In-orbit microbial culture experiment load

Abstract

The utility model provides an in-orbit microorganism culture experiment load, which comprises a load box body, a load box body and a load box body, the test module and the monitoring module are both installed in the box body space, the test module is composed of a plurality of culture units, and the monitoring module and the test module are oppositely arranged; the culture unit comprises a culture pond, a storage pond, an overturning film, a liquid conveying pipeline and a gas outlet pipeline, the storage pond is connected to the culture pond, and the overturning film is arranged in the storage pond to divide an inner cavity of the storage pond into a sealed liquid storage cavity and a sealed gas storage cavity; a liquid inlet of the culture pond is connected with the liquid storage cavity through a liquid conveying pipeline, and an air outlet of the culture pond is connected with the air storage cavity through an air outlet pipeline. The in-orbit microorganism culture experiment load provided by the utility model can realize accurate control and monitoring of a microorganism culture process in a microgravity environment, and through the integrated design, the experiment load can provide high-throughput experiment capability, and meanwhile, the safety and the reliability of an experiment are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of space technology experiments, in particular to an on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload. Background Art

[0002] Microorganisms have the advantages of simple structure, short growth cycle, fast reproduction, and easy to carry. They are used as biological models for the study of life phenomena in space environment, extraterrestrial life detection, and planetary protection mission research with microorganisms as the focus. With the completion of the construction of my country's space station, large-scale, multidisciplinary space science and technology experiments will be carried out. The realization of microbial cultivation is an important prerequisite for conducting microbial research under space conditions, such as conducting research on the corrosiveness of space microbial materials, space microbial mutagenesis, and drug resistance. Due to the particularity of the space environment, microbial cultivation in orbit faces a series of problems. Utility Model Content

[0003] The utility model provides an on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload to solve the defects in the prior art and achieve the following technical effects: precise control and monitoring of the microbial cultivation process in a microgravity environment can be achieved, thereby supporting space biology research, and through this integrated design, the experimental payload can provide high-throughput experimental capabilities while ensuring the safety and reliability of the experiment.

[0004] The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to the embodiment of the utility model includes:

[0005] A load box body having a box space formed therein;

[0006] A test module and a monitoring module are both installed in the box space, the test module is composed of a plurality of culture units, and the monitoring module is arranged relative to the test module to capture image data of microorganisms in the culture units;

[0007] The culture unit comprises a culture tank, a storage tank, a turnover membrane, a liquid infusion pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, wherein the storage tank is connected to the culture tank, and the turnover membrane is arranged in the storage tank to separate the inner cavity of the storage tank into a sealed liquid storage cavity and an air storage cavity;

[0008] The liquid inlet of the culture pool is connected to the liquid storage cavity via the liquid infusion pipeline, and the gas outlet of the culture pool is connected to the gas storage cavity via the gas outlet pipeline.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the utility model, a heating element is further provided on the outside of the culture tank, and a pump body is provided on the infusion pipeline;

[0010] The on-orbit microbial cultivation experiment payload also includes a control module, which is connected to the monitoring module, the heating element and the pump body respectively.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the monitoring module includes a plurality of cameras and a plurality of apertures, each of the cameras is provided with an aperture, and the cameras and the apertures are both connected to the control module.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the utility model, a mounting interlayer spanning the box space is installed in the carrier box, and the mounting interlayer divides the box space into a mounting cavity and a culture cavity;

[0013] The camera passes through the installation interlayer, the camera body is located in the installation cavity, and the camera head of the camera is located in the culture cavity; the test module is installed in the culture cavity, and the culture unit is arranged opposite to the camera head.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the outer wall surface of the installation interlayer facing the culture chamber forms an installation reference surface, the camera is fixed on the installation reference surface, and all the culture units of the test module are arranged opposite to the installation reference surface.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the control module is installed in an interlayer cavity inside the installation interlayer, and a fixing hole connected to the interlayer cavity is also provided on the installation reference surface. The control module includes a control end electrical connector for realizing electrical connection, and the control end electrical connector is fixed in the fixing hole.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the test module includes a first test module, a second test module and a third test module; the monitoring module includes a first camera, a second camera and a third camera, and the first camera, the second camera and the third camera are respectively equipped with a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture;

[0017] The first test module, the second test module and the third test module are arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer, and the first camera, the second camera and the third camera are also arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer and correspond one-to-one with the first test module, the second test module and the third test module in position.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the control module includes a power distribution computer processing circuit board, a drive control circuit board and a control end electrical connector which are interconnected.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the power distribution computer processing circuit board includes a power distribution unit and a computer processing unit;

[0020] Wherein, the power distribution unit includes: a fuse circuit, a surge suppression circuit, an EMI filter, a DC / DC converter, a camera power supply circuit and an aperture power supply circuit, and the camera power supply circuit and the aperture power supply circuit are respectively connected to the DC / DC converter;

[0021] The computer processing unit includes: an FPGA circuit, a CPU circuit, a watchdog circuit, an Ethernet PHY circuit, a camerlink receiver, an SDRAM external memory circuit and an EEPROM storage chip;

[0022] The CPU circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, the watchdog circuit is connected to the CPU circuit and the FPGA circuit respectively, the Ethernet PHY circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, the SDRAM external memory circuit is connected to the camerlink receiver and the FPGA circuit respectively, and the EEPROM storage chip is connected to the CPU circuit.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the drive control circuit board includes:

[0024] Filter circuit;

[0025] A pump body driving circuit connected to the FPGA circuit;

[0026] A heating element control circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit.

[0027] The on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload of the utility model can realize precise control and monitoring of the microbial culture process in a microgravity environment, thereby supporting space biology research, such as research on the corrosion of microbial materials, research on space microbial mutagenesis, and research on drug resistance, etc. Through this integrated design, the experimental payload can provide high-throughput experimental capabilities while ensuring the safety and reliability of the experiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the components of the on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload provided by the utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload provided by the utility model;

[0031] Figure 3 It is one of the three-dimensional schematic diagrams of the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload provided by the utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 This is the second stereoscopic schematic diagram of the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload provided by the utility model;

[0033] Figure 5 This is the third stereoscopic schematic diagram of the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload provided by the utility model;

[0034] Figure 6 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the culture unit provided by the utility model;

[0035] Figure 7 This is the second structural schematic diagram of the culture unit provided by the utility model;

[0036] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure explosion of the culture unit provided by the utility model;

[0037] Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of the culture pool provided by the utility model.

