A photobioreactor for transparent fermentation of algae

Abstract

The application discloses a light algae transparent fermentation tank and belongs to the technical field of fermentation tanks, which comprises a tank body, a stirring system, a light system, a temperature control system, a feeding system and an automatic control system, wherein the light system comprises lamp tubes, the lamp tubes adopt light sources of multiple spectrums, the temperature control system comprises an electric heating device and a water cooling device arranged on the tank body, the temperature control range is 0-60 DEG C, the temperature control precision is + / -0.1 DEG C, the feeding system comprises at least four feeding channels connected with peristaltic pumps for supplementing acid, alkali, defoaming agent and culture agent, and the automatic control system is adopted. The transparent acrylic cylinder is adopted to realize high light transmittance, the detachable multi-spectrum lamp tubes are combined, direct penetration of the culture solution is realized, photosynthesis is excited, the spectrum is flexibly switched to adapt to different light requirements of blue-green algae, green algae and the like, the uneven light intensity distribution problem of traditional tanks is avoided, the stirring system is arranged to realize low-speed efficient mixing, the rotating resistance and axial reaction force are fed back in real time by a double-pressure sensor monitoring mechanism of the stirring shaft load, and dynamic early warning of precipitation or viscosity abnormality is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fermentation tank technology, and more particularly to a transparent fermentation tank for light-illuminated algae. Background Technology

[0002] Photocatalytic algae cultivation has wide applications in modern biotechnology, such as biofuels, pharmaceuticals, environmental protection, and the extraction of high-value-added products. Traditional 100-liter fermenters are mostly made of stainless steel, which has the following significant drawbacks:

[0003] Poor light transmittance: It cannot transmit light naturally and relies on built-in light sources or external penetrating light, resulting in low light energy utilization, high energy consumption, and poor light uniformity (light intensity difference inside the tank > 5%), which affects the synchronization of photosynthesis.

[0004] Low temperature control efficiency: Stainless steel has high thermal conductivity, and heat dissipates quickly after high-temperature sterilization or light-induced heat generation. An additional temperature control system is required to balance the heat, and energy consumption accounts for as much as 35%-40% of the total cost.

[0005] Insufficient mixing efficiency: Top mechanical stirring easily forms bottom sediment in high-density algal solutions (>5g / L); the shear force generated by high-speed stirring (>300rpm) can easily damage the cell structure of sensitive algae (such as diatoms); resulting in poor mixing efficiency.

[0006] High energy consumption costs: The built-in high-power light source (>500W LED) and temperature control module operate continuously, and the stainless steel tank has poor heat insulation, resulting in a total power consumption of 40%-50%.

[0007] Frequent maintenance: High-frequency calibration of sensors (such as pH and DO electrodes, 30% higher frequency than glass jars) is required; frequent replacement of air filters (0.2μm accuracy, 25-30 filters consumed per year).

[0008] Poor algal species adaptability: For algae with large differences in spectral requirements (such as cyanobacteria requiring red light and green algae requiring blue light), it is inconvenient to adjust the light source parameters and the system lacks flexibility.

[0009] Low defoaming efficiency: Mechanical defoaming devices have a foam suppression rate of only 50%-60% for high-protein algal solutions (such as spirulina), often requiring manual addition of defoaming agents, which disrupts the sterile environment.

[0010] High renovation costs: While optimizing the light source layout or thermal compensation can alleviate the above problems, renovation costs will increase by 20%-30%.

[0011] While existing glass fermenters offer some light transmittance, they typically suffer from issues related to pressure resistance, stirring efficiency, automation level, temperature control accuracy, and interface with stainless steel components. Therefore, we propose a transparent, light-illuminated algae fermenter to address these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to provide a transparent fermentation tank for algae under light, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0014] A transparent fermentation tank for algae under light, comprising:

[0015] The tank body includes: a jacketed cylinder, an inner cylinder, and a tank cover. Both the jacketed cylinder and the inner cylinder are made of S31603 stainless steel. The inner cylinder is fixedly installed inside the jacketed cylinder. A transparent acrylic cylinder is fixedly installed on the top of the inner cylinder. The tank cover is detachably installed on the top of the acrylic cylinder. A lampshade is fixedly installed on the outside of the acrylic cylinder.

