Fermentation tail gas condensation separation device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202621094145.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-07-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-21
- Estimated Expiration
- 2036-07-20
AI Technical Summary
传统的尾气冷凝器在大规模生产中会“失灵”，冷凝下来的水珠并不会像实验室的玻璃仪器中所观察的那样会流回罐内，而是会随尾气一起通往后端过滤器，造成滤芯堵塞，影响罐压控制，最终影响产品质量
[0020]由于采用了上述技术方案，本实用新型相对现有技术来说，取得的技术进步是：本实用新型提供一种发酵尾气冷凝分离装置，通过采用外壳体、内胴体、回风管、锥形管、夹套空腔和气液分离腔的配合，一方面保证发酵罐内各物质浓度，另一方面减少后端过滤器因为水汽而造成堵塞的风险，对于发酵产品的好坏有直接意义，同时相较于传统冷凝器方案成本低廉，另外，清洗也具备优势，可通过CIP（自动清洗）测试，无需人工拆开清洗。
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Figure CN224656403U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fermentation tail gas separation technology, specifically to a fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device. Background Technology
[0002] With the continuous development of biotechnology, large-scale fermentation has gradually been put on the agenda by major pharmaceutical and food factories. In the microscopic world invisible to the naked eye, microorganisms are carrying out a series of exquisite chemical reactions. Large-scale fermentation technology is the bridge for humans to tame these tiny lives and transform their metabolic capabilities into industrial productivity. It is not only the core of biomanufacturing, but also the key to solving food, medicine, energy, and environmental problems.
[0003] Fermentation technology follows the sequence of small-scale testing (laboratory-level microbial culture in glass jars) --- pilot-scale testing (further scaling up the yield and volume of microorganisms after small-scale testing is successful) --- large-scale production, gradually moving from the laboratory to commercialization, and finally to every household and into our lives.
[0004] The process from pilot-scale testing to large-scale production is not simply a matter of scaling up. It is influenced by factors such as volume, specific surface area, weighing capacity, mechanical design limits, and even the limits of modern scientific materials. To achieve the same function, the mechanical design will become completely different, and problems that were negligible in small-scale testing due to small dosages will become unavoidable in large-scale production.
[0005] Fermentation exhaust gas is one such issue. Fermentation exhaust gas is a complex problem, involving various mechanical designs related to moisture content, microbial detection, emission requirements, sterilization, and cleaning. Different patent applications will also be filed. This patent only focuses on reducing the moisture content of the exhaust gas and facilitating self-cleaning. Traditional exhaust gas condensers can "malfunction" in large-scale production. Instead of flowing back into the tank as observed in laboratory glassware, the condensed water droplets travel with the exhaust gas to the downstream filter, causing filter blockage, affecting tank pressure control, and ultimately impacting product quality.
[0006] A fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device is proposed to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content
[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.
[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: A fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device includes an outer shell, an inner body fixedly inserted into the upper part of the inner shell, a return air duct provided at the upper part of the inner body, an elbow fixedly connected to one end of the return air duct, a tapered pipe fixedly connected to the bottom end of the elbow, the surface of the tapered pipe fixedly disposed at the upper part of the inner body, a jacketed cavity formed between the inner surface of the outer shell and the outer surface of the inner body, and the interior of the inner body is a gas-liquid separation chamber.
[0009] A jacketed drainage port is fixedly provided at the bottom of the outer shell, and a jacketed water inlet port is fixedly provided on one side of the upper end of the outer shell. The top of the jacketed drainage port and one end of the jacketed water inlet port are both connected to the interior of the jacketed cavity.
[0010] A drain outlet is fixedly provided at the bottom of the inner carcass, and an air inlet pipe is fixedly provided on one side of the upper end of the inner carcass. The top of the drain outlet and one end of the air inlet pipe are both connected to the interior of the gas-liquid separation chamber.
[0011] A snap-fit connector is fixedly installed at the top of the inner body, and a cover plate is fixedly connected to the opening of the snap-fit connector. The upper outer circumferential surface of the return air duct is fixedly sleeved on the middle of the cover plate.
[0012] A further improvement of this utility model is that: a spiral guide plate is provided inside the gas-liquid separation chamber, the outer circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner body, and the inner circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate is fixedly sleeved on the lower end of the tapered tube.
[0013] A further improvement of this utility model is that: multiple micro-holes are equidistantly opened above the tapered part of the tapered tube along the circumferential direction, and each micro-hole is inclined: its inner opening height is lower than its outer opening.
