Fermentation equipment for biological feed production

Abstract

The invention discloses fermentation equipment for biological feed production, and relates to the technical field of biological fermentation tanks, the fermentation equipment comprises a low-position tank, the lower end of the low-position tank is provided with a radial narrowing section, and the lower end of the low-position tank is connected with a bifurcated pipe head; the stirring shaft is driven by a stirring driver and extends into the low-position tank, and a round rod and a prism are arranged on the stirring shaft; the deformation spoiler comprises a movable block, the movable block is arranged on the prism in a matched and sleeved mode, a plurality of fixing pieces are arranged on the periphery of the movable block, the free end of each fixing piece is hinged to a rotating block through a fixed shaft, bias spoiler blades are fixed to the rotating blocks, rotation of the spoiler blades on the rotating blocks is restrained through limiting pieces, and a rotating included angle is formed. According to the invention, full mixing of fermentation broth and efficient separation of thalli are realized in a single device, and the problem that traditional equipment needs respective mixing and separation operations is solved; and the functions of automatically cleaning the tank wall and automatically removing foam are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of biological fermentation tanks, in particular to a fermentation device for producing biological feed. Background Art

[0002] Lactic acid bacteria are often added to biological feeds to improve the nutritional value of feed, extend shelf life, and enhance animal digestion and absorption. During the lactic acid bacteria fermentation process, due to the different densities of the bacteria and the nutrient solution, stratification of the bacteria and the nutrient solution can easily occur without stirring, resulting in the bacteria being located at the bottom of the nutrient solution. The bacteria also tend to adhere to the inner wall of the fermentation tank. Traditional lactic acid bacteria fermentation equipment typically uses a one-way stirring structure, using fixed stirring blades to achieve liquid mixing.

[0003] However, this design has significant flaws: the single flow pattern formed by unidirectional stirring leads to uneven distribution of bacteria and culture fluid, insufficient dissolved oxygen, and thus affects the activity and proliferation efficiency of lactic acid bacteria; bacteria easily adhere to the tank wall during the fermentation process, making subsequent cleaning more difficult; after fermentation is complete, the bacteria and culture fluid remain mixed, and the concentration of bacteria in the discharged fermentation fluid is low, which increases the workload of the external centrifugal equipment, resulting in increased energy consumption and increased production costs. In addition, foam generated by microbial metabolic activity during the fermentation process tends to accumulate in the tank. Traditional devices lack an automated removal mechanism, often requiring manual intervention or reliance on external pumping systems, making the fermentation operation more complicated. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fermentation device for biological feed production, which solves the problem that the traditional stirring structure cannot achieve both efficient mixing and accelerated bacterial separation and sedimentation, resulting in a long fermentation cycle.

[0005] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions: the present invention comprises a low-position tank for storing fermentation liquid, the lower end of which is provided with a radially narrowed section and connected to a bifurcated pipe head;

[0006] A stirring shaft, driven by a stirring driver and extending into the interior of the low-position tank, wherein the stirring shaft has a round rod and a prism;

[0007] The deformable spoiler comprises a movable block, the movable block being adapted to be mounted on the prism, a plurality of fixing members being provided on the outer periphery of the movable block, the free ends of the fixing members being hinged to a rotating block via a fixed axis, the rotating block being fixed with offset spoiler blades, and the spoiler blades on the rotating block being constrained to rotate by a limiting member to form a rotation angle;

[0008] When the deformable spoiler rotates clockwise, the spoiler blades expand to form lift, pushing the liquid to form up and down flow and vortex; when it rotates counterclockwise, the spoiler blades are restricted to push the liquid in the low-level tank to generate vortex, cooperating with the radially narrowed section of the low-level tank to centrifuge the bacteria, accelerating the sedimentation of the bacteria to the bottom of the low-level tank.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes a passive scraper, which is rotatably connected to the stirring shaft and docked with the deformable spoiler, including a docking plate and an extension arm. The docking plate is rotatably sleeved on the round rod, and the end of the extension arm is provided with a scraper that fits the inner wall of the low-level tank. A docking column is fixed on the movable block and docks with the docking plate.

