A fermenter air distributor

Abstract

This utility model discloses an air distributor for a fermenter, including an air inlet pipe, an air distribution coil, a one-way valve, and an adapter connection. The air distribution coil is connected to the air outlet end of the air inlet pipe and is arranged in a semi-fan shape. Multiple air outlets are spaced apart along the extension direction of the air distribution coil, including at least small-diameter and large-diameter outlets. Along the gas flow direction within the air distribution coil, the large-diameter outlets are located on the side relatively away from the air inlet pipe. The air inlet pipe sequentially includes a first section, a narrowing section, a throat section, and an expanding section along the gas flow direction, forming a variable diameter structure that is narrower in the middle and wider at both ends. The one-way valve is located on the air inlet pipe to prevent the fermentation liquid from flowing back along the air inlet pipe. The adapter connection is located at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe. This utility model can improve the uniformity of air distribution, reduce the risk of blockage, improve airflow stability, and effectively prevent the backflow of fermentation liquid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of biological fermentation equipment technology, specifically to an air distributor for fermenters or bioreactors. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as biopharmaceuticals, fermentation engineering, and environmental microbiology, fermenters typically require air distributors to introduce air into the fermentation broth to provide the oxygen needed for cell growth and metabolism. The uniformity of air distribution, anti-clogging ability, and operational stability of the air distributor directly affect dissolved oxygen distribution and fermentation efficiency during the fermentation process.

[0003] Existing air distributors mostly adopt a tubular or ring-shaped structure with a single-diameter air outlet, and the air inlet pipe is usually of equal diameter. In actual use, the following problems exist: the single-diameter air outlet is prone to clogging in high-viscosity fermentation broth or fermentation systems containing solids; the air volume difference between the near and far air inlet ends is large, which can easily cause uneven air distribution in the fermenter; when the air supply system experiences pressure fluctuations or air supply interruption, the fermentation broth is prone to backflow along the air inlet pipe, affecting the safety of the upstream air supply system; existing air distributors are mostly of fixed specifications, making it difficult to adapt to bioreactors of different diameters.

[0004] Furthermore, fermenters from different manufacturers or of different models often differ in terms of lid opening size, connection structure, and interface standards. Existing air distributors with fixed connection ends are often only compatible with specific equipment; when changing the tank body or interface specifications, it is usually necessary to re-process or replace the entire air distributor, resulting in poor versatility and high modification costs.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an improved air distributor to solve the problems of existing air distributors such as easy clogging, uneven air distribution, easy backflow, and insufficient adaptability. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air distributor for a fermenter to solve the problems of easy clogging of the air outlet, uneven air distribution, easy backflow of fermentation liquid, and insufficient adaptability in the existing technology.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model adopts the following technical solution: an air distributor for a fermenter, comprising an air inlet pipe, an air distribution coil, a one-way valve, and an adapter connection; the air distribution coil is connected to the air outlet end of the air inlet pipe, and the air distribution coil is arranged in a semi-fan shape; the air distribution coil is provided with a plurality of air outlets at intervals along its extension direction, and the plurality of air outlets include at least small-diameter air outlets and large-diameter air outlets, and along the gas flow direction in the air distribution coil, the large-diameter air outlets are located on the side relatively away from the air inlet pipe; the air inlet pipe includes, in sequence along the gas flow direction, a first pipe section, a narrowing section, a throat section, and an expanding section to form a variable diameter structure that is thinner in the middle and thicker at both ends; the one-way valve is located in the air inlet pipe; the adapter connection is located at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, the plurality of air outlets are distributed in such a manner that the diameter gradually increases from the side closest to the air intake pipe to the side furthest from the air intake pipe.

[0009] Furthermore, the gas distribution coil is formed by bending an arc-shaped pipe section, and multiple gas outlets are opened on the side of the arc-shaped pipe section facing the fermentation liquid.

[0010] Furthermore, the one-way valve is located between the expanded section and the external air supply end.

[0011] Furthermore, the one-way valve is disposed within the first pipe section, or between the first pipe section and the reduced diameter section.

