on the stirring shaft 200 and is rotatably connected to the stirring shaft 200. The air intake pipe 300 is fixedly connected to the first connecting sleeve 210. A first gas cavity 211 is provided between the first connecting sleeve 210 and the stirring shaft 200. The first gas cavity 211 is provided around the circumference of the stirring shaft 200. One end of the air intake pipe 300 is connected to the air intake device, and the other end of the air intake pipe 300 is connected to the first gas cavity 211. The air intake pipe 300, the stirring shaft 200 and the stirring paddle 400 are connected. A first through hole is provided at the connection between the stirring shaft 200 and the air intake pipe 300 and the stirring paddle 400. The gas enters the first gas chamber 211 at the first connecting sleeve 210 through the air inlet pipe 300, and enters the hollow structure of the stirring shaft 200 through the first through hole at the first gas chamber 211, and then diffuses to the stirring paddle 400 through the hollow structure. The stirring paddle 400 diffuses the air into the tank body 100 while stirring.

[0032] See also Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the stirring paddle 400 includes a second connecting sleeve 410, a connecting plate 420 and a plurality of blades 430. The second connecting sleeve 410 is sleeved on the stirring shaft 200 and fixedly connected to the stirring shaft 200. The connecting plate 420 is sleeved on the second connecting sleeve 410, and the plurality of blades 430 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the connecting plate 420. A cylindrical through groove is provided in the middle of the second connecting sleeve 410 for placing the stirring shaft 200. The size of the cylindrical through groove matches the size of the stirring shaft 200. The second connecting sleeve 410 is sleeved on the stirring shaft 200, and the stirring shaft 200 passes through the second connecting sleeve 410 and is fixedly connected to the second connecting sleeve 410. For example, the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 are fixedly connected by welding or by fasteners. Preferably, the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 are made of the same material, so as to facilitate the fixed connection between the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200. Exemplarily, the materials of the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 are both made of stainless steel, and the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 are fixedly connected by welding. Preferably, a protrusion is provided on the top or bottom of the second connecting sleeve 410, and the protrusion is fixedly connected to the stirring shaft 200 by a fastener to achieve the fixed connection between the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200. Exemplarily, threaded holes are provided on the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200, and the threaded holes on the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 match each other, and the bolts pass through the threaded holes on the second connecting sleeve 410 and the threaded holes on the stirring shaft 200 in turn to fix the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200. At this time, the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200 are detachable, and it is convenient to replace if the air outlet on the blade 430 is blocked or other parts are damaged.

[0033] See also Figure 3 In one embodiment, a plurality of second through holes 411 are evenly distributed around the second connecting sleeve 410, a plurality of channels 421 corresponding to and communicating with the second through holes 411 are provided on the connecting plate 420, a plurality of paddles 430 are provided with accommodating cavities 431, a plurality of air outlets are provided on the accommodating cavities 431, and the air inlet pipe 300 is connected with the air outlets through the hollow structure of the stirring shaft 200, the second through holes 411 and the channels 421 in sequence. A second gas cavity 412 is provided between the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200, the hollow structure of the stirring shaft 200 is connected with the second connecting sleeve 410 through the second gas cavity 412, and the second gas cavity 412 is provided along the circumference of the inner wall of the second connecting sleeve 410.

[0034] See also Figure 5In one embodiment, the second connecting sleeve 410 is a cylindrical structure, the connecting plate 420 is a disc-shaped structure, the second connecting sleeve 410 is coaxially arranged with the connecting plate 420, and the through hole penetrates along the radial direction of the second connecting sleeve 410. The number of through holes, channels 421 and blades 430 is consistent, that is, each blade 430 corresponds to a through hole and a channel 421. The number of blades 430 is not limited in this application and can be adjusted according to the use requirements. Exemplarily, the number of blades 430 is six, and six through holes and six channels 421 are respectively arranged on the second connecting sleeve 410 and the connecting plate 420. In other embodiments, the number of blades 430 can also be eight or ten or other numbers. The second connecting sleeve 410, the connecting plate 420 and the plurality of blades 430 are fixed by welding or integrally formed, and the air inlet on the stirring shaft 200, the through hole on the second connecting sleeve 410, the channel 421 on the connecting plate 420 and the accommodating cavity 431 on the blade 430 are sequentially connected.