[0010] Preferably, the docking plate of the passive scraper is provided with a bayonet that matches the docking post. When the deformable spoiler rises to a set height, the docking post engages with the bayonet to drive the scraper to rotate along the tank wall.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes a storage device, including a high-level tank, which is connected to the low-level tank through a liquid supply pipe and an electric control valve in sequence, and the top of the high-level tank is connected to an extractor through a pressure-equalizing pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the bifurcated pipe head is a three-way structure, one interface of the bifurcated pipe head is connected to the bottom of the low-level tank, one interface is connected to the high-level tank through the liquid supply pipe and the electric control valve, and the other interface is connected to the discharge valve.

[0013] Preferably, the extractor comprises a sub-tube and a main tube, the main tube can slide along the sub-tube, and a filter head and a buoyancy block are provided at the end thereof, wherein the density of the buoyancy block is less than the density of the fermentation liquid to keep the filter head suspended on the liquid surface.

[0014] Preferably, the buoyancy block adopts a closed cavity box, and the buoyancy block provides buoyancy to keep the lower end of the mother pipe from being submerged below the liquid surface.

[0015] Preferably, the equalizing pipe forms negative pressure inside when the electric control valve is opened, and the negative pressure draws liquid surface foam to the main pipe in the low-level tank where the extractor is located, and the foam is eliminated by the filter head.

[0016] Preferably, a filling interface is provided on the top of the high-level tank of the accumulator, and the filling interface is closed by a sealing cover when not in use.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] 1. The synergistic effect of the deformable spoiler and the agitator shaft achieves thorough mixing of the fermentation broth and efficient separation of the bacterial cells within a single device. The spoiler blades create a strong mixing flow field when rotating clockwise, and produce a centrifugal separation effect when rotating counterclockwise, eliminating the problem of traditional equipment requiring separate mixing and separation operations.

[0019] 2. The linkage design of the passive scraper and deformable spoiler, as well as the negative pressure coordination between the extractor and the accumulator, achieves automatic tank wall cleaning and foam removal. The coordinated control of the electronically controlled valve and bifurcated pipe head enables programmable and automated operations such as feeding and discharging.

[0020] 3. The radially narrowed section design of the low-position tank optimizes space utilization and utilizes its structural characteristics to facilitate bacterial aggregation, thereby increasing the concentration of bacteria in the discharge liquid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the internal structure;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the central stirring shaft, deformable spoiler, and passive scraper;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the mid-deformation spoiler in the deployed state;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the medium deformation spoiler;

[0026] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment;

[0027] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the internal structure;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the extractor;

[0029] The numbers in the figure represent:

[0030] 1. Low-level tank;

[0031] 2. Stirring drive;

[0032] 3. Stirring shaft; 31. Round rod; 32. Prism; 33. Anti-falling;

[0033] 4. Deformable spoiler; 41. Movable block; 42. Fixed part; 43. Fixed axis; 44. Rotating block; 45. Spoiler blade; 46. Limiting part; 47. Docking column;

[0034] 5. Passive scraper; 51. Docking plate; 52. Extension arm; 53. Scraper strip;

[0035] 6. Forked pipe head;

[0036] 7. Storage tank; 71. High-level tank; 72. Liquid supply pipe; 73. Electric control valve; 74. Equalizing pressure pipe;

[0037] 8. Extractor; 81. Sub-tube; 82. Main tube; 83. Filter head; 84. Buoyancy block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The above and other technical features and advantages of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Example

[0040] This embodiment provides a technical solution: a fermentation device for bio-feed production, such as Figure 1-8 As shown, it includes a low-position tank 1 made of stainless steel, the volume of which can be set according to demand, and the fermentation liquid stored in it is provided with a conical radial narrowing section at the lower end and connected to a bifurcated pipe head 6, the inner wall of the narrowing section is polished;

[0041] The stirring shaft 3 is driven by the variable frequency stirring driver 2 and extends to the interior of the low-level tank 1. The upper part of the stirring shaft 3 is a round rod 31, and the lower part is a hexagonal prism 32; an anti-falling 33 is also provided, the diameter of which is larger than the prism 32.

