Device for optimizing condensate discharge timing of vertical centrifugal separator

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a device for optimizing the concentrate discharge timing of a vertical centrifugal separator, the device suppressing the outflow of microorganisms and optimizing the timing of opening a discharge valve to discharge the concentrate. The problem is addressed by a device for optimizing the concentrate discharge timing of a vertical centrifugal separator, the device having a structure in which the concentrate is discharged via a heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 connected to a heavy liquid impeller 22 facing a heavy liquid chamber 21, and clarified liquid is discharged via a discharge pipe 20 connected to a light liquid impeller 19 facing a light liquid chamber 18, the device continuously supplying stock solution and discontinuously acquiring concentrate. The device has a structure for forcibly stopping the discharge of the concentrate by closing a heavy liquid discharge valve 26 provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 and simultaneously starting concentration of the concentrate. The device detects the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber 18 by means of a sensing device 4, acquires the detected sensing information, and controls the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 on the basis of the acquired sensing information to perform discharging and stopping of the concentrate.

Description

Device for Optimizing the Discharge Timing of Concentrate in a Vertical Centrifuge 【0001】 The present invention relates to a device for optimizing the discharge timing of concentrate in a vertical centrifuge. More specifically, it relates to a device for optimizing the discharge timing of a high-concentration microbial concentrate discontinuously from the heavy liquid side while continuously supplying a stock solution containing microorganisms to a vertical centrifuge. 【0002】 Patent Document 1 discloses that a vertical centrifuge can be applied to water containing microorganisms such as plankton as the liquid to be treated. According to this technology, even for a liquid to be treated with a large amount of solids mixed in, it can be separated and easily discharged, thus exerting an effect on the separation of three phases: a solid phase, a heavy liquid phase, and a light liquid phase. 【0003】 In recent years, the technical development of vertical centrifuges using separation plates by the present applicant has advanced, and it has become applicable to the two-phase separation of a heavy liquid phase and a light liquid phase with relatively close specific gravities. 【0004】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-154694 【0005】 The inventor attempted to produce a concentrate of microorganisms with high commercial value from the heavy liquid phase in the two-phase separation of the heavy liquid phase and the light liquid phase by a separation plate type vertical centrifuge, but found that it is not easy to obtain live and concentrated microorganisms. 【0006】 The concentration (water content) of the concentrate may vary due to fluctuations in the amount of algae accumulated in the rotating body, such as fluctuations in the concentration of algae in the stock solution and fluctuations in the liquid flow rate. 【0007】 Since there is a high demand for shipping the concentrate as a product for microorganisms such as algae, in order to obtain a concentrate with suppressed concentration fluctuations, attempts were made to store the concentrate in the rotating body by batch operation (discontinuous operation) of concentrate acquisition. 【0008】 Attempts have been made to store the concentrate in the rotating body by batch operation, and technically it has been completed in terms of storage. However, when the amount of the stored concentrate increases, a new problem occurs that the concentrate flows out to the clear liquid side. 【0009】Opening the discharge valve on the concentrated liquid side will prevent the concentrated liquid from going to the clarified liquid side, but the timing of opening the discharge valve is uncertain. 【0010】 Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an optimization device for the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge, which can suppress the outflow of microorganisms and optimize the timing of the discharge of the concentrated liquid when the discharge valve is opened. 【0011】 Furthermore, other problems of the present invention will become clear from the following description. 【0012】 The above problems are solved by the following inventions. 【0013】1. An optimization device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifugal separator, which has a structure in which concentrated liquid is discharged via a heavy liquid discharge pipe connected to a heavy liquid impeller facing a heavy liquid chamber, and a structure in which clarified liquid is discharged via a discharge pipe connected to a light liquid impeller facing a light liquid chamber, and which continuously supplies raw liquid and discontinuously acquires concentrated liquid, wherein the device has a structure in which a heavy liquid discharge valve provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe is closed to forcibly stop the discharge of concentrated liquid and at the same time starts the concentration of concentrated liquid, the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber is detected by a sensing device, the detected sensing information is acquired, and based on the acquired sensing information, the heavy liquid discharge valve is controlled to discharge and stop the concentrated liquid. 1. The device for optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a color sensor for measuring the color of the clarified liquid flowing through the discharge pipe, measures the color of the clarified liquid using the color sensor to acquire color data including color information of red, green, and blue color components, transmits the color data to the control unit, determines whether all of the color information of the color components exceeds a predetermined threshold based on predetermined thresholds for the color components and the color information of the color components acquired from the color sensor, and if the predetermined threshold is exceeded, opens the heavy liquid discharge valve and starts discharging the concentrated liquid. 3. The device for optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device comprises a structure for intermittently obtaining concentrated liquid of microorganisms from the heavy liquid side discharged via a heavy liquid impeller facing the heavy liquid chamber, and has a structure that allows injection of displacement water into the heavy liquid chamber to replace part or all of the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber. 4. The device for optimizing the timing of discharge of concentrated liquid from a vertical centrifuge according to claim 3, wherein the structure capable of injecting the displacement water comprises a displacement water supply unit capable of supplying displacement water to the heavy liquid chamber, the displacement water supply unit has a supply channel formed therein, and the supply channel is arranged toward the upper gap of the heavy liquid chamber.5. The device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to either 1 or 2, characterized in that the heavy liquid chamber is partitioned into a room shape by an upper partition material, a side partition material and a rear partition material, a heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is disposed on the upper part of the rear partition material without an adjustment plate, a heavy liquid flow path is formed in the gap between the rotating body lid connected to the side partition material and the water intake plate, allowing the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber, and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between the tip of the water intake plate and the bottom. 6. The device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to either 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis. 7. An optimization device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifugal separator, which has a structure in which concentrated liquid is discharged via a heavy liquid discharge pipe connected to a heavy liquid impeller facing a heavy liquid chamber, and a structure in which clarified liquid is discharged via a discharge pipe connected to a light liquid impeller facing a light liquid chamber, and which continuously supplies raw liquid and discontinuously acquires concentrated liquid, wherein a heavy liquid discharge valve provided on the heavy liquid discharge pipe is closed, forcibly stopping the discharge of concentrated liquid and starting the concentration of concentrated liquid, the heavy liquid discharge pipe is provided with a flow meter for detecting the cumulative flow rate of concentrated liquid, the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber is detected by a sensing device and the detected sensing information is acquired, the heavy liquid discharge valve is opened and the concentrated liquid is discharged based on the acquired sensing information, and when the cumulative flow rate detected by the flow meter reaches a predetermined flow rate, the heavy liquid discharge valve is closed and the discharge of concentrated liquid is stopped.8. The sensing device is equipped with a color sensor for measuring the color of the clarified liquid flowing through the discharge pipe, and the color sensor measures the color of the clarified liquid to acquire color data including color information of red, green, and blue color