[0016] A stirring system, comprising a stirring mechanism and a motor, wherein the stirring mechanism is disposed inside the inner cylinder, and a monitoring mechanism is connected between the motor and the stirring mechanism;

[0017] The lighting system includes lamps; the illuminance of the lamps is adjustable within the range of 0-3000 umol / m² / s; the lamps are detachably installed inside the can lid, and the lamps use a multi-spectral light source;

[0018] Temperature control system: including electric heating device and water cooling device installed in the tank; temperature control range is 0-60℃, temperature control accuracy is ±0.1℃;

[0019] Feeding system: includes at least four feeding channels, each connected to a peristaltic pump for replenishing acid, alkali, defoamer and culture medium;

[0020] Automatic control system: includes a PLC controller, a human-machine interface touch screen, detection sensors and actuators; the detection sensors include at least a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, a DO sensor, and a defoaming sensor; the actuators are used to control at least an electric heating device, a water cooling device, a stirring drive device, a lighting system, and various peristaltic pumps; the control system has functions of sterilization program control, temperature PID control, stirring speed PID control, pH value PID control, DO value PID control, defoaming PID control, quantitative and timed feeding control, and light intensity and light cycle control.

[0021] Preferably, the monitoring mechanism includes: a drive plate, a connecting plate, a connecting plate, an upper fixing ring, and a lower fixing ring. Multiple U-shaped rods are fixedly installed between the upper fixing ring and the lower fixing ring. A horizontal plate is fixedly installed inside the U-shaped rods. A lower connecting frame and an upper connecting frame are fixedly installed at the bottom and top of the horizontal plate, respectively. A lower movable plate is slidably sleeved on the outer side of the lower connecting frame. A lower abutting wheel is rotatably installed on one side of the lower movable plate. An upper movable plate is slidably sleeved on the outer side of the upper connecting frame. An upper abutting wheel is rotatably installed on one side of the upper movable plate.

[0022] The lower abutting wheel is movably abutted against the top of the connecting plate, and the upper abutting wheel is movably abutted against the bottom of the connecting plate. The top and bottom of the horizontal plate are respectively fixedly installed with a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. The upper movable plate is movably abutted against the top of the first pressure sensor, and the lower movable plate is movably abutted against the bottom of the second pressure sensor. The driving plate is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the motor, the motor is fixedly installed at the bottom of the lower fixed ring, and the upper fixed ring is fixedly installed at the bottom of the jacket cylinder.

[0023] Preferably, the bottom of the connecting plate is integrally formed with multiple arc-shaped protrusions, and the outer side of the drive plate is provided with multiple arc-shaped grooves that are adapted to the arc-shaped protrusions. The arc-shaped protrusions are movably abutted in the arc-shaped grooves. A connecting shaft is fixedly installed on the top of the connecting plate, and a disc is fixedly installed on the top of the connecting shaft. Multiple guide rods are fixedly installed on the bottom of the connecting plate, and the guide rods are slidably installed in the disc. A positioning cylinder is rotatably sleeved on the outer side of the connecting shaft, and multiple L-rods are fixedly installed on the outer side of the positioning cylinder. The L-rods are slidably installed in the corresponding horizontal plates.

[0024] Preferably, an upper connecting spring is fixedly installed on the top of the upper movable plate, and the other end of the upper connecting spring is fixedly connected to the corresponding upper connecting frame. A lower connecting spring is fixedly installed on the bottom of the lower movable plate, and the other end of the lower connecting spring is fixedly connected to the corresponding lower connecting frame.

[0025] Preferably, the stirring mechanism includes: a stirring shaft, a first stirring paddle, a second stirring paddle, and a third stirring paddle. The first stirring paddle, the second stirring paddle, and the third stirring paddle are all slidably sleeved on the outside of the stirring shaft. The outside of the first stirring paddle, the second stirring paddle, and the third stirring paddle are provided with set screw holes. A positioning pin is threaded into the set screw hole. One end of the positioning pin is movably abutted against the outside of the stirring shaft. The bottom end of the stirring shaft is fixedly connected to the connecting plate.

[0026] The second agitator is a two-stage four-bladed impeller, the third agitator is a single-stage mechanical compression defoaming impeller, the first agitator is made of several vertical baffles, and the agitator shaft is made of 316L stainless steel.

[0027] Preferably, a support leg is fixedly installed on the outer side of the jacket cylinder, a discharge valve is connected to the bottom of the jacket cylinder, an air pipe is provided inside the inner cylinder, and a guide plate is provided inside the jacket cylinder.

[0028] Preferably, the top of the transparent acrylic cylinder is provided with a lower flange, a gasket is provided between the lower flange and the can lid, multiple mounting bolts are installed through the can lid, multiple electrode insertion holes are provided at the bottom outer side of the inner cylinder, the motor insertion holes include pH electrode, DO electrode, defoaming electrode and temperature electrode port, the bottom of the jacket cylinder is provided with a flat quick-opening assembly, the top of the can lid is provided with a baffle and inoculation port assembly, and the top of the can lid is provided with a feeding port.