[0038] Reference numerals:

[0039] 01. Test module; 011. First test module; 012. Second test module; 013. Third test module; 02. Monitoring module; 021. First camera; 022. Second camera; 023. Third camera; 024. First aperture; 025. Second aperture; 026. Third aperture; 03. Control module; 031. Power distribution computer processing circuit board; 032. Drive control circuit board; 033. Control end electrical connector; 04. Load box; 041. Installation cavity; 042. Culture cavity; 043. Installation interlayer; 044. Installation reference surface;

[0040] 1. Cultivation tank; 101. First flange; 102. Second flange; 103. Second accommodating cavity; 104. First supporting column; 1041. Connecting hole; 105. Second supporting column; 1051. Liquid inlet channel; 106. Air outlet; 107. First connecting pipe; 108. Second connecting pipe; 109. Connecting column; 2. Storage tank; 201. Liquid storage cavity; 202. Third connecting pipe; 203. Fourth connecting pipe; 204. Tank body; 205. Cover body; 206. Third connecting part;

[0041] 3. Flip membrane; 301. Protrusion; 4. First accommodating chamber; 5. Heating element; 6. Insulation block; 7. Electrical connector; 8. Sample holder; 801. Flow gap; 9. Compression frame; 10. Window; 11. Pump body; 12. Insulation cushion; 121. Fixing ring; 122. First connecting part; 13. Wire harness seat; 131. First wire harness hole; 132. Second wire harness hole; 14. Connecting frame; 141. Second connecting part; 142. Weight reduction hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the utility model clearer, the technical solution of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of the present utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present utility model and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present utility model. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0045] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the utility model embodiment. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to an embodiment of the utility model includes a test module 01, a monitoring module 02 and a control module 03.

[0047] The test module 01 is composed of a plurality of culture units, each of which is provided with a culture pool 1 and a heating element 5 for heating the culture pool 1, and the culture pool 1 is connected to a liquid infusion pipeline with a pump body 11;

[0048] The monitoring module 02 is arranged opposite to the test module 01, and the monitoring module 02 is used to perform static or dynamic imaging on the test module 01 to obtain the growth information of microorganisms in the culture tank 1;

[0049] The control module 03 is connected to the monitoring module 02 and the water pump and the heating element 5 in the test module 01 respectively, and the control module 03 is used to receive the microbial image data transmitted by the monitoring module 02, and control and adjust the working state of the pump body 11 and / or the heating element 5 according to the microbial image data.

[0050] It can be understood that the on-orbit microbial cultivation experiment payload of the utility model is a highly integrated system designed specifically for conducting microbial cultivation experiments in an on-orbit space environment, and consists of three main parts:

[0051] The test module 01 is the core part of the on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload, which consists of multiple culture units. Each culture unit includes a culture tank 1 for accommodating microbial culture medium. The culture tank 1 is connected to the pump body 11 through an infusion pipeline to transport nutrients to the culture tank 1. In addition, each culture tank 1 is also equipped with a heating element 5 for maintaining a suitable temperature to promote the growth of microorganisms.

[0052] The monitoring module 02 is located opposite to the test module 01 and is responsible for real-time monitoring of the test module 01. It captures the growth of microorganisms in the culture tank 1 through static or dynamic imaging technology and transmits these image data to the control module 03. The monitoring module 02 may include multiple cameras and LED apertures to ensure that the situation in the culture tank 1 can be clearly observed under different lighting conditions.

[0053] The control module 03 is the brain of the experimental load. It receives the image data from the monitoring module 02 and adjusts the working state of the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 in the test module 01 according to the data. In this way, the control module 03 can achieve precise control of the microbial culture environment to ensure the smooth progress of the experiment. The control module 03 may include a computer processing circuit board, a drive control circuit board 032, a control end electrical connector 033, etc., to achieve comprehensive control of the experimental load.

[0054] According to the on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload of the embodiment of the utility model, its specific working principle is as follows: the control module 03 receives the instruction, drives the pump body 11 by driving the control circuit board 032, and injects an appropriate amount of culture liquid into the culture tank 1 of the culture unit. The control module 03 also controls the heating element 5 to adjust the temperature of the culture tank 1 according to the experimental needs to ensure the suitable temperature environment required for the growth of microorganisms. The camera in the monitoring module 02 performs static and dynamic imaging of the test module 01 to capture the growth of microorganisms in the culture tank 1, and the LED aperture provides lighting to ensure clear imaging. The monitoring module 02 transmits the captured image data to the control module 03, and the control module 03 receives the image data and may perform preliminary processing, such as compression, to reduce the amount of data transmission. According to the image data returned by the monitoring module 02, the control module 03 adjusts the working state of the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 to optimize the growth conditions of microorganisms. During the experiment, the control module 03 may need to adjust the nutrient supply and temperature according to the growth of microorganisms to achieve dynamic control.

[0055] It should be pointed out that the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload of the utility model can realize precise control and monitoring of the microbial cultivation process in a microgravity environment, thereby supporting space biology research, such as research on the corrosion of microbial materials, research on space microbial mutagenesis, and research on drug resistance, etc. Through this integrated design, the experimental payload can provide high-throughput experimental capabilities while ensuring the safety and reliability of the experiment.

[0056] In summary, the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to the embodiment of the utility model has the following advantages and particularities in a microgravity environment: (1) System integration: It integrates the three modules of control, test and monitoring, realizes the full process automation of the on-orbit microbial cultivation experiment, reduces the dependence on astronaut operations, and improves the experimental efficiency. (2) High-throughput experimental capability: It can simultaneously support the cultivation of microorganisms in multiple independent culture units. It can be understood that because the traditional gravity-dependent cultivation method is no longer applicable in a weightless state, the above scheme can ensure independent temperature control and nutrient supply in a microgravity environment. (3) Dynamic monitoring and control: The monitoring module 02 can capture the growth of microorganisms in the culture pool 1 in real time, and dynamically adjust the experimental conditions through the control module 03 to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the experiment. It can be understood that because microgravity affects the natural convection and sedimentation of substances, the above real-time feedback mechanism is particularly critical in a microgravity environment. (4) Precise control of temperature and humidity: In a microgravity environment, the convection and sedimentation patterns of matter change. The experimental payload simulates the microbial growth environment on Earth through precise temperature and humidity control, and can study the physiological changes of microorganisms under weightlessness. (5) Safety design: The experimental payload adopts a double sealing design, the inner layer meets the liquid tightness requirements, and the outer layer meets the air tightness requirements, ensuring the biological safety of the experiment. At the same time, the high-temperature sterilization function can thoroughly disinfect the culture unit after the experiment to prevent microbial contamination. (6) Versatility and modular design: The experimental payload adopts a modular design, which can be quickly modified and upgraded according to different experimental needs, improving the flexibility and adaptability of on-orbit experiments.

[0057] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the monitoring module 02 includes a plurality of cameras and a plurality of apertures, each camera is provided with an aperture, and the cameras and the apertures are connected to the control module 03 .

[0058] The control module 03 is used to receive the microorganism image data transmitted by the camera and adjust the working state of the aperture according to the microorganism image data.

[0059] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 02 is equipped with multiple cameras, so as to facilitate simultaneous or continuous monitoring of multiple culture units in the test module 01. Each camera is equipped with an aperture to adjust the amount of light entering the camera to ensure image quality.

