RU2144952C1 - Apparatus for growth of microorganisms - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: biotechnology; applicable in various industries. SUBSTANCE: apparatus includes two similar in volume airtight vessels interconnected by overflow pipes provided with branch pipes for supply of nutrient medium and seeds and discharge of culture fluid, means for supply of sterile air and device for alternate discharge of foul air from vessels. Device has discharge branch pipes attached to upper parts of vessels and provided with electromagnetic valves and timer. Vessels are separated in length by vertical partitions into separate zones. Means for supply of sterile air to zones consist of bubblers located in zones. Overflow pipes are installed in them by pairs, and their outlet sections are located above bubblers. Vessel from which culture fluid is discharged has circulating pipeline for continuous transfer of culture fluid from its middle zone to zone of supply of nutrient medium of other vessel, and vertical overflow partition whose height equals 0.6-0.7 of vessel height for separation of zone of discharge of culture fluid from growth zones. EFFECT: reliable and efficient operation of apparatus. 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to biotechnology and can be used in various industries.

 A known apparatus for growing microorganisms containing vertical containers, divided in height into sections and equipped with aerators, nozzles for supplying a nutrient medium and exhaust air, and a central overflow pipe (SU 461111 A, C 12 M 1/14, 25.02.75). The device is equipped with sprayers, tiered in the center of the pipe, guiding devices for supplying liquid from the sections to the sprayers and a circulation system including pipelines and a pump, the suction pipe of which is connected to the collector located at the bottom of the device, and the discharge pipe to each section. The cultivation process runs in parallel in all sections, the finished product from the sections is discharged through a central overflow pipe into a collection tank.

 A disadvantage of the known apparatus is that the mass transfer process in each section is not intense enough, which leads to its small productivity.

 A known apparatus for growing microorganisms, including two identical in volume vertical sealed containers communicated by overflow pipes and equipped with nozzles for supplying nutrient medium and inoculum and drainage of culture fluid, means for supplying sterile air in the form of spargers placed above the bottoms of containers, and a device for alternating drainage exhaust air from them, containing exhaust nozzles and a valve box controlled by a float connected to the valve by a rod and located m in one of the containers (RU 2058992 C1, C 12 M 1/00, 04/27/96).

 The disadvantage of the apparatus is the unreliable operation of the device for alternately removing exhaust air from containers, since when the foam layer is formed in the tank, the float stops moving and the valves in the box do not block the outlet pipes. This does not provide efficient operation and the required flow rate performance.

 The closest technical solution to the proposed one is an apparatus for growing microorganisms, which includes two identical in volume horizontally located sealed containers communicated by overflow pipes, equipped with nozzles for supplying nutrient medium and inoculum and for removing culture fluid and exhaust air, means for supplying sterile air and a device for alternating removal exhaust air from them containing controllable solenoid valves mounted on appropriate pa logging, and connect to the air manifold (RU 2127984 C1, 27.03.99).

 The disadvantage of the apparatus is that it does not provide reliable operation in a continuous mode due to the fact that there is no continuous inoculation of microorganisms in the feed zone of the nutrient medium, and the withdrawal of culture fluid is carried out simultaneously from the bottom of the containers. In this regard, its stable operation and ensuring a high biomass yield are not possible.

 The technical result of the invention is to increase the productivity of the apparatus, the reliability of its operation and the possibility of the latter on any nutrient media when growing various microorganisms.

 To achieve this technical result, in the proposed apparatus for growing microorganisms, including two identical in volume horizontally located sealed containers communicated by overflow pipes and equipped with nozzles for supplying nutrient medium and inoculum and drainage of culture fluid and exhaust air, means for supplying sterile air and a device for alternating exhaust air from them, containing controlled solenoid valves installed on the appropriate their nozzles, along the length of the container divided by vertical partitions into separate zones. Means for supplying sterile air to the containers consist of bubblers located in these zones, while the overflow pipes are mounted in pairs in pairs, and their outlet sections are located above the bubblers. The tank from which the culture fluid is discharged is equipped with a circulation pipe for the continuous flow of the latter from its middle zone to the feed zone of the other medium. In this tank, a vertically overflow partition with a height of 0.6-0.7 of the height of the tank is installed to separate the zone of removal of the culture fluid from the cultivation zones.