components, transmits the color data to the control unit, determines whether all of the color information of the color components exceeds a predetermined threshold based on predetermined thresholds for the color components and the color information of the color components acquired from the color sensor, and if the predetermined threshold is exceeded, opens the heavy liquid discharge valve and starts discharging the concentrated liquid, characterized in that the device optimizes the concentrated liquid discharge timing for a vertical centrifuge according to 7. The vertical centrifuge for separating a raw liquid containing microorganisms into a heavy liquid and a light liquid by continuously supplying it, is equipped with a structure for intermittently obtaining a concentrated liquid of microorganisms from the heavy liquid side discharged via a heavy liquid impeller facing the heavy liquid chamber, and is equipped with a structure for injecting displacement water into the heavy liquid chamber to replace part or all of the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber, characterized in that the device optimizes the concentrated liquid discharge timing for a vertical centrifuge according to 7 or 8. The device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to 7 or 8, characterized in that the heavy liquid chamber is partitioned into a room shape by an upper partition material, a side partition material and a rear partition material, a heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is disposed on the upper part of the rear partition material without an adjustment plate, a heavy liquid flow path is formed in the gap between the rotating body lid connected to the side partition material and the water intake plate, allowing the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber, and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between the tip of the water intake plate and the bottom. 11. The device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to 7 or 8, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis. 【0014】 According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optimization device for the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge, which can suppress the outflow of microorganisms and optimize the timing of the discharge of the concentrated liquid when the discharge valve is opened. 【0015】Figure 1 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating an embodiment of a vertical centrifuge capable of optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge. Figure 2 shows the state of water displacement by displacement water. Figure 3 shows a flowchart illustrating an example of controlling the timing of concentrated liquid discharge in this embodiment. Figure 4 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating an example of another embodiment of the vertical centrifuge. Figure 5 shows a schematic cross-section of the main part of the heavy liquid chamber. Figure 5 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating an example of a conventional vertical centrifuge. Figure 6 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating an example of the configuration of the main part of the concentrated liquid recovery device discharged from the vertical centrifuge shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating another example of a modified configuration of the main part of the vertical centrifuge shown in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows an example of a modified heavy liquid impeller. Figure 5 and Figure 6 show a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the state in which the heavy liquid impeller of Figure 10 is introduced into the heavy liquid chamber, viewed from above. Figure 6 shows another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller. Figure 6 shows yet another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller. Figure 6 shows an example of an operating method for the concentrated liquid recovery device. 【0016】 The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2. 【0017】 Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a key part of an embodiment of a vertical centrifugal separator capable of optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge, and Figure 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a device for optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge in a vertical centrifugal separator. 【0018】 The vertical centrifugal separator 1, using a separation plate, separates the stock solution supplied via the stock solution supply pipe 10 into a concentrated solution and a clarified solution, and discharges them. 【0019】 In the present invention, the stock solution may contain one or more of the following: microalgae (such as Chlorella, Spirulina, Nannochloropsis, and Chlamydomonas), microorganisms (such as Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, and Bacillus subtilis), fungi (such as yeast and mold), animal cells, viruses, etc., or a combination of two or more of these. In the following description, stock solutions containing the microorganisms to be concentrated (e.g., cultured microorganisms) are given as examples. 【0020】The rotating body 11 that constitutes the vertical centrifugal separator 1 is formed by a rotating body lid 12 and a bottom 13. Inside the rotating body 11, there is a separation chamber 16 having a separation plate 14 and a water intake plate 15, and a guide tube 17 that evenly distributes the raw liquid from the rotating body inlet to the separation chamber 16. 【0021】 The stock solution containing the microorganisms to be concentrated, introduced into the separation chamber 16 via the guide tube 17 from the stock solution supply pipe 10, is centrifuged by the separation plate 14 into a light liquid (clarified liquid: PW in the drawing) and a heavy liquid (microbial concentrate: SS in the drawing). This invention is effective even when the specific gravities of the light liquid (clarified liquid) and the heavy liquid are relatively close. 【0022】 The light liquid in the separation chamber 16 is guided by the guide tube 17 and sent to the light liquid chamber 18. The light liquid in the light liquid chamber 18 is discharged to the outside as clarified liquid via the discharge pipe 20 by the light liquid impeller 19. 【0023】 The heavy liquid in the separation chamber 16 passes through the gap between the rotating body lid 12 and the water intake plate 15 and is sent to the heavy liquid chamber 21. The heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 is then transferred by the heavy liquid impeller 22, and the concentrated liquid can be obtained as a product via the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23. 【0024】 In the separation chamber 16, when the raw solution containing microorganisms is centrifuged, the heavy liquid accumulates in the separation chamber 16, and the light liquid (clarified liquid) forms a vertical interface IF between itself and the heavy liquid (concentrated liquid). 【0025】 As centrifugal separation progresses within the separation chamber 16, the concentrated liquid increases and moves toward the center of the separation chamber 16. Meanwhile, the light liquid overflows within the separation chamber 16 from the inner circumferential end surface of the water intake plate 15 along the outer circumference of the guide cylinder 17 toward the light liquid impeller 19. 【0026】 The light liquid impeller 19 faces the light liquid chamber 18 formed at the upper end of the water intake plate 15 and discharges the light liquid (clarified liquid) that overflows from the separation chamber 16 and accumulates in the light liquid chamber 18. 【0027】The heavy liquid impeller 22 is positioned to face the heavy liquid chamber 21 formed at the upper end of the rotating body cover 12. It is designed to discharge the heavy liquid that overflows from the gap between the rotating body cover 12 and the water intake plate 15 and is sent into the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 connected to the heavy liquid impeller 22. 【0028】 To intermittently extract the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid side, a heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 connected to the heavy liquid impeller 22. In this embodiment, it is preferable that a pressure gauge 27 is provided to measure the back pressure generated by the heavy liquid discharge valve 26. In batch operation according to the present invention, with the stock liquid being supplied from the stock liquid supply pipe 10, the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is closed to stop the discharge of the concentrated liquid. With the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 closed and the discharge of the concentrated liquid stopped, the stock liquid containing microorganisms is separated into clarified liquid and concentrated liquid by the action of the separation plate 14, and the concentrated liquid accumulates in the separation chamber 16. The concentrated liquid also accumulates in the heavy liquid chamber 21. The concentrated liquid also accumulates in the flow path that is sent to the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0029】 As the amount of concentrated liquid increases in the separation chamber 16, it is necessary to optimize the timing and timing of the discharge of the concentrated liquid to prevent it from escaping from the clarified liquid side. The centrifuge in Figure 1 is equipped with a sensing device 4 that acquires sensing information from the clarified liquid. If the concentrate is algae, the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber 16 accumulates, and when it approaches, for example, the predicted time for sludge space accumulation, the concentrated algae will mix into the clarified liquid. The sensing of the present invention is designed to quickly detect the outflow of these algae. 