JP7345194B2 - Culture device, culture target collection method, and carrier pressing roller - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a culture device, a culture target recovery method, and a carrier pressing roller.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-121461 filed in Japan on June 27, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein.

As a measure against global warming, industries in each country are strongly required to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. Microorganisms such as microalgae such as chlorella and photosynthetic bacteria are considered to be very promising as resources that can produce energy without emitting _CO2 and other industrially usable resources, and it is difficult to utilize them at a commercial level and efficiently. Expectations are high for its production.

In order to use microalgae such as chlorella for energy resources and other industrial uses, it is necessary to produce them at the lowest possible cost, but when culturing microalgae in large quantities in water, large-scale pools and tanks are required. I need. Therefore, there are problems such as increased costs due to land acquisition and increased scale of equipment.

To address this problem, in order to improve the production amount per unit area, a culture solution is allowed to flow down onto vertically arranged carriers, microalgae are grown on the carriers, and microalgae are extracted from the culture solution that flows down. Culture systems for recovery have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the methods of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the thin water film on the surface of the carrier corresponds to the pool water surface of the conventional method, and photosynthesis is carried out smoothly by obtaining light (artificial light), carbon dioxide gas, and nutrients.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-175964 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-153744

By the way, for example, after a culture target such as a microorganism is cultured on a carrier, an operator may press the carrier and collect the culture target together with the culture solution.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a culture device and the like that improves the efficiency of pressing the carrier and recovering the culture target.

A culture device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a carrier to which a culture target is attached, a supply unit that supplies a culture solution to the carrier, and a pressing unit that is provided facing each other with the carrier in between and presses the carrier. and a moving part that moves the pressing part along the surface of the carrier, and a storage part that stores the culture solution flowing out from the carrier.
The pressing section may include a pair of rollers that are provided opposite to each other with the carrier in between, and each roller pair is rotatably provided.

The moving unit may move the pair of rollers in a vertical direction.
The pressing part is capable of moving the roller pair between a separated position where the distance between the roller pairs is further apart and an approach position where the distance is smaller than the separated position, and the moving part is configured to It is preferable that the roller pair be moved from the lower side toward the upper side in a state where the roller pair is placed in the approach position and the roller pair presses the carrier.

It is preferable that the carrier has a cover part that covers the outer surface of the carrier and is deformably provided, and that the pressing part presses the carrier together with the cover part from the outer surface side of the cover part.
The carrier has a base body and a plurality of convex parts formed on the surface of the base body, the relative position of each tip of which can be changed with respect to the base body, and the pressing part is configured to press the convex parts from the outer surface side of the covering part. The carrier may be pressed together with the cover to change the relative position of the convex portion.

From another perspective, the technology disclosed in this specification includes a step of supplying a culture solution to a carrier, a step of culturing a culture target on the carrier, and a step of mutually interposing the carrier on which the culture target has been cultured. This is a culture target recovery method including the steps of: pressing the carrier with pressing parts provided at opposing positions; and moving the pressing part pressed against the carrier from the lower side to the upper side.

A carrier pressing roller (or carrier pressing device) according to another aspect of the present invention includes a pair of rollers that are provided opposite to each other with a carrier to which a culture target is attached, each rotatably provided;
a first moving mechanism that moves the roller pair between a separated position where the distance between the roller pairs is further apart and an approach position where the distance is smaller than the separated position;
The first moving mechanism includes a second moving mechanism that moves the roller pair along the surface of the carrier while the roller pair is placed in the approach position and the carrier is pressed by the roller pair.

According to each of the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of pressing the carrier and recovering the culture target.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a culture system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a culture system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the carrier unit. 4 is a sectional view taken along IV-IV in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of a carrier and a cover. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vb-Vb in FIG. 5A. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the carrier. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a protrusion. It is a perspective view showing a roller unit. It is a sectional view showing operation of a roller unit. FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of VIIIb in FIG. 8A. It is a flowchart showing the operation of the culture system. It is a flowchart which shows collection operation of a culture system. It is a sectional view explaining a modification of an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another modification of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another modification of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modification of the embodiment.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the microorganism culture system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Culture system 1>
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a culture system 1 according to the present embodiment. First, with reference to FIG. 1, a schematic configuration of a culture system 1 to which this embodiment is applied will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, a culture system 1, which is an example of a culture device, includes a carrier unit 10 for attaching and multiplying microorganisms to a carrier 12, and a culture solution and microorganisms to be cultured from the carrier 12 by pressing the carrier unit 10. a roller unit 30 for dropping a culture solution, a culture solution supply unit 50 for supplying a culture solution to the carrier unit 10 and recovering the culture solution together with microorganisms from the carrier unit 10, and a gas supply unit for supplying culture gas to the carrier unit 10. 60, an irradiation unit 70 that irradiates light onto the carrier unit 10, a frame 80 that removably supports the carrier unit 10, and a control unit 90 that controls each component.

In the following description, the vertical direction of the culture system 1 shown in FIG. 1 may be simply referred to as the vertical direction. The width direction of the culture system 1 is sometimes simply referred to as the width direction. The direction intersecting the vertical direction and the width direction in the culture system 1 is sometimes simply referred to as the depth direction.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the culture system 1 according to this embodiment. The detailed configuration of a culture system 1 to which this embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the carrier unit 10, which is an example of a carrier part and a culture unit, includes a carrier 12 to which microorganisms are attached, a cover 15 that covers the outer periphery of the carrier 12, and a support 17 that supports the carrier 12 and the cover 15. and has. In this embodiment, microorganisms are cultured within the carrier unit 10, which is generally formed into a flat plate shape. Details of the carrier unit 10 will be described later.

The roller unit 30 includes an elevating section 31 that moves up and down along the carrier unit 10, and a drive section 32 that drives the elevating section 31. The roller unit 30 separates the microorganisms cultured in the carrier unit 10 from the carrier 12 and collects them together with the culture solution as the elevating part 31 is moved by the drive part 32. Details of the roller unit 30 will be described later.

