Uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing

Abstract

The invention provides a uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing, and relates to the technical field of food processing. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device comprises a supporting bottom plate, a supporting rod, a connecting flange, a supporting flange, a fermentation tank body, a sealing cover, a supporting sleeve, a movable lifting assembly, a transmission rack, a driving gear, a driven gear, a rotating shaft, a rotating push rod, a cap pressing disc, a detection connector and the like. According to the invention, the movable lifting assembly drives the pressing cap to spirally turn and move downwards, and floating objects on the upper layer of fermentation liquor are pressed into the fermentation liquor, so that the floating objects are in full contact with the fermentation liquor, and the fermentation efficiency and uniformity are improved; the fermentation tank body is made of a tempered glass material, so that the internal fermentation condition is convenient to observe; a buffer pad is arranged between the connecting flange and the supporting flange, so that vibration in the fermentation process is reduced; through the design of a circulating water connector and a circulating water pipe, the temperature in the fermentation tank body can be adjusted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food processing, in particular to a uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing. Background Art

[0002] In the food processing industry, microbial fermentation is a key process that imparts unique flavor, texture, and nutrition to food through the metabolic activities of microorganisms. Common microbial fermentation equipment primarily consists of a fermentation tank, a stirring device, a temperature control system, and a sealing system. The fermentation tank, as the core component, houses the fermentation raw materials and microorganisms; the stirring device is designed to mix the fermentation liquid and promote full contact between the substrate and the microorganisms; the temperature control system regulates the fermentation temperature to meet the growth requirements of the microorganisms; and the sealing system prevents the invasion of foreign bacteria and promotes gas exchange, ensuring a stable fermentation environment.

[0003] During food microbial fermentation, a floating layer composed of mycelium, bubbles, or undissolved solids often forms on the surface of the fermentation liquid. This floating layer blocks oxygen transfer and the diffusion of metabolites, leading to significant concentration gradients and temperature stratification within the fermentation tank. Especially for high-viscosity materials (such as fermented black beans and noodle sauce), this floating layer further hinders mass and heat transfer, causing core issues such as uneven fermentation, prolonged fermentation cycles, and fluctuating product quality.

[0004] The fermentation devices of the prior art generally use agitator blades to break up the floating layer by forced stirring, such as the turbine agitator used in patent CN110551583A. Although this can improve mixing efficiency, the shear force generated by high-speed rotation can easily damage the mycelium (especially in fungal fermentation), resulting in a decrease in mycelial activity.

[0005] Patent CN108342289A proposes a static stratified fermentation vessel. This device relies on gravity to naturally settle, which avoids mechanical damage. However, it exposes two major bottlenecks in actual application: (1) The solid phase in high-viscosity materials (such as fermented fermented soybeans) settles slowly and stratification persists; (2) Temperature control relies on heat exchange from the tank wall. The temperature difference between the center and edge of the material can reach more than 5°C, resulting in a decrease in fermentation synchronization.

[0006] Existing solutions face inherent conflicts in balancing mixing uniformity and microbial activity protection. Mechanical disturbance and biocompatibility are difficult to reconcile, while passive mixing methods cannot effectively eliminate material stratification. Furthermore, both types of devices have room for improvement in long-term sealing reliability and local temperature control accuracy, potentially impacting batch stability. Summary of the Invention

[0007] (1) Technical problems solved In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, the present application provides a uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing, which solves the problems raised in the above background art.

[0008] (II) Technical solutions To achieve the above object, the present application is implemented by the following technical solutions: a uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing, comprising a support base plate, the upper side wall of the support base plate is fixedly connected with a plurality of support rods, the upper end of each support rod is fixedly connected with a connecting flange, the upper side wall of the connecting flange is installed with a support flange, the lower side wall of the support flange is fixedly connected with a fermentation tank body, the upper side wall of the fermentation tank body is movably connected with a sealing cover, and the middle part of the sealing cover is fixedly connected with a support sleeve; The upper side wall of the support sleeve is fixedly connected with a movable lifting assembly, a transmission rack is arranged between the movable lifting assembly and the support sleeve, the inside of the movable lifting assembly is rotatably connected with a driving gear and a driven gear, the lower end of the transmission rack is rotatably connected with a rotating shaft, the lower end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected with a rotating push rod, the lower end of the rotating push rod is fixedly connected with a pressure cap disc, and the upper side wall of the sealing cover is provided with a plurality of detection joints for being connected with a pH sensor, a temperature sensor and other detection sensors.