【0030】 The sensing device 4 preferably includes a color sensor that measures the color of the liquid flowing through the measurement cell as the clarified liquid flows through the discharge pipe 20, with a measurement cell provided in a part of the discharge pipe 20. By measuring the color of the clarified liquid with the color sensor, algae mixed in the clarified liquid can be sensed as color information. The color sensor measures the color of the clarified liquid containing algae, and if a predetermined color is detected, the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is opened to start the discharge of the concentrated liquid. 【0031】In this embodiment, it is preferable to measure the color of the clarified liquid using a color sensor and acquire RGB color data. A color sensor is a type of "photoelectric sensor" that emits light from a light-emitting unit and detects the light reflected by the detected object with a light-receiving unit. Since a color sensor can detect the amount of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) light received, it is possible to determine the color of the object. 【0032】 Below, an example of controlling the timing of concentrated liquid discharge will be explained based on Figure 3. 【0033】 Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of controlling the timing of concentrated liquid discharge in this embodiment. 【0034】 As shown in Figures 1 and 3, first, the supply of the stock solution to the centrifuge is started (S1). In this case, it is preferable to ensure that the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is closed. 【0035】 Next, the stock solution is supplied and subjected to centrifugal separation by a centrifuge (S2). Centrifugal separation separates the stock solution into a clarified solution and a concentrated solution. Within the separation chamber 16, the clarified solution separates towards the central axis and the concentrated solution separates towards the outer axis. An interface IF is formed between the clarified solution and the concentrated solution, and as centrifugal separation progresses, the interface IF moves towards the central axis, and concentration progresses. 【0036】 As concentration progresses, the concentrated liquid flows from the inner diameter of the separation plate toward the central axis and into the light liquid chamber 18, where it mixes with the clarified liquid. The clarified liquid mixed with the concentrated liquid is then discharged from the light liquid impeller 19 through the discharge pipe 20. 【0037】 Next, the sensing device 4 installed in the discharge pipe 20 measures the color of the clarified liquid (S3). The color measurement involves detecting, for example, the color data of the clarified liquid. The color data can be exemplified by RGB color data. At this time, as described above, the concentrated liquid is mixed with the clarified liquid and discharged from the discharge pipe 20, so the color of the clarified liquid is cloudy due to the mixing of the concentrated liquid. 【0038】Next, the measured color (RGB data signal) is transmitted to the control unit 5, which determines, based on the received RGB data signal, whether or not it exceeds the predetermined standard (threshold) for each of the RGB values ​​of the color data that has been registered in advance (S4). The predetermined standard for the color data that has been registered in advance to the control unit 5 is data that indicates the timing when the concentration of the concentrate has been sufficiently performed, so if the predetermined standard is exceeded, it can be determined that the concentration has been sufficiently performed. 【0039】 If the predetermined standard is exceeded (YES in S4), it is determined that the concentrated liquid has been mixed with the clarified liquid, and it is judged that the concentrated liquid has been sufficiently concentrated, so the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is opened to start discharging the concentrated liquid (S5). If the predetermined standard is not exceeded (NO in S4), it is determined that the concentrated liquid has not been sufficiently concentrated, and the process returns to step S3, the color is measured, and the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is kept closed until the predetermined standard is exceeded. 【0040】 As the concentrated liquid is discharged, the concentrated liquid gradually stops flowing out of the clarified liquid, and the color of the clarified liquid gradually becomes lighter. As a result, the color data transmitted to the control unit 5 no longer meets the pre-registered threshold for color data. The control unit 5 may, for example, pre-store the time for discharging the concentrated liquid based on the point in time when a predetermined standard for pre-registered color data is met, and then use timer control to close the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 after the time for discharging the concentrated liquid has elapsed. 【0041】 In this embodiment, however, the control unit 5 may control the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 to close after a predetermined time has elapsed, based on the point in time when each of the pre-registered color data no longer meets a predetermined criterion. 【0042】 Furthermore, the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 may be controlled to close when it is determined that a predetermined percentage has changed from each of the predetermined criteria after the predetermined criteria for each of the pre-registered color data are no longer met. 【0043】The optimization device for the concentrated liquid discharge timing of the present invention is characterized by obtaining sensing information from the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber, controlling the opening and closing of the heavy liquid discharge valve based on the sensing information, and optimizing the discharge timing of the concentrated liquid. That is, the present invention can optimize the timing of taking out the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid side that becomes the product based on the color information of the clarified liquid. 【0044】 FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another example of the control of the concentrated liquid discharge timing in the present embodiment. 【0045】 In FIGS. 1 and 4, similar to FIG. 3, first, the supply of the stock solution is started (S1). 【0046】 Next, the color of the stock solution is measured (S10). In this case, in the present embodiment, it is preferable to separately provide a color sensor near the inlet of the stock solution supply pipe 10 shown in FIG. 1 or at any position in the supply pipe. 【0047】 Next, the color of the stock solution is detected by the color sensor, and the color data of the stock solution is sent to the control unit. The control unit 5 stores the sent color data as a reference color (S11). 【0048】 The color data sent to the control unit 5 includes, for example, data of each color component of RGB, data such as luminance, etc. In addition to this, data obtained by quantifying the degree of light and darkness or data obtained by quantifying the chroma may also be used. For example, it is preferable to store the color data of each color of RGB in the respective color components of R, G, and B. Further, luminance data may also be stored together, or data obtained by quantifying the degree of light and darkness may also be stored together. When quantifying the further stored color data, luminance data, and data of the degree of light and darkness, a value calculated based on a predetermined algorithm from the detected data may be stored. 【0049】 The steps of S10 and S11 may be stored each time at the start of the stock solution input, or may be stored once before operation in advance and stored with that data as a reference value. 【0050】Next, as in Figure 3, the liquid is subjected to centrifugal separation (S2), and the color of the clarified liquid is measured by a sensing device 4 installed in the discharge pipe 20 (S3). The measured data is sent to the control unit 5. 【0051】 Next, as shown in Figure 4, the control unit 5 determines whether the color of the measured clarified liquid has approached a predetermined range compared to the reference color stored in S11 (S12). For example, if the reference color is the RGB color component data of the original liquid, once the color of the measured clarified liquid is obtained as RGB color component data, the measured color component data can be compared with the data of each color component of the reference color, and if it falls within the predetermined range, it can be determined that the concentration has been sufficient. Alternatively, a certain value within the predetermined range can be set as a threshold, and the ratio between that threshold and the measured value can be set, and if the measured value approaches the set ratio, it can be determined that the concentration has been sufficient. 【0052】 Therefore, if it is determined that the solution is approaching the predetermined range (YES in S12), the heavy liquid discharge valve is opened to discharge the concentrated solution (S5). If the solution is not approaching the predetermined range (NO in S12), it is determined that the concentration of the concentrated solution is still insufficient, and the process returns to step S3, the color is measured, and the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is kept closed until the color exceeds the predetermined standard. 【0053】 In this embodiment, steps S10 and S11 shown in Figure 4 can also be incorporated into the flowchart shown in Figure 3. In this case as well, these steps can be performed when S1 is initiated. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, this can be achieved by using the acquired color component data of the reference color stored in S11 as a threshold. 【0054】 Figure 5 is a half-sectional view of the rotating body showing an example of another embodiment of a vertical centrifugal separator, Figure 6(a) is a partially enlarged view of the structure of the heavy liquid impeller in Figure 5, and Figure 6(b) is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the heavy liquid impeller in Figure 5. 【0055】 Figure 5 shows a modified example of the structure of the heavy liquid chamber 21 and heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1. 【0056】As shown in Figure 5, the heavy liquid impeller 30 is formed in a shape that can be inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the heavy liquid impeller 30 has a curved tip portion 31 that follows the curved upper partition member 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21. Hereinafter, in this specification, the heavy liquid impeller 30 may be referred to as the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 because it has a configuration that includes a curved tip portion 31. The heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed by the upper partition member 210, the side partition member 211, the rear partition member 212, and the outer surface portion 19a of the light liquid impeller 19. The heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed as a curved space because the upper partition member 210 is curved so as to curve upward from the upper part of the side partition member 211. Between the lower part of the side partition member 211 and the rear partition member 212, an inlet portion 150a is formed through which the heavy liquid flow path 150 of the concentrated liquid (heavy liquid) flows into the heavy liquid chamber 21. As shown in Figure 6(a), the orientation of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is rotated by approximately 90 degrees so that it can be inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. Here, the method of rotating the orientation by approximately 90 degrees is not particularly limited, and a conventional method can be used. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the distance between the position of the tip 310 when the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 and the inner side surface of the side partition material 211 is approximately 3 to 5 mm. This makes it easier to supply concentrated liquid to the heavy liquid impeller 30. 【0057】 As shown in Figure 6(b), the heavy liquid impeller 30, which has a curved tip 31, is provided with a rotating actuator 32 on one side that can rotate the tip 31, and a heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 on the other side. 【0058】 The rotating actuator 32 can be rotated so that the curved tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 shown in Figure 5. When the tip 31 is inserted, the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 is supplied from the tip 31 and can be discharged to the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 via the heavy liquid impeller 30. 【0059】 In the heavy liquid impeller 30 of this embodiment, the internal flow path for the concentrated liquid may be spiral-shaped or perforated. 【0060】In this way, by rotating the direction of the heavy liquid impeller 30, the tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 passes through the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 and is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, allowing the concentrated liquid inside the heavy liquid chamber 21 to be extracted. The discharge of the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid impeller 30 is carried out by the centrifugal force of the concentrated liquid, which is the same as with conventional impellers. Furthermore, in accordance with the curved shape of the heavy liquid impeller 30, it is preferable that the upper partition material 210 is formed to curve upward and extend toward the central axis. This is because it allows the heavy liquid impeller 30 to rotate smoothly. 【0061】 In this configuration, the direction of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is rotated until the concentrated liquid is concentrated, so that the tip portion 31 is no longer inside the heavy liquid chamber 21. This eliminates the temperature rise caused by friction resulting from the heavy liquid impeller being inside the heavy liquid chamber. This is because friction itself is eliminated. As a result, the death of microorganisms can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the process of opening the heavy liquid discharge valve S5 shown in Figures 3 and 4 to discharge the concentrated liquid can be achieved by the control unit 5 controlling the rotation actuator 32 to rotate the heavy liquid impeller and discharge the concentrated liquid. 【0062】 In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the heavy liquid chamber 21 is partitioned into a chamber-like structure by the upper partition member 210, the side partition member 211 (which is continuous with the rotating body lid 12), the rear partition member 212, and the outer surface portion 19a of the light liquid impeller 19. The raw liquid supply pipe 10 side between the rear partition member 212 and the outer surface portion 19a of the light liquid impeller 19 is open, so the vertical centrifuge 1 continues to rotate, and it is preferable to close the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 and perform water replacement when the vertical liquid level of the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 is L1 due to centrifugal force. 【0063】The displacement water from the piping 24 can be supplied through the upper gap 24A formed in the heavy liquid chamber 21. For example, displacement water such as tap water is supplied to the displacement water supply unit 24B, and the displacement water is introduced from below the displacement water supply unit 24B toward the upper gap 24A and supplied into the heavy liquid chamber 21. In this embodiment, tap water is used as an example of displacement water, but a portion of the centrifuged clarified liquid may also be used as displacement water. 【0064】 As shown in Figure 2, the displacement water supply unit 24B has, for example, an inlet 240B for introducing displacement water, a storage unit 241B for storing displacement water from the inlet 240B, a supply channel 242B formed below the storage unit 241B, and is configured to supply displacement water from the outlet of the supply channel 242B to the upper gap 24A formed in the heavy liquid chamber 21. The displacement water supply unit 24B is not limited to this, and any configuration that can supply displacement water to the upper gap 24A is acceptable. 【0065】 When the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is closed and water replacement is performed, and replacement water is supplied, centrifugal force is acting inside the heavy liquid chamber 21. Because the concentrated liquid has a higher specific gravity than the replacement water, it moves circumferentially away from the stock liquid supply pipe 10 side (central axis side) where the stock liquid is supplied, and the concentrated liquid interface moves to L2. As the supply of replacement water continues, the concentrated liquid interface becomes L3, and the concentrated liquid inside the heavy liquid chamber 21 is completely replaced by the replacement water. In the illustrated example, the amount of replacement water supplied is about the same as the capacity of the heavy liquid chamber 21, but it is not particularly limited. It is preferable that the heavy liquid chamber 21 is filled with replacement water. 【0066】 In this manner, under conditions where centrifugal force is acting within the heavy liquid chamber 21, a vertical interface is formed between the displacement water and the concentrate, separate from the vertical interface between the clarified liquid and the concentrate in the separation chamber 16, thereby enabling the water displacement of the concentrate in the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0067】 When the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is opened, the concentrated liquid accumulated during batch operation can be removed as a product via the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23. 【0068】When removing this product, after opening the heavy liquid discharge valve 26, the initial waste is the part where the effect of the displacement water becomes apparent and has a low concentration, so it is preferable not to include it as the final product. Also, the concentrated liquid obtained after a predetermined amount has been acquired as the final product will have a lower concentration again, so it is preferable not to include it as the final product. 【0069】 Experimental findings indicate that with the "SJ10F Sanitary" centrifuge, the initial waste volume (initial waste area volume) is 100-200 mL, the amount of concentrated liquid obtainable as a product (product area volume) is 600-900 mL, and the portion exceeding 900 mL is the low-concentration portion that does not become a product (the final non-product area). 【0070】 In this invention, once the accumulated concentrated liquid is depleted, the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is closed again to concentrate the microorganisms in batch operation and store the solution. During this process, the water displacement method of this invention is performed, and then the concentrated liquid is extracted as a product. 