The culture solution supply unit 50, which is an example of a collection section and a storage section, includes a first pipe 51 that supplies the culture solution to the carrier unit 10, a second pipe 53 that collects the culture solution from the carrier unit 10, and a culture solution that stores the culture solution. A third pipe 57 that circulates a culture solution from which microorganisms have been separated from the culture solution stored in the tank 55, and a pump 59 that is a drive source that circulates the culture solution. The culture solution supply unit 50 supplies the culture solution to the carrier unit 10 using a pump 59, and collects the microorganisms cultured in the carrier unit 10 together with the culture solution. The culture solution supply unit 50 collects microorganisms by separating them from the culture solution in the tank 55 . Specifically, in the tank 55, a culture solution containing microorganisms is separated into a precipitate containing a high concentration of microorganisms and a supernatant containing almost no microorganisms. Pump 59 sucks up the supernatant. In the illustrated culture solution supply unit 50, the amount of culture solution supplied per unit time can be adjusted by controlling the pump 59. The gas supply unit 60 includes a gas cylinder 61 that compresses and stores carbon dioxide gas, and a gas pipe 63 that supplies the carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas cylinder 61 to the carrier unit 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the irradiation unit 70 includes a first irradiation panel 71 and a second irradiation panel 73 that irradiate light toward the carrier unit 10 from both sides of the carrier unit 10 in the depth direction. In the illustrated example, the first irradiation panel 71 and the second irradiation panel 73 have a substantially plate-like shape and are arranged substantially parallel to and opposite to the carrier unit 10 . The size of the first irradiation panel 71 and the second irradiation panel 73 is preferably about the same size as the carrier 12 so that a substantially uniform amount of light can be irradiated over almost the entire surface of the carrier 12. As long as it can be done evenly, there is no limitation to this. The first irradiation panel 71 and the second irradiation panel 73 are arranged with, for example, fluorescent lamps, organic EL, or LEDs as light sources, and are configured to irradiate light with a wavelength and light intensity suitable for the growth of microorganisms. There is. The wavelength of the light emitted by the first irradiation panel 71 and the second irradiation panel 73 is, for example, in the range of 380 to 780 nm. The first irradiation panel 71 and the second irradiation panel 73 are preferably capable of irradiating only red light, for example, to microorganisms that can grow only with red light.

As shown in FIG. 2, a frame 80, which is an example of a holding section, is a frame member that supports the carrier unit 10 and the like, and has a plurality of vertical supports and horizontal beams. The frame 80 in the illustrated example has a mounting portion 80A on the upper side of the frame 80, for example, at a beam portion, to which the carrier unit 10 is removably mounted. The carrier unit 10 is supported by the frame 80 by being attached to the mounting portion 80A. In the illustrated example, the carrier unit 10 is removably suspended from the frame 80.
The control unit 90 is configured by a computer or the like, and controls the constituent members of the culture system 1. For example, the control unit 90 controls the operation timing of the roller unit 30 and the culture solution supply unit 50.

The microorganism to be cultured is, for example, photosynthetic microalgae. When culturing microorganisms that can proliferate without photosynthesis, the culture system 1 does not need to include the irradiation unit 70.
The culture solution is not particularly limited as long as it is a diluted medium that can increase the concentration of microorganisms by culturing microalgae by a conventional method. As the medium, common inorganic media such as CHU medium, JM medium, MDM medium, etc. can be used. Further, as the medium, diluted solutions of various media such as Gamborg B5 medium, BG11 medium, and HSM medium are preferable. The inorganic medium contains Ca(NO ₃ ) _{2.4H 2 O} , KNO ₃ , and NH ₄ Cl as nitrogen sources, and KH ₃ PO ₄ , MgSO _{4.7H 2} O, and FeSO _4.7H as other major nutritional components. ₂ O etc. are included. Antibiotics and the like that do not affect the growth of microalgae may be added to the medium. The pH of the medium is preferably 4-10. Wastewater discharged from various industries may also be used.

<Carrier unit 10>
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the carrier unit 10. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV in FIG. 5A is a front view of carrier 12 and cover 15, and FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along line Vb-Vb in FIG. 5A. The detailed configuration of the carrier unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5B. As mentioned above, the carrier unit 10 includes the carrier 12, the cover 15, and the support 17.

First, the carrier 12 will be explained. The carrier 12 is a plate-like member for culturing microorganisms. This carrier 12 is capable of supporting microorganisms, and is also capable of permeating and flowing down the supplied culture solution. The illustrated carrier 12 is a cloth member, and more specifically, it is preferably constructed of, for example, a pile fabric of non-twisted yarn. Pile fabric refers to a woven fabric with piles woven on one or both sides of the knitted fabric. The material of the carrier 12 is not particularly limited, and twisted pile fabric, cotton, silk, wool, acrylic, polyester, etc. may be used.

In the illustrated example, the carrier 12 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front in the unfolded state. The carrier 12 is bent in two approximately at the center of opposing sides (see FIG. 5B). The dimensions of the carrier 12 are not particularly limited, but are formed as large as possible so that microorganisms can be efficiently cultured on one carrier 12. For example, the carrier 12 is made of towel fabric with a length of 2.5 m in the longitudinal direction when unfolded and a length of 1 m in the width direction, and the longitudinal dimension is approximately 1.25 m. It can be folded in the center.

As shown in FIG. 4, the carrier 12 includes a bent portion 125 (an example of a curved portion) that is bent and curved into a U-shaped cross section that is convex upward, and a rectangular portion that hangs down from both sides of the bent portion 125. It has a first part 121 and a second part 123. The first part 121 and the second part 123 each extend in the vertical direction when the bent part 125 is hung on the support 17, and their lower edges are substantially horizontal and aligned at substantially the same height. ing.

Next, the cover 15, which is an example of a container and a cover part, will be explained. The cover 15 is formed by bending the longitudinal center of a flexible rectangular sheet member. The cover 15 is made of a material that transmits at least a portion of the light emitted from the irradiation unit 70. It is preferable that the transmittance is as high as possible. The cover 15 is made of synthetic resin such as vinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, and PET.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cover 15 has a bent portion 155 that is convex upward and has a U-shaped cross section, and a first portion 151 and a second portion 153 that hang down from both sides of the bent portion 155. The first portion 151 and the second portion 153 each extend in the vertical direction in a state where the bent portion 155 is hung on the support body 17.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the cover 15 has a lower end portion 156 when hung on the support body 17, and two side edge portions 157 extending downward in substantially parallel from both ends of a bent portion 155 extending in the width direction. . The lower end portion 156 has a center portion in the width direction that projects downward in a gentle V-shape. In other words, the lower end portion 156 extends diagonally downward from the lower ends of both side edges 157 toward the center between both side edges 157 .