[0029] Preferably, the PLC controller is communicatively connected to the touch screen; the control system also has parameter correlation control, real-time and historical trend chart display, data storage and analysis, and Excel-compatible data export functions.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0031] 1. The transparent algae fermentation tank described in this invention uses a transparent acrylic cylinder to achieve high light transmittance, combined with a detachable multispectral lamp tube on the top, which directly penetrates the culture medium to stimulate photosynthesis. The light source intensity is continuously adjustable from 0-3000 μmol / m² / s, and the spectrum can be flexibly switched to adapt to the different light requirements of cyanobacteria, green algae, etc., significantly improving light energy utilization and algal growth synchronization, and avoiding the problem of uneven light intensity distribution in traditional tanks;

[0032] 2. In this invention, the transparent fermenter for light-illuminated algae achieves low-speed and high-efficiency mixing through a set stirring system. The load on the stirring shaft is monitored in real time by a dual pressure sensor monitoring mechanism, which provides feedback on rotational resistance and axial reaction force, and provides dynamic early warning of sedimentation or viscosity abnormalities. This significantly reduces the risk of shear damage to sensitive algae while ensuring suspension uniformity.

[0033] 3. The transparent algae fermentation tank described in this invention integrates a PLC control system and a PID algorithm, and uses pH / DO / temperature sensors to link the feed pump, stirring motor, and temperature control module. It automatically injects acids, alkalis, defoamers, or nutrient solutions as needed to maintain a stable culture environment; the light intensity and cycle are programmed for control, and the defoaming action prioritizes physical disruption followed by the addition of trace agents to ensure the stability of the sterile environment and reduce the frequency of operation and the risk of misoperation.

[0034] 4. In this invention, the transparent algae fermentation tank with light is designed with a jacketed temperature control structure. The electric heating device and the guide plate enhance the heat exchange efficiency. The water cooling circuit precisely counteracts the heat generated by light, achieving a constant temperature accuracy of ±0.1℃ for the entire tank. This avoids the problem of easy damage to traditional glass tanks and achieves a reliable balance between the ultra-thin light-transmitting layer and the pressure-bearing components. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a transparent fermentation tank for light-illuminated algae proposed in this invention;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a front view of a transparent algae fermentation tank for illumination proposed in this invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a transparent fermentation tank for light-illuminated algae proposed in this invention;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transparent fermentation tank for light-illuminated algae proposed in this invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a top cross-sectional view of a transparent fermentation tank for light-illuminated algae proposed in this invention.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the stirring mechanism proposed in this invention.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the stirring system proposed in this invention;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a partial three-dimensional structural diagram of the stirring system proposed in this invention;

[0043] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the motor and monitoring mechanism proposed in this invention;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the monitoring mechanism proposed in this invention;

[0045] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the start disk and connecting disk proposed in this invention.

[0046] In the diagram: 1. Support leg; 2. Discharge valve; 3. Monitoring mechanism; 301. Drive disc; 30101. Arc groove; 302. Connecting disc; 30201. Arc protrusion; 303. Lower connecting frame; 304. Upper connecting frame; 305. L-shaped rod; 306. Disc; 307. Connecting disc; 308. Upper fixing ring; 309. Guide rod; 310. Upper abutment wheel; 311. U-shaped rod; 312. Upper connecting spring; 313. Upper movable plate; 314. Horizontal plate; 315. Second pressure sensor; 316. Lower movable plate; 317. Lower abutment wheel; 318. Connecting shaft; 319. Positioning cylinder 320. Lower fixing ring; 321. Lower connecting spring; 322. First pressure sensor; 4. Inner cylinder; 5. Transparent acrylic cylinder; 6. Air pipe; 7. Jacketed cylinder; 8. Guide plate; 9. Lower flange; 10. Gasket; 11. Can lid; 12. Inoculation port assembly; 13. Stirring mechanism; 1301. Stirring shaft; 1302. First stirring paddle; 1303. Second stirring paddle; 1304. Third stirring paddle; 1305. Positioning pin; 14. Motor; 15. Mounting bolt; 16. Lamp cover; 17. Baffle; 18. Electrode socket; 19. Flat quick-opening assembly; 20. Lamp tube. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0048] Reference Figures 1-11 A transparent fermentation tank for algae under light, comprising:

[0049] The tank body includes: a jacketed cylinder 7, an inner cylinder 4, and a tank cover 11. Both the jacketed cylinder 7 and the inner cylinder 4 are made of S31603 stainless steel. The inner cylinder 4 is fixedly installed inside the jacketed cylinder 7. A transparent acrylic cylinder 5 is fixedly installed on the top of the inner cylinder 4. The tank cover 11 is detachably installed on the top of the acrylic cylinder. A lampshade 16 is fixedly installed on the outside of the acrylic cylinder.

