Defoamer for fermenter, and microorganism fermenter using defoamer for fermenter

Abstract

Provided is a defoamer for a fermenter. A defoamer for a fermenter according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a body (100) having a first hollow (110) at a central portion thereof and having a disk shape; a support (200) having a second hollow (210) connected with the first hollow (110), and extending from an upper surface (120) and a lower surface (130) of the body (100); and a plurality of first vanes (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380) mounted on the lower surface (130) of the body (100).

Claims

1. A defoamer for a fermenter comprising: a body having a first hollow at a central portion thereof and having a disk shape; a support having a second hollow connected with the first hollow, and extending from an upper surface and a lower surface of the body; and a plurality of first vanes mounted on the lower surface of the body, wherein the plurality of first vanes comprise an upper end part connected to and extending downwardly from the body, and having a first curvature that is perpendicular to the body; and a lower end part connected to and extending from the upper end part and having a second curvature that is different from the first curvature, wherein the body is mounted on a fermenter, the body being configured to be located at a height higher than or equal to the height of initial broth located in a container of the fermenter, and none of radial outer ends of the plurality of first vanes protrudes outwardly with respect to an outer circumferential surface of the body.

2. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first vanes are mounted on the body while being spaced apart from the support by a predetermined interval.

3. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein any one of the plurality of first vanes is mounted to the body while being spaced apart from another adjacent first vane at a uniform interval.

4. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first vanes are formed in a radial direction of the body.

5. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first vanes are mounted on the body while being eccentric from a radial direction, of which the center of rotation is the central portion of the body, by a predetermined angle (α).

6. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 5, wherein the predetermined angle (α) is 10 to 45 degrees.

7. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of second vanes mounted on the upper surface of the body.

8. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein the body includes a separation/coupling part which separates and couples the defoamer for a fermenter.

9. The defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, wherein the length of each of lower ends of the plurality of first vanes becomes longer as it goes toward a radial direction of the body.

10. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 1, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

11. A microorganism cultivating method using the microorganism fermenter of claim 10.

12. A method for manufacturing a fermentation target object through the microorganism cultivating method of claim 11.

13. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 2, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

14. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 3; the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

15. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 4, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

16. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 5, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

17. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 6, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

18. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 7, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

19. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 8, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

20. A microorganism fermenter comprising the defoamer for a fermenter of claim 9, the microorganism fermenter comprising: a container in which a fermentation target material is accommodated; a rotary shaft located at a central portion of the container; and one or more agitation blades mounted on the rotary shaft to be rotatable, wherein the body of the defoamer for a fermenter is mounted on the rotary shaft to be located at a height that is not less than the height of initial broth located in the container.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating a microorganism fermenter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a defoamer for a fermenter mounted on the microorganism fermenter of FIG. 1.

(3) FIGS. 3 to 5 are views illustrating the defoamer for a fermenter of FIG. 2, in which FIG. 3 is a plan view, FIG. 4 is a bottom view, and FIG. 5 is a side perspective view.

(4) FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an actual appearance of a conventional DFB defoamer.

(5) FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an actual appearance of a fermenter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an experiment obtained by measuring foam removal efficiency by using the defoamer of FIG. 7.

(7) FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an experimental result of FIG. 8.

BEST MODE

1. Defoamer for Fermenter

(8) A defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(9) Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a body 100, a support 200, a plurality of first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380, and a plurality of second vanes 410, 420, 430, and 440.

(10) The body 100 has a disk shape, and a first hollow 110 is formed at a central portion of the body 100. The first hollow 110 is a part at which the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter is mounted to a rotary shaft of the fermenter 2000, which will be described below.

(11) The support 200 is a part which extends from an upper surface 120 and a lower surface 130 of the body 100. A second hollow 210 connected with the first hollow 110 is formed at a central portion of the support 200.

(12) The first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 are parts which rotate together with the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter when the defoamer 1000 is rotated, and remove foams (f) produced by a fermentation process. Broth (b) is accommodated in the interior of the fermenter 2000 in which the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter is installed, and foams (f) are formed by the fermentation of microorganisms. If the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter is rotated, the first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 skim a predetermined amount of foams (f) by the rotational volume of the vanes (primary defoaming), and of the skimmed semi-liquid broth (b) is thrown to the outside of the defoamer by a rotational centrifugal force, peripheral foams (f) floating between the interior of the fermenter 2000 and the outer periphery of defoamer 1000 are secondarily uniformly defoamed.

