JP2579811Y2 - Chemical solution supply device for culture device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The chemical solution supply device of the culture apparatus according to the present invention is incorporated in a culture device for culturing various microorganisms or plant cells, and supplies a predetermined amount of a chemical solution into a culture tank. Use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has been widely practiced to culture various microorganisms and plant cells using a culture apparatus called a jar fermenter, a bioreactor, or the like. When performing the culturing operation, the above-mentioned microorganisms and plant cells are put together with the culture solution into a culture tank constituting a culture device, and the temperature, oxygen concentration, nutrient concentration, PH value, and the like of the culture solution are maintained at desired values. While stirring, the culture solution is stirred.

If the nutrient concentration or the PH value in the culture solution deviates from a desired value as the culturing operation proceeds,
A predetermined amount of a chemical solution such as a nutrient, an acid or an alkali is injected into the culture tank to adjust the nutrient concentration and the PH value.

[0004] For this reason, the culture apparatus has conventionally been provided with a chemical solution supply apparatus as shown in FIG. This chemical solution supply device includes a chemical solution tank 2 provided at a position higher than the culture tank 1.
A chemical solution supply pipe 3 connecting the bottom of the chemical solution tank 2 and the culture tank 1, and a chemical solution supply pipe 3 provided in the middle of the chemical solution supply pipe 3.
It comprises an on-off valve 4 for opening and closing the flow path by supplying compressed air, and a throttle valve 5 provided between the on-off valve 4 and the culture tank 1 in the middle of the chemical solution supply pipe 3.

[0005] When supplying a predetermined amount of the chemical solution to the culture tank 1, compressed air is supplied to the drive section of the on-off valve 4 for a predetermined time, and the on-off valve 4 is opened for a predetermined time. As a result, the drug solution in the drug solution tank 2 is sent into the culture tank 1 through the on-off valve 4 and the throttle valve 5.

[0006] The throttle valve 5 supplies a desired amount of a chemical solution to the culture tank 1.
It is provided to feed into. That is, the opening / closing valve 4 which is opened by the supply of the compressed air is difficult to adjust the opening degree and is almost fully opened with the supply of the compressed air, whereas the culture solution sent from the chemical solution tank 2 to the culture tank 1 is Is small in each serving. Therefore, conventionally, the flow rate is adjusted by the throttle valve 5 and the opening time of the on-off valve 4 is adjusted.
A desired amount of the drug solution was fed into the culture tank 1.

[0007]

However, in the case of the conventional chemical solution supply device for a culture device, which is constructed and operates as described above, there are the following problems to be solved.

First, as a first problem, the throttle valve 5 is expensive, which causes a high manufacturing cost of the chemical solution supply device. That is, the throttle valve 5 through which a chemical such as an acid or an alkali passes is required to be made of stainless steel in order to prevent corrosion by the chemical. For this reason, it was unavoidable that the throttle valve 5 became expensive.

A second problem is that a throttle valve 5 is provided in the middle of the chemical supply pipe 3 so that the chemical supply pipe 3 and the on-off valve 4
The sterilization process time is longer. That is, in order to prevent various bacteria from being mixed in the culture tank 1, the chemical liquid tank 2, the chemical liquid supply pipe 3, the on-off valve 4, and the throttle valve 5 are heated by high-temperature steam before the operation of the culture apparatus is started. Sterilize. However, if the throttle valve 5 is provided in the middle of the chemical solution supply pipe 3, the amount of steam circulated through the chemical solution supply pipe 3 for a certain period of time is limited, and the time of the heat sterilization process becomes longer. .

The drug solution supply device of the culture device according to the present invention solves all of these problems.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a chemical solution supply device for a culture apparatus, comprising a chemical solution tank provided at a position higher than a culture tank, and a chemical solution supply pipe connecting the bottom of the chemical solution tank and the culture tank. this was provided in the middle of the chemical solution supply pipe, and adjustable-off valve of the flow channel area, pairs infeed of compressed air
An actuator that opens and closes the on-off valve with a corresponding area, and a compressed air supply passage to this actuator
The control valve is provided with a switching valve which is controlled by a control valve, and a throttle valve provided between the switching valve and the compressed air source.

[0012]

When a desired amount of a drug solution is supplied from a drug solution tank to a culture tank by the drug solution supply device of the culture device of the present invention configured as described above, an actuator is supplied to the actuator through a throttle valve.
A predetermined amount of compressed air is supplied. As the compressed air is sent, the actuator opens the on-off valve by an amount corresponding to the amount of the compressed air sent. As a result, a predetermined amount of the chemical is sent from the chemical tank to the culture tank.

The throttle valve provided between the actuator and the compressed air source only allows air to pass through, and does not require any particular corrosion resistance, nor does it require the interior to be sterilized. Therefore, the provision of the throttle valve does not increase the manufacturing cost of the chemical solution supply device or increase the time required for the sterilization process.

[0014]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. An opening / closing valve 6 whose flow path area is adjustable is provided in the middle of the chemical supply pipe 3 connecting the bottom of the chemical tank 2 provided at a position higher than the culture tank 1 and the culture tank 1. The opening and closing are performed by an actuator 7 driven by sending compressed air.

