Fermenter for a liquid medium with gas circulation stirring, comprising an automatic device for establishing a fluid communication between the ascending circulation and the descending circulation volumes depending on the height of the medium

A fermenter for a liquid medium, comprising:

• a container adapted to contain the liquid medium, a partition wall positioned in the container and separating first and second volumes, an injecting device for injecting gas into a lower part of one of the first or second volumes in order to create in the one of the first or second volumes an ascending circulation of a mixture between the liquid medium and the injected gas and a descending circulation of a mixture in the one of the first or second volumes not supplied with gas by the injection device, wherein the partition wall is equipped with at least one fluid communication device for establishing a fluid communication between the first and second volumes configured to automatically switch between:
• a first configuration wherein the at least one fluid communication device allows, for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container, a free fluid circulation from one of the first or second volumes to the other one of the first or second volumes through the at least one fluid communication device, the first configuration being assumed as soon as, at the at least one fluid communication device, the difference between the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs is greater than a predetermined threshold value,
• and a second configuration wherein the at least one fluid communication device blocks all or part of the fluid circulation for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container, the second configuration being assumed as soon as, at the at least one fluid communication device, the difference between the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value,
• wherein the at least one fluid communication device comprises a plurality of openings crossing a thickness of the partition wall and a plurality of closing elements, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements equips a corresponding opening and switches between:
• an open position, corresponding to the first configuration of the fluid communication device, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements opens the corresponding opening and authorizes the at least one fluid communication between the first and second volumes through the opening to allow the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container to circulate freely from one volume of the first or second volumes to another one of the first or second volumes through the opening,
• and a closed position, corresponding to the second configuration of the at least one fluid communication device, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements closes at least partially the corresponding opening and blocks all or part of the at least one fluid communication between the first and second volumes through the opening for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container,
• wherein the at least one fluid communication device comprises, for each closing element of the plurality of closing elements, a corresponding connecting mechanism allowing to fasten the closing element on the partition wall movably between the closed and open positions, and
• wherein each connecting mechanism is configured such that the closing element corresponding thereto is mechanically placed automatically in its open position under the action of the difference between the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs when this difference takes a value greater than the predetermined threshold value.

A fermenter for a liquid medium, comprising:

• a container adapted to contain the liquid medium, a partition wall positioned in the container and separating first and second volumes, an injecting device for injecting gas into a lower part of one of the first or second volumes in order to create in the one of the first or second volumes an ascending circulation of a mixture between the liquid medium and the injected gas and a descending circulation of a mixture in the one of the first or second volumes not supplied with gas by the injection device, wherein the partition wall is equipped with at least one fluid communication device for establishing a fluid communication between the first and second volumes configured to automatically switch between:
• a first configuration wherein the at least one fluid communication device allows, for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container, a free fluid circulation from one of the first or second volumes to the other one of the first or second volumes through the at least one fluid communication device, the first configuration being assumed as soon as, at the at least one fluid communication device, the difference between the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs is greater than a predetermined threshold value,
• and a second configuration wherein the at least one fluid communication device blocks all or part of the fluid circulation for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container, the second configuration being assumed as soon as, at the at least one fluid communication device, the difference between the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and the pressure of the mixture in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value,
• wherein the at least one fluid communication device comprises a plurality of openings crossing a thickness of the partition wall and a plurality of closing elements, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements equips a corresponding opening and switches between:
• an open position, corresponding to the first configuration of the at least one fluid communication device, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements opens the corresponding opening and authorizes the at least one fluid communication between the first and second volumes through the opening to allow the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container to circulate freely from one volume of the first or second volumes to another one of the first or second volumes through the opening,
• and a closed position, corresponding to the second configuration of the at least one fluid communication device, wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements closes at least partially the corresponding opening and blocks all or part of the at least one fluid communication between the first and second volumes through the opening for the liquid medium and the gas contained in the container,
• wherein the at least one fluid communication device comprises, for each closing element of the plurality of closing elements, a corresponding connecting mechanism allowing to fasten the closing element on the partition wall movably between the closed and open positions,
• wherein each closing element of the plurality of closing elements is hinged relative to the partition wall about a pivot axis located above the corresponding opening, the switching from the open position to the closed position and vice versa occurring by tilting the closing element about the pivot axis, and
• wherein each connecting mechanism is such that the pivot axis corresponding thereto is disposed in the one of the first or second volumes where the ascending circulation occurs and in that the closing element corresponding thereto is disposed in the one of the first or second volumes where the descending circulation occurs.