Solution sterilization line connection device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522561945.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-12-02
AI Technical Summary
[0002]菌种发酵生产前需配制各种溶液,该溶液主要用于发酵过程中为菌种生长提供能量,为保证溶液的无菌性,常采用除菌过滤或湿热灭菌等方式,然而在湿热灭菌过程中因为溶液瓶内压力与灭菌柜腔体产生压差,导致蝶式滤芯常常蹦脱,溶液灭菌失败
[0016](1)本实用新型通过将传统两通瓶盖替换为三通瓶盖,并增设单向止逆阀,实现了灭菌过程中溶液瓶内外压力的动态平衡。当瓶内压力升高时,气体可通过单向止逆阀及时排出,有效消除了压差对蝶式滤芯的冲击力,彻底解决了滤芯蹦脱导致灭菌失败的问题,保障了溶液灭菌的稳定性和成功率。
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Figure CN224901293U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of biotechnology, specifically relating to a solution sterilization pipeline connection device. Background Technology
[0002] Before fermentation production, various solutions need to be prepared. These solutions are mainly used to provide energy for the growth of the microorganisms during the fermentation process. To ensure the sterility of the solution, sterilization filtration or moist heat sterilization is often used. However, during moist heat sterilization, the pressure difference between the pressure inside the solution bottle and the sterilization chamber often causes the disc filter to detach, resulting in solution sterilization failure.
[0003] Therefore, in order to address the above-mentioned technical problems, it is necessary to provide a solution sterilization pipeline connection device.
[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of this utility model and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a solution sterilization pipeline connection device.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by a specific embodiment of this utility model is as follows:
[0007] The solution sterilization pipeline connection device includes a three-way bottle cap with three independent interfaces. The three interfaces are respectively connected to the pipeline of the fermenter valve, the pipeline of the filter element, and the pipeline of the check valve. The interface includes a body with a hollow tube and a connector for connecting the pipeline at least at one end of the body. The connector has an external spiral structure, which is a groove-shaped structure recessed into the wall of the connector.
[0008] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the adjacent groove structures of the outer spiral structure are smoothly transitioned by a circular arc.
[0009] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the arc is φ5-10mm.
[0010] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the check valve is a one-way check valve with an internal spring and valve disc. It can allow gas to be discharged outward when a pressure difference is generated inside and outside the solution bottle during the sterilization process, and close to form a seal when the pressure decreases.
[0011] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the filter element is a butterfly filter element, which has a filtration accuracy of 0.22μm and is capable of intercepting bacteria and microorganisms.
[0012] In one or more embodiments of this invention, a hemostat is clamped at the end of the check valve line after sterilization. As a second layer of aseptic protection, it is important to note that the hemostat needs to be removed during sterilization.
[0013] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, a 316L stainless steel compression fitting quick connector is provided on the pipeline connecting the fermenter valve. The quick connector has a compression fitting blade angle of 30° and is suitable for pipelines with an outer diameter of 10mm.
[0014] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the top of the three-way bottle cap is also provided with a pressure detection interface of M10×1 specification.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the solution sterilization pipeline connection device of this utility model are as follows:
[0016] (1) This utility model achieves dynamic balance of pressure inside and outside the solution bottle during sterilization by replacing the traditional two-way bottle cap with a three-way bottle cap and adding a one-way check valve. When the pressure inside the bottle increases, the gas can be discharged in time through the one-way check valve, effectively eliminating the impact force of pressure difference on the butterfly filter element, completely solving the problem of sterilization failure caused by filter element detachment, and ensuring the stability and success rate of solution sterilization.
[0017] (2) The butterfly filter element adopts a filtration accuracy of 0.22μm. While balancing the pressure, it can reliably intercept bacteria and microorganisms, ensure the sterility of the solution, and meet the requirements of fermentation production for solution purity.
[0018] (3) The one-way sealing characteristic of the one-way check valve, combined with the clamping operation of the hemostatic forceps after sterilization, forms a double protection structure, which significantly reduces the risk of the solution being contaminated by external microorganisms after sterilization and further improves the sterility assurance level of the solution.
[0019] (4) This device has a simple structure. It only requires optimization and improvement of the bottle cap structure and pipeline connection method. No complex equipment modification is needed. It is inexpensive, easy to install and use, and easy to promote and apply in the industry. Attached Figure Description
[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the solution sterilization pipeline connection device in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Explanation of key figure labels:
[0023] 1-Fermentation tank valve, 2-Butterfly filter element, 3-One-way check valve. Detailed Implementation
[0024] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the solution sterilization pipeline connection device in one embodiment of this utility model is proposed to address the defects of the existing two-way bottle cap connection method in the moist heat sterilization process, such as the butterfly filter element detaching and the solution sterilization failing due to the pressure difference between the solution bottle and the sterilization cabinet cavity.