[0009] Preferably, a buffer pad is arranged between the connecting flange and the support flange, and the fermentation tank body is made of tempered glass material, so as to facilitate observation of the inside of the fermentation tank body.

[0010] Preferably, the upper side wall of the connecting flange is installed with a plurality of groups of fixed clamps, the fixed clamps are arranged in a C shape, the inside of the upper side wall of each fixed clamp is provided with a threaded hole, the fixed clamp is threadedly connected with an adjusting screw through the threaded hole, the upper end of the adjusting screw is fixedly connected with a rotating cover, and the lower end of the adjusting screw is rotatably connected with a support pad, the support pad cooperates with the upper side wall of the sealing cover, the support pad can be moved up and down by rotating the adjusting screw, and the sealing cover is pressed by the support pad.

[0011] Preferably, a driving motor is installed on the upper side wall of the sealing cover, the output end of the driving motor extends into the inside of the movable lifting assembly, the output end of the driving motor is fixedly connected with a transmission worm, the front side wall of the driving gear is fixedly connected with a transmission worm wheel, the transmission worm and the transmission worm wheel are engaged with each other, the driving motor can drive the transmission worm to rotate, the transmission worm can drive the driving gear to rotate through the transmission worm wheel, and the driving gear can drive the driven gear to rotate.

[0012] Preferably, the upper side wall of the sealing cover is provided with two circulating water interfaces, the lower ends of the two circulating water interfaces are fixedly connected with the same circulating water pipe, and the two circulating water interfaces are connected with the water inlet end and the water outlet end respectively, so that the circulating water flows from the circulating water pipe, and the temperature inside the fermentation tank body is adjusted.

[0013] Preferably, the rear side wall of the driving gear is coaxially fixedly connected with a second transmission half gear, the rear side wall of the driven gear is coaxially fixedly connected with a first transmission half gear, the first transmission half gear and the second transmission half gear are arranged with a phase difference of °, and the two are alternately engaged with the transmission rack, the first transmission half gear can drive the transmission rack to move upward, the second transmission half gear can drive the transmission rack to move downward, and the cooperation of the first transmission half gear and the second transmission half gear can drive the transmission rack to move up and down reciprocatingly, thereby driving the rotating shaft to move up and down.

[0014] Preferably, the outer side wall of the support sleeve is provided with a sealing cap, one side wall of the sealing cap close to the rotating shaft is fixedly connected with a limiting pin shaft, the outer side wall of the rotating shaft is provided with a spiral groove, the spiral groove cooperates with the limiting pin shaft, the rotating shaft moves up and down, the spiral groove and the limiting pin shaft can drive the rotating shaft to rotate, and a supporting spring is arranged between the rotating shaft and the lower inner wall of the support sleeve to provide power for upward movement of the rotating shaft.

[0015] Preferably, the lower side wall of the support sleeve is provided with a sliding sealing sleeve, the sliding sealing sleeve cooperates with the rotating push rod to improve the sealing effect of the rotating push rod and the sliding sealing sleeve, the pressing cap disc is disc-shaped, the diameter of the pressing cap disc gradually decreases from top to bottom, and a plurality of through holes are uniformly arranged in the inside of the pressing cap disc to facilitate the outflow of the fermentation liquid.

[0016] (Three) beneficial effects The present application provides a uniform fermentation type microorganism fermentation device for food processing, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. The device drives the pressing cap disc to rotate and move downward through the movable lifting assembly, which can effectively press the floating matter in the upper layer of the fermentation liquid into the fermentation liquid, so that the floating matter is in full contact with the fermentation liquid. The rotating and downward pressing movement of the pressing cap disc has a double effect: the conical structure induces the fermentation liquid to form a vortex, promoting solid-liquid mixing; and the uniform pressure makes the floating matter gently immerse in the liquid phase. In this way, the components that may not be in contact with the fermentation liquid due to floating on the liquid surface can be fully immersed in the fermentation environment, thereby improving the fermentation efficiency, ensuring the uniformity and sufficiency of fermentation, optimizing the fermentation effect, and making the fermented food more excellent in taste and quality.

[0017] 2. The fermentation tank is constructed of tempered glass, with a cushion placed between the connecting flange and the supporting flange. This allows operators to visually observe the fermentation process inside the tank, allowing them to monitor progress and make appropriate adjustments. The cushion also effectively reduces vibrations caused by stirring and liquid flow during fermentation, extending the life of the device and improving its stability, providing reliable physical support for the fermentation process.

