A fermentation tank for producing probiotic beverages

Abstract

This utility model discloses a fermentation tank for producing probiotic beverages, belonging to the field of probiotic fermentation technology. It includes a fermentation tank body with an inlet and an outlet at its upper and lower ends, respectively. A stirrer with a multi-stage stirring structure is fixedly installed at the center of the upper end of the fermentation tank body. An inlet and an outlet are fixedly installed on the side of the fermentation tank body. A temperature sensor is fixedly installed on the fermentation tank body, allowing for precise temperature control via a jacket and heat-conducting fins. The stirrer's dual blades work together to achieve three-dimensional stirring, and microbubbles are generated by a gas dispersion disc to increase dissolved oxygen, thereby improving fermentation efficiency, protecting probiotic activity, ensuring product quality consistency, and making it suitable for large-scale production of probiotic beverages.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of probiotic fermentation technology, and more specifically, to a fermentation tank for producing probiotic beverages. Background Technology

[0002] As a food product combining nutrition and functionality, the core quality of probiotic beverages depends on the activity of probiotics and the stability of the fermentation system during fermentation. The growth, reproduction, and metabolic activities of probiotics place stringent requirements on the fermentation environment. Temperature control, mixing uniformity, and dissolved oxygen efficiency are the three key factors affecting fermentation results. Suitable temperature ensures optimal probiotic activity, uniform mixing avoids fermentation imbalances caused by uneven concentrations of raw materials, and sufficient oxygen promotes the proliferation and metabolism of aerobic probiotics. The synergistic effect of these three factors guarantees the consistency of the fermentation liquid's quality and the product's functionality.

[0003] Traditional fermentation tanks for probiotic beverage production have many limitations in practical applications, making it difficult to meet the demands of high-quality fermentation. Firstly, insufficient precision in temperature control is a prominent issue. Traditional fermentation tanks often use a single jacket for temperature control, lacking an effective heat conduction enhancement structure. This results in uneven temperature distribution within the tank, with localized areas deviating from the optimal temperature range, affecting the growth and reproduction of probiotics and even causing some probiotics to lose their activity. Simultaneously, the slow temperature adjustment response makes it difficult to cope with temperature fluctuations caused by metabolic heat generation during fermentation, further exacerbating the instability of the fermentation environment.

[0004] Secondly, it is difficult to balance uniformity of mixing with dissolved oxygen efficiency. Traditional fermenters often use a single type of agitator blade or rely solely on stirring to achieve mixing, failing to create a three-dimensional cross-flow field. This leads to radial and axial stratification of the fermentation broth, uneven mixing of raw materials and probiotics, and localized areas of nutrient excess or deficiency. Furthermore, traditional aeration methods often involve directly blowing air into the tank, resulting in large gas bubbles with limited contact area with the fermentation broth, leading to low dissolved oxygen efficiency. This fails to meet the oxygen requirements for high-density probiotic proliferation, resulting in prolonged fermentation cycles and insufficient probiotic concentration. Utility Model Content

[0005] 1. Technical problems to be solved

[0006] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a fermentation tank for the production of probiotic beverages. It can precisely control the temperature through a jacket and heat-conducting fins, and the double blades of the stirrer can achieve three-dimensional stirring by working together. It can also increase dissolved oxygen by generating microbubbles through a gas dispersion plate, thereby improving fermentation efficiency, protecting the activity of probiotics, ensuring the consistency of product quality, and is suitable for the large-scale production of probiotic beverages.

[0007] 2. Technical Solution

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution.

[0009] A fermentation tank for producing probiotic beverages includes a fermentation tank body, with an inlet and an outlet respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the fermentation tank body. A stirrer with a multi-stage stirring structure is fixedly installed at the center of the upper end of the fermentation tank body. A water inlet and an outlet are fixedly installed on the side of the fermentation tank body. A temperature sensor is fixedly installed on the fermentation tank body.

[0010] Furthermore, the agitator includes a drive motor, and an air guide shaft is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor. Radial impeller and axial impeller are fixedly installed on the air guide shaft, with the axial impeller located below the radial impeller. The drive motor drives the air guide shaft to rotate, and the radial impeller is used for stirring in the radial direction, while the axial impeller is used for stirring in the axial direction.

