JP3349654B2 - Feeding algae culture equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a feed algae culture apparatus for continuously culturing microalgae such as diatoms and haptoalgae.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART Diatoms such as keitoceras, pavlova, and isochrysis, and haptoalgae have been confirmed to have high nutritional value as foods for fishes and shellfishes, particularly mollusks and their larvae, and also as rotifers. Moreover, diatoms and haptoalgae have been considered to be difficult to stably produce for a long period of time in the field of aquaculture, especially seed and seedling production. In general, for cultivation of feed organisms, seed algae are grown in flasks and the like, and then batch-cultured in a water tank of several liters to several m ³ and cultured. Diatoms,
Growing haptoalga requires a large amount of light. When the culture device is irradiated with light from outside, the amount of light is insufficient. Protozoa and the like are easily mixed. Long-term stable production is difficult.

[0003] In order to solve these problems, there has been known an apparatus that uses a closed vessel as a culture apparatus and arranges a light source such as a fluorescent lamp inside a culture tank. For example, a method of disposing a fluorescent lamp in the center of a culture tank (MMHELM., I.Lain
g, E, Jones, .. The developmentofa 2001 algal culture
vessel at Conwy. Fish.Res.Tech.Rep., Lowestoft.No
53. Partl. 1-7, (1981), JP-A-5-328693) and a method of arranging a large number of luminous bodies (JP-A-57-102181, JP-A-2-16368)
2 JP-A-62-163682) is used.

[0004]

However, the fluorescent lamp has a limited light quantity when its size is small. In the method of disposing the fluorescent lamp in the center of the culture tank, the transmission distance of the light emitted from the light source is eventually restricted. Therefore, a long fluorescent lamp and a vertically long culture tank are used. The shape of the culture tank becomes complicated if a large number of luminous bodies are arranged in a small size in order to uniformly irradiate light in the culture tank or to irradiate a sufficient amount of light. It is a reality that such a response cannot be practically used on the spot where fish and shellfish are produced.

In recent years, at a seedling production site, 100
There is an example of providing a ~ 1000 liter polycarbonate water tank.
In particular, the number of cases in which a sodium lamp or a large halogen lamp is installed just above a water tank and culture is performed under a high light intensity is increasing. Halogen lamps are nearly monochromatic and can emit intense light. However, although a halogen lamp is good as a light source, it has a drawback of emitting high temperature. The temperature inside the thermostatic chamber rises due to the heat generated by the halogen lamp, and the water temperature in the water tank rises accordingly. If the temperature inside the constant temperature chamber is to be kept constant, an excessive facility for controlling the heat retention is required, and a large amount of electricity is required to operate the facility.

[0006] If an attempt is made to save electricity bills, the temperature of the water in the culture tank due to heat radiation from the light source rises significantly. In high water temperature conditions, it is difficult to maintain and grow the feed algal cells at high density. In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a feed algae cultivation apparatus which has a high production efficiency per light amount and per volume of a culture device main body, enables compact peripheral equipment, and can continuously culture feed algae. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

The above object can be attained by the following means. (1) To install a halogen lamp surrounded by a transparent sheath with a gap as a light source in a culture tank on the inner surface capable of uniformly reflecting light, and to suppress a rise in temperature of the culture solution due to heat generated by the halogen lamp. A feed algae culture device having a mechanism capable of introducing cooling air into the sheath. (2) The feed algae culture apparatus according to (1), wherein the culture apparatus has a culture blower, and a mechanism for introducing air into the sheath is based on branching from the culture blower. (3) The bait algae culture apparatus according to (1), wherein the halogen lamp is mounted on a tubular support, and air passes through the support and is introduced into the sheath.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a feed algae culture device. A culture tank 1 is provided by wrapping a metal foil around a glass tank and forming it with a mirror finish. A plate-like lid 2 covers the upper end, and a shaft insertion opening 3 is hollowed out at the center of the lid 2. The cover body 2 has a shaft insertion port 3 which is hexagonally wound around the shaft so that a sheath tube insertion port 4 is hollowed out at six places and communicates with the inside of the culture tank. A stirring shaft 6 connected to a stirring motor 5 is inserted through the shaft insertion port 3 with a stirring blade 7.
Has reached the bottom. In each of the six sheath tube insertion ports 4 that are open so as to surround the shaft insertion port 3, a cylindrical sheath tube 8 that is elongated in the vertical direction is inserted.
The sheath tube 8 is made of a transparent glass tube or the like having a closed lower end,
The upper end is locked to the peripheral edge of the sheath tube insertion port 4. A plurality of carbon dioxide pipes 10 are inserted together with the temperature detecting end 9 for detecting the temperature in the culture tank, and communicate with the inside of the culture tank 1. The lower end of the inserted carbon dioxide pipe 10 has a gas outlet opening toward the center of the culture tank.