[0012] Furthermore, the one-way valve is a diaphragm one-way valve, a ball valve one-way valve, or a duckbill one-way valve.

[0013] Furthermore, the adapter connection is a replaceable connector, which is one of a threaded connector, a clamp connector, or a flange connector.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the first pipe section is larger than the inner diameter of the throat section, the inlet end of the expansion section is connected to the throat section, and the outlet end of the expansion section is connected to the air distribution coil.

[0015] Furthermore, the air distribution coil is a single-layer semi-fan-shaped coil.

[0016] Furthermore, the adapter connection is used to adapt to bioreactors of different diameters.

[0017] In some embodiments, the adapter connection adopts a modular, replaceable connector structure. By replacing connectors of different specifications and / or different connection types, the air distributor body can be connected and fitted with the tank cover interface or air supply interface of fermenters from different manufacturers and of different models, without having to replace the entire air distribution coil and air inlet pipeline body.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following beneficial effects: 1. By setting the gas distribution coil to a semi-fan-shaped structure and setting gas outlets of different diameters on the gas distribution coil, the gas distribution coverage range can be expanded and the gas distribution uniformity can be improved; 2. By setting a larger diameter gas outlet on the side away from the air inlet pipe, the risk of insufficient gas outlet at the far end and local blockage can be reduced; 3. By setting a variable diameter structure with a narrow middle and wide ends on the air inlet pipe, the stability of airflow delivery can be improved; 4. By setting a one-way valve, the fermentation liquid can be prevented from flowing back into the air inlet pipe; 5. By setting the adapter connection part as a replaceable connector, the same air distributor body can be adapted to fermenters or bioreactor interfaces of different diameters and different connection forms by changing the connection end, thereby reducing the overall re-customization caused by equipment specification differences, reducing modification costs, and improving the versatility and maintenance convenience of the device. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same parts. Wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an air distributor for a fermenter according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the air distribution coils and air outlets of the air distributor for the fermenter described in this utility model.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air inlet pipe structure of the air distributor for the fermenter described in this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, equivalent substitutions, modifications or improvements made without departing from the concept of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] This invention provides an air distributor for fermenters, which is installed inside fermenters or bioreactors to evenly distribute air supplied by an external air supply system into the fermentation broth and prevent the fermentation broth from flowing back into the air supply line in case of abnormal air supply. The air distributor includes an air inlet pipe, an air distribution coil, an air outlet, a one-way valve, and an adapter connection.

[0025] The air inlet pipe is used to connect with an external air supply system to deliver air to the air distribution coil; the air distribution coil is connected to the air outlet end of the air inlet pipe to disperse and discharge the gas; the air outlet is provided on the air distribution coil; the one-way valve is provided on the air inlet pipe to prevent the fermentation liquid from flowing back along the air inlet pipe when the air supply is interrupted, the pressure fluctuates, or there is a backflow tendency of the liquid in the tank; the adapter connection is provided at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe for connection with fermenters, bioreactors or external air supply interfaces of different specifications.

[0026] Refer to the appendix to this application specification. Figures 1 to 3 As shown in the following description, an air distributor for a fermenter according to this application includes an inlet pipe 1, a distribution coil 2, an outlet 3, a one-way valve 4, and an adapter connection 5. The distribution coil 2 is installed at the outlet end of the inlet pipe 1, the adapter connection 5 is installed at the inlet end of the inlet pipe 1, and the one-way valve 4 is installed on the inlet pipe 1. The air distributor is installed inside a fermenter or bioreactor or communicates with its bottom air inlet structure to deliver air to the fermentation broth.

[0027] The intake pipe 1, along the gas flow direction, sequentially includes a first pipe section 11, a narrowing section 12, a throat section 13, and an expanding section 14. The first pipe section 11 connects to an external air supply pipe. The narrowing section 12 guides the airflow into a relatively small cross-section channel. The throat section 13 is a relatively narrow gas passage. The expanding section 14 communicates with the air distribution coil 2, further conveying the airflow to the air distribution coil 2, thus forming a variable diameter structure that is narrow in the middle and wide at both ends. Preferably, the inner diameter of the first pipe section 11 is larger than the inner diameter of the throat section 13. The inlet end of the expanding section 14 communicates with the throat section 13, and the outlet end communicates with the air distribution coil 2. This structural arrangement improves the airflow delivery state before entering the air distribution coil 2, enhancing airflow stability.

