Sterile air in-situ detection device for fermentation production

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of fermentation equipment, and discloses an in-situ detection device for sterile air for fermentation production, which comprises a culture tank and an air pipeline, a sterile culture medium is contained in the culture tank, and the sterile culture medium is set to be capable of changing color and / or changing pH value after infectious microbe culture. The air conveying pipeline is arranged between the culture tank and the air sterilization filter and can convey air treated by the air sterilization filter into the culture tank; the air conveying pipeline is provided with an aeration pipe section which extends into the culture tank and is immersed in the sterile culture medium, and a plurality of through holes which are arranged at intervals are formed in the aeration pipe section so that air conveyed by the air conveying pipeline can be dispersed into the sterile culture medium; the in-situ detection device provided by the utility model can be used for quickly and effectively detecting whether sterile air is contaminated or not, so that the adverse effect of the contaminated air on subsequent fermentation production is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fermentation equipment technology, and specifically to an in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production. Background Technology

[0002] In aerobic fermentation processes involving microorganisms, large quantities of sterile air are typically used to supply the oxygen required for microbial growth and respiration. Current methods for preparing sterile air generally involve filtering the air before compression, then feeding it into an air compressor. The air exiting the compressor typically has a pressure of 2.0 kg / cm². 2 The process involves first cooling the air to a suitable temperature (close to or reaching the dew point temperature: 20-25℃) to remove oil and water, then heating it to approximately 50℃. Finally, the air passes through a main air filter and a secondary filter (for sterilization) to obtain sterile air that meets the process requirements in terms of cleanliness, pressure, temperature, and flow rate. However, with prolonged use, a large number of bacteria may accumulate on the surface of the secondary filter used for sterilization. Improper operation or equipment malfunctions, such as filter deformation or embrittlement, can increase the risk of "filtration failure," leading to contamination of the sterile air and consequently affecting the stability of microbial fermentation production.

[0003] Those skilled in the art have found in practice that the effects of microbial contamination in sterile air are delayed. Often, by the time it is discovered, large-scale microbial contamination has already occurred in the microbial fermenter, which can easily cause huge economic losses. Therefore, how to detect whether there is microbial contamination in sterile air as early as possible is a technical problem that those skilled in the art urgently need to solve. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem that existing technologies cannot detect the contamination of sterile air in a timely manner, which can easily lead to large-scale contamination in microbial fermenters and cause huge economic losses. This invention provides an in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production. This in-situ detection device can detect whether there is contamination in sterile air in a timely manner, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of contaminated air on the microbial fermentation system.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides an in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production, comprising:

[0006] An incubation tank containing a sterile culture medium configured to cause discoloration and / or pH change after culturing contaminating microorganisms; and

[0007] An air supply pipeline is provided between the culture tank and the air sterilization filter, and is capable of supplying air treated by the air sterilization filter to the culture tank.

[0008] The gas supply pipe has an aeration section that extends into the culture tank and is submerged in the sterile culture medium. The aeration section is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart through holes to disperse the air supplied by the gas supply pipe into the sterile culture medium.

[0009] Preferably, the aeration pipe section extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank and extends vertically; or

[0010] The aeration pipe section extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank and spirals upwards along the height of the culture tank.

[0011] Preferably, the upper end of the culture tank is connected to an exhaust pipe for discharging gas from the culture tank.

[0012] Preferably, the end of the exhaust pipe furthest from the culture tank is connected to an air extraction assembly, which is used to extract gas from the culture tank.

[0013] Preferably, the culture tank is provided with a feed inlet for introducing the sterile culture medium into the culture tank; the bottom of the culture tank is connected to a drain pipe for discharging the material in the culture tank.

[0014] Preferably, the outside of the culture tank is covered with a temperature control device, which is used to control the culture temperature inside the culture tank.

[0015] Preferably, a first regulating valve is provided on the gas transmission pipeline, which is used to control the air flow rate in the gas transmission pipeline.

[0016] Preferably, when the sterile culture medium is configured to exhibit a pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria, the in-situ detection device further includes a pH electrode and a measurement and analysis system. The pH electrode is configured to contact the sterile culture medium in the culture tank, and the measurement and analysis system is electrically connected to the pH electrode and is capable of analyzing the electrical signal emitted by the pH electrode to detect the pH value of the sterile culture medium.