【0071】 In the present invention, the timing of water displacement is preferably such that the addition of displacement water is started immediately after the stock solution is supplied, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of centrifugal separation by the centrifugal separator 1. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the addition of displacement water may be started a predetermined time after the start of stock solution addition. Furthermore, it may be at the start of concentration in batch operation, or after the first batch operation is completed and subsequent batch operations are initiated. Specifically, the timing may be performed simultaneously with the centrifugal separation operation S2 shown in Figures 3 and 4, or it may be performed using timer control (not shown) to, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of centrifugal separation. 【0072】 By performing the water displacement described above, the temperature rise of the heavy liquid chamber 21 can be suppressed, preventing the death of microorganisms, and also preventing the death of microorganisms due to shear caused by friction originating from the heavy liquid impeller 22. 【0073】In this embodiment, the heavy liquid impeller 22, which discharges the concentrated heavy liquid from the heavy liquid chamber 21, is installed above the rear partition material 212 without providing an adjustment plate. That is, as shown in the figure, there is no adjustment plate between the heavy liquid impeller 22 and the rear partition material 212; nothing is provided between them. 【0074】 Conventionally, the adjustment plate 112 has been used to maintain the vertical separation interface between the light liquid and heavy liquid within the rotating body within a certain range (see Figure 7). When microorganisms were concentrated using the centrifuge 100 installed in the heavy liquid chamber 113, it was thought that microbial cell disruption occurred due to shearing by the heavy liquid impeller 116. Furthermore, given the unique nature of the target of concentration being microorganisms, and the structure of the heavy liquid chamber 113 in which the adjustment plate 112 was located above the rear partition material 115 below the heavy liquid impeller 116, the inventors recognized that microorganisms could not pass through the adjustment plate 112 by centrifugation, and that the concentrated liquid could not be discharged to the outside. After diligent research, the inventors arrived at the present invention. 【0075】 With the addition of the adjustment plate 112, if the adjustment plate 112 is long (extending towards the central axis), the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid side in a diluted state and only in small quantities. If the adjustment plate 112 is shortened (moving away from the central axis), the concentration is somewhat improved and the quantity increases slightly compared to when the adjustment plate 112 is long, but it is not possible to obtain a satisfactory amount. 【0076】 In contrast, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, when no adjustment plate is used, the microbial concentrate is sent into the heavy liquid chamber 21 without pressure loss due to the adjustment plate, and the pressure of the concentrate does not decrease, and it is discharged from the heavy liquid impeller 22 by centrifugal force. 【0077】 Based on these findings, after conducting various studies on the effect of the control plate on the extraction of concentrated microorganisms, we found that removing the control plate increased the degree of concentration of the microorganisms, allowing us to recover highly valuable concentrated microorganisms. 【0078】According to this embodiment, when performing batch operation (discontinuous concentration) to obtain the desired concentrate, by not providing a control plate, the concentrate can be smoothly extracted from the heavy liquid impeller during the process of removing it. 【0079】 Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the rotating body cover 12 is connected to the rear partition member 212. The gap between the rotating body cover 12 connected to the rear partition member 212 and the water intake plate 15 forms a heavy liquid channel 150 that can deliver the heavy liquid (concentrated liquid) in the separation chamber 16 to the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0080】 In this embodiment, when the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is opened, the concentrated liquid accumulated by batch operation can be removed as a product via the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 after passing through the heavy liquid flow path 150 and the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0081】 Furthermore, in a conventional vertical centrifugal separator 100 as shown in Figure 7, the water intake plate 106 extends to near the center in the width direction of the rotating body cover 103, but does not extend to near the bottom of the rotating body cover 103. 【0082】 In contrast, in the present embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is preferable that the water intake plate 15 extends to the vicinity of the lower part of the rotating body lid 12. Because the water intake plate 15 is long, the heavy liquid flow path 150 extends to the area in the separation chamber 16 where the concentrated liquid is concentrated, thus making it easier to extract the concentrated liquid. 【0083】 In this embodiment, the upper partition material 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed to extend toward the central axis side of the rotating body (the side with the raw liquid piping), thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap 24A between the tip of the upper partition material 210 and the central axis. 【0084】In other words, in this embodiment, the tip portion 210a of the upper partition material 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed extending toward the central axis of the rotating body. The upper gap 24A formed by the tip portion 210a is formed circumferentially around the central axis and forms a gap between the tip portion 210a and the central axis. The diameter of the circumference of the upper gap 24A formed circumferentially at the top of the heavy liquid chamber 21 (the diameter of the circumference formed by the tip portion 210a) is smaller by the amount that the tip portion 210a is formed extending toward the central axis of the rotating body. 【0085】 This is because, by eliminating the adjustment plate, the vertical interface formed by the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber tends to shift more towards the central axis. Therefore, by reducing the diameter of the upper gap 24A, even if liquid splashes occur at the vertical interface formed by the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber, that interface moves further away from the upper gap 24A, thus preventing leakage from the upper gap 24A. 【0086】 Here, the upper partition material 210 in Figures 1 and 2 will be further explained in comparison with the upper partition material 114 in the rotating body half-section diagram showing the main components of a conventional vertical centrifugal separator, as shown in Figure 7. 【0087】 In Figure 7, the central axis-side tip 114a of the upper partition member 114 is positioned at a location equivalent to the inner diameter of the separation plate 105, indicated by the dashed line, or slightly closer to the central axis. Conventionally, the central axis-side tip 114a of the upper partition member 114 is positioned at a distance of approximately 95% of the distance from the central axis to the inner diameter of the separation plate 105, where 100% is the distance from the central axis. 【0088】As shown in Figure 7, the upper partition member 114 is a rotating component during the operation of the centrifugal separator. The central axis side, which forms the supply and discharge passages for the liquid including the heavy liquid impeller 116, the raw liquid supply pipe, and the light liquid impeller, is made of a fixed, non-rotating component and cannot be brought into contact with the upper partition member, so it was necessary to form an upper gap 120. In a conventional centrifugal separator as shown in Figure 7, the raw liquid handled is, for example, fuel oil. Therefore, when fuel oil is centrifuged, solid components are discharged, oil is discharged from the light liquid side and water from the heavy liquid side. When fuel oil is centrifuged, the specific gravity of water is greater than that of oil, and the water interface formed in the heavy liquid chamber is formed outward compared to the oil interface formed in the light liquid chamber. Therefore, there was no need to narrow the upper gap 120 formed at the top of the heavy liquid chamber. 【0089】 Although there was a risk of leakage to the outside through the upper gap 120 depending on the location of the interface of the heavy liquid accumulated in the heavy liquid chamber 113, it did not pose a major problem because the leakage was water. 【0090】 However, in this embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, there is almost no difference in specific gravity between the concentrated liquid and the clarified liquid separated in the stock solution, and the concentrated liquid that becomes the product is discharged from the heavy liquid side. Since there is almost no difference in specific gravity between the separated clarified liquid (light liquid) and concentrated liquid (heavy liquid), there is almost no difference in the interface formed between the light liquid chamber 18 and the heavy liquid chamber 21. For this reason, it is preferable that the tip portion 210a of the upper partition material 210 in Figures 1 and 2 is positioned significantly closer to the central axis than the inner diameter of the separation plate 14 shown by the dashed line. Specifically, it is preferable that it is about 85% or less of the distance from the central axis to the inner diameter of the separation plate. As a result, the diameter of the upper gap 24A is reduced, and leakage of concentrated liquid from the upper gap 24A can be reduced. 