[0011] Furthermore, a gas dispersion disc is fixedly installed on the gas guide shaft, and a rotary joint is sleeved on the upper end of the gas guide shaft. The rotary joint is fixedly installed on the upper end of the fermentation tank. The rotary joint is connected to a ventilation system through an air inlet pipe. The ventilation system delivers gas to the rotary joint through the air inlet pipe, and then delivers it to the gas dispersion disc through the gas guide shaft. This is used to generate a large number of microbubbles and enhance dissolved oxygen during fermentation to promote the fermentation effect.

[0012] Furthermore, the air guide shaft includes a hollow rotating shaft, three bushings are fixedly installed on the outer end of the hollow rotating shaft, and an air inlet corresponding to the rotary joint is opened on the upper end of the hollow rotating shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, the gas dispersion disk includes a hollow disk body, on which a connecting channel is provided that communicates with a hollow rotating shaft. The lower end of the hollow disk body has densely distributed micropores, and the outside of the micropores is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane. Gas enters the hollow disk body through the connecting channel and is then released through the micropores to form microbubbles. The waterproof and breathable membrane can prevent fermentation liquid from entering the hollow disk body.

[0014] Furthermore, the fermentation tank includes an inner liner, and an integrally formed jacket is provided at the outer end of the inner liner. The inlet and outlet are both connected to the jacket. Heat-conducting fins are fixedly installed on the inner side wall of the inner liner. The jacket is used to provide the temperature environment required for fermentation inside the inner liner, and the heat-conducting fins can optimize the heat conduction effect.

[0015] 3. Beneficial effects

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this utility model are:

[0017] (1) This solution achieves precise and stable temperature control, providing a suitable environment for probiotic fermentation. Traditional fermenters have uneven temperature distribution and slow adjustment response, while this device uses a jacketed circulation temperature control on the inner tank and heat-conducting fins to increase the heat conduction area, so that the temperature of the fermentation liquid in the tank can quickly reach the preset value and be evenly distributed; the temperature sensor provides real-time feedback data, and the controller dynamically adjusts the temperature control medium to quickly respond to temperature fluctuations caused by fermentation heat generation, ensuring that the probiotics are always in the optimal activity temperature range, solving the core pain point of inaccurate temperature control in traditional devices and ensuring the stability of the fermentation process.

[0018] (2) This scheme significantly improves mixing uniformity and dissolved oxygen efficiency through the synergistic effect of three-dimensional stirring and efficient aeration. Traditional devices suffer from uneven mixing and insufficient dissolved oxygen, while the radial and axial flow impellers of this device form a three-dimensional cross-stirring flow field, completely breaking the stratification of the fermentation broth and promoting full contact between raw materials and probiotics; the gas dispersion disk converts the introduced gas into microbubbles, which are uniformly dispersed under the action of the stirring flow field, significantly increasing the gas-liquid contact area, improving dissolved oxygen efficiency, and meeting the oxygen requirements for probiotic proliferation. The synergistic effect of the two shortens the fermentation cycle, increases the concentration of probiotics, and avoids the fermentation imbalance problem caused by single stirring or aeration. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the air guide shaft of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the gas dispersion disk of this utility model.

[0023] Explanation of the labels in the diagram:

[0024] 1. Fermentation tank body; 11. Inner liner; 12. Jacket; 13. Heat-conducting fins; 2. Feed inlet; 3. Discharge outlet; 4. Water inlet; 5. Water outlet; 6. Agitator; 61. Drive motor; 62. Air guide shaft; 621. Hollow rotating shaft; 622. Bushing; 623. Air inlet; 63. Radial flow impeller; 64. Axial flow impeller; 65. Gas dispersion disc; 651. Hollow disc body; 652. Connecting channel; 653. Waterproof and breathable membrane; 7. Rotary joint; 8. Air inlet pipe; 9. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top / bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "sleeved / connected," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Example:

[0029] Please see Figures 1-4 A fermentation tank for producing probiotic beverages includes a fermentation tank body 1. The fermentation tank body 1 has an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 at its upper and lower ends, respectively. A stirrer 6 with a multi-stirring structure is fixedly installed at the center of the upper end of the fermentation tank body 1. A water inlet 4 and an outlet 5 are fixedly installed on the side of the fermentation tank body 1, respectively. A temperature sensor 9 is fixedly installed on the fermentation tank body 1.

