SU1747986A1 - Vapor-sterilized joint for fermenter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to biotechnology, in particular, to a technique for sampling fluid from a fermenter and can be used in the microbiological, food and medical industries, as well as in research and development practice. The body of the steam-sterilizing connector is made in the form of a cruciform-shaped collector, inside which are located parallel and perpendicularly located coaxial channels, the latter are connected with valves for steam flow. Parallel channels perform the function of a vapor flow distributor, and during the sampling process, parallel channels work as a single channel. The valve control unit contains an electropneumatic transducer unit which, via a distribution manifold, communicates with a compressed air source and a power supply source. The sterilized connector ensures that external systems are connected to the fermenter when the sterility conditions are met and, together with the possibility of sampling the necessary additives, can be sampled find wide application in the creation of complex technological systems as docking stations, 1 з p. f-ly, 2 silt (Л С

Description

This invention relates to a fluid sampling technique when sterile conditions are met and can be used in the microbiological, food, medical industry, as well as in research practice.

A device for sterile sampling from a fermenter is known, which contains a chamber for culture liquid and bypass valves, the side walls of the chamber being made in the form of elastic membranes, and the relief valves are mounted in the chamber with the possibility of

interaction with elastic membranes.

It is also known a device for sterile sampling from a container, containing an overflow valve mounted on the container, and a sampling receiver with a vacuum indicator, a transition chamber sealed with a flexible membrane, relief valves for supplying steam and draining condensate, and the capacity of the probe receiver is placed in a thermostatically controlled vessel.

The closest in technical essence to the invention is the device

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for sterile sampling from the fermenter, which contains a sterilization chamber with nozzles for entering a peer and a condensate drain — with a sampling and a drain, in which spring-loaded valves are installed, and a receiving tank connected to the drain nozzle of the sterilization chamber through a bacterial filter sampling tube.

Switching the device from the sterilization mode to the sampling mode is performed by switching the valves by means of a profile rod installed in the sterilization chamber. The receiving tank is filled through the elastic tube valve of the sample tube, which deforms when interacting with the drain valve valve.

The disadvantages of this device include the fact that its body contains a complex branched system of channels for the flow of working medium and steam, which has grooves for placing and fixing the tappets of the shut-off valves. This design does not allow free flow of steam, which leads to impaired sterilization. This device provides manual control of shut-off valves, implemented through rotary mechanisms of complex geometric shape with rubbing surfaces, which, along with the deterioration of the sterilization conditions, also reduces the reliability of the device.

The purpose of the invention is to increase the sterilization efficiency and reliability of the device.

This design of the vapor-sterilizing connector, in which there are no nape or condensate zones, provides active flushing and effective sterilization of the communicating channels and internal surfaces of the valves. A steam-sterilizable connector provides a connection to the fermenter of any sterile container, including fermenters, and, together with the possibility of taking samples or introducing necessary additives into the fermenter, the steam-sterilizing connector can be widely used to create complex technological systems.

The steam-sterilizable connector to the fermenter comprises a housing with a fitting and valve shut-off elements placed in it, branch pipes for supplying and from & culture liquid to the test receiver and from the fermenter and valve control device.

A distinctive feature of the invention is that the body is a cruciform collector,

inside of which two parallel and perpendicular two coaxial channels are arranged, the latter are connected to valves for steam flow, and parallel from the side of the sample receiver to a sealing clip mounted on the body fitting by means of a flexible hose, and from the side of the fermenter to a valve. In this case, the valves are fixed on the body by means of flanges, and the locking elements of the valves are made in the form of tubes sealed by a rod. In addition, the locking elements are made of an elastic material and possess its thermal insulation properties.

