JPH01179682A - Culture tank and cleaning method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure the cultivation tank to keep aseptic conditions which are absolutely required for the cultivation tanks, by using the common lines for introduction and drainage of steam and for introduction and drainage of cleaning solution to enable these lines to be cleaned with the cleaning solution. CONSTITUTION:In a cultivation tank 1 equipped with inoculation line 4, air- feeding line 3 and sampling line 5, individual lines are connected through valves 9-13 to common line 6. The steam line and the cleaning solution feeder are set through the steam valve 7 and the solution-introducing line 8 to one end of the common line 6, respectively. Further, a steam trap 14 is set to the other end. Thus, the perfect cleaning and steam sterilization throughout the system of the cultivation tank can be easily done by simple pipings and operations without adverse effect on the ability to keep the system aseptic, which is absolutely required for the tank.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a culture tank, and particularly to a line configuration suitable for cleaning a culture tank and a method for cleaning the same.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when cleaning a culture tank, it was common to fill the culture tank with a cleaning solution, heat it, and stir it for a certain period of time. The cleaning solution was simply sprinkled from the bowl.

Note that related devices of this type include, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-19 (1983), and the above-mentioned conventional technology takes into account the cleaning of piping connected to the culture tank, such as the inoculation line, air sparger line, and sampling line. However, if a cleaning line (with an inlet and an outlet for the cleaning solution) is simply installed in each of these piping lines, the number of valves will increase and the line will become complicated, which can be fatal in the culture tank. Increased possibility of contamination caused by various bacteria, which is a problem.The purpose of the present invention is to simplify the piping structure, to make it possible to clean each line using a cleaning device, and to solve the problem of contamination caused by germs. The objective is to maintain sterility, which is a condition, by focusing on the fact that the area to be cleaned is the same as the area to be steam sterilized, and introducing steam, exhaust lines, and cleaning liquid from the cleaning equipment.

This is achieved by sharing a discharge line.

Specifically, an inlet valve for steam sterilization and an inlet valve for cleaning liquid from the cleaning device are installed in the piping of the culture device, and the steam/
Provide a common cleaning solution line. In addition, a steam/cleaning liquid introduction line and valve are installed from the shared line to the culture tank's spray ball, inoculation line, air sparger line, and sampling line, and a steam trap is installed at the end of the shared line. This is achieved by doing so.

[For production]

In the culture apparatus configured as described above, when cleaning is performed using the cleaning device, close the steam introduction valve and open the cleaning liquid introduction valve (for another 1 hour, or at the same time, inoculate line, air badger line, sampling line, etc.). Rub the heat so that the line and the cleaning solution can circulate.Finally, spray the cleaning solution from the spray ball.This will not only cover the inner surface of the culture tank, but also the inoculation line, air sparger line,
The sampling line can also be thoroughly cleaned.

Next, in the case of steam sterilization, close the cleaning liquid introduction valve and open the clean air introduction valve. More inoculation lines.

Air sparger line, sampling line.

Steam is distributed all at once using a spray ball. Thereby, not only the inner surface of the culture tank but also the entire system can be completely steam sterilized. Furthermore, after steam sterilization, the common line is filled with steam (thereby, the steam itself acts as a barrier and the sterility of the entire culture tank system can be maintained).

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, the culture tank 1 has a spray ball 2° and an air badger line 3 (or air line).

Inoculation line 4. A sampling line 5 is attached.

For the purpose of cleaning and sterilizing each of these piping lines, a common line 6 is provided via a steam introduction valve 7 and a cleaning liquid introduction valve 8, and an inoculation line 9 through which the cleaning liquid/steam flows into the spray ball 2. 4, a valve 10 that allows the cleaning liquid/steam to flow into the air sparger line 3; and a valve 11 that allows the cleaning liquid/steam to flow into the air sparger line 3. A valve 13 is provided for introducing the cleaning liquid/steam into the sampling line 5 and the vapor drain into the steam trap 14.

Next, a method of cleaning and sterilizing the culture tank configured with each piping line as described above will be explained. First, when cleaning is performed using a cleaning device, the cleaning liquid introduction valve 8. Valves 10.11. that allow cleaning fluid to flow into each line.
12 is opened to configure each piping line, and then the cleaning device is driven to remove the cleaning liquid and the inoculation line 4. Flow to air sparger line 3 and sampling line 5. The cleaning liquid once enters the culture tank 1 and is discharged from the bottom of the tank to the outside of the yarn (not shown). The above is a case where each piping line is cleaned at the same time, but the cleaning may be performed by switching the valves 10, 11, and 12 at different times. Through the above operations, each piping line of the culture tank is completely cleaned. Furthermore, in order to clean the culture tank, the valves 10, 11, and 12 are closed, the valve 9 is opened, and the cleaning liquid flows into the spray ball 2. By sprinkling the cleaning liquid from the spray ball 2, the inside of the culture tank 1 is is thoroughly cleaned.

After the above cleaning operation, the remaining cleaning liquid is blown out with compressed air, and the cleaning operation is completed.

Next, a method for steam sterilization will be explained. First, fully close the valve, steam introduction valve 71 steam trap 1
4 is opened to introduce steam into the common line 6. Through this operation, everything from the steam introduction valve 7 to the valves 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 is sterilized by the steam. Furthermore, valves 9°10, 11. By opening 12, the spray ball 2° air sparger line 3. Inoculation line 4. From sampling line 5,
Steam flows into the culture tank 1, and by removing a steam drain from the bottom of the culture tank (not shown), the steam flows through the entire system of the culture tank, and steam sterilization is completely performed. After that, close the valve 9 and the main valve of the culture tank of each piping line, and then close the common line 6, inoculation line 4. Air sparger line 3. By starting the sampling line 5 with a steam seal, it is possible to prevent contamination of various bacteria from each line.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the entire culture tank system can be easily cleaned and steam sterilized with a simple piping configuration and operation method, without compromising the ability to maintain sterility, which is an absolutely necessary condition for a culture tank. It has the effect of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. l...Cultivation tank, 2...-spray ball, 3...air sparger line, 4...song/inoculation line, 5...sampling line, 6... ...
・Shared line, 7...Steam introduction valve, 8...-
...Cleaning liquid introduction valve, 9, 10. 11.12.13
... Valve, 14 ... Steam Trap Agent Patent Attorney 7) Masaru Kawa Male・-ゝ・7(...

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A common line is provided via a valve in each piping of a culture tank equipped with an inoculation line, an air line, and a sampling line, and a steam introduction valve is provided at one end of the common line. What is claimed is: 1. A culture tank comprising a steam line and a cleaning device via a cleaning liquid introduction valve, and a steam trap provided at the other end of the shared line. 2. In a method for cleaning a culture tank equipped with an inoculation line, an air line, a sampling line, and a shared line that serves as a steam line and a cleaning line, the cleaning device is driven and the inoculation is carried out via the shared line. A culture tank characterized in that after cleaning the bacteria line, air line, sampling line, and culture tank and blowing out the residual cleaning liquid with compressed air, the steam line is opened and each of the lines is steam sterilized. cleaning method.