【0091】In this embodiment, it is preferable to use a vertical centrifuge capable of intermittent valve discharge. In the illustrated example, the bottom portion 13 located below the rotating body cover 12 is not provided as a rotary valve capable of valve discharge, but it may be provided. In this embodiment, since the microorganisms are removed from the heavy liquid chamber 21 side without being discharged by the bottom portion 13, which is a rotary valve, valve discharge by the rotary valve is performed only in cases such as maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge or in the case of an emergency stop of the centrifuge, and it is preferable not to perform valve discharge of the concentrated liquid using the rotary valve during normal operation. 【0092】 An example of a concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifugal separator of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a semi-cross-sectional view of the rotating body showing an example of the main components of the concentrated liquid recovery device discharged from the vertical centrifugal separator shown in Figure 1. 【0093】 In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, it is preferable to provide a three-way valve 28 just before the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23. 【0094】 The concentrated liquid is introduced from the heavy liquid impeller 22 through the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 to the inlet of the three-way valve 28. One outlet of the three-way valve 28 is connected to the recovery channel 29a for the concentrated liquid that will become the product, and the other outlet is connected to the return channel 29b which returns the concentrated liquid to the stock liquid that is introduced into the stock liquid supply pipe 10. By returning the concentrated liquid to the stock liquid supply pipe 10 via the return channel 29b, if the degree of concentration is too low to meet the quality standards for the product, it can be mixed with the stock liquid again and concentrated again in the centrifuge. 【0095】 Instead of the return channel 29b that returns the concentrate to the stock solution and is connected to the other end of the outlet of the three-way valve 28 shown in Figure 8, the discharged concentrate may be connected to a separate waste channel for disposal, for example, to recover it separately. The waste channel is preferably used to dispose of concentrates with a low degree of concentration that do not meet the quality standards for the product. As shown in Figure 5, if the concentrate has a significant impact on the properties of the stock solution, it is better to dispose of it to ensure stable recovery of the concentrate that will become the product. 【0096】The three-way valve 28 shown in Figure 8 preferably switches the outlet direction automatically. For example, it is preferable to perform automatic control such as switching control based on the color of the concentrated liquid, switching control by a timer, or switching control based on the cumulative flow rate measured by a flow meter 23a installed in the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23. Switching control based on the color of the concentrated liquid is a control method in which, for example, a sensing device 4, which is installed in the light liquid discharge pipe shown in Figure 1, is installed in the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23, and the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28 is switched according to the color information of the concentrated liquid flowing through the heavy liquid discharge pipe. 【0097】 Furthermore, the timer-based switching control is a control method that, for example, uses the time the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is open as a reference, and until a predetermined time has elapsed from the reference, the three-way valve 28 opens the return passage 29b and closes the recovery passage 29a, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, closes the return passage 29b and opens the recovery passage 29a, thereby switching the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28. 【0098】 Furthermore, the switching control based on the cumulative flow rate of the flow meter involves, for example, installing a flow meter downstream of the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 of the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 and upstream of the three-way valve 28, and measuring the cumulative flow rate of the concentrated liquid flowing through the flow meter per unit time. The three-way valve 28 keeps the return channel 29b open and the recovery channel 29a closed until the cumulative flow rate reaches a predetermined level. Once the predetermined level is reached, the three-way valve 28 closes the return channel 29b and opens the recovery channel 29a, thereby switching the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28. In this embodiment, the same control may be performed using a waste channel instead of the return channel 29b. 【0099】 In this embodiment, if the raw material has consistent properties, a sufficiently high-quality concentrated liquid can be obtained even with timer-based switching control. If there are fluctuations in the properties of the supplied raw material, switching control based on the cumulative flow rate of the flow meter is preferable. These switching controls allow for the automatic acquisition of a concentrated liquid with high product quality. 【0100】Instead of the three-way valve 28 shown in Figure 8, on-off valves (not shown) may be provided in each of the recovery channel 29a and the return channel 29b (or waste channel). In this case, on-off valves are provided in each of the recovery channel 29a and the return channel 29b (or waste channel), and control can be achieved in the same way as with the three-way valve 28 by switching the on / off valves of the recovery channel 29a and the return channel 29b (or waste channel) ON / OFF. 【0101】 Furthermore, the switching control based on the cumulative flow rate will be explained in more detail. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the control unit 5 is electrically connected to the heavy liquid discharge valve 26, the on / off valve 25, the flow meter 23a, and the three-way valve 28. 【0102】 When the control unit 5 receives a signal that the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 has opened, it controls the three-way valve 28 to open the return passage 29b and close the recovery passage 29a, and also acquires the flow rate detected by the flow meter 23a. The flow meter 23a can calculate the cumulative flow rate and send it to the control unit 5. 【0103】 The control unit 5 has a preset first flow rate for switching control of the three-way valve based on the cumulative flow rate. When the cumulative flow rate obtained from the flow meter 23a reaches the first flow rate, it controls the system to close the return channel 29b and open the recovery channel 29a to recover the concentrated liquid. 【0104】 Furthermore, the control unit 5 has a pre-set second flow rate for controlling the closing of the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 based on the cumulative flow rate. The second flow rate is the amount of concentrated liquid that will meet product quality requirements. When the cumulative flow rate obtained from the flow meter 23a reaches the second flow rate, the control unit 5 controls the closing of the heavy liquid discharge valve 26, the opening of the return channel 29b, the closing of the recovery channel 29a, and the opening of the on / off valve 25 to supply heavy liquid chamber displacement water into the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0105】Furthermore, the embodiment shown in Figure 9 uses the heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figures 5 and 6 instead of the heavy liquid impeller 22 in Figure 8. Control is possible in the embodiment shown in Figure 9 in the same way as in Figure 8. In this embodiment, the control unit 5 is connected to a rotation actuator 32 (see Figure 6(B)) that rotates the curved heavy liquid impeller 30. In Figure 9, when opening the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 in Figure 8, the control unit drives the rotation actuator 32 to insert the tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 into the curved heavy liquid chamber 21, and when closing the heavy liquid discharge valve 26, the control unit drives the rotation actuator 32 to pull the tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 out of the curved heavy liquid chamber. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when using the heavy liquid impeller 30, the tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is not inserted into the heavy liquid chamber during concentration, so water displacement is not necessary, and control of the on / off valve 25 for adding water to the heavy liquid chamber is also unnecessary. In this way, the embodiment in Figure 9 can be controlled in the same way as in Figure 8. 【0106】 Modified examples of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 5 and 6, and Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the heavy liquid impeller of Figures 5 and 6 introduced into a heavy liquid chamber, viewed from above. 