[0050] The mixing system includes a mixing mechanism 13 and a motor 14. The mixing mechanism 13 is located inside the inner cylinder 4, and a monitoring mechanism 3 is connected between the motor 14 and the mixing mechanism 13.

[0051] The lighting system includes a lamp tube 20; the light intensity of the lamp tube 20 is adjustable in the range of 0-3000 umol / m² / s; the lamp tube 20 is detachably installed inside the can lid 11; the lamp tube 20 uses a multi-spectral light source.

[0052] Temperature control system: including electric heating device and water cooling device installed in the tank; temperature control range is 0-60℃, temperature control accuracy is ±0.1℃;

[0053] Feeding system: includes at least four feeding channels, each connected to a peristaltic pump for replenishing acid, alkali, defoamer and culture medium;

[0054] Automatic control system: including PLC controller, human-machine interface touch screen, detection sensors and actuators; detection sensors include at least temperature sensor, pH sensor, DO sensor and defoaming sensor; actuators are used to control at least electric heating device, water cooling device, stirring drive device, lighting system and peristaltic pumps; the control system has sterilization program control, temperature PID control, stirring speed PID control, pH value PID control, DO value PID control, defoaming PID control, feeding quantitative and timed control, light intensity and light cycle control functions.

[0055] In this embodiment, the monitoring mechanism 3 includes: a drive disc 301, a connecting disc 302, a connecting disc 307, an upper fixing ring 308, and a lower fixing ring 320. A plurality of U-shaped rods 311 are fixedly installed between the upper fixing ring 308 and the lower fixing ring 320. A horizontal plate 314 is fixedly installed inside the U-shaped rod 311. A lower connecting frame 303 and an upper connecting frame 304 are fixedly installed at the bottom and top of the horizontal plate 314, respectively. A lower movable plate 316 is slidably sleeved on the outside of the lower connecting frame 303. A lower abutting wheel 317 is rotatably installed on one side of the lower movable plate 316. An upper movable plate 313 is slidably sleeved on the outside of the upper connecting frame 304. An upper abutting wheel 310 is rotatably installed on one side of the upper movable plate 313.

[0056] The lower abutting wheel 317 is movably abutted against the top of the connecting plate 302, the upper abutting wheel 310 is movably abutted against the bottom of the connecting plate 307, the top and bottom of the horizontal plate 314 are respectively fixedly installed with the first pressure sensor 322 and the second pressure sensor 315, the upper movable plate 313 is movably abutted against the top of the first pressure sensor 322, the lower movable plate 316 is movably abutted against the bottom of the second pressure sensor 315, the drive plate 301 is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the motor 14, the motor 14 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the lower fixed ring 320, and the upper fixed ring 308 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the jacket cylinder 7.

[0057] In this embodiment, the bottom of the connecting plate 302 is integrally formed with multiple arc-shaped protrusions 30201, and the outer side of the drive plate 301 is provided with multiple arc-shaped grooves 30101 that are adapted to the arc-shaped protrusions 30201. The arc-shaped protrusions 30201 are movably abutted in the arc-shaped grooves 30101. The top of the connecting plate 302 is fixedly installed with a connecting shaft 318, and the top of the connecting shaft 318 is fixedly installed with a disc 306. The bottom of the connecting plate 307 is fixedly installed with multiple guide rods 309, and the guide rods 309 are slidably installed in the disc 306. The outer side of the connecting shaft 318 is rotatably sleeved with a positioning cylinder 319, and the outer side of the positioning cylinder 319 is fixedly installed with multiple L rods 305, and the L rods 305 are slidably installed in the corresponding horizontal plates 314.

[0058] In this embodiment, an upper connecting spring 312 is fixedly installed on the top of the upper movable plate 313, and the other end of the upper connecting spring 312 is fixedly connected to the corresponding upper connecting frame 304. A lower connecting spring 321 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the lower movable plate 316, and the other end of the lower connecting spring 321 is fixedly connected to the corresponding lower connecting frame 303.

