Recovery device for foam in surfactant produced by fermentation method and use method of recovery device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of microbial fermentation, in particular to a device for recycling foam in a surfactant produced through a fermentation method and a using method of the device. Comprising a recovery tank and a liquid collector which are communicated through a diaphragm pump, the recovery tank sequentially comprises an upper seal head I, a shell I and a lower seal head I from top to bottom; an air outlet is formed in the upper sealing head I; an air inlet is formed in the side surface of the lower sealing head I, and a liquid outlet is formed in the bottom; the liquid collector sequentially comprises an upper sealing head II, a shell II and a lower sealing head II from top to bottom; a liquid inlet is formed in the second upper sealing head, and a liquid collecting opening is formed in the bottom of the second upper sealing head. According to the method, foam in the surfactant produced by utilizing a fermentation method is recycled, meanwhile, sterile emission of fermentation tail gas is ensured, and industrial fermentation emission pollution cannot be caused; meanwhile, the non-return function is achieved, ambient air outside the fermentation tank cannot enter the tank body, and the situation that external air is sucked back to pollute internal fermentation liquid can be effectively avoided; and more importantly, zero-pollution emission is realized, and the method is very environment-friendly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of microbial fermentation, and in particular to a device for recovering foam from surfactants produced by fermentation and a method for using the same. Background Art

[0002] Biofermentation is the process of converting organic feedstock into target products through the metabolic activity of microorganisms. It is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. During the biofermentation process, a large amount of exhaust gas is produced, the main components of which include carbon dioxide, water vapor, organic volatiles, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Exhaust gas treatment is a key step in ensuring the environmental friendliness and safety of the production process. Therefore, effective treatment of biofermentation exhaust gas is of great significance. By adopting appropriate exhaust gas treatment technologies and equipment, harmful emissions can be effectively reduced, protecting the environment and human health.

[0003] At present, the treatment methods of biological fermentation tail gas mainly include combustion, physical absorption, chemical adsorption, biological filtration, etc. The details are as follows: (1) Combustion method: Through high-temperature oxidation, the combustible components in the exhaust gas are burned and decomposed into carbon dioxide and water. It is suitable for the treatment of high-concentration organic volatiles. However, this method has high energy consumption and may produce secondary pollution such as nitrogen oxides.

[0004] (2) Physical absorption method: Using water or organic solvents as absorbents, the harmful components in the tail gas are removed through equipment such as absorption towers. This method is suitable for treating water-soluble gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. However, the absorbent in this method needs to be replaced regularly, the operating cost is high, and secondary pollution may occur.

[0005] (3) Chemical adsorption: This method uses chemical reactions, such as alkali solution absorbing acidic gases, to adsorb organic volatiles in exhaust gas through chemical adsorbents. It is suitable for low-concentration, high-volume exhaust gas treatment. However, the chemical adsorbent in the above method needs to be regenerated or replaced regularly, resulting in high operating costs and the risk of secondary pollution.

[0006] (4) Biofiltration: This method utilizes the metabolic activity of microorganisms to degrade organic pollutants in exhaust gas and convert them into harmless substances. It has the advantages of high treatment efficiency, low operating costs, and no secondary pollution. It is a treatment technology that has developed rapidly in recent years. Although the above method is environmentally friendly, it has strict requirements on the selection and cultivation conditions of microorganisms, and the treatment efficiency is greatly affected by environmental factors such as temperature and humidity.

[0007] As can be seen from the above, the above-mentioned method faces numerous challenges in practical application. Furthermore, it suffers from issues such as rapid increase in filter resistance and clogging, as well as unstable microbial performance and poor safety. In particular, there is a risk of external bacteria being sucked back from the fermenter exhaust outlet, contaminating the cultured cells within the fermenter.

[0008] However, when it comes to synthetic biology fermentation to produce surfactants, the material properties of surfactants are prone to foaming, and the fermentation process requires stirring and ventilation, which accelerates the foaming. Under these conditions, the treatment of exhaust gas and foam is more difficult.

[0009] Therefore, it is necessary to develop an economical, environmentally friendly, stable and safe method for treating bio-fermentation tail gas. Summary of the Invention

[0010] This application provides a foam recovery device for producing surfactants using a fermentation process and its use method. This application improves the exhaust gas discharge device, effectively increasing the yield of fermented surfactants while ensuring the sterility of the fermentation exhaust gas, achieving environmental protection and preventing backflow, and is the first application of this device in the microbial fermentation surfactant production industry.

