Solid fermentation tank with drying function and use method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a solid fermentation tank with a drying function and a use method thereof. The solid fermentation tank comprises a tank body, an in-situ sterilization unit and a low-temperature drying unit, the tank body is of a sealed pressure-bearing structure, a solid material intercepting assembly is fixedly arranged at an exhaust port of the tank body, the tank body is coated with a jacket, the bottom of the jacket is in through connection with a heating medium conveying pipeline, and a heat exchange strengthening part is assembled in the pipeline; the in-place sterilization unit comprises a temperature control heating module and a sampling pipeline, the temperature control heating module and the jacket form a temperature linkage control unit, and one end of the sampling pipeline is communicated with the jacket. The functions of fermentation, in-situ sterilization and low-temperature drying are integrated, additional purchasing of drying equipment and laying of conveying pipelines are not needed, equipment investment and site occupation are reduced, and the operation and maintenance cost is reduced; fermentation and drying are completed in the same sealed tank body, an intermediate conveying link is omitted, materials are prevented from remaining in a pipeline, cleaning difficulty is lowered, infectious microbe pollution caused by contact between the materials and the outside is eradicated, and product quality is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a solid fermentation tank with a drying function and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] Solid-state fermentation technology has gained increasing attention and application in food processing, feed, and other fields. Solid-state fermentation involves crushing, sieving, and uniformly mixing materials such as soybean meal and wheat bran, adjusting the moisture content to a suitable level (usually 40%-60%), inoculating with functional microorganisms such as Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, and Bacillus subtilis, and then carrying out metabolic transformation in a well-ventilated, temperature-controlled (25-35℃), light-protected, anaerobic, or microaerobic solid substrate environment. Through the enzymatic hydrolysis of microorganisms, large molecules such as proteins, starch, and cellulose in the materials are broken down into easily absorbed components such as small peptides, amino acids, and reducing sugars. Simultaneously, bioactive substances (such as phytase, protease, antimicrobial peptides, and organic acids) are synthesized. Finally, after drying, crushing, and inactivation, the resulting products are processed into biological feed, fermented organic fertilizer, food additives (such as soy sauce koji and fermented black beans), or industrial enzyme preparations. It features high raw material utilization, low energy consumption, and no waste liquid discharge, and is widely used in biochemical engineering, agriculture and animal husbandry, and food processing.

