Low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function

Abstract

The utility model discloses a low temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function relates to fermentation tank technical field, include: support, jar body, control box, aeration system, jacket, coil heat exchanger, stirring device and sensor assembly etc., the utility model discloses through the jacket and the double cooling system of coil heat exchanger can be in the fermentation heat production peak period such as logarithmic growth period quick start coil cooling, and the jacket is responsible for basic cooling, and the coil is supplementary, avoids the cooling delay problem of traditional single path only jacket or only internal coil, and then through low -speed drive motor reduction stirring speed can significantly reduce fluid shear force, avoid the microbial cell membrane rupture such as mammalian cell, filamentous fungi caused by high -speed stirring, improve the living bacteria rate and product yield, finally through the sensor deployment in the inner container inner wall different height and orientation, real -time monitoring jar body upper, middle, lower each layer temperature, avoid the local overheating or supercooling caused by the uneven heat distribution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fermentation tank technology, specifically a low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function. Background Technology

[0002] Protein powder, as a high-value-added nutritional product, is widely used in sports health care, medical diet and functional food fields. Its production usually relies on microbial fermentation technology, such as using lactic acid bacteria, yeast and other bacteria to enzymatically hydrolyze and modify whey or plant proteins to improve protein purity, solubility and biological activity. However, the fermentation process of protein powder is extremely sensitive to temperature. Against this backdrop, low-temperature fermentation tanks have become the core equipment for protein powder production. For example, CN221644952U describes a low-temperature enzymatic fermentation tank, which includes a tank body, a temperature control tube, and a bottom cover. The tank body has an upward-opening receiving cavity and an insulation cavity, and a recessed heating cavity is provided at the bottom of the tank body. A sealing cover for sealing is provided at the opening of the insulation cavity. The temperature control tube is located in the insulation cavity, and both ends of the temperature control tube pass through the insulation cavity of the tank body. However, this technical solution still has some technical problems. The temperature control accuracy is insufficient. When the central area of ​​the tank suddenly generates heat due to the metabolism of the microbial community, the cooling system cannot respond quickly. Traditional stirring devices are prone to causing the mycelium of filamentous fungi to break or the cell membrane of mammals to rupture, reducing the viability rate and the yield of target protein. Alternatively, the data on CO2 concentration, dissolved oxygen, and temperature are not integrated and analyzed, making it difficult to dynamically determine the fermentation stage. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function, comprising: a support at the bottom, a tank body fixed on the support, a feed inlet at the top of the outer side of the tank body, a discharge outlet at the bottom, a control box fixed on the side wall, a tank cover on the feed inlet, the tank cover being sealed to the feed inlet via a flange, a ventilation system on the left side of the feed inlet, the tank body comprising, from the outside to the inside, an outer shell, an insulation layer, and an inner liner, a jacket between the insulation layer and the inner liner, the jacket being a spiral structure surrounding the outer wall of the inner liner, a coil heat exchanger inside the inner liner, the coil heat exchanger being a spiral coil close to the inner wall of the inner liner and fixed to the inner liner via a heat exchanger support, a stirring device and a sensor assembly inside the inner liner, and the control box being electrically connected to the ventilation system, the jacket, the coil heat exchanger, the stirring device, and the sensor assembly.

[0005] Furthermore, the jacket includes: a jacket cold medium inlet and a jacket cold medium outlet at both ends; a cold medium circulation water tank is provided outside the tank body; the jacket cold medium inlet and the jacket cold medium outlet extend from the side of the tank body to the surface of the tank body and are connected to the cold medium circulation water tank through a jacket cold medium pipeline; and a jacket solenoid valve is provided on the jacket cold medium pipeline.

[0006] Furthermore, the coil heat exchanger includes: a heat exchanger cooling water inlet and a heat exchanger cooling water outlet at both ends; an auxiliary cooling circulating water tank is provided outside the tank body; the heat exchanger cooling water inlet and the heat exchanger cooling water outlet extend from the top of the tank body to the surface of the tank body and are connected to the auxiliary cooling circulating water tank through a heat exchanger cooling water pipe; and a heat exchanger solenoid valve is provided on the heat exchanger cooling water pipe.

[0007] Furthermore, the ventilation system includes: a gas inlet at the top of the tank, a gas storage tank on the outside, a gas pipe on the gas storage tank, the other end of the gas pipe passing through the gas inlet and extending into the bottom of the inner liner, and a gas nozzle at the end of the gas pipe, and a gas flow regulating valve on the gas pipe near the gas storage tank.

[0008] Furthermore, the stirring device includes: a drive motor is provided at the bottom of the tank, a stirring rod is connected to the output end of the drive motor, the stirring rod penetrates vertically through the inner liner, the upper end is fixed to the top of the inner liner through a bearing seat, and a stirring paddle is provided on the stirring rod.