[0014] A further improvement of this utility model is that: the inner body is made of 316L stainless steel, and its inner surface is a mirror-polished surface; the outer body is made of 304 stainless steel.
[0015] A further improvement of this utility model is that the air inlet pipe, air return pipe, jacket drain port, jacket water inlet port and drain outlet are all equipped with ASME standard adapters.
[0016] A further improvement of the present invention is that the fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device has a CIP cleaning state. In the CIP cleaning state, the cleaning liquid enters the gas-liquid separation chamber from the return air pipe and is alternately discharged from the air inlet pipe and the drain outlet.
[0017] A further improvement of the present invention is that the fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device also has a SIP sterilization state. In the SIP sterilization state, the cooling medium in the jacket cavity is emptied, and pure steam enters the gas-liquid separation chamber from the air inlet pipe and is discharged from the air return pipe.
[0018] A further improvement of this utility model is that the diameter of the micropores is 2-4mm, and the opening direction is obliquely upward; the total area of all the micropores on the conical tube and the total area of the bottom opening of the conical tube are 80% of the cross-sectional area of the air inlet pipe.
[0019] A further improvement of this utility model is that the upper opening of the spiral guide plate is located at the opening of the air inlet pipe, and the lower opening is located at the bottom of the conical pipe, so as to guide the incoming exhaust gas to move in a spiral motion along the inner wall of the inner body.
[0020] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the technical progress achieved by this utility model compared with the prior art is as follows: This utility model provides a fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device. By adopting the cooperation of an outer shell, inner shell, return air pipe, conical pipe, jacket cavity and gas-liquid separation chamber, it ensures the concentration of various substances in the fermentation tank on the one hand, and reduces the risk of back-end filter blockage caused by water vapor on the other hand. This has a direct impact on the quality of fermentation products. At the same time, it is cheaper than the traditional condenser solution. In addition, it has advantages in cleaning, as it can pass the CIP (automatic cleaning) test without the need for manual disassembly and cleaning. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model from another perspective; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tapered tube structure of this utility model; Figure 5 For the present utility model Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure at point A in the middle.
[0022] In the diagram: 1. Outer shell; 11. Jacket drain port; 12. Jacket water inlet port; 2. Inner shell; 21. Drain outlet; 22. Air inlet pipe; 23. Snap-fit connector; 24. Cover plate; 25. Spiral guide plate; 3. Return air pipe; 31. Elbow; 32. Conical pipe; 33. Micropore; 4. Jacket cavity; 5. Gas-liquid separation chamber. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments: Example 1 like Figure 1-5 As shown, this utility model provides a fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device, including an outer shell 1, an inner body 2 fixedly inserted into the upper part of the inner shell 1, a return air pipe 3 provided in the upper part of the inner body 2, an elbow 31 fixedly connected to one end of the return air pipe 3, a tapered pipe 32 fixedly connected to the bottom end of the elbow 31, and the surface of the tapered pipe 32 fixedly disposed in the upper part of the inner body 2. The inner surface of the outer shell 1 and the outer surface of the inner body 2 enclose a jacketed cavity 4, and the interior of the inner body 2 is a gas-liquid separation chamber 5. A jacketed drain port 11 is fixedly provided at the bottom of the outer shell 1, and a jacketed water inlet port 12 is fixedly provided on one side of the upper end of the outer shell 1. The top of the jacketed drain port 11 and one end of the jacketed water inlet port 12 are both connected to the interior of the jacketed cavity 4. A drain outlet 21 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the inner carcass 2, and an air inlet pipe 22 is fixedly installed on one side of the upper end of the inner carcass 2. The top of the drain outlet 21 and one end of the air inlet pipe 22 are both connected to the interior of the gas-liquid separation chamber 5.
[0024] A snap-fit connector 23 is fixedly installed at the top of the inner body 2. A cover plate 24 is fixedly connected to the opening of the snap-fit connector 23. The upper outer circumference of the return air duct 3 is fixedly sleeved on the middle part of the cover plate 24.
[0025] The gas-liquid separation chamber 5 is equipped with a spiral guide plate 25. The outer circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate 25 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner body 2, and the inner circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate 25 is fixedly sleeved on the lower end of the tapered tube 32.
[0026] Multiple microholes 33 are equidistantly provided above the tapered part of the tapered tube 32 along the circumferential direction. Each microhole 33 is inclined, with its inner opening height lower than its outer opening.
