JPH08292136A - Sampling device of culture solution - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a culture solution sampling device for performing sampling of culture solution during culture, which is at low manufacture cost and suitable for automation and wherein separation from prior residual culture solution is good. CONSTITUTION: Airtight plugs 14, 14a, 14b are used to test tubes 7, 7a, 7b. Branch air pipes 15, 15a, 15b air-tightly penetrating the airtight plugs communicate with an aggregation air pipe 18 through air valves 17, 17a, 17b. The aggregation air pipe 18 air-tightly communicates with the inside of a buffer vessel 19. The inside of the buffer vessel 19 is alternatively connected to the suction side and the discharge side of a vacuum pump 23, and inner pressure is variable in positive and negative. Ends of injection pipes 12, 12a, 12b having provided liquid valves 13, 13a, 13b are air-tightly penetrated, inserted in the test tubes 7, 7a, 7b and other ends thereof are put in culture tanks 1a, 1b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[Industrial application] In various culture apparatuses, it may be necessary to sample the culture solution little by little in order to know the state during the culture. The present invention
An object of the present invention is to obtain a sampling device that can effectively perform such sampling and can be easily automated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Sampling for examining the state of a culture solution over time during fermentation or culture is
You have to do it at midnight and even on holidays. In addition, since there are cases where workers are absent, automatic sampling devices that automatically perform sampling are also built.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of a conventional sampling device, in which a positive displacement rotary pump 4, three-way valves 5a, 5b, and a take-out pipe 3 inserted into a culture solution 2 in a culture tank 1.
5 (the opening direction of the three-way valve is indicated by a T-shaped direction) are sequentially connected, and injection pipes 6a, 6b, 6 are connected to each three-way valve so that the culture solution is injected into the test tubes 7a, 7b, 7. Has been The end of the take-out pipe 3 is connected to the discharge pipe 9 via the stop valve 8 to discharge the residual culture solution into the drainage container 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the rotary pump 4 is operated with the three-way valve 5a communicating with the injection tube 6a inserted in the test tube 7a and the other three-way valves 5b and 5 being shut off, the culture solution in the tank 1 is operated. 2 is injected into the test tube 7a. When the injection for a predetermined time is completed, the operation of the pump 4 is stopped, the three-way valve 5a is turned to shut off the extraction tube 3 and the injection tube 6a, and the test tube 7a.
Is removed from the device and sent to the culture medium test process.

Next, in order to take the culture solution into the test tube 7b after a predetermined time has passed, as shown in FIG. 3, the three-way valves 5a, 5b, 5 are shut off from the injection tubes 6a, 6b, 6 and directed to the stop valve 8. And the stop valve 8 communicates with the discharge pipe 9 to operate the pump 4. As a result, the previous culture solution remaining in the take-out tube 3 is discharged, and a new culture solution enters the take-out tube 3.

When the pump 4 is operated to such an extent that the culture solution is not discharged unnecessarily, the three-way valves are switched as shown in FIG. 4 to operate the pump 4 with the take-out pipe 3 communicating only with the injection pipe 6b. As a result, the culture solution that has advanced to a degree higher than that of the previous time is injected into the test tube 6b. Switching the three-way valve or stop valve 8, pump operation, sampling time interval, etc., can be automatically controlled by attaching a control device (not shown), so that the culture solution can be stored at predetermined time intervals even at unattended nights and holidays. Sampling can be performed.

Further, in order to collect the culture solution from a plurality of culture tanks, the extraction tubes inserted in the respective culture tanks are connected to a multi-head type rotary pump, and the culture solution collected from the target tank is injected into the test tube. There is also an automatic sampling device adapted to do so.

In these conventional sampling devices, the amount of culture solution is determined by setting the operation time of the rotary pump 4, and the liquid level is detected by the optical sensor 11 from the side of the test tube 7 as shown in FIG. Then, a method of controlling the operation of the pump 4 has been adopted.

[0009]

However, such a conventional sampling device has the following disadvantages.

(1) In many cases, liquids are collected from a plurality of culture tanks almost at the same time. In this case, use a plurality of sampling devices each incorporating a rotary pump 4, or
A sampling device with the aforementioned multi-head rotary pump must be used. Therefore, the device becomes expensive.

(2) When the amount of the culture solution collected is controlled by the operating time of the rotary pump 4, it is difficult to make the collected amount constant when the viscosity of the culture solution changes as the culture progresses.

