Fermenter with gravity chamber with stepless pressure regulation by weight

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of fermentation tanks with weight stepless pressure regulating gravity air chamber, including fermentation tank body, the top of fermentation tank body is fixedly arranged a stationary sleeve, the inner hole of stationary sleeve is cylindrical through-hole, the inner hole of stationary sleeve is axially slidably provided with moving part, moving part is moved along stationary sleeve axial under the gas pressure effect in tank, to change the volume of air chamber.Stationary sleeve flange is aligned with tank top matching flange, it is fixed using bolt, piston head, piston rod, weight tray are welded into whole in advance;Insert from sleeve upper end, until piston head falls to bottom (inside edge limit), according to process requirement, stack weight on tray, early gas production is large, gas pressure increases, piston whole lifts, air chamber volume is automatically increased, later gas production is small, gas pressure reduces, piston whole drops, air chamber volume is automatically reduced, still maintain same set pressure, operator can add / reduce weight at any time, without shutdown.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model specifically relates to a fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity chamber equipped with weights. Background Technology

[0002] A fermenter is an industrial device used for microbial fermentation. Its main body is typically a cylindrical structure made of stainless steel, with a volume ranging from 1 m³ to several hundred m³. Careful attention should be paid to its structural integrity and rational design during manufacturing.

[0003] Most existing fermenters use fixed-volume gas chambers or external exhaust valves / vacuum valves. Fixed-volume fermenters cannot accommodate the condition of "high gas production in the early stage and low gas production in the later stage", often resulting in pressure buildup in the early stage and negative pressure in the later stage; while electrically controlled valves require sensors and control systems, which are costly and have many points of failure. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity chamber with weights, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber, comprising a fermenter body, a stationary sleeve fixedly disposed on the top of the fermenter body, the inner hole of the stationary sleeve being a cylindrical through hole, and a moving component axially slidingly disposed in the inner hole of the stationary sleeve, thereby changing the volume of the gas chamber by the moving component moving axially along the stationary sleeve under the action of gas pressure inside the tank.

[0006] Preferably, the moving part includes a piston head that is axially slidably disposed in the inner bore of the stationary sleeve, and the outer periphery of the piston head and the inner bore of the stationary sleeve are radially sealed by at least two O-rings.

[0007] Preferably, a threaded hole is provided inwardly at the center of the upper surface of the piston head, and a piston rod is provided in the threaded hole. The upper end of the piston rod extends out of the stationary sleeve, and the piston rod and the stationary sleeve are arranged coaxially.

[0008] Preferably, the extended end of the piston rod is provided with a weight tray, which is used to stack weights that can be increased or decreased, so as to steplessly set the internal balance pressure by changing the total weight of the weights.

[0009] Preferably, the upper end of the static sleeve is provided with an outer flange, which is connected to the top flange of the fermenter by bolts to form a static seal.

[0010] Preferably, the piston rod has an external thread that matches the threaded hole on the outer side of the piston end.

[0011] Preferably, the center of the weight tray is provided with a tapered positioning post for quick stacking and positioning of weights, and the top of the tapered positioning post is provided with a rare earth magnet.

[0012] Preferably, the lower end of the inner hole of the stationary sleeve is provided with an inner flange, which forms a mechanical limit for the downward movement of the piston.

[0013] The technical effects and advantages of this utility model are as follows: This fermenter with a gravity gas chamber featuring stepless pressure regulation by weights aligns the stationary sleeve flange with the matching flange on the top of the tank and fixes them with bolts. The piston head, piston rod, and weight tray are pre-welded into a whole. The sleeve is inserted from the top until the piston head reaches the bottom (inner flange limit). Weights are stacked on the tray according to process requirements. In the early stage, the gas production is large and the gas pressure increases, causing the piston to rise and the gas chamber volume to automatically increase. In the later stage, the gas production is small and the gas pressure decreases, causing the piston to fall and the gas chamber volume to automatically shrink, while maintaining the same set pressure. The operator can add / remove weights at any time without stopping the machine. The volume can be automatically changed according to the gas pressure inside the tank through purely mechanical means, and manual stepless pressure regulation is allowed. It does not rely on electricity and can automatically adjust with the gas pressure inside the tank. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the threaded hole structure of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the O-ring of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the inner flange of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the tapered positioning column of this utility model.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Fermentation tank body; 2. Static sleeve; 3. Inner bore; 4. Piston head; 5. O-ring; 6. Threaded hole; 7. Piston rod; 8. Weight tray; 9. Outer flange; 10. Tapered positioning post; 11. Rare earth magnet; 12. Inner flange. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] For the purpose of facilitating automatic volume adjustment of the air chamber structure, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the system includes a fermenter body 1, with a stationary sleeve 2 fixedly installed on the top of the fermenter. The inner hole 3 of the stationary sleeve 2 is a cylindrical through hole. A moving part is axially slidably installed in the inner hole 3 of the stationary sleeve 2. The moving part moves axially along the stationary sleeve 2 under the action of gas pressure inside the tank, thereby changing the volume of the gas chamber. The flange of the stationary sleeve 2 is aligned with the mating flange on the top of the tank and fixed with bolts. The piston head 4, piston rod 7, and weight tray 8 are pre-welded into a whole. The piston head 4 is inserted from the top of the sleeve until it falls to the bottom (limited by the inner flange 12). Weights are stacked on the tray according to process requirements. In the early stage, the gas production is large and the gas pressure increases, causing the piston to rise as a whole, which automatically increases the volume of the gas chamber. In the later stage, the gas production is small and the gas pressure decreases, causing the piston to fall as a whole, which automatically reduces the volume of the gas chamber, while maintaining the same set pressure. The operator can add / remove weights at any time without stopping the machine.

