Seed tank for biofermentation

Abstract

The utility model relates to seed tank technical field, concretely is a seed tank for biological fermentation, including cylinder, the outside of cylinder is provided with the jacket, the jacket is filled with phase change material, be provided with hot water pipe and steam heat exchange coil in the cylinder, still be provided with stirring oar and defoaming component in the cylinder, the defoaming component is located the top of stirring oar, the inner wall of cylinder is provided with the ring groove of top opening, the end of defoaming component leans on ring groove. The utility model discloses through setting hot water pipe and steam heat exchange coil, realizes double quick heating, and under the action of stirring oar, makes the biological seed even temperature rise in the cylinder, through the effect of phase change material in the jacket, makes the temperature in the cylinder constant in a certain range, further realizes its heat preservation effect, through the setting of defoaming component, makes the defoaming effect better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of seed tank technology, and in particular to a seed tank for bio-fermentation. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of bio-fermentation, the seed tank is a key piece of equipment for microbial culture and fermentation. Its performance has a crucial impact on the stability of the fermentation process and the quality and yield of the final fermentation products.

[0003] Currently, most seed tanks used for bio-fermentation on the market employ a single hot water pipe heating method. While this method is relatively simple in structure and low in cost, it has revealed numerous problems in practical use. For example, due to the limited distribution and fixed position of the hot water pipes within the seed tank, heat transfer relies primarily on heat conduction between the hot water and the material inside the tank, resulting in significant temperature differences between different areas within the seed tank. Areas closer to the hot water pipes are warmer, while areas farther away are relatively cooler. Even with the action of a stirring paddle, uneven heating still exists, which negatively impacts microbial growth. Microbial growth is extremely sensitive to temperature; different microbial species have their optimal growth temperature ranges. Excessive temperature fluctuations or localized excessively high or low temperatures can inhibit microbial growth and metabolism, even leading to the death of some microorganisms, thus affecting the seed's reproduction rate and quality, ultimately impacting the efficiency of the entire fermentation process and product yield. Therefore, the insulation requirements for the entire seed tank are extremely high; however, existing seed tanks, which use water jackets for insulation, cannot guarantee the temperature required for microbial fermentation. Taking Bacillus as an example, the suitable fermentation temperature is 26-37℃, but it is difficult to control the temperature of the water jacket within this range, so it is impossible to guarantee the fermentation environment temperature of Bacillus.

[0004] During bio-fermentation, the metabolic activities of microorganisms produce a large amount of gas, which accumulates in the seed tank, forming foam. The presence of foam not only occupies the effective volume of the seed tank, reducing the growth space for microorganisms, but may also cause the fermentation broth to overflow, resulting in raw material waste and environmental pollution. While chemical defoamers can achieve the desired defoaming effect, their use may contaminate the fermentation products, affecting their purity and quality. Mechanical defoaming breaks up the foam through the shearing or impact force of a single blade. However, this method is ineffective for some relatively stable foams, especially when the foam layer is thick, making complete elimination difficult.

[0005] In conclusion, the existing technology obviously has inconveniences and defects in practical use, so it is necessary to improve it. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, the purpose of this invention is to provide a seed tank for biological fermentation, which solves the problems of uneven heating during seed fermentation and poor defoaming effect in existing seed tanks.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a seed tank for bio-fermentation, comprising a cylindrical body, a jacket provided on the outer side of the cylindrical body, and a phase change material filled inside the jacket; a hot water pipe and a steam heat exchange coil are provided inside the cylindrical body, and a stirring paddle and a defoaming component are also provided inside the cylindrical body, with the defoaming component located above the stirring paddle; an annular groove with a top opening is provided on the inner wall of the cylindrical body, and the end of the defoaming component abuts against the annular groove.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution, the defoaming component includes two symmetrically distributed support tubes, both of which are inclined downwards from the main shaft end to the other end and extend to the top opening of the annular groove.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution, the upper part of the support tube is provided with multiple upper defoaming teeth, and the lower part of the support tube is provided with multiple lower defoaming teeth.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution, an elongated liquid inlet hole is provided between adjacent upper defoaming teeth.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the spikes of the upper defoaming teeth are inclined toward the rotation direction of the stirring shaft, so that the height of the spikes of all the upper defoaming teeth gradually decreases from the side close to the main shaft to the side far away from the main shaft.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the spikes of each lower defoaming tooth are set at the same height.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, multiple upper defoaming teeth and multiple lower defoaming teeth are arranged at equal intervals.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the stirring paddle and defoaming component are connected to a motor via a main shaft.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, multiple baffles are arranged at equal angles inside the cylinder.