The illustrated cover 15 is formed into a flat bag shape that can accommodate the carrier 12 therein. The cover 15 is formed to be able to seal the inside except for a part. In the illustrated example, the lower end portion 156 is closed by fusion, and the side edge portion 157 is openably and closably closed by a fixing portion 158 made of a hook-and-loop fastener.

The illustrated cover 15 has a pair of first openings 159A that open upward at both ends in the width direction of the bent portion 155 and are penetrated by a mounted body 175 (described later). The cover 15 has a second opening 159B on one side in the width direction of the bent portion 155, which opens upward and is penetrated by a culture solution supply pipe 171E (described later). The cover 15 has an outlet 159C at the tip of the downwardly protruding portion of the lower end 156 for discharging the culture solution. The outlet port 159C is configured such that a second pipe 53 for discharging the culture solution can be attached to and detached from the outlet port 159C.

Next, the support body 17 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 3, the support 17 includes a horizontal cylindrical cover support 171 that supports the cover 15, a carrier support 173 that extends horizontally and suspends and supports the carrier 12, and a support 171 that supports the cover 15. It has an attached body 175 that protrudes upward through the first opening 159A and is attached to the carrier unit 10, and an extension plate 176 that is fixed to the attached body 175 and extends in the width direction. The support 17 is desirably made of a material that does not hinder the cultivation of microorganisms, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or plastic.

First, the cover support 171, which is an example of the container support section, the supply section, and the culture solution supply section, will be explained. The cover support 171 includes a support rod 171A that is a columnar member extending in the width direction, a cylindrical outer body 171B that is provided coaxially with a gap on the outer circumference of the support rod 171A, and an outer circumferential body that is formed on the outer circumferential body 171B. A culture solution supply hole 171C for supplying culture solution to the inside of 171B, a plurality of culture solution discharge holes 171D formed in the outer body 171B and from which the culture solution is discharged, and a culture solution connected to the culture solution supply hole 171C. It has a supply pipe 171E and support rod ends 171F provided at both ends of the support rod 171A.

The outer peripheral body 171B is provided coaxially with the support rod 171A, and both ends are sealed. This allows the culture solution to pass between the inner circumferential surface of the outer peripheral body 171B and the outer circumferential surface of the support rod 171A. The outer peripheral body 171B has a culture solution supply hole 171C on one side in the width direction (the right side in FIG. 3) and on a surface facing upward. A culture solution supply pipe 171E is provided in this culture solution supply hole 171C. The culture solution is guided into the outer body 171B via the culture solution supply pipe 171E and the culture solution supply hole 171C. The outer body 171B has a plurality of culture solution discharge holes 171D on the downwardly facing surface. In the illustrated example, the plurality of culture solution discharge holes 171D are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the width direction, and two rows of the plurality of culture solution discharge holes 171D are provided in parallel. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, two culture solution discharge holes 171D are provided side by side in the depth direction. The culture solution in the outer body 171B is discharged to the outside through the culture solution discharge hole 171D.

Next, the carrier support 173, which is an example of a carrier support section and a gas supply section, will be explained. As shown in FIG. 3, the carrier support 173 includes a support column 173A that is a horizontal prismatic member that extends in the width direction along the support rod 171A, and a rectangular cylindrical outer peripheral body 173B provided on the outer periphery of the support column 173A. , a gas pipe 173C extending parallel to the support column 173A and through which carbon dioxide gas passes, a gas supply hole 173D through which carbon dioxide gas is supplied, and a gas discharge hole 173E formed in the gas pipe 173C through which carbon dioxide gas is discharged. , the outer peripheral body 173B has suture holes 173F into which the upper ends of both side edges of the carrier 12 are sewn, and support column ends 173G provided at both ends of the support column 173A and extending upward.

As shown in FIG. 4, the outer peripheral body 173B is a hollow member with a substantially rectangular cross section. A support column 173A and a gas pipe 173C are provided inside this outer peripheral body 173B. The outer peripheral body 171B has a plurality of gas exhaust holes 173E along the center line of the surface facing downward. In the illustrated example, a plurality of gas exhaust holes 173E are arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gas pipe 173C is arranged inside the outer peripheral body 173B at a position facing the plurality of gas exhaust holes 173E. The gas pipe 173C has gas pipe supply holes 173H at positions corresponding to each of the gas discharge holes 173E. One end of the gas pipe 173C is sealed, and the other end is open to form a gas supply hole 173D. A gas pipe 63 is connected to this gas supply hole 173D. Carbon dioxide gas supplied from the gas pipe 63 is guided into the gas pipe 173C from the gas supply hole 173D. Carbon dioxide in the gas pipe 173C is discharged through the gas pipe supply hole 173H and the gas discharge hole 173E.

Next, the attached body 175, which is an example of the held part, will be explained. The mounted body 175 is, for example, a plate-shaped member, and is detachably attached to a horizontal beam of the frame 80. The mounted bodies 175 are provided on both sides of the support rod 171A in the width direction. A support rod end 171F of the cover support 171, a support column end 173G of the carrier support 173, and an extension plate 176 are fixed to the attached body 175. As a result, each position, such as the relative positions of the cover support 171 and the carrier support 173, is fixed via the attached body 175. Further, when the carrier 12 is placed on the carrier support 173 and the cover 15 covering the carrier 12 is placed on the cover support 171, the entire carrier unit 10 becomes a structure that can be handled as a single unit. The carrier unit 10 is mounted on the frame 80 by connecting the mounted body 175 to the mounting portion 80A of the frame 80. The connection of the mounted body 175 to the mounting portion 80A is not particularly limited and can be performed using a well-known connection technique. For example, the attachment object 175 may be connected to the attachment part 80A by using a hook or the like, or by using a bolt, clip, snap button, or a so-called latch mechanism. It may also be fixed.

Next, the extension plate 176 will be explained. The extension plate 176 is a plate-like member. The extension plate 176 is provided on the body to be attached 175 and is fixed in such a direction that it protrudes on the side opposite to the cover support body 171 with the body to be attached 175 interposed therebetween. The extension plate 176 supports the ends of the cover 15 in the width direction. That is, the extension plate 176 supports the cover 15 together with the cover support body 171.