[0060] The aperture on each camera can be adjusted independently, which means that the lighting conditions of each culture unit can be precisely controlled according to the growth status and lighting requirements of the microorganisms in the culture unit. It is understandable that since lighting conditions affect the metabolic activity and growth pattern of microorganisms, the adjustment of the aperture is crucial for observing microbial growth in a microgravity environment.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the control module 03 includes a power distribution computer processing circuit board 031, a drive control circuit board 032 and a control end electrical connector 033 which are interconnected.

[0062] Among them, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 is used to control the power distribution of the control module 03 itself, the test module 01 and the monitoring module 02, and is used to perform computer processing on the microbial image data; the drive control circuit board 032 is used to control the working status of the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 in the test module 01; and the control end electrical connector is used to connect to the test module 01 and the monitoring module 02 respectively by telecommunication.

[0063] In the device of the present invention, the control module 03 is used for power supply and distribution control, drive control, communication control, image reception, compression and storage, etc. of the experimental load, as well as intelligent temperature control of the experimental module 01 and liquid delivery control of the experimental module 01.

[0064] Among them, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 is mainly responsible for the power distribution control of the control module 03 itself, the test module 01 and the monitoring module 02, ensuring that each module obtains a stable power supply. In addition, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 is also responsible for computer processing of microbial image data, including image acquisition, storage, compression and transmission, as well as possible image analysis, in order to better understand the growth status of microorganisms.

[0065] The driving control circuit board 032 is used to control the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 in the test module 01 to achieve precise control of the nutrient supply and temperature in the culture unit.

[0066] The control end electrical connector 033 serves as a telecommunication connection between the control module 03 and the test module 01 and the monitoring module 02, which can ensure the transmission of data and control signals. In addition, the above connector enables the control module 03 to communicate with the test module 01 and the monitoring module 02, thereby realizing remote monitoring and control of the experimental process.

[0067] like Figure 1As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 includes a power distribution unit, which includes a fuse circuit, a surge suppression circuit, an EMI filter, a DC / DC converter, a camera power supply circuit, and an aperture power supply circuit. In this way, the power distribution unit, as the core part of the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031, can convert the bus power supply into various voltage levels required by the experimental load for use by the control module 03, the test module 01, and the monitoring module 02.

[0068] In some specific embodiments, the fuse circuit includes two parallel fuses, one branch of which is connected in series with a power resistor, and the resistance of the power resistor is not less than 20 times the cold resistance of the fuse. In this way, the fuse circuit can protect the circuit from overload and short circuit, and the power resistor connected in series on one branch helps to provide additional protection when the current suddenly increases, ensuring the safety of the circuit.

[0069] In some specific embodiments, the surge suppression circuit is built based on an N-channel switching transistor, and the surge control circuit controls the conduction by controlling the gate voltage, and uses a soft start method to achieve the power-on surge suppression function. In this way, the surge suppression circuit can suppress the surge current generated when powering on, achieve a soft start function, thereby reducing the impact on the circuit and protecting the electronic equipment.

[0070] In some specific embodiments, the EMI filter is used to filter out noise and ripples, so that the noise and ripples on the bus can be filtered out, and the reflected noise of the system can be controlled to prevent interference with the bus.

[0071] In some specific embodiments, the DC / DC converter is used to convert the high voltage of the bus into a low-voltage secondary power supply. The camera power supply circuit and the aperture power supply circuit distribute power to the camera and the aperture respectively, and the camera power supply circuit and the aperture power supply circuit are both connected to the DC / DC converter. In this way, the DC / DC converter converts the input high voltage (such as 100V bus power supply) into the low voltage (such as +5V, +12V and +24V, etc.) required by the experimental load, thereby providing a suitable power supply for the camera power supply circuit and the aperture power supply circuit. For example, the camera power supply circuit is powered by +12V, while the aperture power supply circuit is powered by +24V.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the utility model, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 also includes a computer processing unit, and the computer processing unit includes a CPU circuit, an FPGA circuit, a watchdog circuit, an Ethernet PHY circuit, a CameraLink receiving circuit, an SDRAM external memory circuit, and an EEPROM storage chip, etc. It can be understood that the main functions of the computer processing unit are communication control, image reception, compression, storage, etc.

[0073] In some specific embodiments, the FPGA circuit is used to complete Ethernet communication control, image reception and compression, external storage control, pump body 11 switch control and heating element 5 feedback system control. In this way, the field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit is used to perform complex logic functions, and the flexibility of the FPGA allows it to be programmed according to experimental requirements to adapt to different tasks.

[0074] In some specific embodiments, the CPU circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit for sending instructions to control the FPGA circuit. It can be understood that the CPU circuit is the core of the entire system, processing instructions from the ground control center and making decisions based on experimental requirements.

[0075] In some specific embodiments, the watchdog circuit is connected to the CPU circuit and the FPGA circuit respectively, and is used to hardware reset the CPU circuit and the FPGA circuit. In this embodiment, the purpose of the watchdog circuit is to establish a safety mechanism for monitoring the operating status of the CPU and the FPGA. Specifically, if an abnormality is detected, the watchdog circuit will trigger a hardware reset to ensure stable operation of the system.

[0076] In some specific embodiments, the Ethernet PHY circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit to implement the Ethernet communication protocol. In this way, the Ethernet PHY circuit belongs to the physical layer Ethernet interface, and by connecting to the FPGA circuit, the Ethernet communication protocol can be implemented to ensure that the experimental payload can exchange data with the network system or other equipment of the space station.

[0077] In some specific embodiments, the camerlink receiver is used to receive microorganism image data captured by the camera.

[0078] In some specific embodiments, the SDRAM external memory circuit is connected to the camerlink receiver and the FPGA circuit respectively for caching the microorganism image data.

[0079] In some specific embodiments, the EEPROM memory chip is connected to the CPU circuit and is used to store the CPU program. It is understood that EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) is a non-volatile memory that can retain data after power failure to ensure that the correct program can be loaded when the system starts.

[0080] In summary, through the joint work of various components in the above-mentioned computer processing unit, the power distribution computer processing circuit board 031 can efficiently process and control various operations of the experimental payload, including data acquisition, communication, storage and precise control of experimental conditions. This design not only improves the intelligence level of the experimental payload, but also enhances its reliability and flexibility in complex space environments.

[0081] like Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the drive control circuit board 032 includes a pump body drive circuit, a filter circuit and a heating element control circuit.

[0082] The pump driving circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, and the FPGA circuit controls the on / off of the pump 11 and its operating parameters through the level conversion circuit. The heating element control circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, and the FPGA circuit controls the on / off of the heating element 5 and its heating parameters through the level conversion circuit.

[0083] In this embodiment, the main function of the driving control circuit board 032 is to drive the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 in the test module 01 to open and close, and to control the parameter states of the two, so as to complete the injection and temperature control of each culture unit in the test module 01.