[0042] The deformable spoiler 4 includes a movable block 41 made of aluminum alloy. The movable block 41 has a hexagonal hole matching the prism 32 and is sleeved thereon. In this embodiment, three stainless steel fixing members 42 are evenly welded on the periphery of the movable block 41. The free end of the fixing member 42 is hinged to a rotating block 44 through a fixed axis 43. A spoiler blade 45 with a 30° offset is welded and fixed on the rotating block 44. The spoiler blade 45 on the rotating block 44 is constrained by a limiting member 46 to rotate within a range of 0-80° downward from the horizontal. Figure 3 and Figure 4 ;

[0043] It should be noted that when the variable frequency stirring driver 2 of the prior art drives the stirring shaft 3 to rotate clockwise in this embodiment, the spoiler blades 45 are deployed to a position close to the horizontal position of 70-80 degrees under the action of the fluid, generating a strong axial flow, causing the fermentation liquid to form an up and down circulating vortex, ensuring that the bacteria and nutrients are fully mixed and the dissolved oxygen is uniform;

[0044] When the flow spoiler 45 is switched to counterclockwise rotation, the flow spoiler 45 is constrained by the fluid resistance and the restriction member 46 to keep the tilt angle of the flow spoiler 45 unchanged. Figure 2 , generating radial flow, combined with the guiding effect of the conical narrowing section, so that the bacteria can quickly settle and concentrate under the action of centrifugal force, thereby improving the sedimentation efficiency.

[0045] Optionally, a passive scraper 5 is also included, which is rotatably connected to the round rod 31 of the stirring shaft 3, including a stainless steel docking plate 51 and two extension arms 52. A graphite copper sleeve is provided in the docking plate 51 and is rotatably sleeved on the round rod 31. A scraper strip 53 made of food-grade polyurethane is fixed to the end of the extension arm 52. The gap between the scraper strip 53 and the tank wall is ≤2mm. Six stainless steel docking columns 47 are symmetrically fixed on the movable block 41 and are mechanically docked with the docking plate 51.

[0046] It should be noted that when the stirring speed reaches a certain value, the deformable spoiler 4 moves up along the prism 32 under the action of centrifugal force, and the docking column 47 is inserted into the slot of the docking plate 51, driving the scraper 53 to rotate and continuously scrape off the bacterial film attached to the tank wall.

[0047] Optionally, the docking plate 51 of the passive scraper 5 is provided with an arc-shaped bayonet that matches the docking column 47. When the deformable spoiler 4 rises to a certain height, the docking column 47 of this embodiment cooperates with the arc-shaped bayonet and the number is set to six, driving the scraper 53 to rotate along the tank wall.

[0048] It should be noted that the curved bayonet design allows for disengagement when the speed difference is too large, providing a short period of driving torque. This continued disengagement allows for the rotational scraping of the scraper strip 53, preventing damage to the structure caused by excessive torque buildup. Specifically, when the torque exceeds a certain value, the contact surface between the docking post 47 and the bayonet strip slips relative to each other. During the scraping process, the elastic deformation of the polyurethane scraper strip 53 adapts to the tank's roundness error to ≤3mm without damaging the tank's anti-corrosion coating.

[0049] Optionally, a storage device 7 is also included, including a high-level tank 71. The high-level tank 71 is connected to the low-level tank 1 through a stainless steel liquid supply pipe 72 and an electric ball valve 73. The top of the high-level tank 71 is connected to the extractor 8 through a pressure-equalizing pipe 74. The pressure-equalizing pipe 74 is provided with a 0-10kPa vacuum gauge, which is not shown in the figure.

[0050] It should be noted that the hopper 7 maintains normal pressure. When the electric ball valve 73 is opened, the nutrient solution is injected into the low-level tank 1. At the same time, the air pressure in the tank drops to generate negative pressure, which triggers the extractor 8 to work through the equalizing pipe 74, so that the feeding and foam removal are carried out simultaneously, and the feeding from the bottom avoids further foaming, and is conducive to the mixing of the nutrient solution and the bacteria.

[0051] Optionally, the bifurcated pipe head 6 is a 316L stainless steel three-way structure. The bottom interface of the bifurcated pipe head 6 is connected to the bottom of the low-level tank 1 through a flange, the side interface is connected to the liquid supply pipe 72 and the electric control valve 73 through a quick-release clamp, and the end interface is connected to the pneumatic butterfly valve. Food-grade silicone sealing rings are provided at each interface.