[0011] The device provided in this application processes the foam produced during fermentation, effectively achieving foam recycling and zero bacterial contamination at the end of fermentation. Furthermore, the recovery device provided in this application can also reduce the backflow of external bacteria from the exhaust outlet of the fermentation tank, thereby avoiding contamination of the bacteria within the fermentation tank and improving the quality and yield of the fermentation product. Furthermore, the device provided in this application also contributes to environmental protection and resource recovery, and is of great significance for achieving green industrial production and efficient resource utilization.

[0012] In a first aspect, the present application provides a device for recovering foam from surfactants produced by a fermentation method, which employs the following technical solutions: A device for recovering foam from surfactant produced by fermentation, comprising a recovery tank and a liquid collector; the recovery tank is located above the liquid collector, and the two are connected by a diaphragm pump; The recovery tank is composed of an upper head 1, a shell 1 and a lower head 1 from top to bottom, and the three are sealed and connected in sequence by flange bolts; an air outlet is provided on the upper head 1; an air inlet is provided on the side of the lower head 1, and a liquid outlet is provided on the bottom; the diaphragm pump is connected to the recovery tank through the liquid outlet; the shell 1 contains a foaming bin filled with a defoaming filler; The liquid collector comprises upper head 2, shell 2 and lower head 2 from top to bottom, and the three are sealed and connected in sequence by flange bolts; a liquid inlet is provided on the upper head 2, and the diaphragm pump is connected to the liquid collector through the liquid inlet; a liquid collecting port is provided at the bottom of the lower head 2 for recovering the treated liquid to the fermentation tank.

[0013] The device for recovering foam from surfactant production using fermentation, provided in this application, utilizes an integrated tank structure to achieve disinfectant treatment, foam removal, and membrane filter separation and recovery of the fermented foam. The device boasts a compact structure and a small footprint. This integrated device is a first for the production of surfactants using microbial fermentation.

[0014] The present application realizes the recovery of foam in the production of surfactants by fermentation, while ensuring the aseptic discharge of fermentation tail gas, which will not cause industrial fermentation emission pollution; at the same time, it realizes the anti-backflow function, and the ambient air outside the fermentation tank cannot enter the tank body, which can effectively prevent the external air from being sucked back and polluting the internal fermentation liquid; more importantly, it achieves zero pollution discharge, which is very environmentally friendly.

[0015] When producing surfactants through synthetic biology, the fermentation yield is lower than 2 g / L due to foaming and overflowing the tank. After using the recovery device provided in this application, the surfactants are produced, collected, defoamed, refluxed, and fermented to continue producing surfactants, the yield is increased by 16 g / L and the fermentation cost is reduced by 7-8 times.

[0016] The foam recovery device for producing surfactants by fermentation provided in the present application has low operating resistance and a long service life of the internal filtrate, which can generally be used for more than 3 months; at the same time, the operating cost is greatly reduced, the microbial removal effect is stable, and the safety is good; in addition, the overall equipment is convenient to maintain and easy to clean.

[0017] Optionally, the number of the air outlets is 1-5.

[0018] Optionally, a tower plate for carrying defoaming filler is horizontally arranged at a position of the shell 1 close to the lower head 1.

[0019] Optionally, the defoaming filler is any one of a ball ring, a Raschig ring, and a stepped ring.

[0020] Optionally, the foaming chamber is also filled with disinfectant.

[0021] Optionally, the recovery device further includes a bracket for carrying the recovery tank and the liquid collector.

[0022] Optionally, the bracket includes a first support and a second support in sequence from top to bottom, the first support is used to support the recovery tank, and the second support is used to support the liquid collector.

[0023] Optionally, a secondary air filter is provided at the air outlet.

[0024] In a second aspect, the present application provides a method for using the above-mentioned recovery device, which adopts the following technical solution: A method for using a device for recovering foam from surfactants produced by a fermentation method, the method of use being as follows: The foam generated by fermentation enters the recovery tank from the fermentation tank through the air inlet of the recovery tank; as the foam enters, the foam gradually enters the interior of the foaming chamber, and the foam is subjected to defoaming and disinfection treatment, and tail gas and liquid are obtained after the treatment; The tail gas is discharged into the air through the gas outlet on the upper head; the liquid enters the liquid collector through the diaphragm pump and is recovered into the fermentation tank through the liquid collecting port, thereby realizing the recovery of the foam.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: The present application realizes the recovery of foam in the production of surfactants by fermentation, while ensuring the aseptic discharge of fermentation tail gas, which will not cause industrial fermentation emission pollution; at the same time, it realizes the anti-backflow function, and the ambient air outside the fermentation tank cannot enter the tank body, which can effectively prevent the external air from being sucked back and polluting the internal fermentation liquid; more importantly, it achieves zero pollution discharge, which is very environmentally friendly.