[0084] Among them, the pump body drive circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, which is responsible for controlling the start and stop of the pump body 11, and adjusting the operating parameters of the pump body 11, such as flow and pressure, so as to achieve precise control of the nutrient supply in the culture unit. The filter circuit is used to stabilize the power supply, reduce power supply noise, and ensure that the pump body 11 and other sensitive electronic devices can work stably. The heating element control circuit is also connected to the FPGA circuit, which is responsible for controlling the switch state and heating parameters of the heating element 5, such as temperature setting and heating power, to achieve precise control of the heating element 5 and ensure that the temperature of the culture environment is stable within a range suitable for the growth of microorganisms.

[0085] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the on-orbit microorganism culture experiment payload further includes a payload box 04. A box space is formed inside the payload box 04, and an installation interlayer 043 spanning the box space is installed in the carrier box, and the installation interlayer 043 divides the box space into an installation cavity 041 and a culture cavity 042.

[0086] The control module 03 is installed in the interlayer cavity inside the installation interlayer 043, the camera passes through the installation interlayer 043, the camera body is located in the installation cavity 041, and the camera head of the camera is located in the culture cavity 042; the test module 01 is installed in the culture cavity 042, and the culture unit is arranged opposite to the camera head.

[0087] In this embodiment, a transverse installation interlayer 043 is installed in the box space, and the installation interlayer 043 divides the box space into two parts: an installation cavity 041 for installing the camera body and a culture cavity 042 for installing the test module 01. The interlayer cavity inside itself is used to accommodate and install the control module 03, which helps to protect the control module 03 from the influence of the external environment and facilitates the astronauts to perform maintenance and operation.

[0088] In this way, through this layered design, the experimental payload can achieve precise control of the microbial culture environment in a limited space, while providing the best observation position for the camera. This design is particularly important in a space-constrained environment such as the space station, because it allows the experimental payload to perform efficient microbial culture and monitoring in a compact space.

[0089] like Figure 4 As shown, further, the outer wall surface of one side of the mounting interlayer 043 facing the culture chamber 042 forms a mounting reference surface 044 , and all the culture units of the test module 01 are arranged opposite to the mounting reference surface 044 .

[0090] In this way, the installation reference surface 044 can provide a standardized installation position for the culture units of the test module 01, ensuring that all culture units maintain a consistent layout and alignment in the space station. Specifically, all culture units in the test module 01 are arranged relative to the installation reference surface 044. This layout helps to achieve accurate positioning of the culture units, ensuring that each culture unit can be accurately monitored by the camera, and is also convenient for astronauts to operate and maintain.

[0091] like Figure 4 As shown, further, the camera is fixed on the mounting reference surface 044, and the mounting reference surface 044 is also provided with a fixing hole connected to the interlayer cavity, and the control end electrical connector 033 is fixed in the fixing hole.

[0092] In this way, the camera is fixed on the mounting reference surface 044, which can ensure that the camera remains stable in the microgravity environment of the space station, so that the growth of microorganisms in the culture unit can be continuously and accurately captured. In addition, through the control end electrical connector 033 in the fixing hole, on the one hand, the electrical connection between the control module 03 and the test module 01 can be achieved, and on the other hand, the control module 03 can communicate with the pump body 11 and the heating element 5 in the test module 01 to achieve precise control of the culture conditions. In summary, the above design simplifies electrical wiring, reduces potential failure points, and maintains the compactness and reliability of the system.

[0093] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the number of test modules 01 is not limited to one group, and similarly, the number of control-end electrical connectors 033 and cameras is also more than one group. That is, the number of test modules 01 can be two or more groups, the number of control-end electrical connectors 033 and cameras can also be two or more groups, and the number of test modules 01, control-end electrical connectors 033 and cameras are equal and their positions are corresponding.

[0094] like Figures 2 to 5As shown, in a specific embodiment, there are three groups of test modules 01, control end electrical connectors 033 and cameras. Each group of control end electrical connectors 033 includes two separate control end electrical connectors 033.

[0095] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the test module 01 is used for loading microbial samples and is a microbial culture experimental functional area. It supports astronauts to disassemble and install on orbit, and is mainly composed of the test module 01 shell, the culture unit and the test module 01 electrical connector 7. The test module 01 includes a first test module 011, a second test module 012 and a third test module 013 arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer 043, and three groups of control end electrical connectors 033 are also arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer 043 and correspond to the three groups of test modules respectively.

[0096] The first test module 011 is connected to two control-end electrical connectors 033 in the same group. The first test module 011 includes 16 independent culture units. The independent culture units can be individually temperature-controlled through the control module 03, with a temperature control range of 25°C-43°C and an accuracy of ±1°C. The independent culture units can also be individually injected with liquid through the control module 03, with an adjustable liquid injection range of 0.5mL-3.0mL, and time-sharing injection is supported. The independent culture units are controlled by the control module 03 to provide the nutrient supply, temperature control and humidity conditions required for microbial growth, and fluid replenishment is performed according to experimental needs to achieve dynamic control of the microbial on-orbit experiment process.

[0097] The second test module 012 is connected to two control end electrical connectors 033 in the same group. The second test module 012 includes two main parts, one of which is composed of 3 separately set culture units with larger size specifications, and the other part is composed of 8 independent culture units with smaller size specifications. Each culture unit can be individually temperature controlled by the control module 03, with a temperature control range of 25-43°C and an accuracy of ±1°C. The nutrient supply and temperature control of each culture unit in the second test module 012 are similar to those of the first test module 011, and will not be repeated here.

[0098] The third test module 013 is connected to two control end electrical connectors 033 which are in the same group. The first test module 011 includes 16 independent culture units and has a structure basically the same as that of the second test module 012. The nutrient supply and temperature control of each culture unit in the third test module 013 are also similar to those of the first test module 011. Therefore, the present invention will not elaborate on the structure and function of the third test module 013.

[0099] like Figures 2 to 5As shown, the monitoring module 02 is mainly composed of a first camera 021, a second camera 022 and a third camera 023 arranged in sequence along the length direction of the mounting interlayer 043. The camera head of the first camera 021 is arranged opposite to the first test module 011, the camera head of the second camera 022 is arranged opposite to the second test module 012, and the camera head of the third camera 023 is arranged opposite to the third test module 013. In addition, the first aperture 024, the second aperture 025 and the third aperture 026 are installed on the cameras of the first camera 021, the second camera 022 and the third camera 023 respectively.

[0100] The first camera 021 performs static imaging and dynamic imaging of the first test module 011 through the control module 03. The static imaging resolution is 2464×2056, and the dynamic imaging frame rate is 1fps. At the same time, the dynamic image data can be compressed, and the compression ratio is 16: 1. The focal length of the lens of the first camera 021 is 5mm, and the shooting object distance does not exceed 100mm, which can cover the whole picture of the first test module 011.

[0101] The second camera 022 controls the second test module 012 to perform static imaging and dynamic imaging through the control module 03, and the third camera 023 controls the third test module 013 to perform static imaging and dynamic imaging through the control module 03. The configurations of the second camera 022 and the third camera 023 are the same as those of the first camera 021, which will not be repeated here.