[0052] It should be noted that the three-way structure realizes three functional switching: fermentation mode: the electric control valve is opened, the pneumatic butterfly valve is closed, and the nutrient solution is injected; slag discharge mode: the electric control valve is closed, the pneumatic butterfly valve is opened, and the concentrated bacteria are discharged; cleaning mode: the two valves are opened and closed alternately to achieve pulse flushing.

[0053] Optionally, the extractor 8 includes a stainless steel sub-tube 81 and a main tube 82. The main tube 82 slides along the sub-tube 81 through a piston sleeve. The end of the main tube 82 is provided with a filter head 83 with a pore size of 0.2 mm and built-in filter cotton and a hollow buoyancy block 84. The buoyancy block 84 supports the connected components.

[0054] It should be noted that buoyancy block 84 keeps filter head 83 5-10 mm above the liquid surface to absorb foam. When negative pressure is generated in high-level tank 71, main pipe 82 automatically rises and falls to track the liquid surface due to the pressure differential. Buoyancy block 84 is a hollow, sealed structure covered with a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane.

[0055] Optionally, when the electric control valve 73 is opened, the equalizing pipe 74 forms an adjustable negative pressure in the high-level tank 71 and controls the electric regulating valve to maintain a constant suction force, so that the main pipe 82 absorbs foam at a stable flow rate.

[0056] Optionally, a quick-install filling port is provided on the top of the high-position tank 71 of the accumulator 7. The port has a built-in hydrophobic filter and is automatically opened and closed by a pneumatic lifting sealing cover. The sealing cover automatically rises when adding materials, and the filter ensures sterile air intake; after closing, a sealed environment is formed, and a 0.35MPa nitrogen blanket is provided for protection; during CIP cleaning, the port serves as a spray ball installation position, with a coverage angle of ≥270°

[0057] In this embodiment, the specific working principle of using this device to cultivate and ferment lactic acid bacteria is as follows:

[0058] Preliminary preparation stage; nutrient solution is injected through the filling interface of the high-level tank 71, the electric control valve 73 is connected to the external control system, the liquid supply pipe 72 is opened regularly according to the preset program, and the nutrient solution enters the low-level tank 1 through the first interface of the bifurcated pipe head 6, and the equalizing pipe 74 balances the air pressure in the tank.

[0059] During the mixing and fermentation stage: the stirring driver 2 drives the stirring shaft 3 to rotate clockwise, and the round rod 31 transmits power to the prism 32, driving the deformable spoiler 4 mounted thereon to rotate synchronously. At this time, the movable block 41 moves upward along the prism 32, and the rotating block 44 connected to the fixed shaft 43 by the fixed part 42 drives the offset spoiler blades 45 to unfold and approach the horizontal unfolding posture. The inclination angle of the spoiler blades 45 is constrained by the limiter 46 to generate lift, pushing the liquid to form an up and down vortex as shown in the figure. Figure 4 , enhance dissolved oxygen and nutrient distribution, and promote the rapid proliferation of lactic acid bacteria.

[0060] During the bacterial separation stage: When the fermentation reaches the preset cycle, the stirring drive 2 switches to counterclockwise rotation. At this time, the spoiler blades 45 are unable to continue to retract due to the resistance of the liquid flow and the obstruction of the restriction member 46, generating a vortex that centrifuges the bacteria and nutrient solution, forcing the bacteria to gather in the radially narrowed section at the bottom of the low-level tank 1; at the same time, the anti-slip 33 prevents the deformable spoiler 4 from detaching from the prism 32. When the speed of the stirring shaft 3 increases, the deformable spoiler 4 slides up along the prism 32, and its docking post 47 engages with the docking disc 51 of the passive scraper 5, driving the scraper bar 53 at the end of the extension arm 52 to rotate along the inner wall of the low-level tank 1, removing the attached bacteria.

[0061] During the foam removal and liquid drainage phase: During liquid supply, negative pressure builds up inside the high-level tank 71. This pressure-equalizing pipe 74 drives the main tube 82 of the extractor 8 to slide along the sub-tube 81. Buoyancy blocks 84 keep the filter head 83 suspended above the liquid surface, effectively absorbing the foam generated by fermentation. Once fermentation is complete, the pneumatic butterfly valve at the end of the bifurcated pipe head 6 opens, allowing the highly concentrated bacterial liquid to be discharged through the drainage pipe.