[0018] 3. The device has excellent sealing performance. The fixing clamp, adjustment screw, support pad and rotating cover work together to tighten and adjust the sealing cover, ensuring the sealing of the fermentation tank, preventing gas leakage during the fermentation process, and ensuring a stable fermentation environment. In addition, the cooperation between the sliding sealing sleeve and the rotating push rod further enhances the sealing performance of the device. This excellent sealing prevents the ingress of external air and prevents contamination by miscellaneous bacteria, ensuring that the fermentation process proceeds smoothly in a sterile environment, playing a key role in ensuring fermentation quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a front schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the movable lifting assembly of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission rack connection of the present invention; Figure 5 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the movable pressure cap assembly of the present invention.

[0020] Among them, 1. Support base plate; 101. Support rod; 102. Connecting flange; 2. Fixing clamp; 201. Adjusting screw; 202. Support pad; 203. Rotating cover; 3. Fermentation tank body; 301. Support flange; 302. Support sleeve; 303. Rotating push rod; 3031. Sliding sealing sleeve; 304. Pressure cap plate; 3041. Through hole; 305. Rotating shaft; 3051. Spiral groove; 306. Support spring; 307. Sealing cap; 3071. Limiting pin; 4. Movable lifting assembly; 401. Drive motor; 402. Transmission worm; 403. Driven gear; 4031. First transmission half gear; 4032. Second transmission half gear; 404. Transmission rack; 405. Driving gear; 4051. Transmission worm gear; 5. Sealing cover; 501. Detection joint; 502. Circulating water pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] Example 1: like Figure 1-6 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing, including a supporting base plate 1, the supporting base plate 1 is cast with 304 stainless steel, and four φ20mm support rods 101 are welded on the upper surface. The top of the support rod is fixed to the connecting flange 102 by argon arc welding. The supporting flange 301 cooperates with the connecting flange 102, and a 3mm thick food-grade silicone cushion is clamped between the two, which can attenuate more than 30% of mechanical vibration. The fermentation tank body 3 adopts an 8mm thick tempered glass cylinder with a volume of 50L and a transmittance of ≥91%. The top is sealed with the support flange 301, and the side wall is marked with a volume scale line. The sealing cover 5 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, and an O-ring is embedded on the edge, which is movably connected to the tank body.

[0023] Three sets of C-shaped fixing clamps 2, each 5mm thick, are installed on the connecting flange 102. The adjusting screw 201 uses an M12 fine-pitch thread, and the screw-in depth can be manually adjusted from 20 to 40mm by rotating the cover 203. A silicone anti-slip layer is bonded to the lower end of the support pad 202. As the screw rotates, the support pad 202 moves up and down. When the cover 203 rotates clockwise, the support pad 202 presses down on the sealing cover 5, generating a sealing preload. This design is compatible with a positive pressure of 0.2MPa in the tank and can be adapted to tanks of varying diameters by increasing or decreasing the number of fixing clamps.

[0024] The drive motor 401 uses a 100W servo motor, and the output shaft is connected to the transmission worm 402 through a coupling. The worm lead angle is 15°. The transmission worm wheel 4051 has a module of 2mm and is coaxially riveted with the driving gear 405. The first transmission half gear 4031 and the second transmission half gear 4032 are laser cut and formed, and the phase difference is precisely controlled at 180°±0.5°. When the motor rotates continuously, the half gears alternately engage the transmission rack 404 to achieve an up and down stroke of 120mm for the rack. The reciprocating frequency of 0.5-2Hz can be expanded by motor speed regulation.

[0025] The rotating shaft 305 is surface-milled with double-end helical grooves 3051 with a lead of 80 mm, and a limit pin shaft 3071 is embedded in the helical groove 3051 to convert axial movement into rotary movement, and the conversion efficiency is greater than or equal to 85%. The support spring 306 is pre-compressed by 20 mm to provide an initial rebound force of 15 N. The pressure cap disc 304 is designed as a stainless steel sieve disc with a taper angle of 60° or an optional flat plate structure. The through hole 3041 has a diameter of 3 mm, and the opening rate is 40%. When the rack moves downward, the pressure cap disc rotates at 10-30 r / m and is pressed downward to apply a uniform pressure of 50-200 Pa to the fermentation material. In comparison, the maximum linear speed of the pressure cap disc of the present application is only 0.15 m / s (calculation formula: v = πDN / 60, D = 0.2 m, N = 30 r / m), which avoids the risk of damage to the bacterial body from the source of mechanics.