[0102] The first aperture 024 is controlled by the control module 03 to serve as imaging lighting for the first camera 021, and can adjust the light intensity of the microorganisms in the first test module 011; the second aperture 025 is controlled by the control module 03 to serve as imaging lighting for the second camera 022, and can adjust the light intensity of the microorganisms in the second test module 012; the third aperture 026 is controlled by the control module 03 to serve as imaging lighting for the third camera 023, and can adjust the light intensity of the microorganisms in the third test module 013.

[0103] The following describes various embodiments of the structure of the in-device test module 01 of the present utility model.

[0104] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, the culture unit of the embodiment of the utility model mainly includes three parts: a culture component, a gas-liquid storage component and a transmission component.

[0105] The culture assembly includes a sealed culture tank 1, which is used for microbial culture experiments. The sealed culture tank 1 design ensures that the microbial experiment process will not cause pollution to the external environment, while preventing the external environment from affecting the experiment process.

[0106] The gas-liquid storage component includes a storage tank 2 and a flip membrane 3. The storage tank 2 is connected to the culture tank 1, and a first accommodating chamber 4 is constructed between the storage tank 2 and the culture tank 1. By constructing the first accommodating chamber 4, a transmission component can be installed to achieve a compact structure, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the overall structure; the flip membrane 3 is arranged in the storage tank 2 to separate the inner cavity of the storage tank 2 into a sealed liquid storage chamber 201 and a gas storage chamber. By dividing the interior of the storage tank 2 into two independent and enclosed spaces, effective isolation of the culture liquid in the liquid storage chamber 201 and the gas in the gas storage chamber is achieved.

[0107] The transmission component is arranged in the first accommodating chamber 4, including an infusion pipe and an air outlet pipe. The culture tank 1 is connected to the liquid storage chamber 201 via the infusion pipe. The infusion pipe is responsible for transporting the culture solution from the liquid storage chamber 201 to the culture tank 1 to activate the microbial culture. The culture solution can be distilled water, aqueous solution or nutrient solution, etc.; the culture tank 1 is connected to the gas storage chamber via the air outlet pipe, and the air outlet pipe allows the excess gas in the culture tank 1 to flow into the gas storage chamber, thereby forming a closed gas-liquid circulation system.

[0108] Specifically, the infusion pipeline can transfer the culture liquid in the liquid storage cavity 201 of the storage tank 2 to the culture tank 1 to provide nutrients for the growth of microorganisms. During the liquid transportation, since the culture tank 1 and the storage tank 2 are both sealed structures, the culture liquid increases the pressure inside the cavity of the culture tank 1, thereby causing the gas in the culture tank 1 to flow autonomously into the gas storage cavity of the storage tank 2 through the gas outlet pipeline, compressing the flip membrane 3 to deform and flip, and then relieving the pressure in the cavity of the culture tank 1 to ensure the pressure balance inside the entire device, effectively improving the safety of the experiment.

[0109] It is understandable that the design of the flip membrane 3 of the utility model cleverly utilizes liquid pressure. When the gas in the gas storage chamber increases and generates pressure, it will compress the flip membrane 3 to deform, achieve autonomous pressure relief, and thus maintain the pressure balance inside the entire device.

[0110] The culture unit provided in the embodiment of the utility model can effectively control the progress of the on-track microbial culture experiment by utilizing the culture liquid in the transport storage tank 2 as the activation condition for the microbial culture in the culture tank 1; and the pressure inside the device can be automatically released by flipping the membrane 3, without the need for additional operation and auxiliary equipment, thereby simplifying the device structure, facilitating the miniaturization of the overall structure, improving the convenience of operation, and achieving the gas-liquid circulation balance requirement inside the rigid closed device, thereby ensuring safety.

[0111] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 8 As shown, the reversible film 3 is provided with a protrusion 301 protruding toward the gas storage cavity, and the protrusion 301 can be a hemispherical surface with a curved surface. When the gas in the gas storage cavity squeezes the protrusion 301, it can be deformed and reversed, and completely sunken to one side of the liquid storage cavity 201.

[0112] The embodiment of the utility model provides a hemispherical protrusion 301 protruding toward the gas storage chamber on the flip membrane 3. This special and ingenious design enhances the pressure relief performance of the flip membrane 3: in the actual operation process, as the microorganisms grow and reproduce in the culture tank 1, a certain amount of gas will be generated. When the gas pressure increases to a certain extent, it will act on the protrusion 301 of the flip membrane 3. Since the protrusion 301 adopts a hemispherical design, it has a good responsiveness to the gas pressure and can more effectively convert the pressure received into deformation kinetic energy, so that the protrusion 301 can flexibly be concave and flipped toward the side of the liquid storage chamber 201.

[0113] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the turnover film 3 is preferably a silicone turnover film.

[0114] It can be understood that silicone is a polymer elastomeric material with good high and low temperature resistance and excellent chemical stability, and the silicone flip film has excellent flexibility and elasticity, excellent air tightness and liquid tightness.

[0115] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8 As shown, the culture assembly also includes: a heating element 5, a plurality of heat-insulating blocks 6, a temperature sensor, an electrical connector 7 and other components. The heating element 5 is coated on the outer wall of the culture tank 1, and is used to heat the culture tank cavity to provide the temperature required for the growth of microorganisms; a plurality of heat-insulating blocks 6 are arranged at intervals around the outside of the heating element 5 to achieve heat insulation; the temperature sensor is arranged in the culture tank 1, and is used to detect the temperature of the culture tank cavity; the electrical connector 7 is arranged in the first accommodating cavity 4, and is respectively connected to the infusion pipeline, the heating element 5 and the temperature sensor, and is used to receive remote instructions and control the microorganism culture.

[0116] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heating element 5 is preferably a polyimide heating film, the height of the heating element 5 is 18 mm, the unfolded length is 90 mm, and the power consumption is 1 W.

[0117] In the embodiment of the utility model, the polyimide material is very suitable for making heating elements in spacecraft due to its excellent properties, such as high temperature resistance, high insulation, high mechanical strength, good chemical stability and strong thermal stability.

[0118] In terms of specific parameter settings, the height of the heating element 5 is 18mm and the unfolded length is 90mm. Such a size design can effectively fit and cover the outer wall of the culture pool 1, ensuring that the heat is evenly distributed to the entire culture area and meeting the temperature conditions required for microbial growth. The power consumption is designed to be 1W, which not only ensures the heating efficiency, but also takes into account the limitations of the space station's energy supply, achieving the goal of low-power and high-efficiency heating, which is conducive to the long-term stable operation and energy management of on-orbit equipment. This precise and energy-saving design concept is of great significance to experimental equipment in a space environment.

[0119] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8 As shown, a first flange 101 and a second flange 102 are respectively provided at both ends of the culture tank 1 , and a second accommodating cavity 103 is constructed between the first flange 101 and the second flange 102 ; the heating element 5 and the insulation block 6 are located in the second accommodating cavity 103 .