[0059] In this embodiment, the stirring mechanism 13 includes: a stirring shaft 1301, a first stirring paddle 1302, a second stirring paddle 1303, and a third stirring paddle 1304. The first stirring paddle 1302, the second stirring paddle 1303, and the third stirring paddle 1304 are all slidably sleeved on the outside of the stirring shaft 1301. The outside of the first stirring paddle 1302, the second stirring paddle 1303, and the third stirring paddle 1304 are provided with set screw holes. The set screw holes are threaded with positioning pins 1305. One end of the positioning pin 1305 is movably abutted against the outside of the stirring shaft 1301. The bottom end of the stirring shaft 1301 is fixedly connected to the connecting plate 307. The positioning pin 1305 can release the fixation of the first stirring paddle 1302, the second stirring paddle 1303, and the third stirring paddle 1304 to facilitate height adjustment or disassembly and replacement.

[0060] The second impeller 1303 is a two-stage four-bladed impeller, the third impeller 1304 is a one-stage mechanical compression defoaming impeller, the first impeller 1302 is made of several vertical baffles, and the impeller shaft 1301 is made of 316L stainless steel.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the motor 14 is started, it can drive the drive disk 301 to rotate. The drive disk 301 drives the connecting disk 302 to rotate through the contact between the arc groove 30101 and the arc protrusion 30201. The connecting disk 302 drives the disc 306 to rotate through the connecting shaft 318. The disc 306 drives the connecting disk 307 to rotate synchronously through the cooperation with the guide rod 309. The connecting disk 307 drives the stirring shaft 1301 to rotate, which in turn drives the first stirring paddle 1302, the second stirring paddle 1303 and the third stirring paddle 1304 to rotate. When the first stirring paddle 1302 rotates, several vertical baffles form a horizontal stirring effect. When the second stirring paddle 1303 rotates, the second-stage four-blade paddle rotates to realize the vertical conveying of materials. When the third stirring paddle 1304 rotates, the first-stage mechanical pressure defoaming paddle plays a defoaming role.

[0062] When the stirring shaft 1301 encounters resistance during rotation, the resistance is transmitted to the connecting plate 302 through the connecting plate 307. The connecting plate 302 moves upward through the contact between the arc groove 30101 and the arc protrusion 30201. The contact with the lower abutting wheel 317 pushes the lower movable plate 316 upward, squeezing the second pressure sensor 315. Thus, the second pressure sensor 315 monitors the rotational resistance of the stirring shaft 1301.

[0063] When the stirring shaft 1301 rotates and pushes the material upward, it will be subjected to a downward reaction force. This force is squeezed by the connecting disc 307 and pushed by the contact with the upper abutment wheel 310 to move the upper movable plate 313 downward, thus squeezing the first pressure sensor 322. The first pressure sensor 322 monitors the vertical reaction force on the stirring shaft 1301. The connecting disc 307 does not drive the disc 306 downward during the slight downward movement, so it does not interfere with the rotational resistance value monitored by the second pressure sensor 315. By separately monitoring the rotational resistance and vertical resistance on the stirring shaft 1301, the mixing state of the material and the load of the motor 14 can be determined, which facilitates timely operation and dynamic early warning of sedimentation or viscosity abnormalities. This significantly reduces the risk of shear damage to sensitive algae while ensuring suspension uniformity.

[0064] In this embodiment, the monitoring mechanism 3 adopts a mechanical-sensor composite design, which realizes real-time, independent and synchronous monitoring of the rotational resistance (torque) and axial force experienced by the stirring shaft 1301 during operation, and solves the technical problem that existing fermenters cannot directly and accurately perceive the complex stress state of the stirring shaft.

[0065] The power transmission path of the monitoring mechanism 3 is as follows: motor 14 → drive disk 301 → engagement of arc groove 30101 / protrusion 30201 → connecting disk 302 → connecting shaft 318 → disc 306 → guide rod 309 → connecting disk 307 → stirring shaft 1301.

[0066] Rotational resistance (torque) monitoring: When the rotational resistance of the stirring shaft 1301 increases due to material viscosity, density, aggregation, or obstruction of the stirring mechanism, this resistance will be transmitted in the reverse direction along the aforementioned power transmission path: stirring shaft 1301 → connecting plate 307 → disc 306 → connecting shaft 318 → connecting plate 302. The resistance causes the connecting plate 302 to tend to lift upward relative to the drive plate 301. The arc-shaped protrusion 30201 presses upward against the upper wall of the arc-shaped groove 30101. This relative motion tendency forces the lower surface of the connecting plate 302 to press upward against the lower abutment wheel 317, pushing the lower movable plate 316 to overcome the resistance of the lower connecting spring 321 and slide upward, thereby tightly pressing against the lower second pressure sensor 315. The pressure value detected by the second pressure sensor 315 directly and linearly reflects the magnitude of the rotational resistance (torque) currently borne by the stirring shaft 1301.