(3) In the method of controlling the sampling amount by the optical sensor, a large number of sensors corresponding to the number of test tubes and ancillary equipment for instructing the change of the liquid level by the output thereof are required, resulting in high cost. .

(4) The culture solution collected last time is a little tube,
It is unavoidable that it remains on the valve.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a negative pressure is applied to a test tube which is hermetically sealed by providing an airtight stopper, and a culture solution is sucked into a test tube from a culture tank through an injection tube, and after completion of collection, The sampling device is configured so that the culture solution is returned to the culture tank through the injection tube by setting the positive pressure in the test tube to atmospheric pressure or more.

[0015]

The culture solution is sucked into the test tube by setting the test tube to a negative pressure, and the culture solution remaining in the injection tube is returned to the culture tank by setting the test tube to a positive pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, after the completion of collection, the culture solution does not remain in the device, and the culture solution is not discarded, and the culture solution is collected into multiple test tubes at intervals, or the culture solution is collected from multiple culture tanks almost at the same time. It is also easy to automate the sampling and sampling.

[0016]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a sampling device of the present invention in which a culture solution is collected in a plurality of test tubes. The same parts as those of the above-mentioned conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The configuration of FIG. 1 has two culture tanks 1a and 1a.
An example is shown in which the culture solution is collected from b to two test tubes 7a and 7b. The sampling can be done almost at the same time or at different times. Culture liquids 2a and 2 in the culture tanks 1a and 1b
Extraction pipes 3a and 3b are inserted in b, and injection pipes 12a, 12b and 12 are branched from each extraction pipe. Each injection tube 12a, 12b, 12 is provided with a liquid valve 13a, 13b, 13 whose tip is inserted into the upper part of the test tube 7a, 7b, 7. Test tube 7
Airtight stoppers 14a, 14b, 14 are provided at the inlets of a, 7b, 7 and the tips of the injection pipes 12a, 12b etc. are airtight stoppers 1.
It penetrates 4a, 14b etc., and is inserted in the test tube.
The airtight plugs 14a, 14b, 14 are also provided with a branch air pipe 15
The tips of a, 15b, and 15 penetrate in an airtight manner, and each branch air pipe is provided with a filter 16a, 16b, 16 and an air valve 17.
It communicates with the collective air pipe 18 via a, 17 b, 17 and the collective air pipe 18 communicates with the inside of the buffer container 19. The buffer container 19 is provided with an airtight lid 20, and the collecting air pipe 1
8 penetrates this airtightly. An air pipe 21 communicates with the buffer container 19 in an airtight manner.
On the one hand, through the three-way valve 22 on the one hand, to the vacuum pump 23
Of the vacuum pump 23 through the three-way valve 24 and the suction port 23a of the vacuum pump 23. Reference numeral 25 is a pressure sensor.

First, the operation sequence for collecting the culture solution 2a in the culture tank 1a into the test tube 7a will be described below.

(1) The vacuum pump 2 is configured such that the three-way valve 22 on the suction port 23a side of the vacuum pump 23 is communicated only with the buffer container.
Drive 3 The exhaust gas from the pump is discharged into the atmosphere through the three-way valve 24. As a result, the inside of the buffer container 19 has a negative pressure.

(2) Open the liquid valve 13a and the air valve 17a.
Close the other liquid valves and air valves. The inside of the test tube 7a is routed through the branch air tube 15a and the collecting air tube 18 to the buffer container 1
The culture solution 2a in the tank 1a is sucked into the test tube 7a through the take-out tube 3a and the injection tube 12a.

For example, a buffer container 19 having a volume of 100 cc
If 50 cc of air is taken out from the chamber and the pressure is reduced and the culture solution is injected as described above, theoretically, 50 cc of the culture solution is injected into the test tube 7a. Since the amount of the culture solution injected into the test tube corresponds to the negative pressure of the buffer container in this manner, the pressure of the buffer container can be detected to know the appropriate amount of the culture solution injected into the test tube 7a. Therefore, if the relationship between the degree of depressurization of the buffer container 19 and the injection amount into the test tube when the pressure returns to the original value is detected in advance, the pressure sensor 25 detects the change in the pressure of the buffer container 19. The vacuum pump 23 can be stopped to control the amount of the liquid injected into the test tube 7a to an appropriate amount. This control can be easily performed by attaching a control device.

