Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L47/00—Connecting arrangements or other fittings specially adapted to be made of plastics or to be used with pipes made of plastics
  • F16L47/26—Connecting arrangements or other fittings specially adapted to be made of plastics or to be used with pipes made of plastics for branching pipes; for joining pipes to walls; Adaptors therefor
  • F16L47/32—Branch units, e.g. made in one piece, welded, riveted
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M21/00—Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses
  • C12M21/02—Photobioreactors
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M23/00—Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges
  • C12M23/02—Form or structure of the vessel
  • C12M23/06—Tubular
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M39/00—Means for cleaning the apparatus or avoiding unwanted deposits of microorganisms
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L41/00—Branching pipes; Joining pipes to walls
  • F16L41/02—Branch units, e.g. made in one piece, welded, riveted
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L43/00—Bends; Siphons
  • F16L43/008—Bends; Siphons made from plastic material

Definitions

• the invention relates to an end junction between two fluid circulation tubes and a reactor, in particular a photobioreactor, equipped with at least one such junction.
• It relates more particularly to an end junction between two fluid circulation tubes formed of two bodies of parallel axes, said bodies each comprising an open end face of connection to a tube and a second opposite end face.
• tubular photobioreactor for the production of molecules of interest intended for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic or agri-food industries or for the cultivation of microorganisms, in particular in the field of aquaculture, has spread in recent years.
• tubular photobioreactors generally comprise at least two vertical parallel tubes interconnected at each of their ends to define a closed space within which a fluid flows.
• the major disadvantage of such a reactor is the potential rapid fouling of the constituent walls of the tubes of said reactor.
• junction devices that allow to introduce the liquid fluid tangentially at the entrance of the column formed by said tube and therefore, to generate a swirling motion.
• An example of such a junction device is described in patent application EP-1 632 562.
• An object of the invention is to provide an end junction whose design is improved, in particular simplified in view of the state of the art, without impairing the performance of said junction in terms of creating a swirling motion.
• the subject of the invention is an end junction between two fluid circulation tubes, said junction being formed of two bodies of parallel axes, said bodies each comprising a first open end face of connection to a second one. tube and a second opposite end face, characterized in that the two bodies are one, cylindrical, the other cylindrical-spherical, in that the second end face of the cylindrical-spherical body corresponds to the spherical portion.
• said cylindrical-spherical body in that said bodies are connected by a passage comprising two flanks, one of the flanks, said first flank, tangent to the cylindrical portion of the two bodies, the other flank, said second flank, forming with the first side a section of said passage is reduced from the cylindrical-spherical body towards the cylindrical body, in that the second sidewall is a curved wall, in that said flanks are interconnected by two linking arois, said connecting walls respectively forming the top and bottom of the passage in the vertically positioned state of the axes of the cylindrical body and cylindrical-spherical, in that the cylindrical body and cylindrical-spherical, and the passage are made of one piece and in that the connecting wall forming the underside of the passage is connected to each of the flanks by a curved area.
• the constituent wall of the second sidewall has a connection zone to the cylindrical body disposed in a plane parallel to the first sidewall and spaced from the first side by a distance at most equal to the radius of the cylinder formed by said cylindrical body.
• the curved wall constituting the second sidewall is a convex wall convexity facing the first sidewall.
• the second end face of at least one of the bodies is provided with an axial chimney.
• the chimney of the cylindro-spherical body is a blind chimney non-opening.
• the chimney of the cylindrical body is a vent opening open at its end opposite to that of said body, and the diameter of the opening of the chimney of the cylindrical body is less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm.
• said junction is a piece of synthetic material, such as a silicone, a thermoplastic polymer.
• the connecting wall forming the above the passage is connected to each of the flanks by a curved area.
• the invention also relates to a reactor, in particular for the culture of living organisms, said reactor comprising two fluid circulation tubes and, at at least one end of the tubes, an end junction of said tubes between them, characterized in that the or at least one of the end junctions of the tubes is in accordance with that described above.
• FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a reactor according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an end junction taken on the second side.
• FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an end junction taken on the second side side, at another angle.
• FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of an end junction taken on the first side side.
• FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an end junction half.
• FIG. 6 shows a partial view of an end junction to illustrate the profile of the passage.
• FIG. 7 shows a top view of an end junction.
• the invention relates to an end junction 1 between two fluid circulation tubes 20 more particularly applied to a reactor 19 of the type shown in FIG.
• This reactor comprises two parallel vertical tubes.