[0067] Axial force (thrust) monitoring: When the impeller (especially the second impeller 1303 with lifting capacity, a two-stage four-bladed impeller) generates an upward fluid thrust during rotation, or when the third impeller 1304 (mechanically compressed defoaming impeller) is subjected to a reaction force from the liquid while processing foam, these forces cause the agitator shaft 1301 to experience an axial (usually downward) reaction force, which is transmitted directly downward through the connecting disc 307. The lower surface of the connecting disc 307 presses down on the upper abutment wheel 310, pushing the upper movable plate 313 to slide downward against the resistance of the upper connecting spring 312, thereby pressing tightly against the upper first pressure sensor 322. The pressure value detected by the first pressure sensor 322 directly and linearly reflects the magnitude of the axial force (thrust or pull) currently borne by the agitator shaft 1301.

[0068] The monitoring mechanism 3 utilizes the elastic sliding structure inside the U-shaped rod 311 so that when the connecting plate 307 moves slightly downward under the action of axial force, the design of the L rod 305 and the positioning cylinder 319 will not cause the disc 306 and the connecting plate 302 below it to move downward synchronously.

[0069] Meanwhile, the rigid frame of the U-shaped rod 311 effectively isolates and decouples the measurement point of rotational resistance (lower abutment wheel 317 / second pressure sensor 315) from the measurement point of axial force (upper abutment wheel 310 / first pressure sensor 322) physically.

[0070] Therefore, when the first pressure sensor 322 detects axial force, it will not interfere with the second pressure sensor 315's accurate measurement of rotational resistance (and vice versa), thus achieving true bidirectional, independent, and synchronous monitoring.

[0071] Monitoring unit 3 dynamically reflects changes in viscosity, cell / particle concentration, sedimentation tendency (sudden increase in resistance), and the presence of agglomeration or abnormal mechanical resistance in the fermentation broth by monitoring rotational resistance (torque) in real time. By monitoring axial thrust, the hydrodynamic efficiency of specific impellers (such as lift impellers) and the operating load of defoaming impellers can be understood (especially in the foam treatment stage). Combining the data from both sources, the control system can more comprehensively grasp the mixing uniformity, rheological characteristics, and impeller operating conditions of the materials in the tank. When an abnormally high increase in rotational resistance is detected (such as indicating sedimentation or excessive viscosity) accompanied by abnormal fluctuations in axial thrust, this may be a signal that the impeller is encased in sediment or that the unstable fluid state has led to a high-shear risk area. The PLC controller can proactively adjust its strategy based on this information and features deceleration protection. It can immediately reduce the motor speed by 14 (to reduce shear force) to prevent cell damage caused by forced stirring. If increased resistance indicates increased viscosity or nutrient imbalance, it automatically triggers the corresponding peristaltic pump to dilute or add necessary culture medium. An abnormally high axial force may indicate that the defoaming paddle is overloaded (too much or too viscous foam), and the system can automatically adjust the amount of defoamer added or the paddle speed. The monitoring data provides additional, high-value feedback variables for advanced PID control (such as stirring speed PID). The system can dynamically optimize the speed setpoint based on the actual load (rotational resistance), ensuring thorough mixing (preventing sedimentation) while using the lowest necessary speed to avoid unnecessary energy waste and shear stress. Similarly, feedback based on axial thrust can optimize the efficiency of defoaming action, and long-term monitoring of force changes in both directions can establish a normal operating baseline. When a continuous or gradual abnormal load (whether rotational resistance or axial thrust) that exceeds the baseline range is detected, it can provide early warning of potential equipment failures, such as bearing wear, increased shaft deflection, loose blades (locating pin failure), or mechanical interference, enabling predictive maintenance and reducing unplanned downtime.

[0072] For photoluminescent algae cultivation, maintaining uniform suspension is crucial for ensuring consistent light efficiency and obtaining representative samples. This monitoring system, by precisely sensing changes in rotational resistance, can more acutely detect initial signs of precipitation (such as a slight but continuous upward trend in resistance), allowing for intervention before precipitation severely impacts the process (such as short-term acceleration or adjustment of gas flow rate), thereby maintaining a higher level of cultivation stability and uniformity.

[0073] All of the above benefits (low-speed operation, avoidance of high-load risk points, prevention of local high shear caused by sedimentation, and avoidance of overloading of the defoaming paddle) ultimately converge on minimizing the risk of mechanical shear damage to algal cells, which is crucial for improving the survival rate and yield of high-value, highly sensitive algae (such as specific microalgae used to produce high-value-added products).