In this system, for example, when it is desired to replace the carrier 12 after a longer period of culturing microorganisms, the carrier unit 10 can be removed from the frame 80 and a new carrier unit 10 can be attached. When removing the carrier unit 10, it is only necessary to remove the attached body 175 protruding from the cover 15 from the attachment part 80A, so in order to remove the carrier 12, it is necessary to open the cover 15 whose inside is wet with the culture solution and get your hands dirty. It is possible to prevent the culture solution from dripping or dripping outside the cover 15. When taking out the carrier 12 from the carrier unit 10, an opening is formed in the cover 15 by opening the hook-and-loop fastener that constitutes the fixing part 158, and the carrier 12 can be taken out.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the arrangement of each component in a state where the carrier 12 is placed on the carrier support 173 and the cover is placed on the cover support 171 will be described. The bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 is hung on the outer periphery 173B of the carrier support 173, and the bent portion 155 of the cover 15 is hung on the outer periphery 171B of the cover support 171.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first portion 121 and the second portion 123 of the carrier 12 are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The first part inner surface 121A (an example of a first surface) of the first part 121 in the carrier 12 and the first part inner surface 123A (an example of a second surface) of the second part 123 face each other and are separated by a distance Ga. .
The first part 151 and the second part 153 of the cover 15 are arranged substantially parallel to each other. The inner surface 151A of the first portion 151 of the cover 15 and the outer surface 121B of the first portion 121 of the carrier 12 face each other and are separated by a distance Gb. Similarly, the second inner surface 153A of the second portion 153 of the cover 15 and the first outer surface 123B of the second portion 123 of the carrier 12 face each other and are separated by a distance Gb. In the illustrated example, the carrier 12 is arranged within the cover 15 such that the distance Gb is, for example, 0 cm or more and 10 cm or less.

As shown in FIG. 4, the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 is provided at a position facing the bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 hung on the carrier support 173. The bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 is located below the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 and the bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 are separated by a distance Gc. The culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 discharges the culture solution toward the bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 (see arrow D1 in the figure). Since the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 is spaced apart from the carrier 12, it is possible to prevent the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 from becoming clogged with foreign matter such as microorganisms, thereby preventing the discharge of the culture solution. Ru.

The gas exhaust hole 173E of the carrier support 173 is provided at a position facing the space sandwiched between the first part 121 and the second part 123 of the carrier 12. The gas discharge hole 173E of the carrier support 173 discharges carbon dioxide from the upper side to the lower side in the space sandwiched between the inner surface 121A of the first part 121 and the inner surface 123A of the second part 123 (arrow D2 in the figure). reference). In other words, the gas discharge hole 173E of the carrier support 173 blows mixed air containing carbon dioxide into the inside of the carrier 12 folded in two from below the carrier support 173. In the illustrated example, the carbon dioxide gas discharged into the cover 15 may be prevented from flowing out to the outside of the cover 15, or may be allowed to flow out to the outside. For example, the carbon dioxide gas within the cover 15 may flow to the outside of the cover 15 via the first opening 159A, the outlet 159C, or the like. The cover 15 may be provided with a discharge hole for discharging carbon dioxide gas in the cover 15, and a discharge pipe may be connected to the discharge hole.

The inner surface 121A of the first portion 121 and the inner surface 123A of the second portion 123 of the carrier 12 are separated by a distance Ga, and carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the gas discharge hole 173E of the carrier support 173 toward the gap. As a result, a gas supply path is formed between the first part 121 and the second part 123, through which gas mainly flows from top to bottom.

When carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the gas discharge hole 173E of the carrier support 173, a force is applied to widen the space between the first part 121 and the second part 123 of the carrier 12. Although details will be described later, when the carrier 12 is sandwiched between the roller units 30, the inner surface 121A of the first portion 121 and the inner surface 123A of the second portion 123 may come into contact with each other. In this state, when carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the gas discharge hole 173E, a force is applied to the carrier 12 in the direction of separating the first part inner surface 121A of the first part 121 and the second part inner surface 123A of the second part 123. , can prevent sticking.

The first part inner surface 151A of the cover 15 and the first part outer surface 121B of the carrier 12 are spaced apart by a distance Gb, and as carbon dioxide gas flows through this gap, carbon dioxide gas is also easily supplied to the first part outer surface 121B of the carrier 12. Become. That is, by arranging the carrier 12 housed inside the cover 15 without contacting the cover 15, it becomes possible to guide carbon dioxide gas to the outer periphery of the carrier 12.

A gap is formed between the first inner surface 151A of the cover 15 and the first outer surface 121B of the carrier 12, so that when there is no gap, that is, the first inner surface 151A of the cover 15 and the first outer surface of the carrier 12. Compared to the case where 121B is in contact with each other, carbon dioxide gas can pass through the carrier 12 more easily in the thickness direction. This makes it easier to supply carbon dioxide gas to the entire carrier 12 (almost the entire area in the plane direction and thickness direction).

By providing the culture solution discharge hole 171D of the cover support 171 at a position opposite to the bent portion 125 of the carrier 12 hung on the carrier support 173, the culture solution supplied from the culture solution discharge hole 171D is transferred to the carrier 12. is supplied to the bending section 125 of. The culture solution supplied to this bent portion 125 permeates both the first portion 121 and the second portion 123 almost equally. That is, the culture solution supplied to the bent portion 125, which is one region, branches and permeates into the first portion 121 and the second portion 123, which are two regions.

<Carrier 12>
FIG. 6A is an enlarged sectional view of the carrier 12, and FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the protrusion 127 formed on the surface of the carrier 12. Next, the configuration of the carrier 12 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B.

The carrier 12 shown in FIG. 6A includes a base body 126 that is a flat plate-shaped portion made of fibers, and a large number of protrusions 127 formed by fibrous members, that is, raised portions, that protrude from the surface of the base body 126. The illustrated protrusion 127 has an annular portion (loop portion). As shown in FIG. 6B, this protrusion 127 has a base 127A fixed to the base 126 and a tip 127B that is the part of the protrusion 127 furthest from the base 126. Although not limited, for example, the protrusion 127 has a fiber diameter of 1 mm, and the amount of protrusion from the base 126 (length in the depth direction, see distance L1) is about 20 mm. It is desirable that the amount of water retained per unit area of the carrier 12 is 0.2 g/cm ² or more.

As shown in FIG. 6B, as the protrusion 127 is elastically deformed, the tip 127B is movable relative to the base 127A. That is, the tip 127B is swingable about the base 127A (see arrow D3). In other words, the tip 127B is relatively movable in a direction along the base 126 (in the vertical direction in the figure), and also in a direction moving forward and backward with respect to the base 126 (in the depth direction in the figure).