[0016] This invention provides a seed tank for bio-fermentation. It achieves dual rapid heating through the installation of hot water pipes and steam heat exchange coils, and the stirring paddle ensures uniform heating of the biological seeds within the tank. Once the seed temperature reaches the desired level, the phase change material within the jacket maintains a constant temperature within a specific range, further enhancing its heat preservation effect. A defoaming component is used; first, lower defoaming teeth defoam, and then upper defoaming teeth defoam when the foam exceeds the height of the component. This dual action of the lower and upper defoaming teeth enhances the defoaming effect. The liquid produced after defoaming enters the annular groove through a support pipe and is then discharged. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the seed container of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a top view of the seed container of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the defoaming component. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the elongated inlet hole for liquid inlet; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a steam heat exchanger coil; In the picture: 1-Main shaft, 2-Jacket, 3-Cylinder, 4-Annular groove, 5-Defoaming component, 51-Support pipe, 52-Upper defoaming tooth, 53-Lower defoaming tooth, 54-Liquid inlet elongated hole, 6-Baffle, 7-Hanging ear, 8-Ladder, 9-Flange, 10-Motor, 11-Steam heat exchange coil, 12-Agitator, 13-Hot water pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0019] Example 1:

[0020] See Figure 1This invention provides a seed tank for bio-fermentation, comprising a cylindrical body 3, with a jacket 2 on the outer side of the cylindrical body 3. The jacket 2 is filled with a phase change material. The selection of the phase change material depends on the organism being fermented in the seed tank. For example, when the organism being fermented is Bacillus, since the temperature range required for Bacillus fermentation is 26-37℃, paraffin wax with a phase change temperature of 25-30℃ is generally chosen as the phase change material. Specifically, paraffin wax microcapsules can be filled into the jacket 2. When the temperature of the cylindrical body 3 rises to the melting temperature of the phase change material, the paraffin wax phase change material changes from solid to liquid, absorbing and storing a large amount of latent heat. When the temperature of the cylindrical body 3 drops to the solidification temperature, the paraffin wax phase change material changes from liquid to solid, releasing the stored latent heat. During this process, the temperature of the paraffin wax phase change material itself remains almost constant before the phase change is complete, forming a wide temperature plateau, thereby achieving a heat preservation effect. This reduces the temperature difference inside cylinder 3 to below 3.5℃, significantly improving the temperature stability inside cylinder 3.

[0021] See Figure 1 and Figure 5 The cylinder 3 is equipped with a hot water pipe 13 and a steam heat exchange coil 11, which is installed on one side inside the cylinder 3. This dual heating method provides more heat to the cylinder 3 to achieve the required temperature, enabling rapid heating.

[0022] See Figure 1 The cylinder 3 is also equipped with a stirring paddle 12, which is connected to a motor 10 via a main shaft 1. When the steam heat exchange coil 11 and the hot water pipe 13 provide heat exchange for the cylinder 3, in order to avoid uneven heating inside the cylinder 3, the motor 10 provides the power to rotate the stirring paddle 12, so that the Bacillus spores inside the cylinder are heated evenly; at the same time, under the action of the phase change material, the optimal temperature for Bacillus spore fermentation is maintained inside the cylinder 3. During the rotation of the stirring paddle 12, the rotation speed is 280 r / min, which is prone to eddy currents. Therefore, multiple baffles 6 are set at equal angles inside the cylinder 3. Preferably, three baffles 6 are set at equal angles.

[0023] To prevent the Bacillus from producing excessive foam during fermentation, a defoaming component 5 is installed on the main shaft 1, positioned above the stirring paddle 12. A nameplate is affixed to the defoaming component 5. An annular groove 4 with a top opening is provided on the inner wall of the cylinder 3, and the end of the defoaming component 5 abuts against the annular groove 4.

[0024] For details, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4The defoaming component 5 includes two symmetrically distributed support tubes 51. Both support tubes 51 are inclined downwards from one end of the main shaft 1 to the other end and extend to the top opening of the annular groove 4. The inclined arrangement of the two support tubes 51 facilitates the smooth flow of the liquid collected by the support tubes 51 into the annular groove 4.

[0025] Multiple lower defoaming teeth 53 are evenly spaced below the support tube 51. Multiple upper defoaming teeth 52 are evenly spaced above the support tube 51. The spikes of the upper defoaming teeth 52 are inclined towards the rotation direction of the stirring shaft, and an elongated liquid inlet hole 54 is provided between adjacent upper defoaming teeth 52. The lower defoaming teeth 53 defoam the foam below the support tube 51; the spikes of the upper defoaming teeth 52 are inclined towards the rotation direction of the stirring shaft, which facilitates the upper defoaming teeth 52 to puncture the foam, so that the punctured foam turns into liquid and flows down the upper defoaming teeth 52 into the elongated liquid inlet hole 54.