[0009] Preferably, the sensor assembly includes: multiple temperature sensors distributed at multiple points on the inner wall of the inner liner; a pH sensor and a dissolved oxygen sensor provided in the middle of the inner liner; and a CO2 sensor provided at the top of the inner liner near the feed inlet.

[0010] Preferably, the drive motor is a low-speed motor with a rotational speed of 50-200 rpm, and the stirring paddle is a fan-shaped blade with an inclination angle of 30°-45°.

[0011] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model increases the contact area with the outer wall of the inner liner through the spiral structure of the jacket. As the cold medium flows along the spiral path, the heat exchange time is extended, allowing for uniform absorption of heat from the outer wall of the inner liner. This avoids the uneven heating and cooling phenomenon of traditional annular jackets. The coil heat exchanger is in close contact with the inner wall of the inner liner and directly contacts the fermentation liquid, enabling rapid absorption of localized heat. It is particularly suitable for immediate cooling when the temperature in the central area of ​​the inner liner is too high. The jacket is responsible for basic cooling, while the coil serves as an auxiliary supplement. The control box dynamically adjusts the flow rate of the cold medium in both systems through sensor feedback, achieving high-precision temperature control within ±0.5℃. This meets the fermentation needs of temperature-sensitive microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast. The dual cooling system can quickly activate coil cooling during peak heat production periods such as the logarithmic growth phase, avoiding the cooling delay problem of traditional single-path systems that rely solely on the jacket or internal coils. Short temperature fluctuation cycles enhance fermentation stability. Furthermore, using a low-speed drive motor to reduce stirring speed significantly decreases fluid shear force, preventing microbial cell membrane rupture (such as in mammalian cells and filamentous fungi) caused by high-speed stirring, thus improving viability and product yield. The tilted blades, rotating at low speed, create a gentle axial and radial mixing flow, promoting uniform mixing of the fermentation broth and reducing mechanical damage to the cells from localized turbulence. Finally, sensors deployed at different heights and orientations on the inner wall of the tank monitor the temperature of the upper, middle, and lower layers in real time, preventing localized overheating or undercooling due to uneven heat distribution. The combined data from pH, dissolved oxygen, and CO2 sensors comprehensively reflects the fermentation metabolic state. The control box automatically adjusts cooling, aeration, and stirring parameters through multi-sensor data fusion, forming a closed-loop control system, reducing human intervention errors and improving the repeatability of the fermentation process. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ventilation system structure of this utility model;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the jacket and coil heat exchanger structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the stirring device of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sensor assembly structure of this utility model;

[0017] In the diagram: 1. Support frame; 2. Tank body; 3. Inlet; 4. Outlet; 5. Control box; 6. Tank cover; 7. Ventilation system; 8. Jacket; 9. Coil heat exchanger; 10. Heat exchanger support frame; 11. Stirring device; 12. Sensor assembly; 201. Outer shell; 202. Insulation layer; 203. Inner liner; 701. Gas inlet; 702. Gas storage tank; 703. Gas pipeline; 704. Gas nozzle; 705. Gas flow regulating valve; 801. Jacketed cold medium inlet; 802. Jacketed cold medium... 803. Cooling medium circulating water tank; 804. Jacketed cooling medium pipeline; 805. Jacketed solenoid valve; 901. Heat exchanger cooling water inlet; 902. Heat exchanger cooling water outlet; 903. Auxiliary cooling circulating water tank; 904. Heat exchanger cooling water pipeline; 905. Heat exchanger solenoid valve; 1101. Drive motor; 1102. Stirring rod; 1103. Stirring paddle; 1201. Temperature sensor; 1202. pH sensor; 1203. Dissolved oxygen sensor; 1204. CO2 sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this utility model, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 1-5 This utility model provides a low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function, including: a support 1 at the bottom, a tank body 2 fixed on the support 1, a feed inlet 3 at the top of the outer side of the tank body 2, a discharge outlet 4 at the bottom, a control box 5 fixed on the side wall, a tank cover 6 on the feed inlet 3, the tank cover 6 being sealed to the feed inlet 3 by a flange, a ventilation system 7 on the left side of the feed inlet 3, and the tank body 2 including, from the outside to the inside, an outer shell 201, an insulation layer 202, and an inner liner 203. A jacket 8 is provided between 02 and the inner liner 203. The jacket 8 is a spiral structure that surrounds the outer wall of the inner liner 203. A coil heat exchanger 9 is provided inside the inner liner 203. The coil heat exchanger 9 is a spiral coil that is close to the inner wall of the inner liner 203 and is fixed to the inner liner 203 by a heat exchanger bracket 10. A stirring device 11 and a sensor assembly 12 are also provided inside the inner liner 203. The control box 5 is electrically connected to the ventilation system 7, the jacket 8, the coil heat exchanger 9, the stirring device 11, and the sensor assembly 12.