[0027] The inner body 2 is made of 316L stainless steel, and its inner surface is mirror polished; the outer body 1 is made of 304 stainless steel.
[0028] The air inlet duct 22, the return air duct 3, the jacket drain port 11, the jacket water inlet port 12 and the drain outlet 21 are all equipped with ASME standard adapters.
[0029] The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device has a CIP cleaning state. In the CIP cleaning state, the cleaning liquid enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 from the return air pipe 3 and is alternately discharged from the air inlet pipe 22 and the drain outlet 21.
[0030] The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device also has a SIP sterilization state. In the SIP sterilization state, the cooling medium in the jacket cavity 4 is emptied, and pure steam enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 from the air inlet pipe 22 and is discharged from the air return pipe 3.
[0031] The aperture of the micropores 33 is 2-4mm, and their opening direction is obliquely upward; the total area of all the micropores 33 on the tapered tube 32 and the total area of the bottom opening of the tapered tube 32 is 80% of the cross-sectional area of the air inlet pipe 22.
[0032] The upper opening of the spiral guide plate 25 is located at the opening of the air inlet pipe 22, and the lower opening is located at the bottom of the conical pipe 32, so as to guide the incoming exhaust gas to move in a spiral motion along the inner wall of the inner body 2.
[0033] In this embodiment, taking the application of this device to a 5T fermenter as an example, its specific working process is described: 1. Normal operating condition (exhaust gas condensation and separation process) The hot and humid exhaust gas generated in the fermenter enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 through the air inlet pipe 22. At the same time, chilled water is introduced into the jacket cavity 4 through the jacket water inlet port 12. The temperature of the chilled water is controlled at 3-5℃. After flowing through the jacket cavity 4, it is discharged from the jacket drain port 11.
[0034] The hot, humid exhaust gas entering the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 is forced to spiral downwards under the guidance of the inner wall of the cylindrical inner body 2 and the spiral guide plate 25. During its spiral descent, the exhaust gas comes into full contact with the inner body 2 wall, which is at a temperature as low as 3-5°C. Under the combined effects of centrifugal force (mechanical action) and low-temperature condensation (temperature action), the water vapor in the exhaust gas rapidly condenses into water droplets and is thrown against the cylinder wall. The water droplets flow downwards along the smooth inner wall of the inner body 2, eventually converging at the drain outlet 21 and flowing back into the fermenter. To prevent backflow, a check valve or blocking structure can be installed at the rear end of the drain outlet 21, but this is not the focus of this invention and will not be elaborated upon.
[0035] Meanwhile, the exhaust gas, after being dehydrated and dried, turns upward from the opening at the lower end of the cone-shaped pipe 32, enters the return air pipe 3, and is finally discharged from the return air pipe 3 to enter the subsequent exhaust gas heating and filtration stages.
[0036] 2. Sterilization in place (SIP) status When high-temperature and moist heat sterilization of the device is required, stop supplying chilled water to the jacket water inlet port 12 and open the jacket drain port 11 to drain the cooling water from the jacket cavity 4. Pure steam enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 from the air inlet pipe 22, flows through the entire device, and is discharged from the return air pipe 3. At the same time, the valve at the rear end of the drain port 21 is opened, allowing the device to undergo high-temperature sterilization together with the fermenter. A temperature detection device can be installed downstream of the return air pipe 3 to monitor whether the sterilization temperature meets the standard.
[0037] 3. Clean in Place (CIP) status When automatic cleaning of the device is required, the cleaning fluid (usually an aqueous solution containing cleaning agent, at a pressure of approximately 1.5 Bar) enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 from the return air duct 3, and then is alternately discharged from the drain outlet 21 and the air inlet duct 22. During the cleaning process, the cleaning fluid is simultaneously sprayed obliquely upward from the micro-holes 33 (orifice diameter 2-4 mm, angled upward) on the conical tube 32, forming multiple scouring jets that physically scour the upper part of the inner body 2 and the dead corners around the conical tube 32.
[0038] To ensure smooth ventilation during normal operation, the total area of all the micro-holes 33 on the conical tube 32, plus the combined area of the bottom opening (approximately 20mm air vent) of the conical tube 32, is designed to be 80% of the cross-sectional area of the air inlet duct 22. The aperture of the micro-holes 33 is much smaller than the pipe diameter, so it will not significantly obstruct normal airflow.
[0039] The working principle of this fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device will be explained in detail below.
