Solid mass combined fermentation apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a solid material combined fermentation equipment, and belongs to the technical field of fermentation equipment. The equipment comprises a plurality of residence units arranged in sequence along the vertical direction, a feeding mechanism arranged at the uppermost position, and a discharging mechanism arranged at the lowermost position. The solid material combined fermentation equipment is characterized in that a plurality of residence units are arranged, and the axial relative movement between the barrel sections is used to control the close sealing or separation of the blocking head and the discharging port to form a discharging gap, so as to realize the residence and position replacement of the material, and make the material disperse in the circumferential direction and then reaccumulate during the transfer between the residence units, thereby forming a state change of "dispersion-reaccumulation", so that the mass transfer, heat transfer and gas exchange process of the material can be effectively strengthened without the need of arranging a stirring or overturning mechanism, the structural complexity of the equipment and the operation failure risk are significantly reduced, the internal cleaning dead angle is reduced, the cleaning convenience and the stability of the fermentation process are improved, and the uniformity of fermentation and the demand for equipment simplification are considered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fermentation equipment technology, specifically to a solid material combined fermentation equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of solid-state fermentation technology in food processing, bio-feed, and organic fertilizer production, higher requirements have been placed on the uniformity, stability, and controllability of the fermentation process. However, existing solid-material fermentation equipment generally suffers from a contradiction between "complex structure" and "difficulty in achieving fermentation quality" in terms of both structure and operation.

[0003] On the one hand, existing static fermentation equipment (such as shallow tray, box, and shelf fermentation equipment) has a relatively simple overall structure and usually does not have internal moving mechanisms. After the material is loaded, it is in a static state and relies solely on natural ventilation or bottom oxygen supply to achieve the fermentation process. Although this type of equipment has advantages such as low manufacturing cost, high operational stability, and low sealing requirements, due to the lack of an effective material disturbance mechanism, obvious temperature, humidity, and oxygen distribution gradients are easily formed inside the material, leading to problems such as local overheating, clumping, and hypoxia. This results in uneven cell growth, ultimately leading to poor fermentation efficiency and inconsistent product quality, making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale production.

[0004] On the other hand, to improve fermentation uniformity, existing dynamic fermentation equipment (such as rotary drum fermenters and horizontal or vertical fermentation equipment with stirring mechanisms) uses stirring shafts, turning devices, or rotating cylinders to force the material to turn over, thereby improving mass and heat transfer conditions and significantly enhancing fermentation efficiency. However, such equipment typically requires a stirring system, drive system, and sealing components, resulting in a complex overall structure. This not only leads to high manufacturing costs but also makes the equipment prone to corrosion, wear, and seal failure in high-temperature, high-humidity fermentation environments rich in corrosive gases, resulting in low equipment reliability.

[0005] Furthermore, the complex internal structure of dynamic fermentation equipment, with numerous stirring components, connecting parts, and obstructed areas, creates many cleaning dead zones, making effective in-line cleaning (CIP) difficult to achieve. In actual production, manual entry into the equipment for cleaning is often necessary, which is not only labor-intensive and produces inconsistent cleaning results, but also poses safety risks and the risk of cross-contamination, thus affecting the stability of subsequent fermentation batches and product quality.

[0006] In addition, due to the need to reserve space for mixing and transmission, the effective volume utilization rate of dynamic equipment is low. At the same time, the installed power is large, and the operating energy consumption and maintenance costs are high, which further limits its application in energy-saving and efficient production scenarios.

[0007] In summary, existing solid-state fermentation equipment generally suffers from the following technical problems in practical applications: one type of equipment has a simple structure but poor fermentation uniformity, making it difficult to guarantee product quality; another type of equipment can improve fermentation quality, but it has a complex structure, is difficult to clean, and has high operating costs.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a solid material fermentation equipment that can achieve good fermentation results while simplifying the structure, and has the characteristics of easy cleaning and stable operation. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides a solid material combined fermentation device, which includes a plurality of vertically arranged residence units, an uppermost feeding mechanism, and a lowermost discharging mechanism. The residence units are sealed and connected to each other, forming a continuous multi-stage fermentation channel. Each residence unit includes: a first cylindrical section with a discharge port; a second cylindrical section with a sealing head; and a first telescopic section sealed between the first and second cylindrical sections. The first and second cylindrical sections are axially movable relative to each other, allowing the sealing head to either seal tightly against the discharge port or separate to form a discharge gap. The sealing head and the second cylindrical section are spaced apart. The sealing head and the discharge port cooperate to form a guiding structure, allowing the material to be dispersed circumferentially and redistributed during its descent through the discharge gap before entering the adjacent residence unit below.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the sealing head has a conical structure and the discharge port has a funnel-shaped structure. The tip of the sealing head is inserted into the discharge port to form a V-shaped material guiding area. As the first and second cylinder sections move in opposite directions, the discharge port separates from the sealing head to form an annular discharge gap. After the material is released through the annular discharge gap, it is dispersed along the conical surface and enters the adjacent dwell unit below.