[0020] The jacket 8 includes: a jacketed cold medium inlet 801 and a jacketed cold medium outlet 802 at both ends; a cold medium circulating water tank 803 is provided outside the tank body 2; the jacketed cold medium inlet 801 and the jacketed cold medium outlet 802 extend from the side of the tank body 2 to the surface of the tank body 2, and are connected to the cold medium circulating water tank 803 through a jacketed cold medium pipeline 804; a jacketed solenoid valve 805 is provided on the jacketed cold medium pipeline 804.

[0021] The coil heat exchanger 9 includes: a heat exchanger cooling water inlet 901 and a heat exchanger cooling water outlet 902 at both ends; an auxiliary cooling circulating water tank 903 is provided outside the tank body 2; the heat exchanger cooling water inlet 901 and the heat exchanger cooling water outlet 902 extend from the top of the tank body 2 to the surface of the tank body 2, and are connected to the auxiliary cooling circulating water tank 903 through a heat exchanger cooling water pipe 904; and a heat exchanger solenoid valve 905 is provided on the heat exchanger cooling water pipe 904.

[0022] The ventilation system 7 includes: a gas inlet 701 at the top of the tank body 2, a gas storage tank 702 on the outside, a gas pipe 703 on the gas storage tank 702, the other end of the gas pipe 703 passing through the gas inlet 701 and extending into the bottom of the inner liner 203, and a gas nozzle 704 at the end of the gas pipe 703, and a gas flow regulating valve 705 on the gas pipe 703 near the gas storage tank 702.

[0023] The ventilation system 7 includes: a gas inlet 701 at the top of the tank body 2, a gas storage tank 702 on the outside, a gas pipe 703 on the gas storage tank 702, the other end of the gas pipe 703 passing through the gas inlet 701 and extending into the bottom of the inner liner 203, and a gas nozzle 704 at the end of the gas pipe 703, and a gas flow regulating valve 705 on the gas pipe 703 near the gas storage tank 702.

[0024] The stirring device 11 includes: a drive motor 1101 is provided at the bottom of the tank body 2, and a stirring rod 1102 is connected to the output end of the drive motor 1101. The stirring rod 1102 penetrates vertically through the inner liner 203, and its upper end is fixed to the top of the inner liner 203 through a bearing seat. A stirring paddle 1103 is provided on the stirring rod 1102.

[0025] The sensor assembly 12 includes: multiple temperature sensors 1201 distributed at multiple points on the inner wall of the inner liner 203; a pH sensor 1202 and a dissolved oxygen sensor 1203 provided in the middle of the inner liner 203; and a CO2 sensor 1204 provided at the top of the inner liner 203 near the feed inlet.

[0026] The drive motor 1101 is a low-speed motor with a rotation speed of 50-200 rpm, and the stirring paddle 1103 has fan-shaped blades with an inclination angle of 30°-45°.

[0027] When using this invention, first open the tank lid 6, and add fermentation raw materials such as inoculum and culture medium into the inner liner 203 through the feed inlet 3. Close the tank lid 6 and seal it with the flange to ensure that the inside of the tank 2 is in a sterile and sealed environment. The control box 5 starts a self-test program to check the initial state of the sensor assembly 12 and the equipment. The multi-point temperature sensor 1201 on the inner wall of the inner liner 203 monitors the temperature at different locations in real time, and the data is fed back to the control box 5. The control box 5 adjusts the opening of the jacketed solenoid valve 805 according to the temperature data. The cold medium flows from the cold medium circulation tank 803 through the jacketed cold medium inlet 8. 01 Enters the spiral jacket 8, flows spirally along the outer wall of the inner liner 203, absorbs heat from the inner liner, and returns to the water tank from the jacket's cold medium outlet 802, forming an external circulation cooling. If the jacket cooling is insufficient, such as when the center temperature of the inner liner is too high, the control box 5 starts the auxiliary cooling circulation water tank 903 and opens the heat exchanger solenoid valve 905. Cooling water enters the coil heat exchanger 9 through the heat exchanger cooling water inlet 901. The coils are spirally distributed close to the inner wall of the inner liner 203, directly contacting the fermentation liquid to enhance local rapid cooling. The cooling water returns to the auxiliary water tank from the heat exchanger cooling water outlet 902. The jacket is responsible for basic cooling, and the coils act as... To supplement the cooling, control box 5 dynamically adjusts the flow rate of the cooling medium in the jacket and coil using an intelligent algorithm, achieving precise temperature control of ±0.5℃. Based on data from dissolved oxygen sensor 1203, control box 5 adjusts gas flow regulating valve 705 to deliver gas, such as oxygen, nitrogen, or a mixture of gases, from gas storage tank 702 to the bottom of inner liner 203 via gas pipeline 703. The gas is dispersed into microbubbles by gas nozzle 704 and evenly distributed in the fermentation broth. CO2 sensor 1204 monitors the CO2 concentration produced during fermentation. Control box 5, combined with data from pH sensor 1202, determines the fermentation progress. If necessary, adjust the aeration rate or switch the gas type. Drive motor 1101 drives stirring rod 1102 to rotate, and fan-shaped stirring paddle 1103 pushes the fermentation liquid at an angle of 30°-45°. This promotes heat exchange between the cold medium and the fermentation liquid, eliminates temperature stratification, and enhances the dissolution efficiency of gas in the liquid. The low-speed drive motor 1101 avoids shear damage to microbial cells caused by high-speed stirring. After fermentation is completed, control box 5 stops the cooling, stirring and aeration systems, opens the bottom outlet 4 to discharge the fermentation products, and injects cleaning agent through inlet 3. Then, the stirring device 11 is started to clean the inside of the tank.