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the carrier 12 is suspended, that is, when the base 126 is arranged in the vertical direction, the tip 127B of the protrusion 127 is located below the base 127A. is possible (see distance L2). In other words, the fur of the carrier 12 is oriented from the upper side to the lower side. In this way, when the culture solution is supplied to the carrier 12 with the tip 127B disposed below the root 127A, the culture solution flows from the root 127A side toward the tip 127B side (see arrow D4). In this way, when the culture solution flows toward the tip 127B side, the culture solution and microorganisms are prevented from staying at the root 127A side. As a result, spoilage of the culture solution and microorganisms that may occur due to retention of the culture solution and microorganisms is suppressed.

In the carrier 12 of this embodiment, the surface area of the carrier 12 is increased by providing the protrusion 127 on the base 126. That is, the area of the region in contact with the gas phase in the culture solution existing inside the carrier 12 or on the surface of the carrier 12 becomes larger, and the light-receiving area of the carrier 12 also becomes larger. These things can promote the growth of microorganisms on the carrier 12.

As a modification for increasing the surface area of the carrier 12, a configuration using a porous base material having a large number of recesses, such as a porous sponge, is also envisaged. However, in this configuration, the pores of the sponge-like carrier 12 are filled with the culture solution, and the culture solution and microorganisms may stay inside the pores. If the culture fluid and microorganisms inside the pores are not discharged, the culture fluid and microorganisms may rot as described above. Furthermore, a structure in which concave portions are provided like a porous sponge cannot allow a sufficient amount of microorganisms to adhere. On the other hand, in this embodiment, by forming the protrusions 127 which are convex parts as described above, a system is created in which the culture solution and microorganisms flow on the surface of the protrusions 127. As a result, the occurrence of spoilage of the culture solution and microorganisms is suppressed.

As long as the tip 127B is movable relative to the base 127A and the base 126, the shape of the protrusion 127 is not particularly limited. For example, the protrusion 127 does not have to be formed in an annular shape unlike the illustrated example. For example, it may be a substantially cylindrical, substantially conical, flat tongue-shaped, or substantially prismatic member whose one end is supported by the base 126 and whose other end is swingable. The carrier 12 may be formed of shirred fabric (a fabric obtained by cutting a loop-shaped portion of pile fabric).

<Roller unit 30>
FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the roller unit 30. As shown in FIG. Next, the detailed configuration of the roller unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 7. The roller unit 30 includes an elevating section 31 that moves up and down along the carrier unit 10, and a drive section 32 that drives the elevating section 31. The elevating section 31 and the driving section 32 will be explained below.

First, the elevating section 31, which is an example of a pressing section, will be explained. The elevating section 31 includes a pair of horizontal rollers 33 that sandwich both sides of the carrier unit 10, a support bar 35 that maintains the posture of the pair of rollers 33, a first drive mechanism 37 that changes the distance between the axes of the pair of rollers 33, and these. It has a pair of base plates 39 to which the structural members of are attached.

The roller pair 33 includes a cylindrical first roller 331 and a second roller 333 that sandwich the carrier unit 10 from both sides. The first roller 331 includes a shaft portion 331A, an outer peripheral portion 331B rotatably attached to the shaft portion 331A, and a peripheral portion 331B attached to the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral portion 331B and pressed against the outer surface 151B of the carrier unit 10 (see FIG. 4). It has a resin sheet 331C. Similarly, the second roller 333 includes a shaft portion 333A, an outer peripheral portion 333B rotatably attached to the shaft portion 333A, and an outer surface 153B of the carrier unit 10 attached to the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral portion 333B (see FIG. 4). ) is pressed against the resin sheet 333C. The illustrated first roller 331 and second roller 333 are so-called driven rolls that are not connected to a drive source that rotates them. If necessary, the frictional force against the carrier unit 10 may be weakened or strengthened by rotating the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 in conjunction with their respective vertical movements.

The support bar 35 is a substantially cylindrical member, and is provided to sandwich each of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the support bars 35 are provided at four corners of the base plate 39 so as to surround the first roller 331 and the second roller 333. This support bar 35 suppresses the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 from curving.

The first drive mechanism 37 is provided at both ends of the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333. The first drive mechanism 37 changes the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333 between a reference position and an expanded position expanded from the reference position (arrows in the figure (See D5). The first drive mechanism 37 can be configured by a known drive device such as a gear mechanism using a solenoid, an air cylinder, or a motor, for example.

In the following description, the state in which the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are at the reference position may be referred to as the closed state of the roller pair 33. The pair of rollers 33 in the closed state sandwich and press the carrier unit 10 in the thickness direction. The state in which the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are in the expanded position is sometimes referred to as the open state of the roller pair 33. The roller pair 33 in this open state is separated from the carrier unit 10. The reference position is an example of an approach position, and the expanded position is an example of a separation position.

Although not shown, both ends of the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333 are biased using elastic members such as springs so that the roller pair 33 is in a closed state. There is. The first drive mechanism 37 applies a force opposite to this biasing force to the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333, thereby opening the roller pair 33. When the driving force of the first drive mechanism 37 is stopped, the roller pair 33 is closed by the urging force. It is also possible to reverse the biasing direction so that the driving force of the first drive mechanism 37 closes the roller pair 33, and when the roller pair 33 is stopped, the biasing force opens the roller pair 33. It is also possible to open and close using the driving force of the drive mechanism 37.

The base plate 39 is provided at both ends of the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333. The illustrated base plate 39 is a plate-like member, and is made of, for example, stainless steel.

Next, the drive section 32, which is an example of a moving mechanism, will be explained. As shown in FIG. 2, the drive section 32 includes a guide member 371 that guides the elevating section 31 along the vertical direction, a wire 373 connected to the elevating section 31 at one end, and a wire 373 connected to the other end of the wire 373 for elevating and lowering. It has a second drive mechanism 375 that supplies a driving force to move the section 31 in the vertical direction. The second drive mechanism 375 and the first drive mechanism 37 are examples of moving parts.

The guide member 371 is, for example, a prismatic member provided along the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, they are provided at both ends of each of the shaft portion 331A of the first roller 331 and the shaft portion 333A of the second roller 333. This guide member 371 is a guide member of the elevating section 31, and supports the base plate 39 of the elevating section 31 in a slidable manner. The wire 373 is a metal linear member. In the illustrated example, the wire 373 suspends and supports the lifting section 31.