[0030] Temperature sensor 9 adopts a food-grade probe design and is embedded in the middle of the side wall of inner liner 11. It can collect the core temperature data of fermentation liquid in real time. The sensor shell is made of food-grade stainless steel, which is non-polluting when in direct contact with fermentation liquid. It has high detection accuracy and can provide accurate basis for temperature control.

[0031] The agitator 6 includes a drive motor 61, and an air guide shaft 62 is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor 61. A radial flow blade 63 and an axial flow blade 64 are fixedly installed on the air guide shaft 62, and the axial flow blade 64 is located below the radial flow blade 63. The drive motor 61 drives the air guide shaft 62 to rotate. The radial flow blade 63 is used for stirring in the radial direction, and the axial flow blade 64 is used for stirring in the axial direction.

[0032] The drive motor 61 is a food-grade three-phase asynchronous motor, characterized by stable operation, low noise, and sufficient torque. It can stably drive the stirring structure for extended periods, and its housing has IP54 waterproof and dustproof performance, making it suitable for the humid environment of fermentation workshops. The air guide shaft 62, fixed at the output end of the drive motor 61, is made of hollow, food-grade 304 stainless steel. It serves both as the stirring transmission function and as a gas delivery channel. The air inlet 623 at its upper end precisely aligns with the rotary joint 7, ensuring smooth and leak-free gas flow. The three bushings 622 fixed at the outer end of the air guide shaft 62 are made of food-grade nylon, which is lightweight and wear-resistant. They can precisely position and fix the radial-flow blades 63 and axial-flow blades 64, preventing component displacement during stirring.

[0033] Both the radial flow impeller 63 and the axial flow impeller 64 are made of food-grade 304 stainless steel with rounded edges to prevent scratching the inner wall of the inner liner 11 or damaging the probiotic cell structure. The radial flow impeller 63 is radially distributed and can shear and stir the fermentation liquid horizontally when rotating, breaking up the radial stratification of the fermentation liquid. The axial flow impeller 64 is located below the radial flow impeller 63 and can push the fermentation liquid to circulate vertically when rotating, forming a three-dimensional cross-mixing with the radial flow impeller to ensure uniform mixing of the fermentation liquid and avoid local accumulation of raw materials.

[0034] A gas dispersion disk 65 is also fixedly installed on the gas guide shaft 62. A rotary joint 7 is sleeved on the upper end of the gas guide shaft 62 and fixedly installed on the upper end of the fermentation tank 1. The rotary joint 7 is connected to a ventilation system through the air inlet pipe 8. The ventilation system delivers gas to the rotary joint 7 through the air inlet pipe 8, and then delivers it to the gas dispersion disk 65 through the gas guide shaft 62. This is used to generate a large number of microbubbles and enhance dissolved oxygen during fermentation to promote the fermentation effect.

[0035] The rotary joint 7 is made of food-grade stainless steel, possessing excellent sealing and wear resistance. It is fixedly installed on the upper end of the fermentation tank 1, enabling sealed gas delivery when the gas guide shaft 62 rotates, preventing gas leakage or fermentation liquid overflow. The air inlet pipe 8 is a food-grade silicone flexible hose, with good flexibility and strong corrosion resistance. It can flexibly connect the rotary joint 7 to the ventilation system, and has no dead corners, making it easy to clean and disinfect.

[0036] The air guide shaft 62 includes a hollow rotating shaft 621. Three bushings 622 are fixedly installed on the outer end of the hollow rotating shaft 621. An air inlet 623 corresponding to the rotary joint 7 is opened on the upper end of the hollow rotating shaft 621.

[0037] The gas dispersion disc 65 includes a hollow disc body 651. The hollow disc body 651 has a connecting channel 652 that communicates with the hollow rotating shaft 621. The lower end of the hollow disc body 651 has densely distributed micropores, and the outside of the micropores is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane 653. The hollow disc body 651 is made of food-grade 304 stainless steel and is connected to the hollow rotating shaft 621 of the gas guide shaft 62 through the connecting channel 652 to ensure seamless gas delivery. The densely distributed micropores at the lower end of the hollow disc body 651 have uniform pore size, which can disperse the introduced gas into tiny bubbles. The waterproof and breathable membrane 653 covering the outside of the micropores is made of food-grade polytetrafluoroethylene, which has good air permeability and is water-repellent. It allows gas to smoothly escape and form microbubbles while effectively preventing fermentation liquid from entering the interior of the hollow disc body 651, avoiding blockage or contamination.