[0017] Preferably, the in-situ detection device further includes:

[0018] A sterile culture medium storage tank, used for preparing and temporarily storing sterile culture media; and

[0019] A conveying pipeline is provided between the sterile culture medium storage tank and the culture tank for conveying sterile culture medium from the sterile culture medium storage tank to the culture tank. A first control valve is provided on the conveying pipeline for controlling the opening and closing of the conveying pipeline.

[0020] Preferably, the bottom of the sterile culture medium storage tank is provided with a discharge pipe, and a second control valve is provided on the discharge pipe to control the opening and closing of the discharge pipe; the top of the sterile culture medium storage tank is provided with a vent pipe to introduce compressed air into the sterile culture medium storage tank.

[0021] The above technical solution utilizes a culture tank to hold sterile culture medium. This sterile culture medium is characterized by discoloration and / or pH changes after culturing contaminating bacteria. Air, treated by an air sterilization filter, is delivered to the culture tank via an air supply pipeline. If the sterile culture medium in the culture tank shows discoloration and / or pH changes after a period of time, it indicates that the sterile air delivered to the culture tank via the air supply pipeline is contaminated. In other words, the in-situ detection device provided by this invention can detect whether sterile air is contaminated, reducing the adverse effects of contaminated air on the microbial fermentation system.

[0022] Furthermore, in this invention, the gas delivery pipe has an aeration section that extends into the culture tank and is submerged in the sterile culture medium. Multiple spaced-apart through-holes on the aeration section allow the air delivered by the gas delivery pipe to disperse within the sterile culture medium. If the air delivered by the gas delivery pipe carries bacteria, it can disperse at multiple points within the sterile culture medium. After a short period of reproduction, it can significantly alter the properties of the culture medium, such as color or pH changes. This allows operators to easily detect and confirm whether the sterile air is contaminated. In other words, the in-situ detection device provided by this invention ensures that contaminated air can be detected quickly, improving detection efficiency and effectively reducing the adverse effects of contaminated air on subsequent fermentation production.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the in-situ detection device provided by this utility model, since the culture tank is directly connected to the air sterilization filter through the gas supply pipe, it is possible to realize online detection of the sterile air obtained by the air sterilization filter. This allows for real-time confirmation of whether the sterile air input into the subsequent culture system is contaminated. In other words, it enables online and continuous detection and identification. Once contamination of the sterile air is detected, the operator can take appropriate measures in a timely manner to avoid the contamination of the sterile air from causing damage to the subsequent culture system. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an in-situ detection device for sterile air in fermentation production provided by this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another aeration pipe section provided by this utility model inside the culture tank;

[0026] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a structure that integrates a sewage pipe and a gas transmission pipe, as provided by this utility model.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a discharge pipe and a conveying pipe are integrated together, as provided by this utility model.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0029] 10. Culture tank; 11. Exhaust pipe; 12. Feed inlet; 13. Sewage pipe; 131. Sewage valve; 20. Air supply pipe; 21. Aeration pipe section; 22. First regulating valve; 23. Second regulating valve; 30. Air sterilization filter; 40. pH electrode; 50. Aseptic storage tank for culture medium; 51. Feeding pipe; 511. First control valve; 512. Third control valve; 52. Discharge pipe; 521. Second control valve; 53. Ventilation pipe; 60. Pre-filter. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0031] Combination Figure 1 As shown, this utility model provides an in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production, including a culture tank 10 and an air supply pipe 20. The culture tank 10 contains a sterile culture medium, which is configured to cause discoloration and / or pH changes after culturing contaminating bacteria.

[0032] The gas supply pipe 20 is disposed between the culture tank 10 and the air sterilization filter 30, and is capable of supplying the air treated by the air sterilization filter 30 to the culture tank 10; wherein, the gas supply pipe 20 has an aeration pipe section 21 extending into the culture tank 10 and immersed in the sterile culture medium, and the aeration pipe section 21 is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart through holes to disperse the air supplied by the gas supply pipe 20 into the sterile culture medium.

[0033] In the technical solution provided by this utility model, a culture tank 10 is used to hold a sterile culture medium. The sterile culture medium is characterized by discoloration and / or pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria. Air treated by an air sterilization filter 30 is delivered to the culture tank 10 through an air supply pipe 20. If the sterile culture medium in the culture tank 10 discolors and / or changes pH after a period of time, it indicates that the sterile air delivered to the culture tank 10 by the air supply pipe 20 is contaminated. At this time, the air supply from the air sterilization filter 30 to the fermenter should be stopped as soon as possible to avoid large-scale contamination in the fermenter. At the same time, the air sterilization filter 30 should be inspected to solve the problem that the compressed air after filtration still carries bacteria.