【0107】As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is the part that is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber, and the tip 31 that is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 from the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed in a curved shape. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is circumferential when viewed from above, and the tip 31 is inserted from this inlet 21a to insert the tip 310 into the heavy liquid chamber 21, so the outer surface 311 of the tip 31 is formed in a curved shape that can pass through the inlet 21a. In other words, when the tip 31 is inserted into the inlet 21a, the outer surface 311 is always made so as not to interfere with the outer surface 19a of the light liquid impeller 19. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed circumferentially on a plane, and as the centrifugal separator rotates, the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 flows in the same direction as the rotation. The tip 310 is formed such that the upstream tip 310b is shorter radially than the downstream tip 310a with respect to the heavy liquid flow of the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21. This increases the surface area of ​​the tip 310 that contacts the heavy liquid flow, making it easier for the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 to receive the heavy liquid when it is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. Furthermore, because pressure loss to the heavy liquid flow can be suppressed, it becomes easier to extract the heavy liquid from the heavy liquid chamber 21. In addition, when inserting the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 into the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21, the contact area between the tip 310 and the liquid surface can be reduced, preventing splashing due to contact with the liquid surface. 【0108】 Further modifications of this embodiment will be described based on Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 5 and 6, and Figure 13 is a diagram showing yet another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 5 and 6. 【0109】Figure 12 shows a perspective view with the tip 310 facing upward. As shown in Figure 12, the tip 310 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 has a heavy liquid inlet 310c formed therein, and in the illustrated example, two heavy liquid inlets 310c are provided. Figure 9 shows an example in which a reinforcing rib 310e is provided between the two heavy liquid inlets 310c. When the heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, if the thickness of the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is insufficient to withstand the pressure generated by the water flow of the concentrated liquid flowing through the heavy liquid chamber 21, the heavy liquid inlet 310c may deform. Therefore, by providing a rib 310e, it is possible to prevent the heavy liquid inlet 310c from deforming due to the pressure from the water flow during operation of the centrifuge. If the strength can be maintained against the pressure generated by the water flow of the concentrated liquid through the heavy liquid chamber 21, the ribs 310e do not need to be provided. 【0110】 Figure 13 shows an example of the shape around the heavy liquid inlet 310c at the tip 310 of the heavy liquid impeller. 【0111】 As shown in Figure 13(A), the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c is preferably chamfered and provided in a curved shape. This prevents shearing of the concentrated liquid at the tip and suppresses pressure loss due to introduction into the heavy liquid inlet 310c. 【0112】 Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13(B), the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c may be chamfered on the side facing the heavy liquid inlet 310c, and the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c may be curved towards the heavy liquid inlet 310c side. This makes it possible to suppress pressure loss due to the introduction of concentrated liquid into the heavy liquid inlet 310c. 【0113】 By adopting the shapes shown in Figures 13(A) and 13(B), the contact area with the liquid surface can be reduced when inserted into the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21, thereby preventing splashing. 【0114】 Another embodiment of the concentrated liquid recovery apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 14. Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of how to operate the concentrated liquid recovery apparatus. 【0115】 As described above, the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figure 14 can be rotated by driving the rotation actuator 32 (see Figures 5 and 6) so that the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into or not inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. 【0116】 First, as shown in Figure 14(A), the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is not inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. As a result, the concentrated liquid is not discharged from the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentration of the concentrated liquid increases in the centrifuge. 【0117】 Next, as shown in Figure 14(B), once the concentration of the concentrate has increased, the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 to collect the concentrate. Once a predetermined amount has been collected, as shown in Figure 14(A), the rotary actuator is driven to withdraw the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 from the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentration of the concentrate is increased again in the centrifuge. 【0118】 The process shown in Figures 14(A) and 14(B) is repeated multiple times, for example, twice. During this process, any portion of the concentrated liquid that cannot be discharged accumulates inside the centrifuge. In particular, as shown in Figure 1, the concentrated liquid accumulates near the corner formed by the rotating body lid 12 and bottom 13 in the separation chamber 16, and the concentrated liquid that cannot be discharged remains there. 【0119】 In this embodiment, microorganisms are not discharged by the rotary valve at the bottom 13, but are removed from the heavy liquid chamber 21 side. Therefore, valve discharge by the rotary valve is performed only in cases of maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge, or in cases of emergency shutdown of the centrifuge, etc. During normal operation, valve discharge of the concentrated liquid using the rotary valve is not performed. 【0120】Therefore, after performing the steps in Figures 14(A) and 14(B) multiple times, intermittently, as shown in Figure 14(C), the concentrated liquid is discharged by the rotary valve at the timing of maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge (partial discharge). Since the concentrated liquid discharged in this partial discharge does not become a product, it is preferable to collect it separately from the concentrated liquid that becomes the product recovered from the heavy liquid impeller and, for example, dispose of it. 【0121】 Furthermore, if the concentrated liquid remains in the separation chamber without being discharged, it may solidify, making discharge impossible. This could lead to problems such as the liquid sticking to the separation chamber of a centrifugal separator, preventing the rotary valve from opening. 【0122】 Performing this partial discharge makes cleaning the inside of the centrifuge easier. Furthermore, by performing partial discharge intermittently as shown in Figure 14(C), the concentrated liquid can be discharged before it solidifies in the separation chamber, thus preventing problems with the centrifuge. 【0123】 In this embodiment, an example was described in which the steps in Figures 14(A) and 14(B) are repeated twice. However, the number of repetitions is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate depending on the degree of concentration of the concentrate. 【0124】 The example shown in Figure 14 illustrates an example based on the operation of the heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figures 5 and 6, but it is not limited to this, and the operation may also be based on the heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1. In the case of the heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1, the same operation can be achieved by opening and closing the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 shown in Figure 1, instead of driving the rotation actuator 32 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figures 5 and 6. 【0125】1: Vertical centrifugal separator 10: Raw liquid supply pipe 11: Rotating body 12: Rotating body cover 13: Bottom 14: Separation plate 15: Water intake plate 150: Heavy liquid flow path 16: Separation chamber 17: Guide tube 18: Light liquid chamber 19: Light liquid impeller 20: Discharge pipe 21: Heavy liquid chamber 21a: Inlet 210: Top partition 210a: Front end 211: Side partition 212: Rear partition L1 L2 L3 Concentrated liquid interface 24A: Upper gap 22: Heavy liquid impeller 23: Heavy liquid discharge pipe 23a: Flow meter 24: Piping 24B: Displacement water supply section 240B: Inlet 241B: Storage section 242B: Supply channel 25: On / off valve 26: Heavy liquid discharge valve 27: Pressure gauge 28: Three-way valve 29a: Recovery channel 29b: Return channel 30: Heavy liquid impeller 31: Tip 310: Tip 310a: Downstream tip 310b: Upstream tip 310c: Heavy liquid inlet 310d: Peripheral end 310e: Rib 311: Outer surface 32: Rotary actuator 4: Sensing device 5: Control unit 100: Vertical centrifugal separator 103: Rotating body cover 105: Separation plate 106: Water intake plate 112: Adjustment plate 113: Heavy liquid chamber 114: Upper partition 114a: Central axis side tip 115: Lower partition 116: Heavy liquid impeller 120: Upper gap