[0035] See also Figure 3 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, a slot is provided on one side of the blade 430 close to the connecting plate 420, and the two sides of the slot are respectively engaged with the upper surface and the lower surface of the connecting plate 420, and sealed and fixed. The slot can increase the contact area between the blade 430 and the connecting plate 420, so that the connection between the blade 430 and the connecting plate 420 is tighter. A plurality of blades 430 can be vertically arranged on the circumference of the connecting plate 420, or can be obliquely arranged on the circumference of the connecting plate 420, and the installation angle of the blade 430 is not limited here. The shape of the blade 430 is prepared according to the prior art, and the shape of the blade 430 is not limited here, as long as an air outlet is provided on the blade 430, the stirring paddle 400 can be stirred while diffusing air into the material. In this embodiment, the blade 430 is a rectangular parallelepiped structure, and a plurality of blades 430 are vertically arranged on the connecting plate 420, and the blade 430 is provided with a first pore area and a second pore area. The first pore area and the second pore area are arranged on the vertical side wall of the blade 430, and the first pore area and the second pore area are located radially outside the connecting plate 420. The first pore area and the second pore area are both provided with a plurality of outlet holes. In this embodiment, the outlet holes are circular in shape, the diameter of the outlet holes is 0.2-20 μm, and the density of the outlet holes is 10-50 / cm 2 For example, the diameter of the pores is 0.2 μm, 5 μm, 10 μm or 20 μm, and the density of the pores is 10 / cm 2 , 20 pieces / cm 2 , 30 pieces / cm 2 or 50pcs / cm 2The size and density of the vent holes are adjusted according to actual needs. For example, when the oxygen demand of the material reaction is large, the size or density of the vent holes can be increased accordingly. When the oxygen demand of the material reaction is small, the size or density of the vent holes can be reduced accordingly. The size or density of the vent holes can also be adjusted at the same time so that the air diffusion amount meets the actual reaction needs.

[0036] Preferably, a sealing ring 212 is provided between the first connecting sleeve 210 and the second connecting sleeve 410 and the stirring shaft 200, and a groove for placing the sealing ring 212 is provided on the first connecting sleeve 210 and the second connecting sleeve 410 to prevent air leakage and affect the fermentation effect. Exemplarily, the sealing ring 212 is a lip-shaped sealing ring.

[0037] During the fermentation process, the gas enters the accommodating cavity 431 of the paddle 430 from the gas supply device through the air inlet pipe 300, the hollow structure of the stirring shaft 200, the second through hole 411 and the channel 421 in sequence, and overflows from the air outlet of the paddle 430 as the stirring shaft 200 rotates, diffuses into the material and contacts the material, thereby preventing uneven distribution of the gas in the tank body 100 and improving the oxygen uptake rate during the fermentation process.

[0038] In the fermentation tank provided by the present invention, the air outlet of the stirring paddle is connected to the air inlet pipe through the hollow structure of the stirring shaft. During the use of the fermentation tank, the stirring paddle conveys air into the material while stirring, thereby realizing multi-point and multi-region ventilation in the fermentation tank and improving the oxygen uptake rate during the fermentation process. Therefore, the present invention effectively overcomes some practical problems in the prior art and has high utilization value and use significance.

[0039] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone familiar with the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed by the present invention shall still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fermentation tank, It is characterized in that include: Tank; A stirring shaft is rotatably mounted in the tank body, and the stirring shaft is a hollow structure; An air intake pipe passes through the side wall of the tank body and is in communication with the hollow structure; A stirring paddle, fixedly mounted on the stirring shaft, the stirring paddle is provided with a plurality of air outlet holes, and the plurality of air outlet holes are communicated with the hollow structure; The driving device is arranged on the top of the tank body and drives the stirring shaft to rotate.

2. The fermentation tank according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The tank body comprises a first tank body and a second tank body, and the first tank body is fixedly connected to the second tank body via a flange.

3. The fermentation tank according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The air intake pipe is fixedly arranged on the first tank body.

4. The fermentation tank according to claim 2, It is characterized in that A support frame is provided at the bottom of the second tank body, and the support frame is rotatably connected to the stirring shaft.

5. The fermentation tank according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The air intake pipe is connected to the hollow structure through a first connecting sleeve, the first connecting sleeve is arranged on the stirring shaft, a first gas cavity is arranged between the first connecting sleeve and the stirring shaft, the first gas cavity is arranged around the circumference of the stirring shaft, one end of the air intake pipe is connected to the air intake device, and the other end of the air intake pipe is connected to the first gas cavity.

6. The fermentation tank according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The air intake pipe, the stirring shaft and the stirring paddle are connected, and a first through hole is provided at the connection between the stirring shaft, the air intake pipe and the stirring paddle.

7. The fermentation tank according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The stirring paddle includes a second connecting sleeve, a connecting plate and a plurality of blades. The second connecting sleeve is sleeved on the stirring shaft and fixedly connected to the stirring shaft. The connecting plate is sleeved on the second connecting sleeve. The plurality of blades are evenly distributed along the circumference of the connecting plate.

8. The fermentation tank according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The second connecting sleeve has a plurality of second through holes evenly distributed around its circumference, the connecting plate is provided with a plurality of channels corresponding to and connected with the second through holes, a plurality of the blades are provided with a receiving cavity, a plurality of air outlets are provided on the receiving cavity, and the air inlet pipe is connected with the air outlets in sequence through the hollow structure of the stirring shaft, the second through holes and the channels.

9. The fermentation tank according to claim 7, It is characterized in that A sealing ring is disposed between the first connecting sleeve, the second connecting sleeve and the stirring shaft, and a groove for accommodating the sealing ring is disposed on the first connecting sleeve and the second connecting sleeve.

10. The fermenter according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The driving device comprises a motor and a coupling, the input end of the coupling is connected to the output end of the motor, and the output end of the coupling is fixedly connected to the stirring shaft.

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