[0028] The gas distribution coil 2 is located at the outlet end of the air inlet pipe 1, and preferably has a semi-fan-shaped structure. The semi-fan-shaped structure can be arranged in the bottom area of ​​the fermenter or bioreactor to expand the gas distribution coverage. The gas distribution coil 2 can be formed by integrally bending an arc-shaped pipe section, or it can be formed by connecting multiple arc-shaped pipe sections, as long as it can form an overall semi-fan-shaped gas distribution structure.

[0029] In this embodiment, the air distribution coil 2 includes a central distributor tube located in the middle and lateral branch tubes extending from the left and right sides of the central distributor tube, respectively. The air intake pipe 1 is connected to the central distributor tube from top to bottom, so that the incoming gas first enters the central distributor tube and is then delivered to the left and right branches.

[0030] Preferably, the intake pipe 1 and the intermediate distributor pipe are connected by an arc-shaped transition section, rather than by a right-angle bend. By using an arc-shaped transition connection, dead flow and cleaning angles formed at the connection point can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of residue accumulation and contamination, and improving the continuity of gas delivery and the stability of gas distribution.

[0031] The aeration coil 2 is provided with a plurality of air outlets 3 spaced apart along its extension direction. These air outlets 3 are used to disperse air into the fermentation broth. The plurality of air outlets 3 include at least two or more types of outlets with different apertures, such as small-diameter outlets and large-diameter outlets, and the outlets of different apertures are distributed along the extension direction of the aeration coil 2. It is understood that by providing outlets 3 with different apertures, the air outlet conditions at different locations on the aeration coil 2 can be improved, and the risk of some outlets being blocked by high-viscosity fermentation broth or fermentation products can be reduced. It should be noted that in this application, the aperture of the small-diameter outlet is smaller than the aperture of the large-diameter outlet.

[0032] The one-way valve 4 is disposed on the air inlet pipe 1 and located between the expanded diameter section 14 and the external air supply end. Preferably, the one-way valve 4 is disposed within the first pipe section 11, or between the first pipe section 11 and the reduced diameter section 12, so as to quickly close when the air supply pressure drops or the liquid in the tank shows a backflow tendency, preventing the fermentation liquid from entering the air inlet pipe 1. The one-way valve 4 can be a diaphragm one-way valve, a ball valve one-way valve, or a duckbill one-way valve.

[0033] The adapter connection 5 is disposed at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe 1. Preferably, the adapter connection 5 is a replaceable connector, which can be one of a threaded connector, a clamp connector, or a flange connector, to adapt to fermenters or bioreactors of different diameters and interface types. By providing the adapter connection 5, the need for complete re-customization of the air distributor due to changes in equipment specifications can be reduced, thereby reducing operating costs.

[0034] In this embodiment, the combination of a semi-fan-shaped gas distribution coil 2, gas outlet holes 3 with different diameters, a variable diameter inlet pipe 1 with a narrow middle and wide ends, and a one-way valve 4 can improve the uniformity of gas distribution while ensuring smooth gas supply and prevent the fermentation liquid from being drawn back into the upstream gas supply system.

[0035] It is worth mentioning that this preferred embodiment of the present application further defines the aperture distribution of the plurality of air outlets 3, that is, the plurality of air outlets 3 are distributed in a manner in which the aperture gradually increases from the side closer to the air inlet pipe 1 to the side farther away from the air inlet pipe 1. In other words, the side closer to the air inlet pipe 1 preferably has air outlets with smaller apertures, and the side farther away from the air inlet pipe 1 preferably has air outlets with larger apertures. It can be understood that, through the above arrangement, the pressure loss generated during the flow of gas along the air distribution coil 2 can be compensated, so that the side farther away from the air inlet pipe 1 can still obtain a relatively sufficient amount of air, thereby improving the overall air distribution uniformity of the air distribution coil 2.