[0038] The fermentation tank 1 includes an inner liner 11. An integrally formed jacket 12 is provided at the outer end of the inner liner 11, and the water inlet 4 and the water outlet 5 are both connected to the jacket 12. Heat-conducting fins 13 are fixedly installed on the inner side wall of the inner liner 11. The jacket 12 is used to provide the temperature environment required for fermentation in the inner liner 11, and the heat-conducting fins 13 can optimize the heat conduction effect.

[0039] The inner wall of the tank liner 11 is mirror-polished, smooth and burr-free, preventing the adhesion and residue of raw materials and fermentation liquid, and reducing the risk of bacterial growth. The jacket 12, integrally formed at the outer end of the inner liner 11, is also made of food-grade 304 stainless steel, forming a sealed temperature-controlled chamber. Temperature-regulating media such as warm water and cold water are circulated through the inlet 4 and outlet 5 to achieve precise control of the fermentation temperature inside the inner liner. The heat-conducting fins 13 fixed to the inner wall of the inner liner 11 are made of copper alloy. Copper alloy has a high thermal conductivity, which can quickly transfer the temperature of the medium inside the jacket 12, increase the heat-conducting contact area, avoid uneven local temperature inside the inner liner, and optimize the temperature control effect.

[0040] It should be noted that this device uses an embedded PLC controller, installed in a waterproof and dustproof control box on the side of the fermentation tank 1. The control box is made of ABS engineering plastic and has IP54 protection rating, which can withstand the humid and dusty environment of the fermentation workshop. The PLC controller is electrically connected to the drive motor 61, temperature sensor 9, aeration system including air pump, and jacket temperature control system including circulation pump via shielded cables. It integrates functions such as temperature control, stirring speed adjustment, aeration rate adjustment, and fermentation time setting, and is equipped with a high-definition touch screen human-machine interface, making operation intuitive and convenient.

[0041] In terms of control logic, it supports both automatic and manual modes. In automatic mode, after the operator presets parameters such as fermentation temperature, stirring speed, aeration rate, and fermentation time, the controller runs according to the preset program. Temperature sensor 9 collects the fermentation broth temperature in real time. If the temperature is lower than the preset value, the controller starts the circulation pump of jacket 12 to introduce warm water to raise the temperature; if the temperature is higher than the preset value, cold water is introduced to cool it down, ensuring that the fermentation temperature is stable within a suitable range. Drive motor 61 drives the stirring structure to operate at a preset speed, achieving three-dimensional cross-stirring. The aeration system continuously supplies gas according to the preset aeration rate, forming microbubbles through the air guide shaft 62 and the gas dispersion disk 65, improving dissolved oxygen efficiency. In manual mode, the operator can adjust each parameter individually through the touch screen to adapt to special fermentation needs.

[0042] Working principle:

[0043] Before use, all components that come into contact with the materials, including the fermentation tank 1, agitator 6, and gas dispersion plate 65, must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to ensure that there are no impurities or bacterial contamination, meeting the hygiene requirements for food fermentation. Operators set fermentation parameters via the touchscreen, including fermentation temperature, stirring speed, aeration rate, and fermentation time, completing the preparation work.

[0044] After fermentation is started, the raw materials required for probiotic fermentation, such as milk powder, probiotic strains, and auxiliary materials, are added to the inner liner 11 of the fermentation tank 1 through the feed inlet 2. At the same time, the temperature regulating medium is introduced into the jacket 12 through the water inlet 4. The controller adjusts the medium circulation speed and temperature according to the real-time data collected by the temperature sensor 9, so that the fermentation liquid in the inner liner 11 can quickly reach the preset fermentation temperature, and the temperature is maintained uniformly and stably through the heat conduction effect of the heat-conducting fins 13.