(3) Next, the three-way valve 22 is made to communicate only with the atmosphere and the three-way valve 24 is made to communicate only with the buffer container 19 to operate the vacuum pump 23, and the discharge air is supplied to the buffer container 1
9 to raise the air pressure in the container to atmospheric pressure or higher. The air valve 17a and the liquid valve 13a are left open. As a result, clean pressurized air that has passed through the filter 16a is sent above the liquid in the test tube 7a, and all of the culture solution remaining in the injection tube 12a is returned to the tank 1a. If this operation ends, valve 1
3a and 17a are closed, the test tube 7a is removed from the airtight stopper 14a, and sent to the test process.

(4) Next, it is assumed that the culture solution in the culture solution tank 1b is collected in the test tube 7b. Liquid valve 13b, air valve 17b
When the same operation as described above is performed with the other liquid valves and air valves closed, the culture solution 2b is injected into the test tube 7b, and then the culture solution remaining in the injection tube 12b is returned to the tank 1b.

(5) Sampling of the culture solutions 2a and 2b
As in the conventional case, a control device can be attached and automatically controlled. Therefore, it is possible to sample at a predetermined time interval even when there is no person, such as at night or on holidays. Instead of providing the filters 16 and the like on the respective branch air pipes 15 and the like, the collective air pipe 1
8 may be provided at the end portion on the buffer container side, and may be omitted if sterility is not required.

[0025]

【The invention's effect】

(1) The culture solution is injected into the test tube or the culture solution remaining in the injection tube is returned to the tank by positive / negative change of the air pressure in the test tube, and the air pressure can be changed by one vacuum pump.

(2) Since the vacuum pump does not come into contact with the culture solution,
There is no possibility that the culture solution remains in the device and is mixed with other culture solution or the culture solution after a lapse of time to affect the test. Therefore, it is possible to easily support multi-tank sampling.

(3) It is not necessary to separately prepare a pump for sampling the culture solution of another type.

(4) After sampling, all the culture solution remaining in the injection tube can be returned to the tank, and the culture solution is not wasted.

(5) Since only the injection pipe 12 and the liquid valve 13 contact the culture solution in the sampling device, the device is not contaminated and cleaning is easy.

(6) It is easy to automate the device,
Unmanned operation for a long time is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional automatic sampling device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an open / closed state of a three-way valve during operation of this conventional device.

FIG. 4 is a similar schematic diagram.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the amount of collected liquid is detected by an optical sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a, 1b Culture tank 2, 2a, 2b Culture fluid 3, 3a, 3b Extraction pipe 4 Rotary pump 5, 5a Three-way valve 6, 6a Injection pipe 7, 7a, 7b Test pipe 8 Stop valve 9 Discharge pipe 10 Drainage liquid Container 11 Optical sensor 12, 12a, 12b Injection pipe 13, 13a, 13b Liquid valve 14, 14a, 14b Airtight stopper 15a, 15b, 15 Branch air pipe 16 Filter 17a, 17b, 17 Air valve 18 Collecting air pipe 19 Buffer container 20 Airtight lid 21 Air tube 22 Three-way valve 23 Vacuum pump 23a Suction port 23b Discharge port 24 Three-way valve 25 Pressure sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A positive and negative pressure in a test tube is obtained by inserting the other end of an injection tube, one end of which is connected to a culture tank, into the test tube by hermetically penetrating an airtight stopper provided in the test tube from which the culture solution is to be collected. A sampling device for a culture solution, which is provided with a vacuum pump that changes the state of the culture solution to aspirate the culture solution into a test tube or returns the culture solution remaining in the injection tube to the culture tank. 2. A plurality of injection tubes (12) from the extraction tubes (3a) (3b) inserted in the culture tanks (1a) (1b).
(12a) (12b) is branched, each injection tube is provided with a liquid valve (13) (13a) (13b), and its tip is hermetically sealed in a plurality of test tubes (7) (7a) (7b). The suction port (23a) of the vacuum pump (23),
The collective air pipe (18) is inserted into a buffer container (19) which is alternately connected to the discharge port (23b) and whose internal pressure can be changed between positive and negative, and the collective air pipe (18) is connected to the air valve (1).
7) Each test tube (7) by a plurality of branch air tubes (15) (15a) (15b) provided with (17a) (17b)
The liquid valves (13) (1
3a) (13b), air valves (17) (17a) (17
A culture medium sampling device equipped with a control device for automatically controlling the opening and closing of b) and the change in the internal pressure of the buffer container (19) according to a program.