[0026] When producing surfactants through synthetic biology, the fermentation yield is lower than 2 g / L due to foaming and overflowing the tank. After using the recovery device provided in this application, the surfactants are produced, collected, defoamed, refluxed, and fermented to continue producing surfactants, the yield is increased by 16 g / L and the fermentation cost is reduced by 7-8 times.

[0027] The foam recovery device for producing surfactants by fermentation provided in the present application has low operating resistance and a long service life of the internal filtrate, which can generally be used for more than 3 months; at the same time, the operating cost is greatly reduced, the microbial removal effect is stable, and the safety is good; in addition, the overall equipment is convenient to maintain and easy to clean.

[0028] The device for recovering foam from surfactant production using fermentation, provided in this application, utilizes an integrated tank structure to achieve disinfectant treatment, foam removal, and membrane filter separation and recovery of the fermented foam. The device boasts a compact structure and a small footprint. This integrated device is a first for the production of surfactants using microbial fermentation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 This application provides a sterile discharge device for fermentation tail gas.

[0030] Description of the drawings: 1. Recovery tank; 11. Upper head 1; 111. Air outlet; 12. Shell 1; 13. Lower head 1; 131. Air inlet; 132. Liquid outlet; 14. Foaming bin; 141. Defoaming filler; 142. Tower plate; 2. Diaphragm pump; 3. Liquid collector; 31. Upper head 2; 311. Liquid inlet; 32. Shell 2; 33. Lower head 2; 331. Liquid collecting port; 4. Bracket; 41. First support; 42. Second support. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Before describing the embodiments of the present application in detail, it should be understood that the terminology used herein is only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the term belongs.

[0032] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0033] The endpoints of the ranges and any values disclosed in this application are not limited to the precise ranges or values, and these ranges or values should be understood to include values close to these ranges or values. For numerical ranges, the endpoints of each range, the endpoints of each range and individual point values, and the individual point values can be combined with each other to obtain one or more new numerical ranges, and these numerical ranges should be considered to be specifically disclosed herein.

[0034] In this application, the term "comprise" or "include" is an open expression, that is, it includes the content specified in this application, but does not exclude other aspects of the content.

[0035] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making any creative work are within the scope of protection of this application. The embodiments described below are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be understood as limiting this application.

[0036] If no specific techniques or conditions are specified in the examples, the experiments were carried out according to the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the field or according to the product instructions. All reagents or instruments used without specifying the manufacturer are commercially available conventional products.

[0037] The present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the examples and test results.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] This embodiment provides a device for recovering foam produced by a fermentation method for producing surfactants.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the apparatus comprises a recovery tank 1 and a liquid collector 3. Recovery tank 1 is located above liquid collector 3, and the two are connected via a diaphragm pump 2. The apparatus also comprises a support 4 for supporting recovery tank 1 and liquid collector 3. Support 4 comprises, from top to bottom, a first support 41 for supporting recovery tank 1 and a second support 42 for supporting liquid collector 3.

[0041] The foam (including gas and liquid) produced by fermentation enters the recovery tank 1 from the bottom of the recovery tank 1. The liquid obtained after the foam is processed enters the liquid collector 3 through the diaphragm pump 2 and is recovered to the fermentation tank through the liquid collector 3.

[0042] The recovery tank 1 comprises an upper head 11, a shell 12 and a lower head 13 from top to bottom, and the three are sealed and connected by flange bolts.

[0043] Upper head 11 is provided with an outlet 111 for the processed exhaust gas (including oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) to exit the device. The number of outlets 111 can be adjusted as needed; in this embodiment, there are three outlets 111. A secondary air filter is installed at each outlet 111 to ensure safe and harmless exhaust gas discharge.

[0044] An air inlet 131 is provided on the side of the lower head 13 for the foam generated by fermentation in the fermentation tank to enter the device; a liquid outlet 132 is provided at the bottom of the lower head 13, and the diaphragm pump 2 is connected to the recovery tank 1 through the liquid outlet 132.

[0045] Inside the shell 12 is a foam removal chamber 14 filled with defoaming packing 141, which eliminates foam. After processing, the foam is converted into exhaust gas and liquid. A horizontal tray 142 is installed near the lower end 13 of the shell 12 to support the defoaming packing 141. Defoaming packing 141 can be any of ball rings, Raschig rings, or stepped rings, with ball rings being preferred.

[0046] The liquid collector 3 comprises an upper head 31, a shell 32 and a lower head 33 from top to bottom, and the three are sealed and connected by flange bolts.