[0045] Subsequently, the controller activates the drive motor 61 and the ventilation system: the drive motor 61 outputs torque to drive the air guide shaft 62 to rotate stably, and the air guide shaft drives the radial impeller 63 and the axial impeller 64 to rotate synchronously. The radial impeller shears and stirs the fermentation liquid in the horizontal direction, breaking up radial stratification; the axial impeller pushes the fermentation liquid to circulate up and down, forming a three-dimensional cross-flow mixing field, ensuring that the raw materials and probiotics are in full contact and avoiding local accumulation. At the same time, the ventilation system delivers clean gas, such as sterile air and oxygen, to the rotary joint 7 through the air inlet pipe 8, and delivers it to the hollow disk 651 of the gas dispersion disk 65 through the hollow channel of the air guide shaft 62. The gas is discharged through the dense micropores at the lower end of the hollow disk, forming uniformly distributed microbubbles under the action of the waterproof and breathable membrane 653. The microbubbles are evenly dispersed in the fermentation liquid under the action of the mixing flow field, greatly increasing the contact area between the gas and the fermentation liquid, enhancing the dissolved oxygen efficiency, and providing sufficient oxygen for the growth and reproduction of probiotics.

[0046] During fermentation, the controller continuously monitors the feedback data from the temperature sensor 9 and adjusts the temperature control medium in the jacket 12 in real time to ensure that the fermentation temperature remains stable within a suitable range. At the same time, the controller automatically adjusts the stirring speed and aeration rate according to the different needs of the fermentation stage. In the early stage of fermentation, the stirring speed and aeration rate can be appropriately increased to promote the dissolution of raw materials and the proliferation of probiotics. In the later stage of fermentation, the stirring speed and aeration rate are reduced to avoid excessive stirring that could damage the activity of probiotics.

[0047] When the fermentation time reaches the preset value, the controller sends a fermentation completion signal. After confirmation via the touchscreen, the operator opens the valve at outlet 3, and the fermented product is discharged through the outlet under gravity, entering the subsequent processing stage. After fermentation is complete, all electrical components are shut off, and the fermentation tank is cleaned and disinfected in preparation for the next fermentation.

[0048] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model; however, the scope of protection of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this utility model, based on the technical solution and its improved concept, should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A probiotic beverage production fermenter tank comprising a fermenter tank body (1), characterised in that: The fermentation tank (1) is provided with a feed inlet (2) and a discharge outlet (3) at its upper and lower ends respectively. A stirrer (6) with a multi-stirring structure is fixedly installed at the center of the upper end of the fermentation tank (1). A water inlet (4) and a water outlet (5) are fixedly installed on the side of the fermentation tank (1). A temperature sensor (9) is fixedly installed on the fermentation tank (1).

2. The probiotic beverage production fermenter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stirrer (6) includes a drive motor (61), and an air guide shaft (62) is fixedly installed at the output end of the drive motor (61). A radial flow blade (63) and an axial flow blade (64) are fixedly installed on the air guide shaft (62), and the axial flow blade (64) is located below the radial flow blade (63).

3. The probiotic beverage production fermenter according to claim 2, characterized in that: A gas dispersion disc (65) is also fixedly installed on the gas guide shaft (62). A rotary joint (7) is sleeved on the upper end of the gas guide shaft (62) and the rotary joint (7) is fixedly installed on the upper end of the fermentation tank (1). The rotary joint (7) is connected to the ventilation system through the air inlet pipe (8).

4. The probiotic beverage production fermentation tank according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air guide shaft (62) includes a hollow rotating shaft (621), and three bushings (622) are fixedly installed on the outer end of the hollow rotating shaft (621). An air inlet (623) corresponding to the rotary joint (7) is opened on the upper end of the hollow rotating shaft (621).

5. A probiotic beverage production fermentation tank according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gas dispersion disk (65) includes a hollow disk body (651), on which a connecting channel (652) is provided that communicates with a hollow rotating shaft (621). The lower end of the hollow disk body (651) is provided with densely distributed micropores, and the outside of the micropores is covered with a waterproof and breathable membrane (653).

6. The probiotic beverage production fermentation tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fermentation tank (1) includes an inner liner (11), and an integrally formed jacket (12) is provided at the outer end of the inner liner (11). The inlet (4) and outlet (5) are both connected to the jacket (12). Heat-conducting fins (13) are fixedly installed on the inner wall of the inner liner (11).

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