In the sheath tube 8, a halogen lamp 11 is provided, and an air supply mechanism capable of introducing cooling air is provided in order to suppress a temperature rise of the culture solution due to heat generated by the halogen lamp 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the air supply mechanism 12 includes a tubular support 13 provided in a sheath tube 8, and a stopper plate 14 having a large number of vents opened in a vertical direction is fixed to a lower end of the support 13. is there. A halogen lamp socket 15 is fixed to the lower surface of the stopper plate 14, and the halogen lamp 11 is screwed thereto. Halogen lamp socket 1
The power supply wiring 16 extending from 5 is arranged in the support 13.

A constant temperature jacket 17 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the culture tank 1 as shown in FIG. 1, and a carbon dioxide cylinder 18, a culture blower 19, a temperature control mechanism 2
0 is provided. An air supply pipe 21 extending from the carbon dioxide cylinder 18 has a carbon dioxide solenoid valve 22 and a first flow meter 23, and branches off in the middle. Each branched pipe communicates with each of the carbon dioxide pipes 10 penetrating the insertion opening of the lid 2. A cooling air pipe 24 extends from the culture blower 19. After passing through the needle valve 25, the cooling air pipe 24 is branched into six directions by a six-way branch pipe 26 having an electromagnetic valve, and communicates with each of the six tubular supports 13 provided in the sheath pipe 8.

The cooling air pipe 24 is provided with a needle valve 25.
Fork in front of the fork. A branch air pipe 28 extends from the forked branch portion 27 and reaches the end via an air filter 29 and a second flow meter 30. That is, there, it merges with the air supply pipe 21 communicating from the first flow meter 23 to the carbon dioxide pipe 10. Temperature control mechanism 20
Is connected to the temperature detecting end 9, receives a temperature signal generated by the temperature detecting end 9, and individually controls the opening of the solenoid valve of the hexagonal branch pipe 26 based on the received signal. A cooling water pipe circulates through the inside of the constant temperature jacket 17, and an inlet and an outlet of the cooling water pipe communicate with a cooling device (chiller) 31.

[0012] Such a feed algal culture apparatus may be driven as follows. A sufficient amount of culture water is introduced into the culture tank 1 near the upper end, and necessary nutrients are added together with the seed algae therein. When the halogen lamp 11 is turned on, the light emitted from the halogen lamp 11 reaches the peripheral wall of the culture tank 1, but is reflected inside by the reflecting mirror, and
It is efficiently trapped inside. Thereby, the seed algae efficiently activates photosynthetic activity. Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide. Open the carbon dioxide cylinder 18,
1. Introduce carbon dioxide into the culture tank 1 through a carbon dioxide pipe 10. Adjustment of the inflow amount of carbon dioxide is performed by adjusting the opening of the carbon dioxide solenoid valve 22 while monitoring with the first flow meter 23.

[0013] The needle valve 25 of the cooling air pipe 24 is opened, the amount of air supplied to the cooling air pipe 24 is adjusted, and then the culture blower 19 is driven. The air whose flow rate has been adjusted is blown from the culture blower 19 to the halogen lamp 11 via the hexagonal branch pipe 26 and the inside of the column 13. Such air pushes hot air around the halogen lamp 11 to the outside air of the sheath tube 8. The temperature control mechanism 20
The temperature detection end 9 receives the temperature signal generated by detecting the temperature of the culture water, adjusts the opening degree of the hexagonal branch pipe 26, and adjusts the amount of air distributed to each of the six sheath pipes. Most of the heat generated by the halogen lamp 11 is thus prevented from increasing the temperature of the culture water. The water temperature in the culture tank is
It is desirable to control the water temperature within a range of ± 2 degrees of the optimum water temperature of the predominant species algae. The temperature change of the culture water can thus be maintained within ± 2 degrees.