Claims

1. An optimization device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge, which has a structure in which concentrated liquid is discharged via a heavy liquid discharge pipe connected to a heavy liquid impeller facing a heavy liquid chamber, and a structure in which clarified liquid is discharged via a discharge pipe connected to a light liquid impeller facing a light liquid chamber, and which continuously supplies raw liquid and discontinuously acquires concentrated liquid, wherein the device has a structure in which a heavy liquid discharge valve provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe is closed to forcibly stop the discharge of concentrated liquid and at the same time starts the concentration of concentrated liquid, the device detects the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber with a sensing device, acquires the detected sensing information, and controls the heavy liquid discharge valve based on the acquired sensing information to discharge and stop the concentrated liquid.

2. The sensing device comprises a color sensor for measuring the color of the clarified liquid flowing through the discharge pipe, the color sensor measures the color of the clarified liquid and acquires color data including color information of red, green, and blue color components, transmits the color data to the control unit, determines whether all of the color information of the color components exceeds the predetermined threshold based on predetermined thresholds for the color components registered in advance and the color information of the color components acquired from the color sensor, and if the predetermined threshold is exceeded, opens the heavy liquid discharge valve and starts discharging the concentrated liquid, characterized in that the device optimizes the timing of concentrated liquid discharge for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1.

3. An optimization device for optimizing the timing of discharge of concentrated liquid for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical centrifuge is used to continuously supply a stock solution containing microorganisms and separate it into a heavy liquid and a light liquid, and the device is equipped with a structure for intermittently obtaining a concentrated liquid of microorganisms from the heavy liquid side discharged via a heavy liquid impeller facing the heavy liquid chamber, and is equipped with a structure for injecting displacement water into the heavy liquid chamber to replace part or all of the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber.

4. The apparatus for optimizing the timing of concentrated liquid discharge of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 3, characterized in that the structure capable of injecting the displacement water comprises a displacement water supply unit capable of supplying displacement water to the heavy liquid chamber, a supply channel is formed in the displacement water supply unit, and the supply channel is arranged toward the upper gap of the heavy liquid chamber.

5. The heavy liquid chamber is partitioned into a room shape by an upper partition, a side partition, and a rear partition; a heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is disposed on the upper part of the rear partition without an adjustment plate; a heavy liquid channel is formed in the gap between a rotating body lid connected to the side partition and a water intake plate, allowing the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber; and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between its tip and the bottom. This is the optimization device for the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to either 1 or 2.

6. The device for optimizing the discharge timing of concentrated liquid for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis.

7. An optimization device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge, which has a structure in which concentrated liquid is discharged via a heavy liquid discharge pipe connected to a heavy liquid impeller facing a heavy liquid chamber, and a structure in which clarified liquid is discharged via a discharge pipe connected to a light liquid impeller facing a light liquid chamber, and which continuously supplies raw liquid and discontinuously acquires concentrated liquid, wherein a heavy liquid discharge valve provided on the heavy liquid discharge pipe is closed, forcibly stopping the discharge of concentrated liquid and starting the concentration of concentrated liquid, the heavy liquid discharge pipe is provided with a flow meter for detecting the cumulative flow rate of concentrated liquid, the clarified liquid discharged from the light liquid chamber is detected by a sensing device and the detected sensing information is acquired, the heavy liquid discharge valve is opened and the concentrated liquid is discharged based on the acquired sensing information, and when the cumulative flow rate detected by the flow meter reaches a predetermined flow rate, the heavy liquid discharge valve is closed and the discharge of concentrated liquid is stopped.

8. The sensing device comprises a color sensor for measuring the color of the clarified liquid flowing through the discharge pipe, the color sensor measures the color of the clarified liquid and acquires color data including color information of red, green, and blue color components, transmits the color data to the control unit, determines whether all of the color information of the color components exceeds the predetermined threshold based on predetermined thresholds for the color components and the color information of the color components acquired from the color sensor, and if the predetermined threshold is exceeded, opens the heavy liquid discharge valve and starts discharging the concentrated liquid, characterized in that the device optimizes the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 7.

9. An optimization device for optimizing the discharge timing of concentrated liquid for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the vertical centrifuge is used to continuously supply a stock solution containing microorganisms and separate it into a heavy liquid and a light liquid, and the device is characterized by having a structure that intermittently obtains a concentrated liquid of microorganisms from the heavy liquid side discharged via a heavy liquid impeller facing the heavy liquid chamber, and having a structure that allows for the injection of displacement water into the heavy liquid chamber to replace part or all of the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber.

10. The device for optimizing the concentrated liquid discharge timing of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the heavy liquid chamber is partitioned into a room shape by an upper partition, a side partition, and a rear partition, a heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is disposed on the upper part of the rear partition without an adjustment plate, a heavy liquid flow path is formed in the gap between a rotating body lid connected to the side partition and a water intake plate that can deliver the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to the heavy liquid chamber, and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between the tip of the water intake plate and the bottom.

11. The device for optimizing the discharge timing of concentrated liquid for a vertical centrifuge according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis.

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