[0026] The spikes of each lower defoaming tooth 53 are set at the same height. Setting the lower defoaming teeth 53 at the same height maximizes the defoaming of the foam below the support tube 51. The spikes of all upper defoaming teeth 52 gradually decrease in height from the side closest to the main shaft 1 to the side furthest from the main shaft 1. As the foam rises, the foam located below the annular groove 4 is squeezed and moves upward from the support tube 51 on the side closest to the annular groove 4, contacting the spike of the lowest-height upper defoaming tooth 52 on the support tube 51, thus achieving defoaming. As the foam rises again, all upper defoaming teeth 52 puncture and defoam.

[0027] During operation, when foam is generated during the fermentation of Bacillus, it is first punctured by the lower defoaming tooth 53 located below. When there is a lot of foam and it rises above the support tube 51, it is punctured by the upper defoaming tooth 52. The liquid generated during the defoaming process and the foam that rises above the support tube 51 can enter the annular groove 4 through the liquid inlet elongated hole 54, or directly enter the annular groove 4 through the opening at the top of the annular groove 4, and then be discharged from the cylinder 3 through the interface w connected to the annular groove 4.

[0028] See Figure 1 The top of the cylinder 1 is provided with a flange 9 for fixing the motor 10 and providing stable support for the connection between the output shaft of the motor 10 and the main shaft 1. The wall of the cylinder 3 is provided with a hanging lug 7 for easy installation and fixing of the cylinder 3.

[0029] See Figure 1 and Figure 2For ease of observation, a viewing port r and a sight glass u are provided at the top of the cylinder 3. The top of the cylinder 3 also has a foam alarm port p, an exhaust port b, and two spare ports q1 and q2. Since the height of the cylinder 3 is generally set to be above 3m, a ladder 8 is provided on one side of the cylinder 3 for easy observation and inspection. The side wall of the cylinder 3 is equipped with a sampling port m, a water outlet pipe d, a pH detection port h, a temperature measuring port t, an air inlet pipe a, an exhaust port pipe b, an interface w connecting the annular groove 4, a water outlet pipe d connecting the hot water pipe 13, and an inlet pipe v1 and an outlet pipe v2 connecting the steam heat exchange coil 11. The water inlet pipe c connecting the hot water pipe 13 is located at the bottom of the cylinder 3.

[0030] This invention provides a seed tank for bio-fermentation. It achieves dual rapid heating through the installation of hot water pipes and steam heat exchange coils, and the stirring paddle ensures uniform heating of the biological seeds within the tank. Once the seed temperature reaches the desired level, the phase change material within the jacket maintains a constant temperature within a specific range, further enhancing its heat preservation effect. A defoaming component is used; first, lower defoaming teeth defoam, and then upper defoaming teeth defoam when the foam exceeds the height of the component. This dual action of the lower and upper defoaming teeth enhances the defoaming effect. The liquid produced after defoaming enters the annular groove through a support pipe and is then discharged.

[0031] Of course, there may be other embodiments of this utility model. Without departing from the spirit and essence of this utility model, those skilled in the art can make various corresponding changes and modifications based on this utility model, but these corresponding changes and modifications should all fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A seed tank for bio-fermentation, comprising a cylindrical body (3), wherein a jacket (2) is provided on the outer side of the cylindrical body (3), characterized in that, The jacket (2) is filled with phase change material; the cylinder (3) is provided with a hot water pipe (13) and a steam heat exchange coil (11), and the cylinder (3) is also provided with a stirring paddle (12) and a defoaming component (5), the defoaming component (5) being located above the stirring paddle (12); the inner wall of the cylinder (3) is provided with a top-opening annular groove (4), and the end of the defoaming component (5) abuts against the annular groove (4).

2. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The defoaming component (5) includes two symmetrically distributed support tubes (51). Both support tubes (51) are inclined downward from the main shaft (1) end to the other end and extend to the top opening of the annular groove (4).

3. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support tube (51) has multiple upper defoaming teeth (52) above it and multiple lower defoaming teeth (53) below it.

4. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 3, characterized in that, An inlet strip hole (54) is provided between adjacent upper defoaming teeth (52).

5. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 3, characterized in that, The spikes of the upper defoaming teeth (52) are tilted toward the direction of rotation of the stirring shaft, so that the height of the spikes of all the upper defoaming teeth (52) gradually decreases from the side closer to the main shaft (1) to the side farther away from the main shaft (1).

6. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 3, characterized in that, The spikes of each lower defoaming tooth (53) are set at the same height.

7. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, Multiple upper defoaming teeth (52) and multiple lower defoaming teeth (53) are arranged at equal intervals.

8. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stirring paddle (12) and the defoaming component (5) are connected to the motor (10) via the main shaft (1).

9. A seed tank for bio-fermentation according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple baffles (6) are set at equal angles inside the cylinder (3).

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