[0011] In one possible implementation, an external limit guide structure and control cylinder are placed between the first and second cylinder sections, allowing only axial relative movement between the first and second cylinder sections.

[0012] In one possible implementation, one of the first or second cylindrical sections in the stopping unit is fixedly disposed, with the first cylindrical section in the stopping unit located above the second cylindrical section, and the first cylindrical section in the top stopping unit is fixedly disposed, while the second cylindrical section in the bottom stopping unit is fixedly disposed.

[0013] In one possible implementation, a second telescopic section is provided as a sealed connection between the upper and lower adjacent stopping units.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the discharge mechanism includes a receiving plate with an outlet, a scraper rotatably mounted on the receiving plate, and a spiral discharge structure connected to the outlet. The rotation of the scraper causes the material on the receiving plate to fall from the outlet into the spiral discharge structure.

[0015] In one possible implementation, when the discharge mechanism is in a non-discharge state, the scraper can block the outlet to form a temporary fermentation space.

[0016] In one possible implementation, a plurality of elastic elements are provided between the first and second cylinder sections. The elastic elements are distributed circumferentially along the discharge port and generate elastic disturbances during the relative movement of the first and second cylinder sections.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the feeding mechanism uses a rotary feeding method to evenly distribute the material in the topmost dwell unit.

[0018] The above-mentioned one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention have the following technical effects: According to the embodiments of the present invention, a solid material combined fermentation device is provided. By setting up multi-stage residence units and utilizing the axial relative movement between cylinder sections to control the sealing head and the discharge port to form a discharge gap, the material residence and position change are realized. Furthermore, the annular discharge gap formed by the separation of the sealing head and the discharge port allows the material to be dispersed circumferentially and then re-accumulated during the transfer between residence units, forming a "dispersion-re-accumulation" state change. This effectively enhances the mass transfer, heat transfer, and gas exchange processes of the material without the need for stirring or turning mechanisms, achieving a near-dynamic fermentation effect. Simultaneously, this structure avoids the complex transmission and stirring components found in traditional dynamic fermentation equipment, significantly reducing the complexity of the equipment structure and the risk of operational failures. It also reduces internal cleaning dead zones, improves cleaning convenience and the stability of the fermentation process, and balances fermentation uniformity with equipment simplification requirements, possessing good engineering application value. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a solid material combined fermentation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a solid material combined fermentation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the sealing head and the material discharge port are tightly sealed.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a solid material combined fermentation device when the sealing head and the material discharge port are separated and opened according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting and guiding structure of a solid material combined fermentation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the receiving tray of a solid material combined fermentation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Feeding mechanism; 2. Discharging mechanism; 21. Outlet; 22. Receiving plate; 23. Scraper; 24. Spiral discharge structure; 3. Drop port; 4. First cylinder section; 5. Sealing head; 6. Second cylinder section; 7. First telescopic section; 8. Limiting and guiding structure; 81. Guide column; 82. Limiting block; 83. Limiting hole; 84. Limiting section; 9. Control cylinder; 10. Second telescopic section; 11. Elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described below, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 A solid material combined fermentation device includes a feeding mechanism 1, a discharging mechanism 2, and several residence units arranged vertically. Each residence unit is sealed and connected via a second telescopic section 10, forming a continuous multi-stage fermentation channel. The feeding mechanism 1 is located above the top residence unit and preferably has a rotating material distribution structure, including a rotating distributing component. During the feeding process, the material prepared by mixed culture is evenly distributed in the top residence unit using a rotating feeding method. The discharging mechanism 2 is located below the bottom residence unit and is used to discharge the fermented material.

[0028] During fermentation, the material is evenly distributed in the topmost residence unit by the feeding mechanism 1, and then stays in each residence unit for a preset time. By controlling the opening and closing of the residence units, the material is transferred downwards layer by layer under the action of gravity until fermentation is completed and discharged by the discharge mechanism 2. During the above transfer process, the material changes position between different residence units, and is dispersed and then re-aggregated during the fall, realizing a state change of dispersion-reaggregation. Thus, without the need for complex motion structures such as stirring and turning, it achieves the same enhanced mass and heat transfer effect as dynamic turning, effectively improving the mass, heat and gas distribution conditions inside the material, improving the uniformity of fermentation, and significantly simplifying the overall structure of the equipment and improving the stability of long-term operation.