[0026] The circulating water pipe 502 is a φ8 mm copper coil pipe wound around the inner side wall of the tank, and the temperature difference between the water inlet and outlet is less than or equal to 2℃. The detection joint 501 contains an M12 aviation plug, which can be externally connected to a PT100 temperature sensor with a measurement range of 0-100℃ and an accuracy of ±0.5℃, a antimony electrode pH sensor with a range of pH2-12, and a dissolved oxygen probe with a range of 0-20 mg / L. Data is transmitted to a PLC controller (not shown in the figure) through RS485 to realize closed-loop control of fermentation parameters.

[0027] Working principle: During the fermentation process, a floating layer composed of mycelium, bubbles or undissolved solids often forms on the surface of the fermentation liquid. This floating layer will hinder the oxygen transfer and the diffusion of metabolites, resulting in obvious concentration gradients and temperature stratification in the fermentation tank. The present invention drives the cap plate 304 to rotate and move downward through the movable lifting component 4. The movable lifting component 4 rotates inside to connect the driving gear 405 and the driven gear 403. The rear side wall of the driving gear 405 is coaxially fixedly connected to the second transmission half gear 4032. The rear side wall of the driven gear 403 is coaxially fixedly connected to the first transmission half gear 4031. The first transmission half gear 40 31 and the second transmission half gear 4032 are set with a phase difference of 180 degrees. The two are alternately meshed with the transmission rack 404. When the driving gear 405 rotates under the drive of the transmission worm 402, it will drive the driven gear 403 to rotate together, thereby realizing the alternating meshing transmission of the first transmission half gear 4031 and the second transmission half gear 4032, so that the transmission rack 404 moves up and down. The lower end of the transmission rack 404 is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 305. The outer wall of the rotating shaft 305 is processed with a spiral groove 3051, which cooperates with the limit pin 3071 on the sealing cap 307. When the rotating shaft 305 is in the transmission When the rack 404 moves up and down, the interaction between the spiral groove 3051 and the limit pin 3071 will cause the rotating shaft 305 to rotate at the same time. The lower end of the rotating shaft 305 is fixedly connected to the rotating push rod 303, and the lower end of the rotating push rod 303 is fixedly connected to the pressure cap plate 304. Therefore, the up and down movement and rotation of the rotating shaft 305 will drive the pressure cap plate 304 to rotate downward or upward accordingly. The outer wall of the support sleeve 302 is installed with a sealing cap 307, and a support spring 306 is set between its lower inner wall and the rotating shaft 305. The support spring 306 is in a moderately compressed state to provide support for the rotating shaft 305 to move upward. Provide elastic power. When the movable lifting component 4 drives the transmission rack 404 to move downward, the rotating shaft 305 overcomes the elastic force of the supporting spring 306 and moves downward. At the same time, it rotates under the cooperation of the spiral groove 3051 and the limit pin 3071, thereby driving the cap pressing plate 304 to rotate and move downward, pressing the floating objects on the upper layer of the fermentation liquid into the fermentation liquid, so that the floating objects are in full contact with the fermentation liquid, thereby improving the fermentation efficiency. When the transmission rack 404 moves upward, under the action of the supporting spring 306, the rotating shaft 305 moves upward and rotates in the opposite direction, and the cap pressing plate 304 also moves upward to prepare for the next pressing action.

[0028] Strict temperature control is required during the fermentation process to meet the needs of microbial growth and metabolism. The present invention has two circulating water interfaces installed on the upper side wall of the sealing cover 5, which are respectively connected to the water inlet and the water outlet. The lower ends of the two circulating water interfaces are fixedly connected to the same circulating water pipe 502. The circulating water pipe 502 surrounds the interior of the fermentation tank body 3 and adjusts the temperature inside the fermentation tank body 3 by the flow of circulating water. According to the needs of the fermentation process, the water inlet and outlet flow rates of the circulating water interface are adjusted, and the flow rate and temperature of the circulating water are controlled, thereby achieving precise regulation of the internal temperature of the fermentation tank body 3. For example, when it is necessary to lower the internal temperature of the fermentation tank body 3, the cold water flow rate of the water inlet can be increased, the flow rate of the circulating water can be accelerated, and more heat can be taken away; when it is necessary to increase the temperature, hot water can be introduced to retain the heat inside the fermentation tank body 3.