[0003] Traditional solid-state fermentation processes involve introducing microorganisms into a fermentation tank, followed by conveying the material to other drying equipment via a screw conveyor or manual unloading. The disadvantages are as follows: the fermented material has high viscosity at the current humidity levels, leaving significant residue in the fermentation tank and screw conveyor, making subsequent cleaning difficult. Exposure to the external environment during transport inevitably leads to contamination, affecting product quality; the process is labor-intensive, demanding, and involves poor working conditions. Traditional drying methods often employ high-temperature flash drying, which kills a large number of microorganisms, impacting product quality and requiring the separate purchase of drying equipment and installation of conveyor pipelines, increasing investment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a solid fermentation tank with drying function and its usage method, integrating fermentation, in-situ sterilization, and low-temperature drying functions into one unit. It eliminates the need for additional drying equipment and pipeline laying, significantly reducing equipment investment and site occupation, and lowering operation and maintenance costs. Fermentation and drying are completed within the same sealed tank, eliminating intermediate transport links. This avoids material residue in pipelines, reducing cleaning difficulty, and prevents contamination from external microorganisms, ensuring product quality. Employing a negative pressure low-temperature drying process, moisture in the material vaporizes below 30 degrees Celsius, solving the problem of microbial inactivation caused by traditional high-temperature drying and preserving product bioactivity. The equipment achieves automated linkage control of the sterilization and drying processes, eliminating the need for manual unloading, significantly reducing operator workload, and improving the working environment. Simultaneous in-situ sterilization of the tank, solid material interception components, and sampling pathways ensures thorough sterilization coverage, improving equipment reliability and product safety.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a solid fermentation tank with drying function, comprising a tank body, an in-situ sterilization unit and a low-temperature drying unit; the tank body is a sealed pressure-bearing structure, with a solid material interception component fixed at its exhaust port, the tank body is covered with a jacket, the bottom of the jacket is connected to a heating medium conveying pipeline, and a heat exchange enhancement component is assembled inside the pipeline. The in-situ sterilization unit includes a temperature control heating module and a sampling pipeline. The temperature control heating module and the jacket constitute a temperature linkage control unit, and one end of the sampling pipeline is connected to the jacket. The low-temperature drying unit includes an exhaust branch, a condenser assembly, a liquid storage tank, a vacuum unit, and a refrigeration unit. The exhaust branch is connected in parallel to the exhaust pipe of the tank. The exhaust branch is connected to the condenser assembly and the liquid storage tank in sequence along the airflow direction. The air inlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the vacuum unit. The heat exchange branch of the condenser assembly forms a closed loop with the refrigeration unit, and the heat exchange branch is filled with refrigerant.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid material interception component is a sintered filter, and the solid material interception component is built into the tank.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control heating module can heat the heat transfer medium in the jacket to form a high-temperature heat transfer medium, which can exchange heat with the fermentation substrate in the tank.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the high-temperature heat transfer medium inside the jacket can flow through the sampling pipeline and its matching valve group to complete the sterilization of the sampling pipeline and valve group.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating medium conveying pipeline is a steam pipeline, and the heat exchange enhancement component is a steam ejector, which can realize the rapid heating of the heat transfer medium in the jacket.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum unit includes a Roots vacuum pump and a water ring vacuum pump. The inlet end of the Roots vacuum pump is connected to the inlet end of the liquid storage tank, and the outlet end of the Roots vacuum pump is connected to the water ring vacuum pump to achieve deep negative pressure inside the tank.

[0011] The specific steps for using a solid fermentation tank with a drying function are as follows: S1. Fermentation stage: The pretreated solid fermentation material is put into the tank, the material moisture and environmental parameters are adjusted, functional microorganisms are inoculated, and the tank is controlled under the preset fermentation conditions to complete the material fermentation. S2. In-situ sterilization stage: The temperature control heating module is activated, and the heat transfer medium in the jacket is heated through the temperature linkage control unit to form a high-temperature heat transfer medium. The high-temperature heat transfer medium exchanges heat with the fermentation substrate in the tank, causing the substrate temperature to rise and be maintained at a constant temperature for a certain period of time, thus completing the in-situ sterilization in the tank. At the same time, the heat energy of the tank simultaneously sterilizes the solid material interception components, and the high-temperature heat transfer medium in the jacket flows through the sampling pipeline and valve group to complete the sterilization of the sampling passage. S3-1, Low-temperature drying stage: First, adjust the temperature inside the tank to the preset low-temperature threshold. S3-2. Start the vacuum unit. After the pressure inside the tank drops below the preset negative pressure value, increase the vacuum level inside the tank to create a deep negative pressure environment inside the tank. The moisture in the material will vaporize due to the lower boiling point. S3-3. Start the refrigeration unit. The refrigerant circulates in the condenser to form a low-temperature heat exchange field. Water vapor enters the condenser through the exhaust branch and condenses into liquid water, which is then collected in the storage tank. S3-4. During the drying process, if the temperature of the material inside the tank drops suddenly, open the control valve of the heating medium delivery pipeline to heat the heat transfer medium in the jacket through the heat exchange enhancement component and maintain the temperature inside the tank within the preset range. S3-5. Once the moisture content of the material reaches the preset standard, shut down the vacuum unit and refrigeration unit, drain the condensate from the storage tank, and complete the drying process.