[0120] In this embodiment, a first flange 101 and a second flange 102 are specially designed at the top and bottom ends of the culture tank 1. The two flanges are arranged relative to each other to form an independent second accommodating cavity 103. The heating element 5 and the heat insulating block 6 are cleverly arranged in the second accommodating cavity 103. Such a layout enables the heating component and the main part of the culture tank to form a nested space utilization structure.

[0121] Through this design, on the one hand, it can ensure that the heating element 5 is in close contact with and effectively heats the culture tank 1, and on the other hand, the heat insulating block 6 can effectively prevent heat from being lost to the outside of the device, while not occupying the space inside the culture tank 1, thereby ensuring the effectiveness and stability of the microbial culture environment. In addition, integrating the heating assembly (heating element 5 and heat insulating block 6) in the second accommodating cavity 103 between the end flanges of the culture tank 1 not only realizes the integration of functional modules, but also greatly saves space resources, which is conducive to the miniaturization and lightweight of the entire microbial test module, and adapts to the strict restrictions on equipment volume and weight in the space environment.

[0122] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8As shown, the culture assembly also includes: a sample holder 8, a pressing frame 9 and a window 10. The sample holder 8 is detachably arranged in the culture tank 1. The sample holder 8 is provided with a fixing hole for fixing the test material sheet on the sample holder 8 by two fixing screws. The fixing screws are M2 screws with gaskets and washers. The test material sheet is a metal or non-metal material sheet. The test microorganism is inoculated on the surface of the test material sheet. The sample holder 8 is provided with a flow gap 801 to facilitate the gas-liquid circulation in the culture tank 1. The pressing frame 9 is detachably connected to the first flange 101 at the top of the culture tank 1. The window 10 is arranged between the first flange 101 at the top of the culture tank 1 and the pressing frame 9. The test microorganism can be Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Bacillus, Micrococcus and / or Pseudomonas.

[0123] In the design of the culture assembly of the embodiment of the utility model, key components such as a sample holder 8, a pressing frame 9 and a viewing window 10 are further introduced.

[0124] The sample holder 8 is detachably mounted inside the culture tank 1, and is provided with fixing holes for stably carrying the test material sheet. The sample holder 8 is also specially designed with a flow gap 801 to ensure that the gas and liquid in the culture tank 1 can flow freely, which is conducive to the full contact between the microorganisms and the nutrient solution and the metabolic activities.

[0125] The compression frame 9 is also detachable and connected to the first flange 101 at the top of the culture tank 1. The compression frame 9 is used to firmly position the window 10 and seal it to ensure the integrity of the culture environment and prevent liquid leakage or gas escape.

[0126] The viewing window 10 is disposed between the first flange 101 at the top of the culture tank 1 and the pressing frame 9, so that researchers can observe the growth of microorganisms on the sample holder 8 and the changes in the entire culture process through the viewing window 10 without opening the device.

[0127] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the window 10 is preferably a polycarbonate window.

[0128] It can be understood that polycarbonate has excellent light transmittance, extremely high impact strength, relatively low density and good weather resistance, and is easy to process into various shapes and sizes to adapt to complex spatial structure requirements, and can improve wear resistance and scratch resistance through surface treatment.

[0129] Therefore, the embodiment of the utility model selects polycarbonate as the window material, which not only meets the visualization requirements during the microbial culture experiment, but also fully considers the strict requirements on materials in the space environment.

[0130] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the culture tank 1 and the clamping frame 9 are preferably made of aluminum alloy, which can significantly reduce the mass of the entire test module and meet the requirements of strict control of the payload weight of the spacecraft.

[0131] In a specific example, threaded holes are respectively provided at the four top corners of the first flange 101 at the top of the culture pool 1, the pressing frame 9 and the window 10, and four M2 screws are used for fastening and assembly. In the actual process, a sealing gasket can be provided at the connection to ensure the sealing of the culture pool 1.

[0132] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Fig. 9 As shown, the interior of the culture pool 1 is provided with a first support column 104 and a second support column 105 which are spaced apart from each other, the first support column 104 is provided with a connecting hole 1041, and the second support column 105 is provided with a liquid inlet channel 1051; the sample holder 8 is located on the first support column 104 and the second support column 105, the sample holder 8 is connected to the connecting hole 1041 of the first support column 104 via a fastener, and the infusion pipeline is connected to the flow gap 801 of the sample holder 8 via the liquid inlet channel 1051 of the second support column 105; and an air outlet hole 106 is provided at the bottom of the culture pool 1, and the air outlet hole 106 is connected to the air outlet pipeline.

[0133] For example, two first support columns 104 and one second support column 105 are respectively located on opposite sides of the culture pool 1 , which is beneficial to improving the stability of the sample bracket 8 .

[0134] Furthermore, the first support column 104 is provided with a connection hole 1041 for fixing the sample holder 8. The sample holder 8 is tightly connected to the first support column 104 by fasteners such as screws to ensure that the sample holder 8 and the test material sheet are stable and immobile during the culture process to avoid movement or flipping due to the influence of the microgravity environment.

[0135] Furthermore, in addition to supporting, the second support column 105 is also provided with a liquid inlet channel 1051, which directly connects the infusion pipeline and the flow gap 801 on the sample holder 8. The culture fluid can be directly delivered to the sample holder 8 from the liquid inlet channel 1051, so that the microorganisms can quickly contact the fresh culture fluid after being inoculated on the surface of the test material sheet, thereby improving the culture efficiency and the possibility of maintaining the activity of the microorganisms.

[0136] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8As shown, the liquid delivery pipeline mainly includes: a liquid inlet pipe, a pump body 11, and a heat-insulating cushion 12. Among them, the liquid inlet pipe is connected to the liquid storage cavity 201 of the culture tank 1 and the storage tank 2 respectively; the pump body 11 is sandwiched in the first accommodating cavity 4 between the culture tank 1 and the storage tank 2, and the pump body 11 is located in the liquid inlet pipe; the heat-insulating cushion 12 is arranged between the pump body 11 and the storage tank 2, that is, located at the bottom of the pump body 11.

[0137] In this way, the infusion pipeline design in this embodiment achieves an organic combination of compact structure, miniaturization and functionality, meeting the requirements of the on-orbit microbial test module for efficiency, precision and safety.

[0138] According to an embodiment of the utility model, the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are latex tubes or silicone tubes, and the pump body 11 is preferably a peristaltic pump.

[0139] In this way, choosing latex tubes or silicone tubes in combination with peristaltic pumps as the liquid inlet and air outlet components in the microbial test module not only achieves efficient and precise liquid transmission control, but also fully considers the special needs under on-orbit experimental conditions.

[0140] In addition, the flow rate of the pump body 11 is set to 3 ml / min with an accuracy of 0.1 ml, and the control of the pump body 11 is achieved through the electrical connector 7.