[0022] To facilitate improving fermentation stability, refer to... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the moving part includes a piston head 4 axially slidably disposed in the inner hole 3 of the stationary sleeve 2. At least two O-rings 5 ​​form a radial seal between the outer circumference of the piston head 4 and the inner hole 3 of the stationary sleeve 2. Although there is a mechanical clearance between the piston outer diameter and the inner hole 3 of the sleeve, the two O-rings 5 ​​form an elastic sealing band when radially compressed, preventing gas leakage along the clearance. The O-rings 5 ​​are made of EPDM or FKM (temperature resistant 150 °C), meeting CIP / SIP requirements, with a lifespan of ≥ 5000 cycles. A threaded hole 6 is centrally located on the upper surface of the piston head 4, and a piston rod 7 is disposed within the threaded hole 6. The upper end of the piston rod 7 extends outside the stationary sleeve 2, and the piston rod 7 is coaxially arranged with the stationary sleeve 2. When the gas production changes, the piston rises and falls in real time with the gas pressure, keeping the pressure inside the tank constant at P = G / A, preventing early pressure buildup and later negative pressure, and improving fermentation stability. A laser scale can be set on the surface of the piston rod 7. By observing the changes in the scale, the gas volume corresponding to the piston rod 7 scale and displacement can be calculated on-site, eliminating the need for an additional flow meter. A weight tray 8 is provided at the extended end of the piston rod 7. The weight tray 8 is used to stack and adjust weights, allowing for stepless setting of the tank's equilibrium pressure by changing the total weight of the weights. The weights are positioned using a tapered design. An Ø8 × 5 mm rare earth magnet 11 is embedded at the top of the column to prevent the weights from rotating. The upper end of the stationary sleeve 2 has an outer flange 9, which is bolted to the top flange of the fermentation tank to form a static seal. The piston rod 7 has an external thread on the outer side facing the piston that matches the threaded hole 6, facilitating the insertion of the piston rod 7 into the piston for installation, and is spot-welded to prevent loosening. A tapered positioning post 10 is provided at the center of the weight tray 8 for rapid stacking and positioning of weights. A rare earth magnet 11 is provided at the top of the tapered positioning post 10 to position the weights using a tapered design, and the rare earth magnet 11 prevents the weights from rotating. The lower end of the inner hole 3 of the stationary sleeve 2 is provided with an inner flange 12, which forms a mechanical limit for the downward movement of the piston.

[0023] In use, first align the stationary sleeve 2 flange with the matching flange on the top of the tank and fix them with bolts. Weld the piston head 4, piston rod 7, and weight tray 8 into a whole beforehand. Insert it from the top of the sleeve until the piston head 4 reaches the bottom (inner flange 12 limit). Stack the weights on the tray according to the process requirements. In the early stage, the gas production is large and the gas pressure increases, the piston rises as a whole, and the gas chamber volume increases automatically. In the later stage, the gas production is small and the gas pressure decreases, the piston falls as a whole, and the gas chamber volume decreases automatically, while maintaining the same set pressure. The operator can add / remove weights at any time without stopping the machine.

[0024] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model.

Claims

1. A fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity chamber for weights, characterized in that, The fermenter includes a fermenter body (1), and a stationary sleeve (2) is fixedly installed on the top of the fermenter body (1). The inner hole (3) of the stationary sleeve (2) is a cylindrical through hole. A moving part is axially slidably installed in the inner hole (3) of the stationary sleeve (2). The moving part moves axially along the stationary sleeve (2) under the action of the gas pressure inside the tank, thereby changing the volume of the gas chamber.

2. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving part includes a piston head (4) that is axially slidably disposed in the inner hole (3) of the stationary sleeve (2), and the outer periphery of the piston head (4) and the inner hole (3) of the stationary sleeve (2) form a radial seal through at least two O-rings (5).

3. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The piston head (4) has a threaded hole (6) centered inward on its upper surface. A piston rod (7) is provided in the threaded hole (6). The upper end of the piston rod (7) extends out of the stationary sleeve (2), and the piston rod (7) and the stationary sleeve (2) are arranged coaxially.

4. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that: The piston rod (7) has a weight tray (8) at its extended end. The weight tray (8) is used to stack weights that can be added or removed, so as to steplessly set the balance pressure inside the tank by changing the total weight of the weights.

5. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the static sleeve (2) is provided with an outer flange (9), which is connected to the top flange of the fermenter by bolts to form a static seal.

6. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that: The piston rod (7) has an external thread that matches the threaded hole (6) on the outer side of the piston end.

7. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 6, characterized in that: The center of the weight tray (8) is provided with a tapered positioning post (10) for quick stacking and positioning of weights, and a rare earth magnet (11) is provided on the top of the tapered positioning post (10).

8. The fermenter with a stepless pressure-regulating gravity gas chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lower end of the inner hole (3) of the stationary sleeve (2) is provided with an inner flange (12) to form a mechanical limit for the piston to move downward.

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