[0034] Furthermore, in the technical solution provided by this utility model, since the gas supply pipe 20 has an aeration pipe section 21 extending into the culture tank 10 and immersed in the sterile culture medium, and multiple spaced through holes are provided on the aeration pipe section 21, the air supplied by the gas supply pipe 20 can be dispersed in the sterile culture medium. If the air supplied by the gas supply pipe 20 is contaminated, it can be dispersed at multiple points in the sterile culture medium. After a short period of reproduction, it can significantly change the properties of the culture medium, such as color change or pH change, so that the operator can easily detect and confirm whether the sterile air is contaminated. That is, through the in-situ detection device provided by this utility model, it is ensured that contaminated air can be detected quickly, improving detection efficiency and effectively reducing the adverse effects of contaminated air on subsequent fermentation production.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the in-situ detection device provided by this utility model, since the culture tank 10 is directly connected to the air sterilization filter 30 through the air supply pipe 20, it is possible to realize online detection of the sterile air processed by the air sterilization filter 30, so as to confirm in real time whether there is a problem of contamination in the sterile air that is about to be input into the subsequent culture system. That is, online and continuous detection and identification are realized. Once a problem of contamination in the sterile air is found, the operator can take corresponding measures in time to avoid the contamination of the sterile air from causing damage to the subsequent culture system.

[0036] In this invention, the sterile culture medium can be any suitable medium that can cause discoloration or pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria. In some embodiments, the sterile culture medium is phenol red broth medium, specifically composed of: 10 g / L peptone, 5 g / L sodium chloride, 1 g / L beef extract, 5 g / L glucose, and 0.018 g / L phenol red. After mixing the above components, the pH is adjusted to 7.5 ± 0.1 with sodium hydroxide. The sterile culture medium provided by this invention can meet the nutritional needs of various bacteria during their growth. During the growth and reproduction of bacteria, the fermentation of glucose produces acid, causing the phenol red to change from red to yellow, thus making the results intuitive and easy to judge. The sterile culture medium provided by this invention also has the advantages of simple preparation method and controllable cost.

[0037] It is understood that the present invention enables the contaminated air delivered by the air supply pipe 20 to the culture tank 10 to be distributed at multiple points in the sterile culture medium through the setting of the aeration pipe section 21. The oxygen carried by the contaminated air can also be evenly dispersed in the sterile culture medium. Thus, after a short period of reproduction, the properties of the sterile culture medium can be significantly changed, allowing operators to quickly identify the contamination problem of the air, thereby improving the detection efficiency of contaminated air.

[0038] In this invention, the aeration tube section 21 can be immersed in the sterile culture medium in any suitable form. In some embodiments, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the aeration pipe section 21 extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank 10 and extends vertically.

[0039] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 As shown, the aeration pipe section 21 extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank 10 and spirals upwards along the height direction of the culture tank 10. It can be understood that by setting the aeration pipe section 21 to spiral upwards along the height direction of the culture tank 10, the contact area between the aeration pipe section 21 and the sterile culture medium is significantly increased. If the sterile air delivered by the air supply pipe 20 is contaminated, bacteria in the sterile air can quickly and fully contact the sterile culture medium and multiply, thereby changing the properties of the sterile culture medium in a shorter time, allowing operators to quickly determine if the sterile air is contaminated.

[0040] In some embodiments, the upper end of the culture tank 10 is connected to an exhaust pipe 11 for discharging gas from the culture tank 10. It is understood that by connecting the exhaust pipe 11 to discharge gas from the culture tank 10, pressure balance within the culture tank 10 is ensured.

[0041] Furthermore, an air extraction assembly is connected to the end of the exhaust pipe 11 that is away from the culture tank 10, and the air extraction assembly is used to extract the gas inside the culture tank 10.

[0042] It is understandable that by setting up an air extraction assembly to extract air from the culture tank 10, a negative pressure atmosphere can be generated inside the culture tank 10, thereby improving the efficiency of dispersing air into the sterile culture medium through the gas supply pipe 20 and the aeration pipe section 21. This invention does not impose any special limitations on the air extraction assembly; for example, the air extraction assembly may include an air pump, and the end of the exhaust pipe 11 furthest from the culture tank 10 is connected to the air intake of the air pump. When the air pump is running, the gas in the culture tank 10 is extracted outward through the exhaust pipe 11 to maintain its internal and external pressure balance. Furthermore, to facilitate control of the air extraction flow rate, a flow controller is also provided on the exhaust pipe 11.