[0026] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:
[0027] A solution sterilization pipeline connection device includes a three-way cap with three independent interfaces, which are respectively connected to the pipeline of the fermenter valve, the pipeline of the filter element, and the pipeline of the check valve.
[0028] The filter element is a butterfly filter element with a filtration accuracy of 0.22μm, which can effectively trap bacteria and microorganisms in the solution. While ensuring the sterility of the solution, it can also help balance the pressure inside and outside the solution bottle during the sterilization process.
[0029] The butterfly filter cartridge can trap bacteria and microorganisms as small as 0.22μm, ensuring the sterility of the liquid while maintaining pressure balance inside and outside the solution bottle during sterilization. The one-way check valve has a built-in spring and valve disc. When a pressure difference occurs inside and outside the bottle during sterilization, gas can be pushed outwards by the pressure (kinetic energy); when the pressure decreases, the valve closes, forming a seal. The one-way flow of the check valve prevents the filter cartridge from detaching due to excessive pressure difference and also prevents contamination (after sterilization, a hemostat can be clamped at the connection point to the check valve for double protection).
[0030] The check valve is a one-way check valve with an internal spring and valve disc. When a pressure difference occurs between the inside and outside of the solution bottle during sterilization, the gas can push the valve disc outward through its own pressure (kinetic energy). When the pressure inside and outside the bottle tends to balance or decreases, the spring returns to its original position, causing the valve disc to close, forming a seal. This one-way check valve only allows gas to flow out in one direction, which can prevent the filter element from detaching due to excessive pressure difference and prevent external microorganisms from entering the bottle and causing contamination. Furthermore, after sterilization, hemostatic forceps can be clamped on the pipeline connected to the check valve to form double protection.
[0031] The core component of this utility model solution sterilization pipeline connection device is a three-way bottle cap. The three ports of the three-way bottle cap are respectively connected to the fermenter valve 1, the butterfly filter element 2, and the one-way check valve 3 through pipelines to achieve sealed connection. The connection method adopts the industry's conventional pipeline sealing connection structure to ensure no leakage at the connection.
[0032] Among them, the butterfly filter element 2 is a standard butterfly filter element with a filtration accuracy of 0.22μm. Its material meets the hygiene standards for food grade or fermentation industry. It can effectively intercept bacteria and microorganisms and has a certain pressure resistance. The spring elastic coefficient and valve sealing performance of the one-way check valve 3 need to match the pressure change range during the solution sterilization process to ensure that it can smoothly open and exhaust when the pressure difference reaches the set value and quickly seal after the pressure is balanced.
[0033] A solution sterilization pipeline connection device, comprising:
[0034] Three-way bottle cap: Made of food-grade 316L stainless steel in one piece, with an annular groove on the inner wall. A ShoreA silicone sealing ring with a hardness of 60-70 is embedded in the groove to achieve a double seal with the solution bottle opening; the three independent interfaces are all internally threaded (size G1 / 2"), and are connected via tubing respectively.
[0035] Piping for fermenter valves: The pipe ends are equipped with compression fitting quick connectors (made of 316L stainless steel), with a 30° cutting edge angle, which can fit a pipe outer diameter of 10mm, enabling quick assembly and disassembly.
[0036] Filter cartridge piping: The filter cartridge is a double-layer butterfly filter cartridge. The upper layer is a 0.22μm polyethersulfone filter membrane, and the lower layer is a 5μm polypropylene support layer. O-rings (material is the same as bottle cap sealing rings) are provided at both ends of the filter cartridge to prevent side filtration.
[0037] Check valve piping: The check valve is a one-way check valve with a built-in 304 stainless steel spring (wire diameter 0.8-1.2mm, free length 8-10mm) and a polytetrafluoroethylene valve disc. The pressure opening threshold is 0.02-0.05MPa, and the closing leakage is ≤0.1mL / min (25℃, 0.1MPa air pressure).
[0038] Furthermore, the pipeline connecting the one-way check valve can be equipped with a clamp mounting position to accommodate standard hemostatic forceps.
[0039] Furthermore, the top of the three-way bottle cap is equipped with a pressure detection interface (size M10×1), which can be connected to an external pressure gauge or pressure sensor to monitor the pressure inside the bottle in real time.
[0040] 1. Component assembly:
[0041] a. Embed the silicone sealing ring into the groove on the inner wall of the T-shaped bottle cap, ensuring that the sealing ring fits completely without wrinkles;
[0042] b. The three ports of the three-way bottle cap are connected to: the fermenter valve pipeline with a quick-connect fitting (align the blade of the fitting with the outer wall of the pipeline, tighten the nut until the blade is embedded in the pipeline by 0.3-0.5mm), the double-layer butterfly filter cartridge pipeline (the O-rings at both ends of the filter cartridge are in close contact with the inner wall of the pipeline), and the precision pressure control one-way check valve pipeline (the arrow of the check valve points outward to ensure one-way venting).