[0074] In this embodiment, a support leg 1 is fixedly installed on the outside of the jacket cylinder 7, a discharge valve 2 is connected to the bottom of the jacket cylinder 7, an air pipe 6 is provided inside the inner cylinder 4, and a guide plate 8 is provided inside the jacket cylinder 7.

[0075] In this embodiment, a lower flange 9 is provided on the top of the transparent acrylic cylinder 5, and a gasket 10 is provided between the lower flange 9 and the can cover 11. Multiple mounting bolts 15 are installed through the can cover 11. Multiple electrode insertion holes 18 are provided on the bottom outer side of the inner cylinder 4. The motor 14 insertion holes include pH electrode, DO electrode, defoaming electrode, and temperature electrode port. A flat quick-opening assembly 19 is provided on the bottom of the jacket cylinder 7. A baffle 17 and an inoculation port assembly 12 are provided on the top of the can cover 11. A feeding port is provided on the top of the can cover 11.

[0076] In this embodiment, the lamp tube 20 provides 0-3000μmol / m² / s of light to stimulate algal photosynthesis. The temperature control system maintains a constant temperature environment of 0-60℃±0.1℃ by using an electric heating / water cooling device in the jacket cylinder 7 and a guide plate (8) in the jacket to optimize heat exchange. The feeding peristaltic pump automatically injects acid, alkali, defoamer or nutrient solution from the feeding port of the tank cover 11 according to the PID feedback signal of the pH / DO / defoaming sensor. All sensor data are integrated and processed by the PLC, and the temperature, dissolved oxygen, light intensity and other parameter curves are displayed in real time through the touch screen to realize intelligent control strategies such as stirring speed related to dissolved oxygen and feeding related to biomass, and finally achieve efficient algal cultivation with low shear, high light transmittance and sterility.

[0077] In this embodiment, the PLC controller is connected to the touch screen; the control system also has parameter correlation control, real-time and historical trend chart display, data storage and analysis, and Excel-compatible data export functions.

[0078] The above provides a detailed description of a transparent, light-illuminated algae fermentation tank provided by the present invention. Specific embodiments have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the invention. These embodiments are merely illustrative and are intended to aid in understanding the method and core concepts of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to the invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photo-bioreactor transparent fermenter for algae, characterized in that, The utility model relates to a kind of multi-functional LED light illumination incubator, including: Tank body, including: jacket cylinder (7), inner cylinder cylinder (4) and tank cover (11), the inner cylinder cylinder (4) is fixedly installed in the inside of jacket cylinder (7), the top of the inner cylinder cylinder (4) is fixedly installed with transparent acrylic cylinder (5), the tank cover (11) is detachably installed at the top of acrylic cylinder, the outside of acrylic cylinder is fixedly installed with lampshade (16); Stirring system, including stirring mechanism (13) and motor (14), the stirring mechanism (13) is arranged in the inside of inner cylinder cylinder (4), and motor (14) is connected with the between stirring mechanism (13) with monitoring mechanism (3), the monitoring mechanism (3) includes: driving disc (301), adapter disc (302), connecting disc (307), upper fixed ring (308) and lower fixed ring (320), the bottom of the adapter disc (302) is integrally formed with multiple arc protrusions (30201), the outside of the driving disc (301) is provided with multiple arc grooves (30101) suitable for arc protrusion (30201), the upper fixed ring (308) and lower fixed ring (320) are fixedly installed with multiple U-shaped rods (311) between, the inside of the U-shaped rod (311) is fixedly installed with horizontal plate (314), the bottom and top of the horizontal plate (314) are fixedly installed with lower connecting frame (303) and upper connecting frame (304) respectively, the outside of the lower connecting frame (303) is slidably sleeved with lower movable plate (316), one side of the lower movable plate (316) is rotatably installed with lower abutment wheel (317), the outside of the upper connecting frame (304) is slidably sleeved with upper movable plate (313), one side of the upper movable plate (313) is rotatably installed with upper abutment wheel (310);The lower abutment wheel (317) is movably abutted on the top of the adapter disc (302), the upper abutment wheel (310) is movably abutted on the bottom of the connecting disc (307), the top and bottom of the horizontal plate (314) are fixedly installed with first pressure sensor (322) and second pressure sensor (315) respectively, the upper movable plate (313) is movably abutted on the top end of the first pressure sensor (322), the lower movable plate (316) is movably abutted on the bottom end of the second pressure sensor (315), the stirring mechanism (13) includes: stirring shaft (1301), first stirring paddle (1302), second stirring paddle (1303) and third stirring paddle (1304), the bottom end of the stirring shaft (1301) is fixedly connected with the connecting disc (307), the first stirring paddle (1302), the second stirring paddle (1303) and the third stirring paddle (1304) are slidably sleeved on the outside of the stirring shaft (1301); Illumination system, including lamp tube (20);The illumination intensity of lamp tube (20) is adjustable in the range of 0-3000 umol / m² / s;Lamp tube (20) is detachably installed in tank cover (11), and lamp tube (20) uses multiple spectrum light sources. The temperature control system comprises an electric heating device and a water cooling device arranged in the tank body; the temperature control range is 0-60℃, and the temperature control accuracy is ±0.1℃; The feeding system comprises at least four feeding channels connected with peristaltic pumps for feeding acid, alkali, defoaming agent and culture agent respectively; The driving disc (301) is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the motor (14), the motor (14) is fixedly installed on the bottom of the lower fixed ring (320), and the upper fixed ring (308) is fixedly installed on the bottom of the jacket cylinder (7).