[0028] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that all other embodiments obtained by making various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention and without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function, characterized in that, include: A support (1) is provided at the bottom, and a tank body (2) is fixed on the support (1). A feed inlet (3) is provided at the top of the outer side of the tank body (2), and a discharge outlet (4) is provided at the bottom. A control box (5) is fixed on the side wall. A tank cover (6) is provided on the feed inlet (3). The tank cover (6) is sealed to the feed inlet (3) through a flange. A ventilation system (7) is provided on the left side of the feed inlet (3). The tank body (2) includes an outer shell (201), a heat insulation layer (202), and an inner liner (203) from the outside to the inside. A space is provided between the heat insulation layer (202) and the inner liner (203). The jacket (8) is a spiral structure that surrounds the outer wall of the inner liner (203). The inner liner (203) is equipped with a coil heat exchanger (9). The coil heat exchanger (9) is a spiral coil that is close to the inner wall of the inner liner (203) and fixed to the inner liner (203) by a heat exchanger bracket (10). The inner liner (203) is also equipped with a stirring device (11) and a sensor assembly (12). The control box (5) is electrically connected to the ventilation system (7), the jacket (8), the coil heat exchanger (9), the stirring device (11), and the sensor assembly (12).

2. The low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The jacket (8) includes: a jacket cold medium inlet (801) and a jacket cold medium outlet (802) at both ends; a cold medium circulating water tank (803) is provided outside the tank body (2); the jacket cold medium inlet (801) and the jacket cold medium outlet (802) extend from the side of the tank body (2) to the surface of the tank body (2) and are connected to the cold medium circulating water tank (803) through a jacket cold medium pipeline (804); a jacket solenoid valve (805) is provided on the jacket cold medium pipeline (804).

3. The low-temperature fermenter with temperature control function according to claim 2, characterized in that, The coil heat exchanger (9) includes: a heat exchanger cooling water inlet (901) and a heat exchanger cooling water outlet (902) at both ends; an auxiliary cooling circulating water tank (903) is provided outside the tank body (2); the heat exchanger cooling water inlet (901) and the heat exchanger cooling water outlet (902) extend from the top of the tank body (2) to the surface of the tank body (2) and are connected to the auxiliary cooling circulating water tank (903) through a heat exchanger cooling water pipe (904); and a heat exchanger solenoid valve (905) is provided on the heat exchanger cooling water pipe (904).

4. The low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ventilation system (7) includes: a gas inlet (701) at the top of the tank (2), a gas storage tank (702) on the outside, a gas pipe (703) on the gas storage tank (702), the other end of the gas pipe (703) passing through the gas inlet (701) and extending into the bottom of the inner liner (203), and a gas nozzle (704) at the end of the gas pipe (703), and a gas flow regulating valve (705) on the gas pipe (703) near the gas storage tank (702).

5. The low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function according to claim 4, characterized in that, The stirring device (11) includes: a drive motor (1101) at the bottom of the tank (2), a stirring rod (1102) connected to the output end of the drive motor (1101), the stirring rod (1102) penetrating vertically through the inner liner (203), the upper end being fixed to the top of the inner liner (203) by a bearing seat, and a stirring paddle (1103) on the stirring rod (1102).

6. The low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sensor assembly (12) includes: multiple temperature sensors (1201) distributed at multiple points on the inner wall of the inner liner (203); a pH sensor (1202) and a dissolved oxygen sensor (1203) provided in the middle of the inner liner (203); and a CO2 sensor (1204) provided at the top of the inner liner (203) near the feed inlet.

7. The low-temperature fermentation tank with temperature control function according to claim 5, characterized in that, The drive motor (1101) is a low-speed motor with a rotation speed of 50-200 rpm, and the stirring paddle (1103) has fan-shaped blades with an inclination angle of 30°-45°.

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