[0012] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. It integrates fermentation, in-situ sterilization, and low-temperature drying functions, eliminating the need for additional drying equipment and pipeline laying, significantly reducing equipment investment and site occupation, and lowering operation and maintenance costs; 2. Fermentation and drying are completed in the same sealed tank without intermediate transportation links, avoiding material residue in pipelines, reducing cleaning difficulty, and preventing contamination from external bacteria, thus ensuring product quality; 3. It adopts a negative pressure low-temperature drying process, where moisture in the material vaporizes below 30 degrees Celsius, solving the problem of microbial inactivation caused by traditional high-temperature drying and preserving the product's biological activity; 4. The equipment achieves automated linkage control of the sterilization and drying processes, eliminating the need for manual unloading, significantly reducing the workload of operators, and improving the working environment; 5. It simultaneously achieves in-situ sterilization of the tank, solid material interception components, and sampling pathways, ensuring thorough sterilization coverage and improving the reliability of equipment operation and product safety. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0014] The components include: 1. Tank body; 2. Jacket; 3. Sintering filter; 4. Heating medium delivery pipeline; 5. Exhaust branch; 6. Condensation assembly; 7. Storage tank; 8. Roots vacuum pump; 9. Water ring vacuum pump. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To make the technical means, creative features, and achieved objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention is further described below with reference to specific embodiments. However, the following embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this invention and not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described herein without creative effort are all within the protection scope of this invention. Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods in the following embodiments are conventional methods, and the materials and reagents used in the following embodiments are commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0016] Example: like Figure 1As shown, this embodiment proposes a solid fermentation tank with drying function, including a tank body 1, an in-situ sterilization unit, and a low-temperature drying unit. The tank body 1 is a sealed pressure-bearing structure with a solid material interception component fixed at its exhaust port. The tank body 1 is covered by a jacket 2, and the bottom of the jacket 2 is connected to a heating medium delivery pipeline 4. The pipeline is equipped with a heat exchange enhancement component. The in-situ sterilization unit includes a temperature control heating module and a sampling pipeline. The temperature control heating module and the jacket 2 constitute a temperature linkage control unit. One end of the sampling pipeline is connected to the jacket 2. The low-temperature drying unit includes an exhaust branch 5, a condensation component 6, a liquid storage tank 7, a vacuum unit, and a refrigeration unit. The exhaust branch 5 is connected in parallel to the exhaust pipe of the tank body 1. The exhaust branch 5 is connected to the condensation component 6 and the liquid storage tank 7 in sequence along the airflow direction. The air inlet of the liquid storage tank 7 is connected to the vacuum unit. The heat exchange branch of the condensation component 6 forms a closed loop with the refrigeration unit, and the heat exchange branch is filled with refrigerant. This equipment integrates fermentation, in-situ sterilization, and low-temperature drying functions, eliminating the need for additional drying equipment and pipeline installation, significantly reducing equipment investment and site occupation, and lowering operation and maintenance costs. Fermentation and drying are completed within the same sealed tank 1, without intermediate transportation links, avoiding material residue in pipelines, reducing cleaning difficulty, and preventing contamination from external bacteria, thus ensuring product quality. Employing a negative pressure low-temperature drying process, the moisture in the material vaporizes below 30 degrees Celsius, solving the problem of microbial inactivation caused by traditional high-temperature drying and preserving product bioactivity. The equipment achieves automated linkage control of the sterilization and drying processes, eliminating the need for manual unloading, significantly reducing operator workload, and improving the working environment. Simultaneous in-situ sterilization of tank 1, solid material interception components, and sampling pathways ensures thorough sterilization coverage, enhancing equipment reliability and product safety.