A part of the air supplied from the culture blower 19 is branched through a branch pipe 28. It is purified by an air filter 29, mixed with carbon dioxide flowing through the air supply pipe 21, and sent to the culture water. A CO ₂ mixed gas having an ideal concentration whose concentration has been adjusted is fed into the culture water. Cooling device 31
Continuously feeds cooling water cooled to a predetermined temperature into the constant temperature jacket 17 and makes a round in the constant temperature jacket 17,
It is returned to the cooling device 31 again. Thereby, the heat absorbed by the culture water as a part of the heat generated by the halogen lamp 11 is absorbed again from the culture water, and the temperature of the culture water is kept constant.
When the stirring shaft 6 is rotated by the stirring motor 5, the water in the culture tank 1 flows, and the water temperature is evenly distributed.

The culture tank 1 does not need to be limited to a transparent water tank in which metal foil is wrapped around the periphery. For example, a metal tank whose inside is substantially mirror-finished may be used. In cooling the halogen lamp 11, air may be supplied continuously or intermittently. It may be linked to a water temperature sensor, or there is a method of linking with a timer and sending air over time at regular intervals. Since the halogen lamp is provided with an infrared reflecting film that returns infrared light to the filament and transmits only visible light, the spectral distribution characteristic is 400 to 800 nm. On the other hand, the light absorption characteristics of algae are 400 to 500 nm and 650 to 700 nm.
It is. Therefore, it can be said that the halogen lamp is closer to an ideal wavelength than a fluorescent lamp having a spectral distribution characteristic of 500 to 600 nm. The inner surface of the culture tank has a specular finish that can reflect light uniformly, that is, a mirror finish, and a halogen lamp is installed in the culture tank. Irradiation is maintained. Some halogen lamp products cut UV and IF unnecessary for algae culture and release heat to the rear. Such products are particularly preferred for the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the air supply mechanism 12. As shown in FIG. Although the above-described sheath tube 8 is not provided, the same components as those of the air supply mechanism 12 in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. A tubular column 13 having a vertical flow path is provided inside. In the pipe, there is provided a vertical flow path partitioning wall 13a for dividing the gas flow path into two on the supply side and the exhaust side.
Has been inserted. At the lower end of the power supply wiring 16, a halogen lamp socket 15 fixed to the lower end of the column 13 with a fixing bracket (not shown) is mounted.
Is provided. A transparent sheath ball 8a is provided at the lower end of the column 13.
Are fixed in a watertight manner, and this is the halogen lamp 1 described above.
1 is wrapped around. When air is blown into the air supply side of the flow path partitioned by the flow path partition wall 13a, it blows out around the halogen lamp socket 15 at the lower end, and the sheath bulb 8a
Around the halogen lamp 11. This air is then discharged to the outside air along the exhaust-side flow path.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the air supply mechanism 12. As shown in FIG. A tubular column 13 having a vertical flow path inside and rotated by a rotary motor (not shown) is provided.
A vertical flow path partitioning wall 13a for dividing the flow path into two on the air supply side and the exhaust side is provided in the column 13, and power is supplied to the vicinity of the lower end of the column 13 in the flow path on the air supply side. The wiring 16 is inserted. The support column 13 has openings near the upper and lower stages, and a transparent, fan-shaped cross-section sheath sphere 8b is fastened thereto in a watertight manner. A halogen lamp 11 screwed to a halogen lamp socket 15 is provided in the sheath ball 8b. The halogen lamp socket 15 is connected to the power supply wiring 16 through each opening, and is fixed to the periphery of the opening by a fixing bracket (not shown). In each of the openings, an opening on one end side is penetrated and fixed to the flow path partitioning wall 13a, and a horizontal tube communicating with the flow path on the back side has an opening on the other end side.

When air is supplied from the air supply side of the flow path partitioned by the flow path partition wall 13a, the air is blown out from the upper and lower openings, and the halogen lamp 11 is inserted into the sheath bulb 8b.
Wipe out the heat around. This air is then discharged to the outside air along the exhaust-side flow path in the support column 13. Note that the sheath ball 8b may be provided with both left and right wings in each of the upper and lower stages, instead of the single wing as shown in FIG. 4 in each of the upper and lower stages.