The second drive mechanism 375 includes a winding section 375A that winds the wire 373 and a motor 375B that drives the winding section 375A. The winding section 375A receives a driving force from the motor 375B and winds up the wire 373, so that the elevating section 31 moves in the vertical direction (see arrow D6 in the figure).

FIG. 8A is a schematic configuration diagram showing the operation of the roller unit 30, and FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of VIIIb in FIG. 8A. In the state shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, it is assumed that the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are placed in the closed position and tighten the carrier unit 10 in the thickness direction. The operation of the roller unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 7, and 8.

The roller unit 30 in this embodiment squeezes out the culture solution contained in the carrier 12 of the carrier unit 10 to take out the microorganisms together with the culture solution. As a method of squeezing the culture solution contained in the carrier 12, for example, it is also possible to remove the carrier unit 10 from the frame 80, take out the carrier 12 from the removed cover 15, and squeeze the carrier 12. However, in this embodiment, the carrier 12 is squeezed together with the cover 15 using the roller unit 30 while the carrier unit 10 remains attached to the frame 80 . By attaching the carrier unit 10 to the frame 80, it is possible to quickly perform the operation of culturing microorganisms again using the carrier 12 after being squeezed.

In this embodiment, the roller unit 30 is used to compress the carrier unit 10 in the depth direction, that is, in the thickness direction of the carrier unit 10. Hereinafter, the operation of the roller unit 30 to compress the carrier unit 10 will be specifically explained. First, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are facing each other with the carrier unit 10 mounted on the frame 80 interposed therebetween. At this time, the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are placed in the open position, and are each spaced apart from the carrier unit 10. The first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are located in a lower area of the carrier unit 10, and are opposed to, for example, an area lower than the carrier 12 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 8A, the first drive mechanism 37 drives the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 to the closed position. That is, the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are placed at the reference position. The gap between the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 arranged at this reference position is smaller than the thickness of the carrier unit 10, and the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 sandwich and press the carrier unit 10.

As mentioned above, the carrier 12 is made of pile fabric, and the cover 15 is made of a flexible sheet member. Therefore, the carrier unit 10 is deformed as the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 press it. When the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 press, a portion of the inner surface 121A of the first portion 121 and the inner surface 123A of the second portion 123 are in contact with each other. Even after the pressure from the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 is released, a state in which a portion of the first part inner surface 121A and the second part inner surface 123A are in contact may be maintained due to the surface tension of the culture solution. . In the illustrated example, carbon dioxide gas is discharged from the gas exhaust hole 173E of the carrier support 173, thereby pushing the space between the first part 121 and the second part 123 of the carrier 12 apart, and the contact state is released. .

With the carrier unit 10 sandwiched between the first roller 331 and the second roller 333, the second drive mechanism 375 (see FIG. 2) is driven to wind up the wire 373. As the wire 373 is wound up, the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 rise (see arrow D11). As the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 rise, the outer peripheral part 331B of the first roller 331 and the outer peripheral part 333B of the second roller 333 are driven to rotate (see arrow D13). The second roller 333 smoothly moves up along the carrier unit 10.

When the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 press the carrier unit 10 while rising, the carrier 12 is compressed in the thickness direction together with the cover 15, and the culture solution contained in the carrier 12 is squeezed out. As shown in FIG. 2, the squeezed culture solution flows into the tank 55 through the outlet 159C of the cover 15 and the second pipe 53 connected to the outlet 159C.

The operations of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 will be described, focusing on the relationship with the protrusion 127 of the carrier 12. As shown in FIG. 8B, the first roller 331 (see FIG. 8A) and the second roller 333 ascend while compressing the carrier unit 10. That is, the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 move against the fur of the carrier 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, the projection 127 that is pressed by the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 through the cover 15 is deformed, and the tip 127B of the projection 127 swings. This movement of the tip 127B of the protrusion 127 makes it easier for microorganisms attached to the protrusion 127 to separate from the protrusion 127 together with the culture solution.

The movement of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 moves upward while compressing the carrier unit 10 (see arrow D11 in the figure). The culture solution can be stored in the circle R1 (see inside circle R1 in the figure). This makes it possible to separate the microorganisms adhering to the protrusion 127 from the protrusion 127 using the accumulated culture solution (see reference numeral Lq in the figure), so to speak, to rinse the protrusion 127. In addition, as the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 rotate, the upper surfaces of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 move in a direction approaching the base body 126 of the carrier 12 (as indicated by the arrow in the figure). (See D13). That is, the upper surfaces of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 have a function of bringing the culture solution closer to the substrate 126 side. Therefore, more culture solution can be collected between the first part inner surface 151A and the second part inner surface 153A and the base body 126 of the carrier 12. If necessary, it is also possible to lower the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 while compressing the carrier unit 10.

The first roller 331 and the second roller 333 press the cover 15 containing the carrier 12 together. Therefore, the carrier unit 10 can avoid attaching microorganisms and culture fluid to the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 or scattering them around. This can reduce loss of culture fluid and increase microorganism collection efficiency.

When microorganisms are cultured in the carrier unit 10, water droplets may adhere to the inner surfaces of the cover 15 (the first inner surface 151A and the second inner surface 153A), causing the cover 15 to become cloudy. When the cover 15 becomes cloudy in this way, the light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit 70 and should reach the carrier 12 is blocked by the water droplets, and the amount of light that the carrier 12 receives may be reduced. In this embodiment, as the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 press the carrier 12 together with the cover 15 as described above, the first inner surface 151A and the second inner surface 153A of the cover 15 press against the carrier 12. pressed against. By pressing the first part inner surface 151A and the second part inner surface 153A against the carrier 12, droplets on the first part inner surface 151A and the second part inner surface 153A are removed. This increases the amount of light that reaches the carrier 12. In other words, compared to a configuration in which droplets are not removed, the amount of light that reaches the carrier 12 can be ensured even if the amount of light emitted by the irradiation unit 70 is reduced. Therefore, in the illustrated configuration, the power consumed by the irradiation unit 70 can be reduced. The visibility of the carrier 12 through the cover 15 is improved by removing droplets from the first part inner surface 151A and the second part inner surface 153A and removing cloudiness.