The valve control device contains an electropneumatic transducer unit that communicates through a distribution manifold with a source of compressed air and through toggle switches with a source of electrical power. Each electropneumatic transducer is connected by a pipeline to a valve of a steam-sterilized connector. When the toggle switch is turned on. Sterilization, valves for steam flow through coaxial channels open. When the rocker switch is turned on, the Sample opens the bypass valve in communication with the fermenter. The casing of the sterile sterilizable connector of the two parallel channels is due to the fact that they perform the function of a flow distributor in order to effectively sterilize the shut-off nodes of the relief valve and the sample receiver hose, and during the sampling process the parallel channels work as a single channel.

Figure 1 shows the device section; Fig. 2 is a diagram for connecting a steam-sterilizable connector to the fermenter.

The device includes a housing 1, in which parallel channels 2 and coaxial channels 3 are made, valves 4-6 rigidly fixed to the housing by means of flanges 7 and elastic cuff 8, which is sealed by a rod 9, fitting 10, hose 11c with a sealing clip 12. Connection diagram A steam-sterilizing connector to the fermenter includes a steam-sterilizable connector 13, a fermenter 14, a steam source 15, a sample tube 16 with a filter plug 17 and a valve control device 18.

The operation of the device includes the following basic operations: connection of a sterile test receiver to the steam-sterilized connector; sterilization of the steam-sterilizing connector; sampling or loading the fermenter; re-sterilization of the steam-sterilizing connector; disconnecting the sampler from the steam-sterilized connector.

Before sterilizing the sample receiver 16, a screw clamp 12 is installed on the hose 11 so that a small length of the hose 11 remains free. Then, the free end of the hose 11 is closed with a cotton swab, and the sample receiver 16 is wadded with a filter plug 17. The sterilization of the sample receiver is autoclaved in the traditional way. After sterilization, the free end of the hose 11 is freed from a cotton swab and tightly connected to the fitting 14.

According to a predetermined program from valve control panel 18, valves 5 and 6 are opened. From a source 15, steam with specified parameters of temperature and pressure through valve 5 enters channel 3 into a cross-shaped collector of housing 1, in which it is distributed in docking directions the housing 1 with the valve 4 and the clamp 12 and through the valve 6 is returned to the pair 15.

When steam passes through the manifold of housing 1, steam treatment of the cavities formed by elastic cuff 8 and hose 11 takes place. The material for making the elastic cuff can be, for example, rubber, non-oprenbutyl or silicone rubber, which are effective heat insulators, thus preventing overheating the culture liquid in the fermenter during sterilization of the steam-sterilized connector 13.

At the end of the sterilization, valves 5 and 6 are closed and the housing 1 of the steam-sterilizing connector is cooled naturally. The sampling from the fermenter 14 into the sample receiver 16 is performed by opening the clamp 12. At the same time, the culture fluid from the fermenter 14 through the open valve 4 through the parallel channels 2 and the hose

11 enters the test receiver 16, forces air out of it through the filter plug 17. With the sample taken, clamp 12 is closed, and on the remote control 18, a sterilization program is set, at which valve 4 is closed and valves 5 and 6 are opened, through which steam circulation.

After sterilization of the channels 2 and 3 and the cavities formed by the elastic cuff 8 and the hose 11, the valves 5 and 6 are closed and the hose 11 is removed from the fitting 10. Then another can be connected to the fitting 10. or close the fitting 10 with a plug (not shown).

Claims (2)

Invention Formula 1, A steam-sterilizable connector to the fermenter, comprising a housing with a fitting and valve shut-off elements located therein, branch pipes for supplying and discharging the culture fluid, respectively, to and from the fermenter, and valve control device, characterized in that, in order to increase the sterilization efficiency and reliability of the device, the housing is a cruciform-shaped collector, within which two parallel and perpendicularly arranged two coaxial channels are arranged, the latter being connected with valves for steam flow, and parallel - from the side of the sample receiver - with a sealing clip mounted on the body fitting by means of a flexible hose, and from the side of the fermenter - with a valve, while the valves are fixed to the body by flanges, and the locking elements of the valves are made in the form of tubes sealed by stem .. 2. The connector to the fermenter according to claim 1, wherein the closure elements are made of an elastic material having heat insulating properties. Phi.1