[0043] In some embodiments, the culture tank 10 is provided with a feed inlet 12 for introducing the sterile culture medium into the culture tank 10.

[0044] Understandably, when the properties of the sterile culture medium in the culture tank 10 change, such as discoloration or pH change, it indicates that bacteria in the air have multiplied in the sterile culture medium. The sterile culture medium needs to be removed and replaced with new sterile culture medium before the air supplied by the air supply pipe 20 can be retested for contamination. In some embodiments, a drain pipe 13 is connected to the bottom of the culture tank 10 for discharging the material from the culture tank 10; it is understood that a drain valve 131 is provided on the drain pipe 13 to control its opening and closing.

[0045] In this invention, to improve the detection efficiency of whether sterile air is contaminated, the conditions in the culture tank 10 should be ensured to allow bacteria and microorganisms to multiply rapidly, thereby significantly altering the properties of the sterile culture medium in a short time, allowing operators to observe this and thus draw a conclusion about whether the sterile air is contaminated. Therefore, in some embodiments, the culture tank 10 is externally covered with a temperature control device, which is used to control the culture temperature inside the culture tank 10.

[0046] For example, based on the inventors' experience, airborne bacteria have a significant impact on some common fermentation projects. Once they become the dominant strain in the fermenter, they can greatly affect the growth and development of the required microorganisms for the fermentation project. In this case, the culture temperature inside the culture tank 10 can be maintained at the temperature required for bacterial growth, such as 30°C-40°C, by a temperature control device covering the outside of the culture tank 10. If the sterile air supplied by the gas supply pipe 20 is contaminated, this suitable temperature environment can promote the rapid reproduction of bacteria and achieve a significant change in the properties of the sterile culture medium in a short period of time, allowing operators to detect the contamination problem of the sterile air as early as possible.

[0047] In some embodiments, a first regulating valve 22 is provided on the gas pipeline 20, and the first regulating valve 22 is used to control the air flow rate in the gas pipeline 20.

[0048] Please see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the drain pipe 13 is integrated into the gas supply pipe 20. Specifically, a second regulating valve 23 is provided on the gas supply pipe 20 near the culture tank 10 on the side of the first regulating valve 22. A drain pipe 13 with a drain valve 131 is connected to the gas supply pipe 20 between the second regulating valve 23 and the first regulating valve 22. When the culture tank 10 is in the culture process, both the first regulating valve 22 and the second regulating valve 23 are in the open state, and the drain valve 131 is in the closed state. Sterile air is continuously supplied to the culture tank 10 through the gas supply pipe 20. When the culture is completed and the material in the culture tank 10 needs to be discharged, the second regulating valve 23 and the drain valve 131 are in the open state, the first regulating valve 22 is in the closed state, and the material in the culture tank 10 is discharged through the drain pipe 13.

[0049] In some embodiments, when the sterile culture medium is configured to exhibit a pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria, the in-situ detection device further includes a pH electrode 40 and a measurement and analysis system. The pH electrode 40 is configured to contact the sterile culture medium within the culture tank 10. The measurement and analysis system is electrically connected to the pH electrode 40 and is capable of analyzing the electrical signal emitted by the pH electrode 40 to detect the pH value of the sterile culture medium.

[0050] In some embodiments, the in-situ detection device further includes a sterile culture medium storage tank 50 and a conveying pipeline 51. The sterile culture medium storage tank 50 is used to prepare and temporarily store sterile culture medium. The conveying pipeline 51 is disposed between the sterile culture medium storage tank 50 and the culture tank 10 and is used to convey the sterile culture medium in the sterile culture medium storage tank 50 to the culture tank 10. A first control valve 511 is provided on the conveying pipeline 51 to control the opening and closing of the conveying pipeline 51.

[0051] In some embodiments, a discharge pipe 52 is provided at the bottom of the aseptic culture medium storage tank 50, and a second control valve 521 is provided on the discharge pipe 52 to control the opening and closing of the discharge pipe 52; a vent pipe 53 is provided at the top of the aseptic culture medium storage tank 50 to introduce compressed air into the aseptic culture medium storage tank 50.