<Operation of culture system 1>
9A is a flowchart showing the operation of the culture system 1, and FIG. 9B is a flowchart showing the collection operation of the culture system 1. The operation of the culture system 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 9A. In the following description, it is assumed that the carrier unit 10 is formed by disposing the carrier 12 inside the cover 15, and that the carrier unit 10 is held by the frame 80.

First, with the fixing part 158 open, microorganisms are attached to the carrier 12 (step 901). After closing the fixing part 158, microorganisms are cultured on the carrier 12 while supplying a culture solution and carbon dioxide gas (step 902). While driving the roller unit 30, the culture solution and microorganisms held on the carrier 12 are squeezed out from the carrier 12 and recovered using the tank 55 (step 903).

Next, the collection operation of the culture system 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 9B. When the culture system 1 starts the collection operation, the roller pair 33 is placed at a position facing the lower end 156 of the carrier unit 10 in the vertical direction and is in an open state.

In the recovery operation of the culture system 1, that is, in the culture target recovery method, first the first drive mechanism 37 is driven, and the roller pair 33 is brought into a closed state (step 911). The supply amount of the culture solution supplied from the culture solution supply unit 50 to the carrier unit 10 is decreased (step 912).

Next, the second drive mechanism 375 is driven, and the roller pair 33 is raised (step 913). As the roller pair 33 moves upward, the microorganisms and culture solution retained on the carrier 12 are squeezed out from the carrier 12. When the roller pair 33 rises to a position facing the carrier support 173 in the vertical direction, the second drive mechanism 375 stops, thereby stopping the roller pair 33 (step 914).

Next, the control unit 90 determines whether the supply time, which is the time for supplying a predetermined amount of culture solution to the carrier 12, has elapsed since the roller pair 33 stopped (step 915). When the supply time has elapsed (YES in step 915), the second drive mechanism 375 is driven and the roller pair 33 is lowered by its own weight (step 916). As the pair of rollers 33 descend, the microorganisms and culture fluid held on the carrier 12 are squeezed out from the carrier 12. When the roller pair 33 descends to a position facing the lower end portion 156 of the carrier unit 10 in the vertical direction, the second drive mechanism 375 stops, thereby stopping the roller pair 33 (step 917).

Next, the control unit 90 determines whether the roller pair 33 has been raised twice (step 918). If the roller pair 33 has not been raised twice (NO in step 918), the second drive mechanism 375 is driven and the roller pair 33 is raised (step 913). On the other hand, when the roller pair 33 rises twice (YES in step 918), the roller pair 33 becomes open (step 919), and the recovery operation of the culture system 1 ends.

In the illustrated example, the amount of microorganisms recovered can be increased by raising the roller pair 33 multiple times. Further, after the roller pair 33 is raised, by waiting for the supply time to elapse (step 915), the carrier 12 retains a large amount of the culture solution, and the culture solution retained by the carrier 12 is used to adhere to the carrier 12. Microorganisms can be rinsed away.

<Culture target>
As mentioned above, the culture targets cultivated by the culture system 1 are not only non-motile or poorly photosynthetic microorganisms such as Chlorella, Synechocystis, and Spirulina, but also planktonic Euglena, Chlamydomonas, and Pleurocrisis that move in water with flagella. Also included. In other words, the microorganisms to be cultured by the culture system 1 are extremely diverse. The main microorganism groups to be cultured in the culture system 1 include, for example, the following types A, B, and C.

First, Class A includes the prokaryotes Eubacteria and Archaea. Eubacteria include non-oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, cyanobacteria that perform oxygen-evolving photosynthesis, facultative anaerobic fermentative bacteria and non-fermentative bacteria that utilize organic substances, as well as inorganic trophic bacteria, actinobacteria, and corynebacteria. and spore-forming bacteria. Photosynthetic bacteria include Rhodobacter, Rhodospirillum, Chlorobium, and Chloroflexus. Cyanobacteria include Synechococcus, Synechocystis, Spirulina, Arthrospira, Nostoc, Anabaena, Oscillatoria, Lingbia, St. jellia, and St. Facultative anaerobic fermentative bacteria include Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria. Pseudomonas is mentioned as a non-fermenting bacterium. Examples of inorganic trophic bacteria include hydrogen bacteria. Streptomyces is an example of actinomycetes, and Bacillus subtilis is an example of spore-bearing bacteria. Archaea include thermophiles and highly halophilic bacteria. Examples of thermophilic bacteria include Thermococcus, and examples of highly halophilic bacteria include Halobacterium. Other examples include glutamic acid-producing bacteria, lysine-producing bacteria, and cellulose-producing bacteria.

Next, as Class B, microalgae, which are eukaryotic photosynthetic microorganisms, can be mentioned. Examples of microalgae include green algae, treboxial algae, red algae, diatoms, haptophyte algae, euglena algae, euglenoid algae, and zooxanthellae. Green algae include Chlorella, Scenedesmus, Chlamydomonas, Botryococcus, Haematococcus, Nannochloris, and Pseudocolicystis, and Treboxia algae include Parachlorella and Cocomyxa. Examples of red algae include Cyanidioscizon, Cyanidium, Gardieria, and Porphyridium, and examples of diatoms include Nitzschia, Pheodactylum, Chietoceros, Thalassiosira, Skeletonema, and Fituriella. Haptophyceae include Pleurochrysis, Gephyrocapsa, Emiliania, Isochrysis, and Pavloba. Examples of true-eyed algae include Nannochloropsis, and examples of Euglena include Euglena. Furthermore, Symbiodinium is a zooxanthellae that is a symbiotic algae of corals.

Next, as class C, fungi, which are non-photosynthetic eukaryotes, can be mentioned. Fungi include yeast and Aspergillus. Hyphal culture of Basidiomycetes is the subject of cultivation.

Although not microorganisms, among the multicellular seaweeds, green algae such as Ulva and Aonori, red algae such as Asakusanori, Amanori, Susabinori, and Iwanori, as well as other edible nori, are also subject to cultivation. Furthermore, mosses, which are green plants, can also be cultivated. Lichens, which are symbiotic organisms, can also be cultured. Microalgae can be considered to include cyanobacteria.