• the upper ends of the tubes are connected by a first end junction 1 and the lower ends of the tubes are connected by a second end junction which may be identical or distinct from the first end junction.
• the two end junctions are identical, resulting in a simplification of the reactor.
• Each end junction 1 comprises a cylindrical body 2 and a cylindrical-spherical body 3, that is to say having a cylindrical section closed at one end by a spherical cap to give said end face a convex convex shape with convexity turned towards the outside of the cylindrical section.
• the spherical portion of the cylindrical-spherical body is thus formed by the end face 7 with a chimney, in the general shape of hemisphere or spherical cap of said body.
• the radius of the spherical portion may be the same as or smaller than the radius of the cylindrical portion of the body.
• the cylindrical body 2 and the cylindrical-spherical body 3 extend parallel to each other and are connected to each other by a passage 8.
• the cylindrical body 2 has one of its end faces called the first end face which is open and which serves to connect to a tube 20.
• This first open end face is shown at 4 in the figures.
• the other end face of the cylindrical body 2 shown at 6 in the figures is, in the examples shown, an end face at least partially closed. Indeed, this end face 6 is closed by a flat surface from which projects an axial chimney 13 which projects outwardly from said end face 6.
• This fireplace 13 is so-called axial because it is coaxial with the cylindrical body 2.
• This chimney 13 may be emergent or non-emergent. Alternatively, this chimney could be removed, the end face 6 being in this case closed.
• the cylindro-spherical body 3 comprises, in a similar way, a first open end face 5 of connection to a tube 20.
• the connection between the tube and the body takes place by fitting, both at the level of the cylindrical body 2 and at the level of the cylindrical body 2.
• 3 cylindro-spherical body.
• the opposite end face 7 of the cylindro-spherical body 3, which constitutes the spherical part of the body, is provided with an axial chimney 14, that is to say with an axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the body and extends outwardly from the end face 7.
• this end face 7 with a chimney of the cylindro-spherical body 3 which corresponds to the spherical portion of said body is in the general shape of hemisphere or spherical cap.
• the chimney could be removed.
• Each of these chimneys, when present, as in the examples shown may be open or not open.
• the chimney 13 of the cylindrical body is a chimney opening, open at its end opposite to that connecting to the body, and with an opening diameter of less than 2 mm, more preferably less than 1 mm.
• the opening diameter of the stack 13 of the cylindrical body 2 is equal to 1 mm.
• the chimney 13 of the cylindro-spherical body is not open or blind.
• the passage 8, which connects the cylindrical body and cylindrical-spherical between them comprises two sidewalls 9, 10 opposite and two walls 1 1, 12 connecting.
• the connecting walls 1 1, 12 respectively form the top and the bottom of the passage 8 in the vertical position of the axes of the cylindrical body 2 and the cylindrical spherical body 3.
• One of the flanks called the first flank and shown at 9 in the figures, tangents the cylindrical portion of the two bodies. It is in the form of a straight element.
• the other sidewall, called the second sidewall and shown at 10 in the figures defines with the first sidewall, a passage section which narrows from the cylindro-spherical body 3 towards the cylindrical body 2.
• the passage 8 has a width taken in a direction perpendicular to the first side, between 10 and 30 mm, preferably close to 30 mm end side of the passage in connection with the cylindrical-spherical body and a width of between 10 and 20 mm, preferably close to 15 mm end side of the passage in connection with the cylindrical body.
• This second sidewall 10 is formed by a curved wall, as illustrated in FIG. 7, with a convexity of the wall oriented towards the first sidewall 9.
• the zone of connection of the second flank 10 to the cylindrical body 2 is disposed in a plane, parallel to the first flank, and spaced from the first flank by a distance at most equal to the radius of the cylinder formed by the cylindrical body 2.
• each connecting wall 1 1, 12 is connected to each of the flanks by a curved area, to prevent a build up of dirt.
• the connecting wall 1 1 forming the top of the passage is connected to each of the sidewalls 9, 10 by a curved zone shown at 16 in the figures, while the connecting wall 12 forming the underside of the passage is connected to each of the sidewalls. 9, 10 by a curved area shown at 15 in the figures.
• the end junction 1 can thus be realized using the techniques of manufacturing used for parts in synthesis. Indeed, this piece is in synthesis material preferably high density polyethylene.
• the tubes 20 can be as illustrated positioned vertically and the flow of fluid flows in the end junction 1 placed at the upper end of the tubes, as in the junction of end placed at the lower end of the tubes, from the cylindrical-spherical body towards the cylindrical body.
• At least one air supply is provided in the lower part of the reactor, to promote agitation of the fluid and limit clogging of the tubes.
• the opening in one of the chimneys can allow an air outlet and fluid overflow. The swirling motion generated in the tubes prevents too rapid clogging of the tubes and allows a better exposure of the fluid flow to the light.
• the tubes 20 may be positioned horizontally.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Joints Allowing Movement (AREA)
• Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=59579720

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2017
  • 2017-05-16 FR FR1754315A patent/FR3066577B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2018
  • 2018-05-15 EP EP18729480.6A patent/EP3625492A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2018-05-15 WO PCT/FR2018/051168 patent/WO2018211208A1/fr unknown
  • 2018-05-15 MA MA049136A patent/MA49136A/fr unknown

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