[0052] In practical use, first disinfect and sterilize the culture medium sterile storage tank 50 and the culture tank 10. Then, close the second control valve 521 on the discharge pipe 52 and open the first control valve 511 on the conveying pipe 51. Introduce compressed air into the culture medium sterile storage tank 50 through the vent pipe 53. Use the compressed air to force the sterile culture medium in the culture medium sterile storage tank 50 into the culture tank 10. Stop when the sterile culture medium reaches 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the liquid level in the culture tank 10. Then close the first control valve 511 and open the second control valve 521 to discharge the residual sterile culture medium in the culture medium sterile storage tank 50. Rinse it clean and disinfect it for the next use.

[0053] Please see Figure 4 In some embodiments, the conveying pipe 51 and the discharging pipe 52 can also be integrated together. Specifically, a third control valve 512 is provided on the conveying pipe 51 near the sterile culture medium storage tank 50 of the first control valve 511, and a discharging pipe 52 with a second control valve 521 is connected to the conveying pipe 51 between the third control valve 512 and the first control valve 511.

[0054] Please see Figure 1 In existing sterile air preparation systems for fermentation production, compressed air first passes through a pre-filter 60 to remove dust and other impurities, and then through an air sterilization filter 30 to remove bacteria and other microorganisms. The resulting sterile air is then piped to the fermenter for aerobic fermentation by microorganisms. The in-situ detection device provided by this invention can be directly connected to the sterile air preparation system for fermentation production. Specifically, it connects to an output port of the air sterilization filter 30 via an air supply pipe 20, introducing the treated sterile air into the culture tank 10. When contamination occurs in the sterile air, it is observed by the operator through discoloration of the sterile culture medium and / or a change in pH value within the culture tank 10, thus detecting whether the sterile air is contaminated. The detection operation of the in-situ detection device provided by this invention is unaffected by the fermentation system, enabling continuous culture and online identification of whether the sterile air is contaminated.

[0055] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately. However, these simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production, characterized in that, include: A culture tank (10) containing a sterile culture medium, wherein the sterile culture medium is configured to cause discoloration and / or pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria, and the sterile culture medium includes phenol red broth medium. and An air supply pipe (20) is provided between the culture tank (10) and the air sterilization filter (30), and is capable of supplying the air treated by the air sterilization filter (30) to the culture tank (10); The gas supply pipe (20) has an aeration pipe section (21) extending into the culture tank (10) and immersed in the sterile culture medium. The aeration pipe section (21) is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart through holes to disperse the air supplied by the gas supply pipe (20) into the sterile culture medium.

2. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aeration pipe section (21) extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank (10) and extends vertically; or The aeration pipe section (21) extends from the middle of the bottom of the culture tank (10) and spirals upward along the height direction of the culture tank (10).

3. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the culture tank (10) is connected to an exhaust pipe (11) for discharging the gas in the culture tank (10).

4. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end of the exhaust pipe (11) away from the culture tank (10) is connected to an air extraction assembly, which is used to extract gas from the culture tank (10).

5. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The culture tank (10) is provided with a feed inlet (12) for introducing the sterile culture medium into the culture tank (10); the bottom of the culture tank (10) is connected to a drain pipe (13) for discharging the material in the culture tank (10).

6. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outside of the culture tank (10) is covered with a temperature control device, which is used to control the culture temperature inside the culture tank (10).

7. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first regulating valve (22) is provided on the gas transmission pipeline (20), and the first regulating valve (22) is used to control the air flow rate in the gas transmission pipeline (20).

8. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the sterile culture medium is configured to exhibit a pH change after culturing contaminating bacteria, the in-situ detection device further includes a pH electrode (40) and a measurement and analysis system. The pH electrode (40) is configured to contact the sterile culture medium in the culture tank (10). The measurement and analysis system is electrically connected to the pH electrode (40) and can analyze the electrical signal emitted by the pH electrode (40) to detect the pH value of the sterile culture medium.

9. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The in-situ detection device further includes: A sterile culture medium storage tank (50) for preparing and temporarily storing sterile culture media; and The conveying pipe (51) is located between the sterile culture medium storage tank (50) and the culture tank (10) for conveying sterile culture medium in the sterile culture medium storage tank (50) to the culture tank (10). The conveying pipe (51) is provided with a first control valve (511) for controlling the opening and closing of the conveying pipe (51).

10. The in-situ detection device for sterile air used in fermentation production according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bottom of the sterile culture medium storage tank (50) is provided with a discharge pipe (52), and a second control valve (521) is provided on the discharge pipe (52) to control the opening and closing of the discharge pipe (52); the top of the sterile culture medium storage tank (50) is provided with a ventilation pipe (53) to introduce compressed air into the sterile culture medium storage tank (50).

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