[0029] See Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4Specifically, each dwelling unit includes a first cylindrical section 4 with a discharge port 3, a second cylindrical section 6 with a sealing head 5, and a first telescopic section 7 sealingly connected between the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. The sealing head 5 is fixedly connected to the center position inside the second cylindrical section 6 via a connecting rod. The sealing head 5 and the discharge port 3 cooperate to form a guiding structure, allowing the material to be dispersed and redistributed circumferentially during its descent through the discharge gap before entering the adjacent dwelling unit below. Figure 1 As shown, the first cylindrical section 4 is located above the second cylindrical section 6. The discharge port 3 has a funnel-shaped structure. The sealing head 5 has a cone-shaped structure, and its needle-like end is inserted into the discharge port 3 from bottom to top to seal the discharge port 3, so that the material can be stably accumulated and stored in the residence unit.

[0030] When the material needs to be transferred downwards after a preset time, the first cylinder section 4 and the second cylinder section 6 are driven to move in opposite directions, causing the discharge port 3 to separate from the sealing head 5, forming an annular discharge gap. After falling through the annular discharge gap, the material first disperses circumferentially along the conical surface of the sealing head 5, and then enters the lower holding unit through the gap between the sealing head 5 and the second cylinder section 6. The tip of the sealing head 5 is inserted into the discharge port 3, forming a V-shaped guiding zone with its inner wall. During the relative opposite movement of the first cylinder section 4 and the second cylinder section 6, this guides the material's falling path, facilitating smooth material discharge.

[0031] During the aforementioned position change process, the material is broken up and redistributed from its original piled state. After falling, it forms a new piled state again, allowing the material to undergo a dispersion-reaggregation process. This promotes gas exchange and heat uniformity, thereby improving the fermentation environment and enhancing the uniformity and stability of the fermentation process. This process effectively regulates the state of the material without the need for stirring or turning components, significantly simplifying the equipment structure while ensuring fermentation results. The material then remains in the adjacent lower holding unit for a period of time before moving to the next holding unit, and so on, until fermentation is complete and the material is discharged through the discharge mechanism 2.

[0032] See Figure 1 The first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6 are sealed together by the first telescopic section 7, ensuring a good seal even during relative movement and thus guaranteeing the stability of the fermentation environment. Adjacent residence units are sealed together by the second telescopic section 10. The overall structure is primarily a continuous cylindrical body, without complex internal stirring structures or obstructing components, ensuring a continuous and unobstructed internal space. This effectively reduces cleaning dead zones, improves cleaning efficiency and convenience, and facilitates automated cleaning. The first telescopic section 7 and the second telescopic section 10 are preferably connected by a flexible seal, such as a corrugated pipe structure or a corrosion-resistant elastic sleeve structure, to meet the sealing requirements of the fermentation environment.

[0033] In this design, either the first cylindrical section 4 or the second cylindrical section 6 in the dwell unit is fixed, meaning one remains stationary while the other reciprocates axially, further improving the stability of the relative movement between the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. Specifically, the first cylindrical section 4 in the top dwell unit and the second cylindrical section 6 in the bottom dwell unit are fixed. This provides a stable working environment for both the feeding mechanism 1 and the discharging mechanism 2, improving the overall structural stability and reliability. Specifically: such as... Figure 1 As shown, there are two stopping units. The second telescopic section 10 is sealed between the second cylindrical section 6 in the upper stopping unit and the first cylindrical section 4 in the lower stopping unit. Both the first cylindrical section 4 in the upper stopping unit and the second cylindrical section 6 in the lower stopping unit are fixedly installed. During the material discharge process of the upper stopping unit, the second cylindrical section 6 moves downward, causing the corresponding sealing head 5 to separate from the material discharge port 3. After discharge, it resets. During the material discharge process of the lower stopping unit, the first cylindrical section 4 moves upward, causing the corresponding sealing head 5 to separate from the material discharge port 3.

[0034] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 Several elastic elements 11 are arranged between the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. These elastic elements 11 are distributed circumferentially along the discharge port 3 and create elastic disturbance during the relative movement of the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. This increases the activity of the material, further improving the uniformity of fermentation, and effectively preventing material accumulation and blockage. Specifically, when the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6 move in opposite directions, the elastic elements 11 are stretched; when they move in the same direction, the elastic elements 11 automatically contract. During the material discharge process, the relative reciprocating movement of the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6 is controlled to create a disturbance. Simultaneously, during the cleaning process, this also assists in cleaning, further improving the long-term stability and ease of cleaning of the equipment. Specifically, during the cleaning process, cleaning fluid can be introduced from the top, allowing it to flow downwards along each stationary unit and through the gap between the discharge port 3 and the sealing head 5 to flush the relevant parts, collecting at the bottom for discharge. During this process, the cleaning effect can be improved by controlling the relative reciprocating movement of the first cylinder section 4 and the second cylinder section 6 to create intermittent opening and closing and disturbance between the material discharge port 3 and the sealing head 5.