[0017] The solid material interception component is a sintered filter 3, which is built into the tank body 1. The tank body 1 is a sealed pressure-bearing structure, and the solid material interception component is fixed at its exhaust port to block solid material particles inside the tank and prevent the material from escaping with the airflow. The tank body 1 is covered by a jacket 2, and the bottom of the jacket 2 is connected to a heating medium delivery pipeline 4. The pipeline is equipped with heat exchange enhancement components, which can realize rapid heating of the heat transfer medium inside the jacket 2. The temperature control heating module can heat the heat transfer medium inside the jacket 2 to form a high-temperature heat transfer medium, which can exchange heat with the fermentation substrate inside the tank body 1. The vacuum unit includes a Roots vacuum pump 8 and a water ring vacuum pump 9. The air inlet of the Roots vacuum pump 8 is connected to the air inlet of the storage tank 7, and the air outlet of the Roots vacuum pump 8 is connected to the water ring vacuum pump 9 to achieve deep negative pressure inside the tank. The high-temperature heat transfer medium inside the jacket 2 can flow through the sampling pipeline and its matching valve group to complete the sterilization of the sampling pipeline and valve group. The heating medium delivery pipeline 4 is a steam pipeline, and the heat exchange enhancement component is a steam ejector, which can achieve rapid heating of the heat transfer medium in the jacket 2. The temperature control heating module is activated, and the temperature linkage control unit heats the heat transfer medium in the jacket 2 to form a high-temperature heat transfer medium. The high-temperature heat transfer medium exchanges heat with the fermentation substrate in the tank, raising the tank temperature to 121 degrees Celsius and maintaining it for 30 minutes, completing the in-situ sterilization of the tank 1 and its internal materials. Simultaneously, the heat transferred during sterilization sterilizes the built-in solid material interception component. The high-temperature heat transfer medium in the jacket 2 flows through the sampling pipeline and valve group, completing the sterilization of the sampling path. After fermentation, the tank temperature is first adjusted to a preset low-temperature threshold. The vacuum unit is activated, and when the tank pressure drops below the preset negative pressure value, the vacuum level is further increased to create a deep negative pressure environment inside the tank. At this time, the boiling point of the water in the material drops below 30 degrees Celsius and begins to vaporize. The refrigeration unit is then activated. In the drying process, the refrigerant circulates within the heat exchange branch of the condenser assembly 6, creating a low-temperature heat exchange field. The water vapor generated during vaporization enters the condenser assembly 6 through the exhaust branch 5 and condenses into liquid water, which is then collected in the storage tank 7. During the drying process, if the temperature of the material inside the tank drops suddenly, the control valve of the heating medium delivery pipeline 4 is opened, and the heat transfer medium in the jacket 2 is heated through the heat exchange enhancement component to maintain a stable temperature inside the tank. Once the moisture content of the material reaches the preset standard, the vacuum unit and refrigeration unit are shut off, and the condensate in the storage tank 7 is discharged, completing the drying operation.A stainless steel fermentation tank body 1 is selected, and a sintered filter 3 (as a solid material interception component) is welded and fixed at its exhaust port. A DN25 exhaust branch 5 is connected in parallel to the exhaust pipe, and the branch is connected in sequence to a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (as a condensation component 6) and a stainless steel water storage tank (as a liquid storage tank 7). A Roots vacuum pump 8 is connected to the top flange of the water storage tank, and the outlet of the Roots vacuum pump 8 is connected to a water ring vacuum pump 9 through a corrugated pipe (the two form a vacuum unit). The heat exchange branch of the heat exchanger is connected to a scroll refrigeration compressor unit (as a refrigeration unit), and the branch is filled with R410A refrigerant. A DN15 steam pipe (as a heating medium delivery pipe 4) is welded to the bottom of the jacket 2 of the tank body 1. A stainless steel steam ejector (as a heat exchange enhancement component) is installed in the pipe, and an electric heating module (as a temperature control heating module) and a temperature sensor are installed to build a temperature linkage control unit. The sampling pipeline uses sanitary stainless steel pipe, one end of which is connected to the jacket 2, and the other end extends to the material layer inside the tank. The pipeline is equipped with a sanitary ball valve. Close all valves in tank 1, start the electric heating module, set the temperature linkage parameters, raise the temperature of the hot water in jacket 2 to 121 degrees Celsius and maintain it for 30 minutes. The temperature of the fermentation substrate in the tank is monitored in real time by the temperature sensor to ensure the sterilization effect. During the sterilization process, the superheated water in jacket 2 flows through the sampling pipeline to complete the sterilization of the sampling passage. At the same time, the heat of tank 1 is transferred to the built-in sintered filter 3 to achieve synchronous sterilization of the filter element. After fermentation, the temperature inside the tank is first lowered to 20 degrees Celsius (preset low temperature threshold) through the cooling system of tank 1. The water ring vacuum pump 9 is started, and when the pressure inside the tank reaches -0.92 bar, the Roots vacuum pump 8 is turned on to raise the vacuum inside the tank to -0.98 bar (preset negative pressure value). At this time, the moisture in the material begins to vaporize. The refrigeration compressor unit is started, and the refrigerant temperature of the heat exchanger is set to 5 degrees Celsius. After the water vapor enters the heat exchanger, it condenses into liquid water and flows into the water storage tank. During the drying process, if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the material inside the tank drops to 15 degrees Celsius, the steam pipe valve is automatically opened, and the steam ejector injects steam into the jacket 2 to heat the hot water and raise the temperature inside the tank back to 20 degrees Celsius. After drying for 2 hours, the moisture content of the material is detected, all power units are shut off, the drain valve of the water storage tank is opened to drain the condensate, and the drying operation is completed. The specific steps for using a solid fermentation tank with a drying function are as follows: S1. Fermentation stage: The pretreated solid fermentation material is put into tank 1, the material moisture and environmental parameters are adjusted, and after inoculating functional microorganisms, tank 1 is controlled under preset fermentation conditions to complete the material fermentation. S2. In-situ sterilization stage: The temperature control heating module is activated, and the heat transfer medium in jacket 2 is heated through the temperature linkage control unit to form a high-temperature heat transfer medium. The high-temperature heat transfer medium exchanges heat with the fermentation substrate in the tank, causing the substrate temperature to rise and be maintained at a constant temperature for a certain period of time, thus completing the in-situ sterilization of tank 1. At the same time, the heat energy of tank 1 simultaneously sterilizes the solid material interception component, and the high-temperature heat transfer medium in jacket 2 flows through the sampling pipeline and valve group to complete the sterilization of the sampling passage. S3-1, Low-temperature drying stage: First, adjust the temperature inside the tank to the preset low-temperature threshold. S3-2. Start the vacuum unit. After the pressure inside the tank drops below the preset negative pressure value, increase the vacuum level inside the tank to create a deep negative pressure environment inside the tank. The moisture in the material will vaporize due to the lower boiling point. S3-3. Start the refrigeration unit. The refrigerant circulates in the condenser assembly 6 to form a low-temperature heat exchange field. Water vapor enters the condenser assembly 6 through the exhaust branch 5 and condenses into liquid water and is collected in the liquid storage tank 7. S3-4. During the drying process, if the temperature of the material inside the tank drops suddenly, open the control valve of the heating medium conveying pipeline 4 to heat the heat transfer medium in the jacket 2 through the heat exchange enhancement component and maintain the temperature inside the tank within the preset range. S3-5. Once the moisture content of the material reaches the preset standard, shut down the vacuum unit and refrigeration unit, drain the condensate from the storage tank 7, and complete the drying process.