In the case of the third embodiment, if the column 13 is rotated by the rotary motor, the sheath ball 8b becomes a rotating blade of the rotating machine and stirs the inside of the culture tank 1 at each of the upper and lower stages. In this case, even if the stirring shaft 6 having the stirring blades 7 is not separately provided, there is an effect that the temperature in the culture tank can be uniformly and uniformly distributed. In the case where a halogen lamp was used as a light source (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-38159), irradiation was performed from outside the culture tank, and in the case where diatoms were continuously cultured (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-96690). This is also a method in which light is irradiated from outside the culture tank in a culture tank made of a transparent material. This is completely different from the culture apparatus of the present invention. In addition, the light transmittance of the culture water may vary depending on the culture time of the algae, and the optimal amount of growth may vary depending on the type of the algae. Therefore, it is preferable that the light amount of the halogen lamp can be freely changed.

[0020]

EXAMPLES Examples will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Example] A feed algae culture apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 was provided using a culture tank having a capacity of 10 liters to grow feed algae. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a change in water temperature in the culture tank, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a change over time in the concentration of feed algae. In FIG. 5, □ indicates a case where one halogen lamp was used and constant temperature water was circulated through the constant temperature jacket 17, but the cooling air was not sent to the halogen lamp 11 to control the temperature of the culture tank. 2 shows the change over time in the water temperature in the culture tank. It increased from 20 degrees to 59 degrees in 270 minutes.

The black circles indicate the case where constant temperature water is circulated through the constant temperature jacket 17 and cooling air is also fed into the halogen lamp 11. No increase in water temperature was confirmed, and it was found that the function as the culture device was sufficiently exhibited.
FIG. 3 shows a specification in which light can hardly be reflected, that is, a case where a feed algae is grown using a culture tank that is not mirror-finished (that is, a conventional method). A fluorescent lamp or a large number of light emitters are arranged at the center. Chitoceras, a kind of dietary algae, was cultured and the change over time in cell density was examined. The open circles indicate the results of culturing bait algae in the culture tank 1 as shown in FIG. 1 formed according to the culture tank of the present invention, and examining the changes over time of the cells. It can be seen that the high density is stably maintained as compared with the case of (1).

[0022]

According to the present invention, a halogen lamp surrounded by a transparent sheath with a gap as a light source is installed as a light source in a culture tank on the inner surface capable of uniformly reflecting light, and the culture solution is heated by the halogen lamp. Since a mechanism that can introduce cooling air into the sheath to suppress the temperature rise is provided, the production efficiency per light amount and per volume of the culture device main body is high, and the peripheral equipment can be made more compact. Further, it is possible to provide a feed algae culture apparatus capable of continuously and stably cultivating feed algae. In this case, it is possible to prevent a situation in which a large amount of fluorescent lamps are supplied and the amount of light is still insufficient, or a situation in which the structure of the culture tank is complicated and the effective volume occupying the entire apparatus is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a feed algae culture apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an air supply mechanism of a feed algae culture device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the air supply mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the air supply mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a change over time in water temperature in a culture tank.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the change over time in the cell density of Quitoceras.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Culture tank 2 Lid 3 Shaft insertion port 4 Sheath tube insertion port 5 Stirrer motor 6 Stirrer shaft 7 Stirrer blade 8 Sheath tube 9 Temperature detection end 10 Carbon dioxide tube 11 Halogen lamp 12 Air supply mechanism 13 Support 14 Stop plate 15 Halogen lamp Socket 16 Power supply wiring 17 Constant temperature jacket 18 Carbon dioxide cylinder 19 Culture blower 20 Temperature control mechanism 21 Air supply pipe 22 Carbon dioxide solenoid valve 23 Flow meter 24 Cooling air pipe 25 Needle valve 26 Hexagonal branch pipe 27 Bifurcation branch part 28 Branch air Pipe 29 Air filter 30 Flow meter 31 Cooling device

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-299974 (JP, A) JP-A-57-181688 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01G 33/00 C12M 1/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An inner surface capable of uniformly reflecting light ; and
A halogen lamp surrounded by a transparent sheath with a gap as a light source is installed in a culture tank equipped with a jacket part capable of circulating constant temperature water , and the temperature rise of the culture solution due to heat generated by the halogen lamp is suppressed. Therefore, with water temperature sensor
A feed algae culture device having a mechanism capable of interlockingly introducing cooling air into the sheath . 2. The pre-algae according to claim 1, wherein the preculture apparatus has a culture blower, and a mechanism for introducing air into the sheath is based on branching from the culture blower. Culture device. 3. The bait algae cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the halogen lamp is mounted by a tubular support, and air is introduced into the sheath through the support.