[0141] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 8 As shown, the infusion pipeline of the utility model also includes: a harness seat 13, the harness seat 13 is clamped on the side of the first accommodating cavity 4 between the second flange 102 at the bottom of the culture tank 1 and the insulation buffer pad 12, and the harness seat 13 is provided with a plurality of first harness holes 131 and second harness holes 132. The first harness holes 131 are used for passing through and fixing the liquid inlet pipe, and the second harness holes 132 are used for passing through and fixing the wires of components such as the temperature sensor, the electrical connector 7, and the pump body 11.

[0142] In this way, the design of the harness seat 13 in the embodiment of the utility model fully reflects the engineering optimization ideas under the space-limited space environment conditions, which not only meets the functional requirements, but also takes into account the lightweight and compact principles required by spacecraft applications.

[0143] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8 As shown, a fixing ring 121 is respectively provided on the left and right sides of the heat-insulating buffer pad 12 , and a liquid inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe are respectively correspondingly passed through the fixing ring 121 .

[0144] Specifically, a first connecting tube 107 and a second connecting tube 108 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the bottom of the culture pool 1. The first connecting tube 107 is connected to the liquid inlet channel 1051 of the second supporting column 105 inside the culture pool 1, and the second connecting tube 108 is connected to the air outlet 106 at the bottom of the culture pool 1; a third connecting tube 202 connected to the liquid storage cavity 201 and a fourth connecting tube 203 connected to the air storage cavity are provided on the storage pool 2; the first connecting tube 107, the left fixing ring 121 and the third connecting tube 202 are correspondingly arranged along the height direction, and the second connecting tube 108, the right fixing ring 121 and the fourth connecting tube 203 are correspondingly arranged along the height direction.

[0145] One end of the liquid inlet pipe is connected to the first connecting pipe 107 at the bottom of the culture tank 1, and the other end of the liquid inlet pipe is passed through the harness seat 13 and the left fixing ring 121, and then connected to the third connecting pipe 202 of the liquid storage chamber 201; one end of the air outlet pipe is connected to the second connecting pipe 108 at the bottom of the culture tank 1, and the other end of the air outlet pipe is passed through the right fixing ring 121, and then connected to the fourth connecting pipe 203 of the air storage chamber.

[0146] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6-Figure 8 As shown, a connecting frame 14 is provided between the thermal insulation buffer pad 12 and the storage pool 2, and the connecting frame 14 is detachably connected to the storage pool 2, and a plurality of connecting columns 109 are provided at intervals on the bottom edge of the culture pool 1, and the connecting columns 109 are detachably connected to the connecting frame 14 via the thermal insulation buffer pad 12, so that a first accommodating cavity 4 can be constructed between the culture pool 1 and the thermal insulation buffer pad 12.

[0147] For example, the four vertices of the heat-insulating cushion 12 are provided with first connection parts 122, the four vertices of the connecting frame 14 are provided with second connection parts 141, the four vertices of the cover 205 of the storage pool 2 are provided with third connection parts 206, and the four vertices of the bottom of the culture pool 1 are provided with connection posts 109. During assembly, the second connection part 141 of the connecting frame 14 is fastened to the third connection part 206 of the cover 205 of the storage pool 2 by screws; at the same time, the second connection part 141 of the connecting frame 14, the first connection part 122 of the heat-insulating cushion 12 and the connection post 109 at the bottom of the culture pool 1 are pierced from bottom to top by screws.

[0148] In this way, this structural design fully takes into account the special requirements of the space environment, ensuring flexible and convenient assembly between components while taking into account thermal management and vibration reduction requirements, which is of significant significance for improving the overall performance of on-orbit microbial experimental equipment.

[0149] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting frame 14 is provided with a plurality of weight-reducing holes 142 to reduce the overall mass.

[0150] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the volume of the storage tank 2 can be 3 ml, and the storage tank 2 includes: a tank body 204 and a cover body 205 detachably connected by four screws, a flip membrane 3 is provided between the tank body 204 and the cover body 205, a liquid storage chamber 201 is formed between the tank body 204 and the flip membrane 3, and an air storage chamber is formed between the cover body 205 and the flip membrane 3.

[0151] In addition, the cell body 204 is provided with a third connecting pipe 202 communicating with the liquid storage chamber 201 , and the cover body 205 is provided with a fourth connecting pipe 203 communicating with the gas storage chamber.

[0152] According to one embodiment of the utility model, the cavity of the culture pool 1 is a cylindrical cavity with an inner diameter of 30 mm and a depth of 20 mm, and is made of aluminum alloy, providing space for microbial culture, and the space volume is about 14 ml, which can accommodate an appropriate amount of microbial culture fluid and test material sheets, meeting the requirements of specific microbial experiments for the culture environment capacity. At the same time, the compact design is also conducive to the miniaturization and integration of the entire microbial test module.

[0153] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 8 As shown, four insulation blocks 6 are provided, respectively disposed at the four vertices of the culture tank 1, and each insulation block 6 is an isosceles trapezoid, the inner side of which is an arc surface adapted to the cylindrical culture tank 1, so that the outer side surface of the insulation block 6 is tangent to the outer wall of the cylindrical culture tank 1 to form a cube.

[0154] This shape design allows the insulation block 6 to fit tightly against the outer wall of the cylindrical culture pool 1, ensuring a good contact area. It can effectively block the impact of the external environment on the temperature inside the culture pool and reduce heat loss. It also prevents the high temperature inside the culture pool 1 from posing potential safety risks to external equipment or astronauts.

[0155] According to one embodiment of the utility model, referring to Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the culture component, transmission component and gas-liquid storage component of the microbial test module of the utility model are stacked in the height direction, and the shape of the overall device is roughly a cuboid of 60mm (length) * 60mm (width) * 900mm (height), that is, the volume is only 324cm 3 , which enables multiple devices to carry out parallel tests simultaneously in a limited space.

[0156] The working principle of the culture unit provided by the utility model is described below in conjunction with specific examples, which generally include:

[0157] 1. Microbial culture experiment process control: Before the microbial culture experiment is started, the inoculated microorganisms are dry spores of microorganisms, which are in a dormant state and have no growth and reproduction. When the culture needs to be started, the culture fluid is used as the activation condition, and the temperature control function is started at the same time. After the microorganisms have the growth conditions, they begin to grow and reproduce.

[0158] 2. Liquid delivery working process: Liquid delivery is powered by a micro peristaltic pump. After the micro peristaltic pump is turned on, the culture liquid flows out of the liquid storage cavity 201 of the storage tank 2 through the liquid inlet tube and the micro peristaltic pump, and finally reaches the cavity of the culture tank 1, providing nutrients for the growth of microorganisms. During the liquid delivery, since the culture tank 1 and the storage tank 2 are sealed structures, the pressure in the cavity of the culture tank 1 will increase, and the gas in the cavity of the culture tank 1 will automatically flow into the gas storage cavity of the storage tank 2 through the gas outlet pipe, compressing the silicone flip membrane to deform and flip, thereby relieving the pressure in the cavity of the culture tank 1 and ensuring the balance of the internal pressure of the entire device. After the test, the storage tank 2 is disassembled, and it can be observed that the silicone flip membrane is completely recessed to one side of the liquid storage cavity 201.

