JP2018174881A - Production method of microorganisms - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recover dried microorganisms readily.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a production method of microorganisms comprising: placing the slurry of a microorganism which produces an oil to a layer structure (sheet) having an SP value of 8 or less and having oil resistance (spraying step S110); and drying the slurry (drying step S120). Dry microorganisms can be recovered from a sheet readily by composing the sheet with an SP value of 8 or less from a material with oil resistance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a method of producing a microorganism that produces microorganisms such as algae.

  In recent years, algae (especially fine algae) capable of producing physiologically active substances such as biofuel (hydrocarbon and biodiesel) and astaxanthin have attracted attention. It has been studied to culture such algae in large quantities and use it as energy alternative to petroleum, or to use as medicine, beverage, food, chemical product and the like.

  In order to take out fuel etc. from microbes such as algae or to use the microbes themselves for medicine etc., the microbes are cultured in a large amount by a culture device, and after the cultured microbes are separated from the culture solution, they are dried It is necessary to obtain a dried product (hereinafter referred to as "dried microorganism"). Then, the technique which heats and dries algae with a drying apparatus is developed as a technique which dries algae (for example, patent document 1).

JP, 2014-224616, A

  The technique of Patent Document 1 has a problem that the running cost required for heating microorganisms such as algae and the initial cost of the drying apparatus itself are increased. Further, when the microorganism is heated, the target substance contained in the microorganism flows out of the microorganism, and there is a problem that contaminants increase.

  Therefore, it is conceivable to place a slurry of microorganisms on an outdoor concrete floor and naturally dry it. However, in this case, there is a problem that the dried microorganisms stick to the floor and it becomes difficult to recover the dried microorganisms from the floor.

  In view of such problems, the present disclosure aims to provide a method for producing a microorganism capable of easily recovering dried microorganisms.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned subject, the manufacturing method of the microorganism concerning one mode of this indication places the slurry of the microorganism which produces oil in the layer structure which has SP value 8 or less and has oil resistance, Drying the slurry.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned subject, the manufacturing method of the other microorganisms concerning one mode of this indication is SP number being 8 or less, and is put on the layer structure which has oil resistance, of the microorganism which produces oil. Drying the slurry; and recovering the dried microorganisms from the layer structure.

  Also, the layer structure may have a water barrier. Moreover, the layer structure which has water blocking property may be provided in the surface on the opposite side to the surface where the said slurry in the said layer structure is mounted.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to easily recover dried microorganisms.

It is a figure for demonstrating a drying system. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of a process of the manufacturing method of microorganisms.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values and the like shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding and do not limit the present disclosure unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations will be denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted. Also, elements not directly related to the present disclosure are not shown.

(Drying system 100)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the drying system 100 of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1 of the present embodiment, an X axis (horizontal direction), a Y axis (horizontal direction), and a Z axis (vertical direction) which vertically intersect are defined as illustrated. The drying system 100 is provided outdoors. As shown in FIG. 1, the drying system 100 includes a roof structure 110 and a sheet 120 (layered structure).

  The roof structure 110 is a building capable of containing a slurry of microorganisms therein. The roof structure 110 is configured to include a plurality of (here, four) pillars 210 and a ceiling 220. The lower ends of the columns 210 stand from the ground 10 and extend in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in FIG. 1). The ceiling 220 is connected to the upper end of the support 210.

  The ceiling portion 220 is configured to include a frame 222 and a waterproof surface member 224. The frame 222 includes a frame 222a, a ridge 222b, and a rafter 222c. The frame 222 a is a frame member connected to the support 210 and extending between the adjacent supports 210. In the frame 222a, a portion 222ab extending in the short direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 1) is bent so that the center protrudes vertically upward. The ridge 222b is a rod member connected to the center of the portion 222ab of the frame 222a and extending in the Y-axis direction in FIG. The rafter 222c connects the longitudinal portion 222ac of the frame 222a and the ridge 222b. The waterproof surface member 224 is stretched on the frame 222. The waterproof surface member 224 is capable of transmitting sunlight (for example, infrared rays), and is made of a member which can not transmit precipitation such as rain, snow, or haze, for example, plastic (for example, polyethylene) or glass .

  The seat 120 is laid on the ground 10 in the roof structure 110. In the present embodiment, the ground 10 in the roof structure 110 is formed with a depression 12 that is depressed vertically downward, and the sheet 120 is laid so as to cover the depression 12.

  Above the hollow 12 in the sheet 120, a slurry of a microorganism (a mixture of a microorganism and a liquid (culture liquid)) is placed. Here, the microorganism is a microorganism that produces oil, and is, for example, a microalga such as Botryococcus, Nannochloropsis, Euglena, pseudocochlistis and the like.

  Thus, the slurry can be naturally dried (air-dried) by placing the slurry of the microorganism in the roof structure 110 whose side is opened. Moreover, by the structure provided with the ceiling part 220, drying (sun drying) by sunlight can be performed, and it becomes possible to avoid the situation where a slurry gets wet by precipitation.

  The sheet 120 has an SP value (solubility parameter) of 8 or less, and is made of a material having oil resistance and water barrier properties. The sheet 120 is, for example, one or more selected from the group of polyethylene such as HDPE (high density polyethylene), LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene), polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon (registered trademark)), and butyl rubber. It is comprised including.

  Here, oil resistance is a property that absorbs oil and does not swell or decompose. Water blocking means the property that there is no leakage of water. Swelling, in which molecules such as oil enter and swell between polymer chains of a substance made of a polymer, is further degraded by dissolution of the polymer chain in a solvent such as oil.