[0040] like Figure 1-5 As shown, this device operates in three states: 1. Normal operating condition: Hot and humid exhaust gas enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 through the air inlet pipe 22, while chilled water at 3-5℃ is introduced into the jacket cavity 4. Under the guidance of the inner wall of the cylindrical inner body 2 and the spiral guide plate 25, the exhaust gas moves downward in a spiral motion. After contacting the low-temperature cylinder wall, the water vapor condenses into water droplets and flows along the inner wall to the drain outlet 21 and flows back to the fermenter; the dry exhaust gas turns upward from the lower end of the conical pipe 32 and is discharged through the return air pipe 3.
[0041] 2. Sterilization in place (SIP) state: Stop the flow of chilled water and drain the jacket cavity 4. Pure steam enters from the air inlet pipe 22 and exits from the air return pipe 3. At the same time, the valve at the rear end of the drain outlet 21 is opened, and sterilization is carried out together with the fermenter.
[0042] 3. Clean in place (CIP) state: The cleaning fluid enters the gas-liquid separation chamber 5 from the return air duct 3 and is discharged alternately from the drain 21 and the air inlet duct 22; at the same time, the cleaning fluid is sprayed from the micro-holes 33 (hole diameter 2-4mm) opened obliquely upward on the conical tube 32 to flush the internal dead corners.
[0043] The present invention has been described in detail above. However, modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, any modifications or improvements that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device, characterized in that: The device includes an outer shell (1), an inner body (2) is fixedly inserted into the upper part of the inner shell (1), a return air pipe (3) is provided at the upper part of the inner body (2), an elbow (31) is fixedly connected to one end of the return air pipe (3), a tapered pipe (32) is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the elbow (31), the surface of the tapered pipe (32) is fixedly set at the upper part of the inner body (2), the inner surface of the outer shell (1) and the outer surface of the inner body (2) form a jacketed cavity (4), and the interior of the inner body (2) is a gas-liquid separation chamber (5). The bottom end of the outer shell (1) is fixedly provided with a jacket drain port (11), and the upper side of the outer shell (1) is fixedly provided with a jacket water inlet port (12). The top end of the jacket drain port (11) and one end of the jacket water inlet port (12) are both connected to the interior of the jacket cavity (4). The bottom end of the inner carcass (2) is fixedly provided with a drain outlet (21), and the upper side of the inner carcass (2) is fixedly provided with an air inlet pipe (22). The top end of the drain outlet (21) and one end of the air inlet pipe (22) are both connected to the interior of the gas-liquid separation chamber (5).
2. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the inner body (2) is fixedly provided with a snap connector (23), and the opening of the snap connector (23) is fixedly connected with a cover plate (24). The upper outer circumference of the return air pipe (3) is fixedly sleeved on the middle part of the cover plate (24).
3. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas-liquid separation chamber (5) is provided with a spiral guide plate (25). The outer circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate (25) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the inner body (2), and the inner circumferential surface of the spiral guide plate (25) is fixedly sleeved on the lower end of the tapered tube (32).
4. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tapered tube (32) has multiple micro-holes (33) equidistantly spaced above the tapered part along the circumferential direction. Each micro-hole (33) is inclined, with its inner opening height lower than its outer opening.
5. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner body (2) is made of 316L stainless steel, and its inner surface is mirror polished; the outer body (1) is made of 304 stainless steel.
6. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet pipe (22), air return pipe (3), jacket drain port (11), jacket water inlet port (12) and drain outlet (21) are all equipped with ASME standard adapters.
7. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device has a CIP cleaning state. In the CIP cleaning state, the cleaning liquid enters the gas-liquid separation chamber (5) from the return air pipe (3) and is alternately discharged from the air inlet pipe (22) and the drain outlet (21).
8. The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device also has a SIP sterilization state. In the SIP sterilization state, the cooling medium in the jacket cavity (4) is emptied, and pure steam enters the gas-liquid separation chamber (5) from the air inlet pipe (22) and is discharged from the air return pipe (3).
9. A fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The aperture of the micropore (33) is 2-4 mm, and its opening direction is obliquely upward; the total area of the opening of all micropores (33) on the conical tube (32) and the total area of the bottom opening of the conical tube (32) is 80% of the cross-sectional area of the air inlet pipe (22).
10. A fermentation tail gas condensation and separation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper opening of the spiral guide plate (25) is located at the opening of the air inlet pipe (22), and the lower opening is located at the bottom of the conical pipe (32) to guide the incoming exhaust gas to move in a spiral motion along the inner wall of the inner body (2).