(13) The first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 are mounted on a lower surface 130 of the body 100. Then, any one of the plurality of first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 is mounted to the body 100 while being spaced apart from another adjacent first vane at a uniform interval. Accordingly, flows of defoaming which suction and remove a predetermined amount of foams (f) are uniformly produced, and only a predetermined amount of broth foams (f), which are removed, are suctioned and are discharged to the outside in a semi-liquid state. Then, the foams (f) floated around are secondarily defoamed by the centrifugal force.

(14) The first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 are mounted on the body 100 while being spaced apart from the support 200 by a predetermined interval. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a predetermined space is formed between the first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 and the support 200.

(15) The first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 are formed in a radial direction of the body 100, and each includes an upper end part having a first curvature, which is a curvature that is perpendicular to the body 100, and having a predetermined height, and a lower end part connected to the upper end part, and extending while having a second curvature, which is different from the first curvature.

(16) The first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 are mounted on the body 100 to be spaced apart from imaginary lines connected the central portion of the body 100 and outer distal ends of the inner surfaces of the first vanes 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, and 380 by 15 degrees.

(17) Like first vanes, the second vanes 410, 420, 430, and 440 are parts which rotate together with the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter when the defoamer 1000 is rotated, and remove foams (f) produced by a fermentation process. The second vanes 410, 420, 430, and 440 are mounted on the upper surface 120 of the body 100.

(18) The structures of the second vanes 410, 420, 430, and 440 are the same as those of the first vanes. Since the structures of the first vanes have been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2. Microorganism Fermenter Including Defoamer for Fermenter

(19) Referring to FIG. 1, a microorganism fermenter 2000 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating the microorganism fermenter 2000.

(20) The microorganism fermenter 2000 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a container, a rotary shaft, one or more agitation blades, and a defoamer 1000 for a fermenter.

(21) The rotary shaft is located at a central portion of the container. Locations at which the agitation blades, which will be described below, and the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter are mounted are provided.

(22) The agitation blades are parts mounted to the rotary shaft. Each of the agitation blades has one or more blades of a predetermined area, and agitates a fermentation target material accommodated in the container through rotation.

3. Verification Experiment

(23) Experiments were carried out by using a disc foam breaker (DFB) defoamer which is an conventional product and the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention to verify the excellency of the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(24) As illustrated in FIG. 6, the disc foam breaker (DFB) defoamer which is an conventional product is a product in which a vane is not formed on the upper surface thereof and four vanes are formed only on the lower surface thereof.

(25) The defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention is as illustrated in FIG. 7.

(26) The foam removal effects were observed after installing the DFB defoamer and the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention at the same locations of fermenters of the capacity of 30 L and introducing broth for lysine production strains of 15 L, and while adding culture media of 0.5 L over time. The same amount of foam reduction agent was added to the initial broth, and saccharide for growth of microorganisms was added while the foam reduction agent is not added.

(27) As illustrated in FIG. 8, the DFB defoamer started to be submerged 20 minutes after the culture media of a total of 1.5 L was additionally added, and the process could not be performed further due to an overflow phenomenon, in which the foams overflows from the fermenter 25 minutes from the culture media of a total of 1.5 L was additionally added.

(28) Meanwhile, the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention started to be submerged 35 minutes after the culture media of a total of 4.0 L was additionally added, but it can be identified that an overflow phenomenon which was severe so that the foams overflow the fermenter did not occur even if the culture media of a total of 4.0 L is additionally introduced.

(29) As illustrated in FIG. 9, it can be identified in the verification experiment of the defoamer 1000 for a fermenter according to the embodiment of the present invention that the overflow time delay effect was more excellent than that of the conventional DFB defoamer by 2 times or more, it can be identified that the capacity of the broth increased by 15% or more, and it can be also identified that the foam reduction agent could be saved by 20%.

(30) Although the embodiments illustrated in the drawings have been described in the specification for reference such that a person skilled in the art can easily understand and realize the present invention, they are merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are also made from the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be determined according to the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(31) 100: body 110: first hollow 120: upper surface 130: lower surface 200: support 210: second hollow 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, 380: first vane 410, 420, 430, 440: second vane 1000: defoamer for a fermenter 2000: microorganism fermenter