[0062] At the same time, the observation port is equipped with pressure-resistant glass and a built-in LED light source to support real-time visual monitoring. The low-level tank 1 is also equipped with a pH sensor and a dissolved oxygen sensor to feed back data to the control system, dynamically adjusting the opening of the electric control valve 73 and the speed of the stirring driver 2 to ensure a stable fermentation environment.

[0063] During cleaning and maintenance: the scraping strips 53 of the passive scraper 5 automatically clean the tank wall during each round of fermentation, and the modular design of the bifurcated pipe head 6 facilitates disassembly and cleaning.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many changes, modifications, and even equivalents may be made to the present invention within the spirit and scope of the claims, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fermentation equipment for biological feed production, characterized in that: include: A low-level tank (1) for storing fermentation liquid is provided with a radially narrowed section at the lower end and is connected to a bifurcated pipe head (6); A stirring shaft (3) is driven by a stirring driver (2) and extends into the interior of the low-position tank (1), wherein the stirring shaft (3) has a round rod (31) and a prism (32); The deformable spoiler (4) comprises a movable block (41), the movable block (41) being adapted to be mounted on the prism (32), a plurality of fixing members (42) being provided on the outer periphery of the movable block (41), a rotating block (44) being hingedly connected to the free end of the fixing member (42) via a fixed shaft (43), a biased spoiler blade (45) being fixed on the rotating block (44), and the spoiler blade (45) on the rotating block (44) being constrained to rotate by a limiting member (46) to form a rotation angle; When the deformable spoiler (4) rotates clockwise on the stirring shaft (3), the spoiler blades (45) unfold to form a lift force, pushing the liquid to form an up-and-down flow and a vortex; when the deformable spoiler (4) rotates counterclockwise, the spoiler blades (45) are restricted to push the liquid in the low-position tank (1) to generate a vortex, cooperating with the radially narrowed section of the low-position tank (1) to centrifuge the bacteria, thereby accelerating the sedimentation of the bacteria to the bottom of the low-position tank (1).

2. The fermentation equipment for biological feed production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a passive scraper (5) which is rotatably connected to the stirring shaft (3) and is connected to the deformable spoiler (4) for docking and linkage. The passive scraper (5) includes a docking plate (51) and an extension arm (52). The docking plate (51) is rotatably sleeved on the round rod (31). The end of the extension arm (52) is provided with a scraper strip (53) which fits the inner wall of the low-position tank (1). A docking column (47) is fixed on the movable block (41) for docking and linkage with the docking plate (51).

3. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 2, characterized in that: The docking plate (51) of the passive scraper (5) is provided with a bayonet that matches the docking column (47); when the deformable spoiler (4) rises to a set height, the docking column (47) engages with the bayonet, driving the scraper (53) to rotate along the tank wall.

4. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a accumulator (7), including a high-level tank (71), wherein the high-level tank (71) is connected to the low-level tank (1) via a liquid supply pipe (72) and an electric control valve (73) in sequence, and the top of the high-level tank (71) is connected to an extractor (8) via a pressure-equalizing pipe (74).

5. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bifurcated pipe head (6) is a three-way structure, one interface of the bifurcated pipe head (6) is connected to the bottom of the low-level tank (1), one interface thereof is connected to the high-level tank (71) through the liquid supply pipe (72) and the electric control valve (73), and the other interface is connected to the discharge valve.

6. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 5, characterized in that: The extractor (8) includes a sub-tube (81) and a main tube (82). The main tube (82) can slide along the sub-tube (81). A filter head (83) and a buoyancy block (84) are provided at the end thereof. The density of the buoyancy block (84) is less than that of the fermentation liquid to keep the filter head (83) suspended on the liquid surface.

7. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 6, characterized in that: The buoyancy block (84) adopts a closed cavity box, and the buoyancy block (84) provides buoyancy to keep the lower end of the mother pipe (82) from being submerged below the liquid surface.

8. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the electric control valve (73) is opened, the equalizing pipe (74) forms a negative pressure in (71), and the negative pressure draws the foam on the liquid surface to the main pipe (82) in the low-level tank (1) where the extractor (8) is located, and the foam is eliminated by the filter head (83).

9. The fermentation equipment for producing biological feed according to claim 4, characterized in that: A filling interface is provided on the top of the high-level tank (71) of the accumulator (7), and the filling interface is closed by a sealing cover when not in use.

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