[0043] c. The pressure detection interface can be selectively connected to a 0-0.1MPa precision pressure gauge (accuracy class 0.4).
[0044] The specific usage process is as follows:
[0045] 1. Ensure a tight seal between the three-way cap of this device and the mouth of the solution bottle to be sterilized, ensuring that the connection is secure and leak-free;
[0046] 2. Check that fermenter valve 1 is closed and that check valve 3 is installed in the correct direction (to ensure that gas can only be discharged from the solution bottle to the outside).
[0047] 3. Place the solution bottle connected to this device into the sterilizer and start the sterilization program according to the conventional moist heat sterilization process parameters;
[0048] 4. During the sterilization process, the temperature inside the solution bottle rises and the pressure gradually increases. When the pressure inside the bottle is higher than the pressure in the sterilizer chamber, a pressure difference is formed. Under the action of pressure, the gas pushes the valve disc of the one-way check valve 3 to open and discharge outward, so that the pressure inside and outside the bottle is kept in dynamic balance, and the butterfly filter element 2 is prevented from being impacted and popping off due to excessive pressure difference.
[0049] 5. After the sterilization process is completed, before the temperature and pressure of the solution bottle drop to room temperature and pressure, clamp a hemostatic forceps on the pipeline connected to the one-way check valve 3 to achieve a secondary seal of the pipeline.
[0050] 6. Remove the solution bottle. Subsequently, according to production needs, open valve 1 of the fermenter to transfer the sterile solution into the fermenter.
[0051] Specifically, the sterilization procedure can be as follows:
[0052] a. Seal the assembled device to the 1000mL solution bottle and tighten the cap until the sealing ring compresses by 1-2mm;
[0053] b. Close the fermenter valve, check the installation direction of the one-way check valve, and confirm that the initial pressure inside the bottle is atmospheric pressure by using a pressure gauge;
[0054] c. Place in a sterilizer and set the parameters for moist heat sterilization to 121℃, 0.1MPa, and 30min.
[0055] d. During the sterilization process, when the pressure inside the bottle rises to 0.02MPa, the one-way check valve automatically opens to release the gas, and the pressure gauge shows that the pressure is stable at 0.02-0.04MPa, thus avoiding filter element impact;
[0056] e. After sterilization, when the pressure drops to 0.01 MPa, clamp a hemostatic forceps at the clamp installation position of the check valve pipeline and close the pressure gauge;
[0057] f. Quickly disassemble the pipeline using a compression fitting, transfer the solution bottle to the fermentation workshop, and open the fermentation tank valve to complete the liquid supply.
[0058] Furthermore, since this device can be reused, it requires careful maintenance. The maintenance requirements for some of its components are as follows:
[0059] The silicone sealing ring should be replaced after every 50 sterilization cycles to prevent leakage due to aging.
[0060] The filtration efficiency of the double-layer butterfly filter cartridge is tested every 8 sterilization cycles, and it is replaced when the filtration accuracy is lower than 0.22μm.
[0061] The one-way check valve is disassembled and cleaned after each sterilization process. The spring elasticity and valve disc sealing are checked to ensure that the opening threshold is stable.
[0062] This invention effectively solves the defects of the prior art by using the diversion function of the three-way bottle cap and the pressure regulation function of the one-way check valve. At the same time, with the filtration function of the butterfly filter and the secondary protection of the hemostat, the sterility of the solution and the stability of the sterilization process are fully guaranteed.
[0063] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this disclosure. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
[0064] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. A solution sterilization pipeline connection device, characterized in that, The device includes a three-way bottle cap with three independent interfaces, which are respectively connected to the pipeline of the fermenter valve, the pipeline of the filter element, and the pipeline of the check valve. Each interface includes a body with a hollow tube and a connector at least at one end of the body for connecting the pipeline. The connector has an external spiral structure, which is a groove-shaped structure recessed into the wall of the connector.
2. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two adjacent groove-shaped structures of the external spiral structure are smoothly transitioned by a circular arc.
3. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The arc is φ5-10mm.
4. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The check valve is a one-way check valve with an internal spring and valve disc. It can allow gas to be discharged outward when a pressure difference is generated inside and outside the solution bottle during the sterilization process, and close to form a seal when the pressure decreases.
5. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter element is a butterfly filter element, and the filtration accuracy of the butterfly filter element is 0.22μm.
6. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, After sterilization, a hemostatic forceps is also clamped at the end of the check valve pipeline.
7. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipeline connecting the fermenter valve is equipped with a 316L stainless steel compression fitting quick connector. The quick connector has a 30° ferrule angle and is suitable for pipelines with an outer diameter of 10mm.
8. The solution sterilization pipeline connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the three-way bottle cap is also equipped with an M10×1 pressure detection interface.