[0029] The present invention provides several detection connectors 501 on the upper side wall of the sealing cover 5 for connecting to other detection sensors, such as pH sensors and temperature sensors. These sensors can monitor key parameters of the fermentation process, such as pH and temperature, in real time and transmit the monitoring data to the control system. The control system automatically adjusts the fermentation process through a feedback control mechanism based on preset fermentation process parameters and real-time monitoring data. For example, when the pH value deviates from the set range, the control system can automatically activate the acid-base adjustment device to add an appropriate amount of acid or base to the interior of the fermentation tank 3 to restore the pH value to the appropriate range. When the temperature fluctuates, the control system can automatically adjust the flow rate and temperature of the circulating water to ensure the stability of the temperature inside the fermentation tank 3.

[0030] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing, comprising a supporting base plate (1), characterized in that: The upper side wall of the support base plate (1) is fixedly connected to a plurality of support rods (101), the upper ends of the plurality of support rods (101) are fixedly connected to a connecting flange (102), the upper side wall of the connecting flange (102) is mounted with a supporting flange (301), the lower side wall of the supporting flange (301) is fixedly connected to a fermentation tank body (3), the upper side wall of the fermentation tank body (3) is movably connected to a sealing cover (5), and the middle portion of the sealing cover (5) is fixedly connected to a support sleeve (302); The upper side wall of the support sleeve (302) is fixedly connected to a movable lifting assembly (4), a transmission rack (404) is provided between the movable lifting assembly (4) and the support sleeve (302), the interior of the movable lifting assembly (4) is rotatably connected to a driving gear (405) and a driven gear (403), the lower end of the transmission rack (404) is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft (305), the lower end of the rotating shaft (305) is fixedly connected to a rotating push rod (303), the lower end of the rotating push rod (303) is fixedly connected to a pressure cap plate (304), and a plurality of detection joints (501) are provided on the upper side wall of the sealing cover (5).

2. A uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A buffer pad is provided between the connecting flange (102) and the supporting flange (301), and the fermentation tank body (3) is made of tempered glass.

3. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper side wall of the connecting flange (102) is provided with a plurality of sets of fixing clips (2), the fixing clips (2) being arranged in a C shape, the upper side wall of the fixing clips (2) being provided with threaded holes, the fixing clips (2) being threadedly connected to an adjusting screw (201) through the threaded holes, the upper end of the adjusting screw (201) being fixedly connected to a rotating cover (203), the lower end of the adjusting screw (201) being rotatably connected to a supporting pad (202), the supporting pad (202) being matched with the upper side wall of the sealing cover (5).

4. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A driving motor (401) is installed on the upper side wall of the sealing cover (5), and the output end of the driving motor (401) extends into the interior of the movable lifting assembly (4). The output end of the driving motor (401) is fixedly connected to a transmission worm (402), and the front side wall of the driving gear (405) is fixedly connected to a transmission worm wheel (4051), and the transmission worm (402) and the transmission worm wheel (4051) are meshed.

5. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two circulating water interfaces are installed on the upper side wall of the sealing cover (5), and the lower ends of the two circulating water interfaces are fixedly connected to the same circulating water pipe (502).

6. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear side wall of the driving gear (405) is coaxially fixedly connected to a second transmission half gear (4032), and the rear side wall of the driven gear (403) is coaxially fixedly connected to a first transmission half gear (4031), the first transmission half gear (4031) and the second transmission half gear (4032) are arranged with a phase difference of 180 degrees, and the two are alternately meshed with the transmission rack (404).

7. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing cap (307) is installed on the outer side wall of the support sleeve (302), and a side wall of the sealing cap (307) close to the rotating shaft (305) is fixedly connected to a limiting pin (3071). The outer side wall of the rotating shaft (305) is provided with a spiral groove (3051), and the spiral groove (3051) cooperates with the limiting pin (3071). A supporting spring (306) is provided between the rotating shaft (305) and the lower inner wall of the support sleeve (302).

8. The uniform fermentation type microbial fermentation device for food processing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower side wall of the support sleeve (302) is provided with a sliding sealing sleeve (3031), and the sliding sealing sleeve (3031) cooperates with the rotating push rod (303). The pressure cap disc (304) is provided in a disc shape, and the diameter of the pressure cap disc (304) gradually decreases from top to bottom. The interior of the pressure cap disc (304) is evenly provided with a plurality of through holes (3041).

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