[0036] In some embodiments, the multiple air outlets 3 may be configured with two aperture settings; in other embodiments, the multiple air outlets 3 may be configured with three or more aperture settings. Different aperture groups can be adjusted according to the fermenter size, fermentation broth viscosity, aeration requirements, or fermentation process requirements. As long as the aperture of the air outlets at different locations differs and is used to improve the aeration state, it falls within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0037] Furthermore, the one-way valve 4 in this preferred embodiment of the present application may adopt a high-sensitivity check structure, which allows gas to pass through in one direction when the external gas supply is normal, and automatically closes when the external gas supply is interrupted, the gas supply pressure drops, or there is a backflow tendency of liquid in the fermenter.

[0038] In another alternative embodiment of the application, the one-way valve 4 is positioned close to the gas distribution coil 2 to shorten the path through which the fermentation liquid may flow back into the pipeline and improve the response speed of the anti-backflow mechanism.

[0039] Preferably, the one-way valve 4 is disposed within the first pipe section 11, or between the first pipe section 11 and the reduced diameter section 12. As long as the one-way valve 4 is disposed on the air inlet pipe 1 and can prevent the fermentation liquid from flowing back along the air inlet pipe 1, it falls within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0040] In some embodiments, the check valve 4 is a diaphragm check valve; in other embodiments, the check valve 4 is a ball valve or a duckbill check valve. Different types of check valves can be selected according to the pressure fluctuations of the fermentation system, installation space, and maintenance requirements.

[0041] Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment of the present application, the adapter connection 5 is preferably a replaceable connector structure. By replacing connectors of different specifications, the air distributor can be adapted to fermenters or bioreactors of different diameters and models.

[0042] In some embodiments, the adapter connection 5 may be a threaded joint; in other embodiments, the adapter connection 5 may be a clamp joint; in still other embodiments, the adapter connection 5 may be a flange joint. All of the above-mentioned different types of connector structures can be detachably connected to the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe 1 to achieve connection and mating with different external air supply interfaces or different bioreactor interfaces.

[0043] By providing the adapter connection part 5, the need for complete redesign of the air distributor due to changes in equipment specifications can be reduced, thereby lowering operating costs and improving the versatility of this invention in laboratory, pilot-scale, and production equipment. In practical applications, fermenters from different manufacturers or of different models may have different mounting opening sizes and connection interface forms on their lids. Therefore, this embodiment uses the adapter connection part 5 as a replaceable connector structure. The main body of the air distributor can remain consistent; only the corresponding connector needs to be replaced according to the interface size or connection standard of the target fermenter to achieve quick installation and connection. This avoids the need to redesign or replace the entire air distributor due to inconsistent interfaces, improving the versatility of this invention across different equipment platforms.

[0044] Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment of the present application, the gas distribution coil 2 is preferably a single-layer semi-fan-shaped coil structure. The gas distribution coil 2 can be deployed along the bottom area of ​​the fermenter or bioreactor, so that the multiple gas outlets 3 are distributed over a large bottom gas distribution range.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this preferred embodiment of the present application, the plurality of air outlets 3 are disposed on the side of the gas distribution coil 2 facing the bottom of the fermenter, or disposed facing the lower side near the bottom of the fermenter. Therefore, the gas discharged from the air outlets 3 can preferentially act on the lower region of the fermenter and diffuse upwards into the fermentation liquid.

[0046] Since the air distributor is usually installed with a certain gap between itself and the bottom of the fermenter, if the air outlet 3 is set upwards, the gas will be more likely to be released into the upper area, which may result in insufficient oxygen supply to the area near the bottom of the tank. By setting the air outlet 3 to face the bottom of the fermenter or to the lower side, the gas coverage effect in the area near the bottom of the tank can be improved, thereby improving the rationality of gas distribution and the uniformity of oxygen supply.

