JP2003009843A - Aeration culture tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an aeration culture tank which can defoam without using a special installation, a special chemical agent, or the like. SOLUTION: When a sensor 2 detects a foam, air 12 or steam 11 is automatically blown in the gas phase portion of the culture tank 3 to defoam.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an aeration culture tank capable of performing aeration culture and eliminating bubbles generated on the liquid surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When performing aeration culture in a culture tank, the problem is that bubbles due to aeration do not disappear depending on the type of medium and remain on the surface of the liquid as they are, and they go out of the tank nozzle and stain the filters. Was becoming.

Conventionally, in aeration culture tanks, an antifoaming agent has often been used to eliminate bubbles generated by aeration.

[0004]

However, in the prior art using an antifoaming agent, when the antifoaming agent used has a bad influence on the microorganisms being cultured, or when the defoaming agent used during the culturing in the purification step is used. If the presence of foam was a problem, antifoam could not be used. In addition, although a defoaming blade may be used in some cases, depending on the characteristics of the liquid, in many cases, the foam cannot be eliminated simply by giving an impact with the blade.

As described above, when there is no effective means for defoaming, the productivity is sacrificed, and the aeration amount and the rotating speed of the stirring blade are kept low to the extent that foaming does not occur. Further, even when the defoaming agent can be used, there is a problem that it is necessary to add equipment other than the defoaming equipment such as a defoaming agent and a device for putting it in or a defoaming blade. It was

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide an aerated culture tank capable of defoaming without leaving toxicity to microorganisms being cultured and adverse effects on the purification step after culture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerated culture tank capable of defoaming without providing parts or equipment exclusively for defoaming.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides that in an aerated culture tank having a liquid phase part and a gas phase part, bubbles are generated on the liquid surface of the liquid phase part. When detecting that a bubble is generated on the liquid surface by the detecting means for detecting, and the detecting means, a controlling means for blowing out one or both of air and steam into the gas phase part to eliminate the bubble (in the gas phase part And piping for blowing air or steam).

Further, the present invention is, in an aerated culture tank having a liquid phase portion and a gas phase portion, a detection means for detecting generation of bubbles on the liquid surface of the liquid phase portion, and the liquid surface by the detection means. When it is detected that bubbles have occurred, the control means (exhaust line, control valve, etc.) for eliminating bubbles by increasing the internal pressure of the gas phase portion to operate is provided.

Further, the present invention is a vent culture vessel having a liquid phase portion and a gas phase portion into which steam for sterilization is fed before culturing and air is fed to generate air bubbles. When detecting the occurrence of bubbles on the liquid surface by the detection means for detecting the occurrence of bubbles on the liquid surface, one or both of the air and the steam are blown into the gas phase portion. And a control means for eliminating bubbles (a pipe and a valve for blowing air or steam into the gas phase portion).

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an aeration culture tank (aeration agitation tank) according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the aerated culture tank (aerated stirring blade) 3, a stirring blade 9 rotated by a driving source 10 is installed in the liquid phase. The defoaming sensor 2 detects foaming during aeration culture in the aeration culture tank 3. Further, the aeration culture tank 3 is provided with a sparger 14 and the like for generating bubbles. The steam 11 is usually fed into the aerated culture tank 3 through a valve C6 or the like for sterilization before culturing. Compressed air (air) 12 is typically fed through valves D7 and B5, for example to generate bubbles from a sparger 14. As a result, in the aerated culture tank 3, the stirring blade 9 mixes the liquid and the bubbles, and smooth culture is performed.

Therefore, when foaming is detected by the defoaming sensor 2 during aeration culture in the aeration culture tank 3, the controller 1 reduces the opening of the control valve 8 of the exhaust line 13 to reduce the pressure in the culture tank 3. increase. In this way, if the foaming continues even if the pressure is increased to an arbitrary pressure, the valve B5
Is closed and the valve A4 is opened to switch the inlet of the air 12 into the culture tank 3 from the liquid to the gas phase. Even if the air 12 is ventilated in the gas phase for about 1 minute, if the defoaming sensor 2 continues to detect bubbles, the valve D7 is closed and the air 12
Is stopped and the valve C6 is opened and closed to blow the steam 11 into the gas phase portion of the culture tank 3 for a moment. The nozzle 15 that puts the air 12 or the steam 11 in the gas phase part can be used also as a nozzle for pressure feeding of the liquid, and the steam 11 can also use the steam for sterilization of the culture tank 3, so parts and equipment dedicated to defoaming, etc. Need not be added.

As described above, in the aerated culture tank 3, the gas phase portion is provided with the sensor 2 for detecting the occurrence of bubbles on the liquid surface, and when the sensor 2 detects foaming, the gas phase is automatically changed. It is possible to defoam by blowing either or both of the air 12 and the steam 11 into the part, or by increasing the internal pressure by lowering the opening of the control valve 8 of the exhaust line 13 to perform the operation. Become.

The control device 1 controls the valves 4 to 7 and the control valve 8 based on a signal from the sensor 2 for detecting foaming.

[0016]

According to the present invention, by using the necessary compressed air or steam in the aeration culture tank, it is possible to perform defoaming without installing equipment for defoaming.

Further, according to the present invention, after defoaming an antifoaming agent, which inhibits the growth of cultured microorganisms or the like, threatens the survival, or interferes with the purification in the purification step, Since it is not left in the medium, it has an effect that defoaming can be performed even under the conditions that cannot be conventionally defoamed in the aeration culture tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an aeration culture tank according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Control device, 2 ... Defoaming sensor, 3 ... Culture tank, 4 ... Valve A, 5 ... Valve B, 6 ... Valve C, 7 ... Valve D,
8 ... Control valve, 11 ... Steam, 12 ... Air (air), 13 ... Exhaust line, 14 ... Sparger,
15 ... Nozzle.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vent culture vessel having a liquid phase portion and a gas phase portion, a detection means for detecting generation of bubbles on the liquid surface of the liquid phase portion, and bubbles generated on the liquid surface by the detection means. An aeration culture tank, comprising: a control means for blowing one or both of air and steam into the gas phase portion to eliminate bubbles when it is detected. 2. A vent culture vessel having a liquid phase part and a gas phase part, wherein a detecting means for detecting generation of bubbles on the liquid surface of the liquid phase portion, and bubbles generating on the liquid surface by the detecting means. An aeration culture tank, comprising: a control means for increasing the internal pressure of the gas phase portion to eliminate bubbles when it is detected. 3. The aeration culture tank according to claim 1 or 2,
An aeration culture tank equipped with a stirring blade. 4. A sterilizing steam is fed before culturing,
In an aeration culture tank having a liquid phase part and a gas phase part into which air is fed to generate bubbles, a detection means for detecting generation of bubbles on the liquid surface of the liquid phase part, and a liquid detected by the detection means. An aeration culture tank, comprising: a control means for blowing one or both of the air and the steam into the gas phase portion to eliminate bubbles when it is detected that bubbles are generated on the surface.