[0035] See Figure 1 and Figure 5An external limiting guide structure 8 and a control cylinder 9 are installed between the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. The limiting guide structure 8 constrains the circumferential degree of freedom of the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6, allowing them to move relative to each other only in the axial direction, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of their relative movement. The control cylinder 9 is used to control the relative axial movement of the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6. The overall structure is simple and has high stability and reliability. Specifically, the limiting and guiding structure 8 includes several guide posts 81 and limiting blocks 82 corresponding to each guide post 81. Limiting holes 83 are provided on the limiting blocks 82. The guide posts 81 are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the first cylindrical section 4 and evenly distributed along the circumference of the outer wall. The limiting blocks 82 are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the corresponding second cylindrical section 6 and correspond one-to-one along the outer wall. The guide posts 81 are slidably inserted into the limiting holes 83 of the corresponding limiting blocks 82, constraining the relative degrees of freedom between the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6 in the circumferential direction. The first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6 are driven to move relatively stably in the axial direction by a control cylinder 9. The guide posts 81 are provided with limiting sections 84, located on the upper and lower sides of the corresponding limiting blocks 82, to limit the travel range of the relative movement of the first cylindrical section 4 and the second cylindrical section 6, preventing excessive relative movement that could affect their normal use.

[0036] See Figure 1 and Figure 6 The discharge mechanism 2 includes a receiving plate 22 with an outlet 21, which is sealed to the bottom of the second cylindrical section 6 in the bottommost holding unit. A scraper 23 is rotatably mounted on the receiving plate 22, and a spiral discharge structure 24 is sealed below the outlet 21. After passing through the bottommost holding unit, the material falls onto the receiving plate 22 and, with the rotation of the scraper 23, eventually falls entirely through the outlet 21 into the spiral discharge structure 24 for discharge. When the discharge mechanism 2 is not in the discharge state, the scraper 23 blocks the outlet 21, specifically by fitting the scraper 23 against the edge of the outlet 21, forming a closed obstruction. This creates a fermentation space between the receiving plate 22 and the bottommost holding unit. After the material falls from the bottommost holding unit onto the receiving plate 22, it can undergo fermentation for a certain period of time. Then, the scraper 23 is activated to rotate, allowing the material to enter the spiral discharge structure 24 for discharge, further simplifying the overall structure of the equipment.

[0037] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," "installed," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or a sliding connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] The embodiments described herein are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes made based on the structure, shape, and principle of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A solid material combined fermentation device, characterized in that: It includes several dwelling units arranged vertically in sequence, a feeding mechanism located at the top, and a discharging mechanism located at the bottom; Each residence unit is sealed and interconnected, forming a continuous multi-stage fermentation channel; The dwell unit includes: The first cylinder section is equipped with a material discharge port; The second cylinder section is equipped with a sealing head; The first expansion joint is sealed between the first and second cylindrical sections; The first and second cylindrical sections can move relative to each other along the axial direction, so that the sealing head can be tightly sealed with the material discharge port or separated to form a material discharge gap. The gap distribution between the plug head and the second cylinder section; The sealing head and the material discharge port work together to form a material guiding structure, which allows the material to be dispersed and redistributed circumferentially as it falls through the material discharge gap and then enters the adjacent dwell unit below.

2. The solid material combined fermentation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing head has a conical structure and the discharge port has a funnel-shaped structure. The tip of the sealing head is inserted into the discharge port and forms a V-shaped material guiding area. As the first and second cylinder sections move in opposite directions, the discharge port separates from the sealing head to form an annular discharge gap. After the material is released through the annular discharge gap, it is dispersed along the conical surface and enters the adjacent dwell unit below.

3. The solid material combined fermentation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: An external limit guide structure and control cylinder are provided between the first and second cylinder sections, allowing only axial relative movement between the first and second cylinder sections.

4. The solid material combined fermentation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: One of the first or second cylindrical sections in the dwell unit is fixedly installed, with the first cylindrical section located above the second cylindrical section. The first cylindrical section in the top dwell unit is fixedly installed, and the second cylindrical section in the bottom dwell unit is fixedly installed.

5. A solid material combined fermentation device according to any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that: A second telescopic section is sealed between adjacent upper and lower stopping units.

6. The solid material combined fermentation equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The discharge mechanism includes a receiving plate with an outlet, a scraper rotatably mounted on the receiving plate, and a spiral discharge structure connected to the outlet. The rotation of the scraper causes the material on the receiving plate to fall from the outlet into the spiral discharge structure.

7. A solid material combined fermentation device according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the discharge mechanism is not in the discharge state, the scraper can block the outlet to form a temporary fermentation space.

8. A solid material combined fermentation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Several elastic elements are provided between the first and second cylinder sections. The elastic elements are distributed circumferentially along the discharge port and generate elastic disturbances during the relative movement of the first and second cylinder sections.

9. A solid material combined fermentation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding mechanism uses a rotary feeding method to evenly distribute the material in the topmost dwell unit.

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