<Modified example>
FIGS. 10A to 10D are diagrams illustrating modifications of this embodiment. Modifications of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10A to 10D. In the following description, the same parts as those in the configuration described in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the carrier unit 10 includes the cover 15, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 10A, the structure may be such that the cover 15 is not used. In this configuration, the first roller 331 (see FIG. 7) and the second roller 333 directly press the carrier 12. Although not shown, the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are configured to directly press the carrier 12, and the cover 15 is configured to cover the carrier 12, the first roller 331, and the second roller 333. It's okay.

Although not shown, a spacer may be provided on the first inner surface 151A and the second inner surface 153A of the cover 15 to form a distance of 10 cm or less between the cover 15 and the carrier 12. The spacer may be a large number of protrusions or ribs attached to the first inner surface 151A and the second inner surface 153A of the cover 15, or integrally formed with the cover 15. This prevents the first part inner surface 151A and the second part inner surface 153A from contacting and sticking to the carrier 12 over a large area.

In the above embodiment, it has been described that the cover 15 is flexible, but the cover 15 is not limited to this as long as it can transmit the pressing force from the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 to the carrier 12. The cover 15 may be formed of a plate member that is more difficult to deform than a sheet member, such as a resin plate that covers the carrier 12, for example.

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the carrier 12 is bent in two and the bent portion 125 is hung on the support 17, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, one carrier 1200 may be suspended in a flat plate shape. Although not shown, the carrier 12 may have a shape other than a flat plate, such as a cylindrical shape or a rectangular tube shape. The number of carriers 12 is not limited to one, and two or more carriers 12 may be provided. In a configuration in which the carrier 12 is bent in two and the bent portion 125 is hung on the support 17, a portion of the first portion 121 and the second portion 123 may be sewn together. For example, the configuration is such that three sides of the carrier 12 that is bent in half except for the bent portion 125 are closed by suturing, leaving a portion of the support 17 into which the carrier support 173 is inserted, to form a space inside the carrier 12. You may.

Between the first part 121 and the second part 123 in the carrier 12, that is, between the first part inner surface 121A of the first part 121 in the carrier 12 and the second part inner surface 123A of the second part 123, a well-ventilated material is provided. A core material may be provided. This prevents the first part inner surface 121A and the second part inner surface 123A from coming into contact with each other.

In the above embodiment, the cover support 171 supports the cover 15 and the carrier support 173 supports the carrier 12. However, the support 17 supports both the cover 15 and the carrier 12. If possible, it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, a cover support 1710 may support the cover 15 and the carrier 1200.

In the above embodiment, the cover support 171 supplies the culture solution to the bent portion 125, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as the culture solution can be supplied to the carrier 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, the cover support 1710 may supply the culture medium to the upper end 1201 of the carrier 1200 (see arrow D10 in the figure).

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the carrier support 173 supplies carbon dioxide gas inside the carrier 12, but the present invention is not limited to this as long as carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the carrier 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, a configuration may be adopted in which the gas supply body 1730 sprays carbon dioxide gas D20 onto both sides of the carrier 1200. To explain further, the structure for holding the carrier 12 and the structure for supplying carbon dioxide gas may be provided separately. Although not shown, a structure for holding the cover 15 and a structure for supplying the culture solution may be provided separately.

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the carrier 12 is pressed using the roller pair 33, but the roller pair 33 may not be used as long as it is a member that can separate the culture solution and microorganisms from the carrier 12. good. For example, as shown in FIG. 10C, the carrier 12 may be slid while being pressed by a pressing member 3311 (squeegee) having a curved portion 3310 protruding toward the carrier 12.

Even when using the roller pair 33, the shapes of the first roller 331 and the second roller 333 are not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 10D, the portion of the roller pair 3320 having the largest outer diameter, that is, the portion that contacts the carrier 12, may be formed discontinuously in the width direction.

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the roller pair 33 is arranged along the width direction and moved in the vertical direction, but the orientation of the roller pair 33 is not particularly limited. For example, the roller pair 33 may be arranged along the vertical direction and moved in the width direction.

Although various embodiments and modifications have been described above, these embodiments and modifications may of course be combined. The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the working efficiency of pressing the carrier and recovering the culture target, so it is possible to increase the culturing efficiency of the culture target such as microorganisms. Therefore, industrial use is possible.

1...Culture system (culture device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Carrier unit 12... Carrier 15... Cover 17... Support body 30... Roller unit 32... Drive part 33... Roller pair (pressing part)
37...First drive mechanism (moving part)
55...tank (storage part)
171...Cover support (supply section)
375...Second drive mechanism (moving part)

Claims (7)

a carrier having a plurality of convex portions on its surface and to which a culture target is attached;
a supply unit that supplies a culture solution to the carrier;
pressing parts that are provided opposite to each other with the carrier in between and press the carrier;
a moving part that moves the pressing part along the surface of the carrier;
A culture device comprising: a storage section that stores the culture solution flowing out from the carrier. 2. The culture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing section includes a pair of rollers that are provided opposite to each other with the carrier in between, and each roller pair is rotatably provided. 3. The culturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the moving section moves the pair of rollers in an up-down direction. The pressing unit is capable of moving the roller pair between a separated position where the distance between the roller pairs is further apart and an approach position where the distance is smaller than the separated position,
The moving unit moves the roller pair from the lower side to the upper side with the pressing unit placing the roller pair at the approaching position and pressing the roller pair against the carrier. 3. The culture device according to 3. It has a cover part that covers the outer surface of the carrier and is provided in a deformable manner,
2. The culture device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing part presses the carrier together with the cover part from the outer surface side of the cover part. A carrier to which a culture target is attached;
a supply unit that supplies a culture solution to the carrier;
pressing parts that are provided opposite to each other with the carrier in between and press the carrier;
a moving part that moves the pressing part along the surface of the carrier;
a storage part that stores the culture solution flowing out from the carrier;
a cover part that covers the outer surface of the carrier and is provided in a deformable manner;
Prepare,
The carrier is
A base body;
a plurality of convex portions formed on the surface of the base body, the relative position of each tip with respect to the base body being changeable;
The pressing part presses the carrier together with the cover part from the outer surface side of the cover part, and changes the relative position of the convex part. a step of supplying a culture solution to a carrier having a plurality of convex portions on its surface and to which a culture target is attached ;
cultivating a culture target in the carrier;
a step of causing the carrier to press pressing portions provided at positions facing each other across the carrier on which the culture target has been cultured;
A method for collecting a culture target, comprising the step of moving the pressing part pressed against the carrier from a lower side to an upper side.

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