[0018] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0019] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A solid state fermentation tank with drying function, characterized in that: The solid fermentation tank with drying function comprises a tank body (1), an in-situ sterilization unit and a low-temperature drying unit; the tank body (1) is a sealed pressure-bearing structure, a solid material interception assembly is fixedly arranged at an exhaust port of the tank body (1), a jacket (2) is arranged outside the tank body (1), a heating medium conveying pipeline (4) is connected to the bottom of the jacket (2), and a heat exchange strengthening component is arranged in the pipeline; the in-situ sterilization unit comprises a temperature control heating module and a sampling pipeline, the temperature control heating module and the jacket (2) constitute a temperature linkage control unit, and one end of the sampling pipeline is connected with the jacket (2); the low-temperature drying unit comprises an exhaust branch (5), a condensing assembly (6), a liquid storage tank (7), a vacuum unit and a refrigeration unit, the exhaust branch (5) is arranged in parallel on an exhaust pipeline of the tank body (1), the exhaust branch (5) is sequentially connected with the condensing assembly (6) and the liquid storage tank (7) along the airflow direction, the gas inlet of the liquid storage tank (7) is connected with the vacuum unit, the heat exchange branch of the condensing assembly (6) forms a closed loop with the refrigeration unit, and the heat exchange branch is filled with refrigerant.