Then, the other ends of the supply / discharge pipes 8a and 8b having one ends connected to the supply / discharge ports of the actuator 7 are connected to the actuator.
Connected to two of the four ports provided on the four-way valve 9 which is a switching valve for switching the compressed air passage to the motor 7 . One of the remaining ports of the four-way valve 9 is open to the atmosphere, and the other port is connected to the discharge port of a compressor 11 as a compressed air source through an air supply pipe 10. . A throttle valve 12 is provided in the middle of the air supply pipe 10 to reduce the flow rate of the compressed air sent to the actuator 7 through the four-way valve 9.

As the actuator 7, for example, one having a structure as shown in FIG. 2 can be used. The actuator 7 has a pair of pistons 14 and 14 fitted in a cylinder 13 whose both ends are closed in a displaceable and airtight manner in the axial direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 2). Racks 15 and 15 are fixed to surfaces of both pistons 14 and 14 facing each other, and a single pinion 16 is engaged with both racks 15 and 15. The on-off valve 6 is opened and closed by a rotating shaft 17 to which the pinion 16 is fixed.

A supply / discharge port 1 provided on a side surface of the cylinder 13 and connected to one end of each of the supply / discharge pipes 8a and 8b.
8a, 18b, one (left side in FIG. 2) supply / discharge port 18a
Is a pair of pistons 14 in the middle of the cylinder 13,
14 and the other (right side in FIG. 2) supply / discharge port 18 b is connected to both ends of the cylinder 13.

[0018] Therefore, based on a switching valve switching of the four-way valve 9, for example, let through one of the supply-discharge port 18a above the discharge port of the compressor 11, the other supply-discharge port 18b
Is released to the atmosphere, as shown by the arrow in FIG.
The pair of pistons 14, 14 move away from each other, and the rotating shaft 17 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2 to open the on-off valve 6. Conversely, the one supply / discharge port 18a is opened to the atmosphere, and the other supply / discharge port 18b is connected to the compressor 11
Of the pistons 14 and 1
4 with each other approaches, the rotating shaft 17 is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2, it closes the on-off valve 6.

The flow path area when the on-off valve 6 is opened is almost proportional to the rotation angle of the rotary shaft 17. And the amount of feed is substantially proportional to the communication time between the compressor 11 and the cylinder 13 by the four-way valve 9. Accordingly, the switching time of the four-way valve 9 is appropriately determined, and the on-off valve 6 is first opened to open
After the compressed air is sent to the heater 7 for a predetermined time (that is, a predetermined amount),
By switching the direction valve 9, the supply / drain port 18 a of the actuator 7,
18b and the on-off valve 6
Close lever is adjustable amount of liquid medicine flowing through the on-off valve 6.

Further, the throttle valve 12 may have a structure as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The throttle valve 12 is widely known in the related art, and inserts the tip of a needle 22 into a throttle channel 21 provided between an inlet 19 and an outlet 20. The distal end of the needle 22 is tapered so that the knob 23 is rotated to displace the needle 22 in the axial direction (up and down direction in FIG. 3).
If the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the second and the inner peripheral surface of the throttle channel 21 is adjusted, the area of the throttle channel is adjusted.

When a desired amount of the chemical solution is supplied from the chemical solution tank 2 to the culture tank 1 by the chemical solution supply device of the culture device of the present invention configured as described above, the four-way valve 9 is switched to thereby restrict the throttle valve. A predetermined amount of compressed air is sent to the actuator 7 through 12. The rotary shaft 17 of the actuator 7 rotates with the supply of the compressed air, and the rotary shaft 17 opens the on-off valve 6 by an amount corresponding to the amount of the compressed air supplied. As a result, the chemical tank 2 is moved to the culture tank 1
, A predetermined amount of the chemical is fed.

The opening degree of the on-off valve 6 by the actuator 7 can be finely adjusted by changing the switching time of the four-way valve 9 and the flow path area of the throttle valve 12, so that the amount of the chemical solution to be fed into the culture tank 1 (predetermined amount) ) Can be sufficiently fed by a predetermined amount. The four-way valve 9 and the throttle valve 12 provided between the actuator 7 and the compressor 11
Just passing air, no particular corrosion resistance is required, and there is no need to sterilize the inside. Therefore, the provision of the four-way valve 9 and the throttle valve 12 does not increase the manufacturing cost of the chemical liquid supply device or increase the time required for sterilization.

[0023]

[Effect of the Invention] The chemical solution supply device of the culture device of the present invention can be manufactured at low cost because it is configured and operates as described above.
Moreover, the sterilization processing time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of an actuator.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a throttle valve.

FIG. 4 is a piping diagram showing a conventional structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Culture tank 2 Chemical liquid tank 3 Chemical liquid supply pipe 4 On-off valve 5 Throttle valve 6 On-off valve 7 Actuator 8a, 8b Supply / discharge pipe 9 Four-way valve 10 Air supply pipe 11 Compressor 12 Throttle valve 13 Cylinder 14 Piston 15 Rack 16 Pinion 17 Rotary shaft 18a , 18b Supply / discharge port 19 Inlet 20 Outlet 21 Restricted flow path 22 Needle 23 Pick

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A chemical tank provided at a position higher than a culture tank, a chemical supply pipe connecting the bottom of the chemical tank and the culture tank, and a flow passage area provided in the middle of the chemical supply pipe. Adjustable on-off valve and compressed air feed rate
An actuator that opens and closes the on-off valve with a corresponding area and a compressed air supply passage to this actuator
A chemical solution supply device for a culture device, comprising: a switching valve for switching by control; and a throttle valve provided between the switching valve and a compressed air source.