2. The photo-bioreactor of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising: The automatic control system comprises a PLC controller, a human-machine interface touch screen, detection sensors and an execution mechanism; the detection sensors at least include temperature sensors, pH sensors, DO sensors and defoaming sensors; the execution mechanism is used for controlling at least the electric heating device, the water cooling device, the stirring driving device, the light system and the peristaltic pumps; the control system has sterilization program control, temperature PID control, stirring speed PID control, pH value PID control, DO value PID control, defoaming PID control, feeding quantitative and timing control, light intensity and light cycle control functions, and the jacket cylinder (7) and the inner cylinder (4) are made of S31603 stainless steel.

3. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 2, wherein, The arc-shaped protrusions (30201) movably abut in the arc-shaped grooves (30101), the top of the connecting disc (302) is fixedly installed with a connecting shaft (318), the top of the connecting shaft (318) is fixedly installed with a disc (306), the bottom of the connecting disc (307) is fixedly installed with a plurality of guide rods (309), the guide rods (309) are slidingly installed in the disc (306), the outer side of the connecting shaft (318) is rotatably sleeved with a positioning cylinder (319), the outer side of the positioning cylinder (319) is fixedly installed with a plurality of L-shaped rods (305), and the L-shaped rods (305) are slidingly installed in the corresponding horizontal plates (314).

4. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 3, wherein, The top of the upper movable plate (313) is fixedly installed with an upper connecting spring (312), the other end of the upper connecting spring (312) is fixedly connected with a corresponding upper connecting frame (304), the bottom of the lower movable plate (316) is fixedly installed with a lower connecting spring (321), and the other end of the lower connecting spring (321) is fixedly connected with a corresponding lower connecting frame (303).

5. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 1, wherein, The outer side of the first stirring paddle (1302), the second stirring paddle (1303) and the third stirring paddle (1304) is provided with a jackscrew hole, a positioning pin (1305) is threadedly connected in the jackscrew hole, and one end of the positioning pin (1305) movably abuts against the outer side of the stirring shaft (1301); The second stirring paddle (1303) adopts a two-stage four-inclined-blade paddle, the third stirring paddle (1304) adopts a one-stage mechanical compression type defoaming paddle, the first stirring paddle (1302) adopts a plurality of vertical baffles, and the stirring shaft (1301) is made of 316L stainless steel.

6. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 1, wherein, The outer side of the clamping sleeve body (7) is fixedly provided with a supporting leg (1), the bottom of the clamping sleeve body (7) is connected with a discharge valve (2), the inside of the inner cylinder body (4) is provided with an air pipe (6), and the inside of the clamping sleeve body (7) is provided with a flow guide plate (8).

7. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 1, wherein, The top of the transparent acrylic cylinder body (5) is provided with a lower flange (9), the lower flange (9) and the tank cover (11) are provided with a gasket (10), a plurality of mounting bolts (15) are installed in the tank cover (11), the outer side of the bottom of the inner cylinder body (4) is provided with a plurality of electrode jacks (18), the motor (14) jack includes a PH electrode, a DO electrode, a defoaming electrode, and a temperature electrode port, the bottom of the clamping sleeve body (7) is provided with a flat plate quick opening assembly (19), the top of the tank cover (11) is provided with a baffle (17) and an inoculation port assembly (12), and the top of the tank cover (11) is provided with a feeding port.

8. The photo-bio-reactor according to claim 2, wherein, The PLC controller is in communication connection with the touch screen; the control system also has parameter correlation control, data real-time and historical trend chart display, data storage and analysis, and Excel compatible data export function.

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