2. The solid fermentation tank with drying function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solid material interception assembly is a sintered filter (3), and the solid material interception assembly is arranged in the tank body (1).

3. The solid fermentation tank with drying function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature control heating module can heat the heat carrier medium in the jacket (2) to form high-temperature heat carrier medium, and the high-temperature heat carrier medium can complete heat exchange with the fermentation substrate in the tank body (1).

4. The solid fermentation tank with drying function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-temperature heat carrier medium in the jacket (2) can flow through the sampling pipeline and the valve group matched with the sampling pipeline to complete sterilization of the sampling pipeline and the valve group.

5. The solid fermentation tank with drying function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating medium conveying pipeline (4) is a steam pipeline, and the heat exchange strengthening component is a steam ejector, so that the heat carrier medium in the jacket (2) can be rapidly heated.

6. The solid state fermentation tank with drying function according to claim 4, characterized in that: The vacuum unit comprises a Roots vacuum pump (8) and a water ring vacuum pump (9), the gas inlet end of the Roots vacuum pump (8) is connected with the gas inlet end of the liquid storage tank (7), and the gas outlet end of the Roots vacuum pump (8) is connected with the water ring vacuum pump (9), so that deep negative pressure in the tank is realized.

7. The use method of the solid fermentation tank with drying function according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: S1, fermentation stage: the pretreated solid fermentation material is put into the tank body (1), the moisture content of the material and the environmental parameters are adjusted, functional microorganisms are inoculated, the tank body (1) is controlled to be in a preset fermentation condition, and the material fermentation is completed; S2, in-situ sterilization stage: the temperature control heating module is started, the heat carrier medium in the jacket (2) is heated by the temperature linkage control unit to form high-temperature heat carrier medium, the high-temperature heat carrier medium exchanges heat with the fermentation substrate in the tank to increase the temperature of the substrate and maintain the temperature for a certain time, and the in-situ sterilization of the tank body (1) is completed; at the same time, the heat energy of the tank body (1) synchronously realizes sterilization of the solid material interception assembly, the high-temperature heat carrier medium in the jacket (2) flows through the sampling pipeline and the valve group, and the sterilization of the sampling pipeline is completed; S3-1, low-temperature drying stage: the temperature in the tank is first adjusted to a preset low-temperature threshold; S3-2, the vacuum unit is started, and after the pressure in the tank is reduced to below a preset negative pressure value, the vacuum level in the tank is improved, so that a deep negative pressure environment is formed in the tank, and the moisture in the material is vaporized due to the decrease of the boiling point; S3-3, start the refrigeration unit, and the refrigerant circulates in the condensing assembly (6) to form a low-temperature heat exchange field. The water vapor enters the condensing assembly (6) through the exhaust branch (5) and is condensed into liquid water and collected in the liquid storage tank (7); S3-4, during the drying process, if the temperature of the material in the tank drops sharply, open the heating medium delivery pipeline (4) control valve, heat the heat carrier in the heating strengthening component jacket (2), and maintain the temperature in the tank within the preset range; S3-5, when the moisture content of the material reaches the preset standard, the vacuum unit and the refrigeration unit are turned off, the condensed water in the liquid storage tank (7) is discharged, and the drying is completed.

Images