[0047] The upper end cap 31 is provided with a liquid inlet 311 for the treated liquid to enter the liquid collector 3 through the diaphragm pump 2. The bottom of the lower end cap 33 is provided with a liquid collection port 331, through which the treated liquid is recovered into the fermentation tank and converted back into the product.

[0048] Example 2

[0049] This embodiment provides a method for using the foam recovery device of Example 1 for producing surfactants by fermentation.

[0050] The above method of use will specifically include the following steps: The foam generated by fermentation enters the recovery tank 1 from the fermentation tank through the air inlet 131 of the lower head 13 of the recovery tank 1. As the foam enters, the foam gradually enters the foaming bin 14, which is filled with defoaming filler 141 and disinfectant. The foam is defoamed and disinfected using the defoaming filler 141 and disinfectant, and tail gas and liquid are obtained after treatment.

[0051] The tail gas is discharged into the air through the air outlet 111 on the upper head 11 and the secondary air filter. After being treated with the disinfectant, the tail gas discharged into the air is completely sterilized, and the bacteria will not be discharged into the environment, thereby avoiding pollution to the environment as much as possible. In addition, the interior of the upper head 11 is a buffer bin, which contains external air, tail gas and a certain amount of disinfectant vapor. The buffer bin can balance the air pressure and allow the disinfectant water vapor in the air to flow back, which not only stabilizes the amount of disinfectant and does not require frequent replenishment of disinfectant; but also prevents the disinfectant vapor from polluting the environment, and has a certain environmental protection effect. The tail gas treated by the foaming bin 14 is almost dry and clean, and is discharged into the air, meeting environmental protection requirements, while ensuring that the environmental contamination rate at the tail gas end is 0. The external air is sealed by the disinfectant liquid in the foaming bin 14, and thus cannot enter the fermentation tank through the discharge device, thereby preventing external air from contaminating the fermentation liquid.

[0052] The liquid enters the liquid collector 3 through the diaphragm pump 2, and the treated liquid is recovered to the fermentation tank through the liquid collection port 331 according to the changes in fermentation parameters to continue fermentation, thereby realizing the recovery of foam, reducing resource waste, and improving the yield of surfactant.

[0053] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A device for recovering foam from surfactant produced by fermentation, characterized in that: The recovery device comprises a recovery tank (1) and a liquid collector (3); the recovery tank (1) is located above the liquid collector (3), and the two are connected via a diaphragm pump (2); The recovery tank (1) comprises an upper head (11), a shell (12) and a lower head (13) from top to bottom, and the three are sealed and connected in sequence by flange bolts; an air outlet (111) is provided on the upper head (11); an air inlet (131) is provided on the side of the lower head (13), and a liquid outlet (132) is provided on the bottom; the diaphragm pump 2 is connected to the recovery tank (1) through the liquid outlet (132); a foaming chamber (14) is provided in the shell (12), and a foam removal filler (141) is filled in the shell (12); The liquid collector (3) comprises, from top to bottom, an upper head (31), a shell (32) and a lower head (33), which are sealed and connected in sequence by flange bolts; a liquid inlet (311) is provided on the upper head (31), and the diaphragm pump (2) is connected to the liquid collector (3) through the liquid inlet (311); a liquid collecting port (331) is provided at the bottom of the lower head (33) for recovering the treated liquid to the fermentation tank.

2. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that The number of the air outlets (111) is 1-5.

3. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that A tower plate (142) for carrying a defoaming filler (141) is horizontally arranged at a position of the shell (12) close to the lower head (13).

4. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that The defoaming filler (141) is any one of a ball ring, a Raschig ring, and a stepped ring.

5. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foam blowing chamber (14) is also filled with disinfectant.

6. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that The recovery device further comprises a bracket (4) for carrying the recovery tank (1) and the liquid collector (3).

7. The recovery device according to claim 6, characterized in that The bracket (4) comprises a first support (41) and a second support (42) from top to bottom, wherein the first support (41) is used to support the recovery tank (1), and the second support (42) is used to support the liquid collector (3).

8. The recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A secondary air filter is provided at the air outlet (111).

9. A method for using the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The usage is as follows: The foam generated by fermentation enters the recovery tank (1) from the fermentation tank through the air inlet (131) of the recovery tank (1); as the foam enters, the foam gradually enters the interior of the foaming chamber (14), and the foam is subjected to a defoaming and disinfection treatment, and tail gas and liquid are obtained after the treatment; The tail gas is discharged into the air through the gas outlet (111) on the upper head (11); the liquid enters the liquid collector (3) through the diaphragm pump (2) and is recovered into the fermentation tank through the liquid collecting port (331), thereby realizing the recovery of the foam.

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