[0047] In some embodiments, the gas distribution coil 2 may be formed from a single bent pipe; in other embodiments, the gas distribution coil 2 may also be formed by sequentially connecting multiple arc-shaped pipe segments. Multiple air outlets 3 are located on the side of the gas distribution coil 2 facing the bottom of the fermenter, or in the lower side region facing the bottom of the fermenter, to facilitate the preferential release of air to the lower region of the fermenter and to disperse the gas from bottom to top into the fermentation liquid. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The schematic direction of the vent is mainly used to indicate its location and does not strictly limit the actual venting direction. In this embodiment, the vent is actually oriented towards the bottom of the fermenter or towards the lower side near the bottom of the fermenter.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, this application improves the problem of insufficient local ventilation by setting the gas distribution coil 2 as a semi-fan-shaped structure and distributing multiple gas outlets 3 at intervals along the extension direction of the gas distribution coil 2 to form a large gas distribution coverage area at the bottom of the fermenter.

[0049] It is worth mentioning that, in practical applications, the air output from the external air supply system enters the air inlet pipe 1 through the adapter connection 5, flows sequentially through the first pipe section 11, the narrowing section 12, the throat section 13, and the widening section 14 before entering the air distribution coil 2, and is dispersed into the fermentation liquid through multiple air outlets 3 of different diameters. Because the air distribution coil 2 has a semi-fan-shaped structure and air outlets 3 of different diameters are provided at different positions, a relatively uniform air distribution area can be formed at the bottom of the fermenter.

[0050] When the gas supply system malfunctions, the gas supply is interrupted, or there is a backflow tendency of the liquid in the tank, the one-way valve 4 will automatically close to prevent the fermentation liquid from flowing back into the upstream gas supply system through the gas distribution coil 2 and the air inlet pipe 1, thereby protecting the sterile filter, the gas supply pump and related components.

[0051] Therefore, this utility model, through the comprehensive combination of a semi-fan-shaped air distribution coil, air outlets of different diameters, an air inlet structure with a narrow middle and wide ends, a one-way valve, and an adaptable connection part, can achieve better anti-clogging effect, more uniform gas distribution effect, anti-backflow effect, and equipment compatibility effect.

Claims

1. A fermenter air distributor characterised in that, The system includes an inlet pipe, a gas distribution coil, a one-way valve, and an adapter connection. The gas distribution coil is connected to the outlet end of the inlet pipe and is arranged in a semi-fan shape. Multiple outlet holes are spaced apart along the extension direction of the gas distribution coil. These outlet holes include at least small-diameter and large-diameter outlet holes, with the large-diameter outlet holes located on the side relatively away from the inlet pipe along the gas flow direction within the gas distribution coil. The inlet pipe sequentially includes a first section, a narrowing section, a throat section, and an expanding section along the gas flow direction to form a variable diameter structure that is narrower in the middle and wider at both ends. The one-way valve is located in the inlet pipe to prevent the fermentation broth from flowing back along the inlet pipe. The adapter connection is located at the inlet end of the inlet pipe and is used to connect to a bioreactor or an external gas supply interface.

2. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The multiple air outlets are distributed in such a manner that the diameter gradually increases from the side closest to the air intake pipe to the side furthest from the air intake pipe.

3. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The gas distribution coil is formed by bending an arc-shaped pipe section, and multiple gas outlets are opened on the side of the arc-shaped pipe section facing the fermentation liquid.

4. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The one-way valve is located in the first section of the intake pipe, or between the first section and the reduced diameter section.

5. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The check valve is a diaphragm check valve, a ball valve check valve, or a duckbill check valve.

6. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The adapter connector is a replaceable connector.

7. The fermenter air distributor of claim 6, wherein, The replaceable connector is one of a threaded connector, a clamp connector, or a flange connector.

8. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The inner diameter of the first pipe section is larger than the inner diameter of the throat section. The inlet end of the expansion section is connected to the throat section, and the outlet end of the expansion section is connected to the air distribution coil.

9. The fermenter air distributor of claim 1, wherein, The air distribution coil is a single-layer, half-fan-shaped coil.

10. The fermenter air distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter connector is used to adapt to bioreactors of different diameters.

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