[0159] In summary, the on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload of the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0160] (1) The experimental payload of the utility model has high system integration and high throughput characteristics. It can simultaneously load 3 independent test modules 01, and each test module 01 can load 16 independent culture units. Each culture unit can achieve independent temperature control, with a temperature control range of 25-43°C and an accuracy of ±1°C. Each culture unit can be independently injected with liquid, and the amount of liquid added is adjustable from 0.5 to 3.0 mL, supporting time-sharing injection. Based on this, 48 ​​on-orbit experiments with independent temperature control and independent injection can be carried out simultaneously.

[0161] (2) The experimental payload of the utility model has the function of dynamically monitoring the payload's on-orbit working status and on-orbit experiments. The payload's on-orbit working status, on-orbit experiment progress and on-orbit experiment results can be fed back in a timely manner through telemetry parameters, engineering parameters and image data, guiding the experimenter to set the state of the experimental payload and dynamically adjust the experimental progress. The experimental payload imaging includes static imaging and dynamic imaging. The static imaging resolution is 2464×2056, and the dynamic imaging frame rate is 1fps. At the same time, the dynamic image data can be compressed with a compression ratio of 16:1.

[0162] (3) The experimental payload of the utility model breaks through the technical difficulties of nutrient supply, temperature control, humidity conditions and dynamic control of experimental process required for microbial cultivation experiments under microgravity conditions. Experimental module 01 is loaded with microbial samples, provides nutrient supply, temperature control and humidity conditions required for microbial growth, and replenishes fluid according to experimental needs, realizing dynamic control of the microbial on-orbit experimental process.

[0163] (4) The experimental payload of the utility model has high safety. The test module 01 of the experimental payload adopts a double sealing design. The inner layer meets the liquid tightness requirements and the outer layer meets the air tightness requirements. It can carry out space biological experiments with a biosafety level of BSL2. The experimental payload is designed with a high-temperature sterilization function, and the culture unit can be heated to 100°C. On the one hand, when the risk of microbial experiments is discovered, microorganisms can be killed in an emergency to ensure the safety of the experimental process; on the other hand, microorganisms can be killed during the treatment of experimental waste to ensure the safety of the waste.

[0164] (5) The experimental load of the utility model has high versatility. The experimental load adopts a modular design. The experimental module 01 can be disassembled and installed on the track and meet the uplink and downlink requirements. The electric control module provides a standardized telecommunication interface, with 48-way pump control interface, 48-way temperature control interface and 48-way temperature acquisition interface. The experimental module 01 can be modified according to the experimental needs.

[0165] (6) The experimental payload of the utility model has high reliability. The experimental payload complies with the telecommunication interface of the Chinese space station standard, and the structural design meets the mechanical properties of the payload uplink and payload downlink environments of the Chinese space station. The electromagnetic compatibility design of the experimental payload complies with the manned space engineering standards and space station specifications.

[0166] (7) The experimental payload of the utility model meets the requirements of ergonomics, and the experimental payload is easy for astronauts to operate and has a safe interface.

[0167] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the utility model, rather than to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the utility model.

Claims

1. An on-orbit microbial culture experimental payload, characterized in that: include: A load box body having a box space formed therein; A test module and a monitoring module are both installed in the box space, the test module is composed of a plurality of culture units, and the monitoring module is arranged relative to the test module to capture image data of microorganisms in the culture units; The culture unit comprises a culture tank, a storage tank, a turnover membrane, a liquid infusion pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, wherein the storage tank is connected to the culture tank, and the turnover membrane is arranged in the storage tank to separate the inner cavity of the storage tank into a sealed liquid storage cavity and an air storage cavity; The liquid inlet of the culture pool is connected to the liquid storage cavity via the liquid infusion pipeline, and the gas outlet of the culture pool is connected to the gas storage cavity via the gas outlet pipeline.

2. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 1, characterized in that: A heating element is also provided on the outside of the culture tank, and a pump body is provided on the infusion pipeline; The on-orbit microbial cultivation experiment payload also includes a control module, which is connected to the monitoring module, the heating element and the pump body respectively.

3. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 2, characterized in that: The monitoring module comprises a plurality of cameras and a plurality of apertures, each of the cameras is provided with an aperture, and the cameras and the apertures are both connected to the control module.

4. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 3, characterized in that: The load box is provided with an installation interlayer spanning the box space, and the installation interlayer divides the box space into an installation cavity and a culture cavity; The camera passes through the installation interlayer, the camera body is located in the installation cavity, and the camera head of the camera is located in the culture cavity; the test module is installed in the culture cavity, and the culture unit is arranged opposite to the camera head.

5. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 4, characterized in that: An outer wall surface of the installation interlayer on one side facing the culture chamber forms an installation reference surface, the camera is fixed on the installation reference surface, and all the culture units of the test module are arranged opposite to the installation reference surface.

6. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control module is installed in the interlayer cavity inside the installation interlayer. The installation reference surface is also provided with a fixing hole connected to the interlayer cavity. The control module includes a control end electrical connector for achieving electrical connection, and the control end electrical connector is fixed in the fixing hole.

7. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 4, characterized in that: The test module includes a first test module, a second test module and a third test module; the monitoring module includes a first camera, a second camera and a third camera, and the first camera, the second camera and the third camera are respectively equipped with a first aperture, a second aperture and a third aperture; The first test module, the second test module and the third test module are arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer, and the first camera, the second camera and the third camera are also arranged in sequence along the length direction of the installation interlayer and correspond one-to-one with the first test module, the second test module and the third test module in position.

8. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The control module includes a power distribution computer processing circuit board, a drive control circuit board and a control end electrical connector which are interconnected.

9. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 8, characterized in that: The power distribution computer processing circuit board includes a power distribution unit and a computer processing unit; Wherein, the power distribution unit includes: a fuse circuit, a surge suppression circuit, an EMI filter, a DC / DC converter, a camera power supply circuit and an aperture power supply circuit, and the camera power supply circuit and the aperture power supply circuit are respectively connected to the DC / DC converter; The computer processing unit includes: an FPGA circuit, a CPU circuit, a watchdog circuit, an Ethernet PHY circuit, a camerlink receiver, an SDRAM external memory circuit and an EEPROM storage chip; The CPU circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, the watchdog circuit is connected to the CPU circuit and the FPGA circuit respectively, the Ethernet PHY circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit, the SDRAM external memory circuit is connected to the camerlink receiver and the FPGA circuit respectively, and the EEPROM storage chip is connected to the CPU circuit.

10. The on-orbit microbial cultivation experimental payload according to claim 9, characterized in that: The drive control circuit board comprises: Filter circuit; A pump body driving circuit connected to the FPGA circuit; A heating element control circuit is connected to the FPGA circuit.

Images