  By forming the sheet 120 with a material having an SP value of 8 or less, adhesion of the microorganisms to the sheet 120 can be suppressed in the process of drying the slurry of the microorganisms. Thereby, the removability of the dried microorganism from the sheet 120 can be improved, and the dried microorganism can be easily recovered.

  In addition, when the oil produced by the microorganism infiltrates into the sheet, the physical properties of the surface of the sheet are changed, and the shape of the dried microorganism is flattened. If the shape of the dried microorganisms is flattened, it will be difficult to recover the dried microorganisms from the sheet. Therefore, as described above, in the present embodiment, when the sheet 120 has oil resistance, the microorganism is broken, and the oil permeates the sheet 120 even if the oil flows out from the microorganism. You can avoid the situation. Thereby, the change of the physical property of the surface of sheet 120 can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to suppress that the shape of the dried microorganism becomes flat. Therefore, dried microorganisms can be easily recovered.

  In addition, the sheet 120 having the water barrier property can prevent the slurry water from passing through the sheet 120 and flowing out to the ground 10. Therefore, the outflow of microorganisms to the ground 10 due to the entrainment of the slurry in water can be prevented.

(Method of producing microorganisms)
Then, the manufacturing method of the microorganisms using the said drying system 100 is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the process flow of the method of producing a microorganism of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the method of producing a microorganism of the present embodiment includes a spreading step S110, a drying step S120, and a recovery step S130. Each step will be described in detail below.

(Spraying step S110)
The spreading step S110 is a step of spreading a slurry of microorganisms on the sheet 120. Since the dispersion of the slurry can utilize various existing technologies such as a slurry tanker including a tank for storing the slurry and a dispersion mechanism for dispersing the slurry from the tank, the detailed description is omitted here.

(Drying step S120)
The drying step S120 is a step of leaving the slurry of the microorganism for a predetermined drying time. The drying time is determined based on the moisture content of the dried microorganism. By performing the drying step S120, the slurry of microorganisms can be dried, thereby producing dried microorganisms.

(Collection step S130)
The recovery step S130 is a step of recovering dried microorganisms from the sheet 120. As described above, the sheet 120 is made of a material having an SP value of 8 or less. Therefore, in the recovery step S130, the dried microorganisms can be easily recovered from the sheet 120 using an apparatus such as a dust collector or the like that recovers a solid substance entrained in the gas flow and a working accumulation device such as a vehicle equipped with a scraper. it can. The dried microorganisms thus recovered are transported to a downstream oil extraction facility.

  As described above, according to the drying system 100 of the present embodiment and the method of producing microorganisms using the drying system 100, it is possible to easily recover the dried microorganisms.

  Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. It is apparent that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that they are naturally within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Be done.

  For example, in the said embodiment, the case where sheet | seat 120 was comprised with the material which has water blocking was mentioned as the example, and was demonstrated. However, the sheet 120 may have at least an SP value of 8 or less and oil resistance. For example, a sheet having an SP value of 8 or less and having oil resistance, and a sheet (layer structure) having a water barrier may be laid below the sheet. And an oil resistant first layer structure having an SP value of 8 or less, and a second layer structure provided (laminated) below the first layer structure and having a water barrier property. It may be a sheet in which one layer structure and the second layer structure are integrally formed.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the sheet | seat 120 as a layer structure was mentioned as the example, and the structure by which it is laid on the ground 10 was demonstrated. That is, the case where the ground 10 and the seat 120 are separately formed has been described as an example. However, when the ground 10 is concrete or the like, a layered structure may be integrally formed on the ground 10. In any case, the layer structure may have an SP value of 8 or less, oil resistance and water resistance (water resistance). In addition, even if a first layer structure having a water barrier property is formed on the ground 10 and an SP value is 8 or more and a second layer structure having oil resistance is formed on the first layer structure. Good. Furthermore, the first layer structure may be formed on the ground 10, and a sheet having an SP value of 8 or less and oil resistance may be laid on the second layer structure.

Further, a plurality of projections or a plurality of depressions may be provided on the surface of the sheet 120 (the surface on which the slurry of the microorganism is placed). That is, the surface of the sheet 120 may be uneven. By making the surface of the sheet 120 uneven, the microbe slurry comes into contact with the protrusions, and the contact area between the microbe slurry and the sheet 120 can be reduced. Therefore, it becomes possible to improve the drying speed of the slurry of microorganisms. Moreover, since the contact area of the slurry of microorganisms and the sheet 120 is reduced, it is possible to further suppress the adhesion of the dried microorganisms to the sheet 120. In addition, the protrusion of 1 may be less than 25 mm ² . Also, the depression of 1 may be less than 25 mm ² . For example, a textured sheet may be employed as the sheet 120.

  The present disclosure can be used for a method of producing a microorganism produced by culturing and producing a microorganism such as algae.

S110 Scattering step S120 Drying step S130 Recovery step

Claims (4)

Placing a slurry of oil producing microorganisms in a layer structure having an SP value of 8 or less and having oil resistance;
Drying the slurry;
A method of producing microorganisms, including Drying a slurry of oil producing microorganisms, mounted on a layer structure having an SP value of 8 or less and having oil resistance;
Recovering the dried microorganisms from the layer structure;
A method of producing microorganisms, including   The method for producing a microorganism according to claim 1, wherein the layer structure has a water barrier.   The method for producing a microorganism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a layer structure having water blocking property is provided on the side opposite to the side on which the slurry is placed in the layer structure.

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