The invention is illustrated by the drawing, in which in FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus; in FIG. 2 is a section along AA in FIG. 1; in FIG. 3 is a section along BB of FIG. 1; in FIG. 4 is a section along BB of FIG. 1
The apparatus for growing microorganisms includes two identical in volume horizontal sealed containers 1 and 2, equipped with heat-exchange shirts 3 and 4 and nozzles 5 and 6, respectively, for supplying a nutrient medium and inoculum and drainage of culture fluid, as well as nozzles 7 and 8 for draining waste air.

 Tanks 1 and 2 are divided along the length by partitions 9 and 10 into separate zones 11, 12 and 13, respectively, of supplying a nutrient medium and seed, growing microorganisms and draining the culture fluid. The height of these partitions is 0.3-0.5 the height of the tanks.

 The tank 2 is equipped with a circulation pipe 14 for the continuous flow of the culture fluid from its middle zone to the feed medium 11 of the tank 1, as well as a vertically installed overflow partition 15 with a height of 0.6-0.7 height of the tank to separate the zone 13 of the removal of the culture fluid from growing zones 12.

 Means for supplying sterile air in containers 1 and 2 consist of bubblers 16 and 17 located in the zones. The tanks are connected by overflow pipes 18 and 19, which are pairwise strengthened along their length in each growing zone, and their outlet sections 20 are located above the bubblers and are equipped with check valves 21.

 The apparatus includes a device for alternately removing exhaust air from containers, containing controllable solenoid valves 22 and 23 mounted on nozzles 7 and 8 and connected to the valves of a time relay 24.

 Sterile air is supplied to the bubblers through line 25.

 The device operates as follows.

 Through the nozzle 5 into the tank 1 is fed a nutrient medium and inoculum culture, and through the bubblers 16 - sterile air. The nutrient medium with microorganisms also fills the tank 2, into which sterile air is supplied through the bubblers 17. The separation of the tanks into zones ensures the improvement of mass transfer processes along their length and thereby increase the biomass yield.

 The overflow of the culture fluid is carried out through overflow pipes 18 and 19 in the form of jets from tank to tank when the air pressure in them changes. After a specified time, the relay 23 sends a signal to open the electromagnetic valve 21 on the exhaust pipe 7 of the tank 1, and the exhaust air is removed from it, while the pressure in it decreases, and the culture fluid flows from the tank 2, in which the air pressure is higher, into the tank 1 .

 Then the valve 21 closes, and in the tank 1, the air pressure rises. After a specified time, the relay 23 receives a signal to open the electromagnetic valve 22 on the exhaust pipe 8 of the container 2, and the exhaust air is removed into the atmosphere, as a result of which the pressure inside the container 2 decreases and the culture fluid flows from the container 1 to the container 2. This overflow of the culture fluid is carried out throughout the growing process. The required temperature in the containers is maintained by means of heat-exchange jackets 3 and 4. In addition, from the container 2 through the circulation pipe 14, the culture fluid is continuously sent to the feeding medium zone 11 of the container 1, which ensures constant inoculation of microorganisms into the nutrient medium. After completion of the cultivation process, the culture fluid is discharged from zone 13 through the nozzle 6. The overflow baffle 15 allows maintaining a stable predetermined liquid level in the tanks.

 The proposed design of the apparatus provides intensive mass transfer between liquid and gas in containers, reliable operation on any nutrient media, including foaming, the cultivation of any culture of microorganisms and a fairly high productivity.

Claims (1)

 Apparatus for growing microorganisms, including two identical in volume horizontally located hermetic containers, connected by overflow pipes and equipped with nozzles for supplying nutrient medium and inoculum and venting culture fluid and exhaust air, means for supplying sterile air and a device for alternately venting exhaust air from them, containing controlled solenoid valves mounted on the corresponding nozzles, characterized in that the tanks are divided along the length not vertical partitions into separate zones, while the means for supplying sterile air to them consists of spargers located in the zones, and overflow pipes are fixed in pairs and their outlet sections are located above the spargers, and the container from which the culture fluid is drained is provided with a circulation pipe for continuous flow of the last from its middle zone to the feeding zone of the nutrient medium of another tank, as well as the vertically installed overflow partition 0.6 to 0.7 in height of the tank for separating the zone of removal of the culture fluid from the growing zones.

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