# US 2019/0316073 A1 · Fermentation tank

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- Number: US 2019/0316073 A1
- Document ID: US20190316073A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/347,773
- Filed: 2016-12-09
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-09
- Inventors: Chin-Hsing Chuo; Chih-Meng Wang; Chin-Yen Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190316073A1

## CPC

- C12M 41/22: {in contact with the bioreactor walls}
- C12M 27/02: {Stirrer or mobile mixing elements}
- C12M 27/06: {with horizontal or inclined stirrer shaft or axis}
- C12M 27/18: {Flow directing inserts}
- C12M 27/20: {Baffles; Ribs; Ribbons; Auger vanes}
- C12M 33/00: {Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus (chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00)}
- C12M 41/24: {inside the vessel}
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}

## Abstract

A fermentation tank includes a tank body, enclosing a cavity therein, having a material inlet and a material outlet; a heat exchange structure, disposed on a wall of the cavity for heat exchanging with the tank body; at least one flow disturbing plate, being an elongated plate, the width direction of the flow disturbing plate being parallel to a radial direction of the tank body, the longitudinal direction of the flow disturbing plate being parallel to a vertical direction, a length of the flow disturbing plate being larger than a width thereof, the flow disturbing plate being arranged in the cavity and connected to the tank body, the flow disturbing plate having a heat exchange channel therein, two ends of the heat exchange channel communicating an exterior respectively so that heat is exchanged between the at least one flow disturbing plate and the cavity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fermentation tank, characterized by including:
a tank body, having a top end and a bottom end and enclosing a cavity therein, a vertical direction being defined from a line composed of the top end and the bottom end, the tank body having a material inlet and a material outlet;
a heat exchange structure, disposed on a wall of the cavity for heat exchanging with the tank body;
at least one flow disturbing plate, the at least one flow disturbing plate being an elongated plate and having a width direction, a longitudinal direction, and a thickness direction which are perpendicular to each other, the width direction being parallel to a radial direction of the tank body, the longitudinal direction being parallel to the vertical direction, a length of the at least one flow disturbing plate being larger than a width thereof, the at least flow disturbing plate being arranged in the cavity and being connected to the tank body, the at least one flow disturbing plate having a heat exchange channel therein, two ends of the heat exchange channel communicating an exterior respectively so that heat is exchanged between the at least one flow disturbing plate and the cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fermentation tank of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange structure includes an exterior pipe, the exterior pipe extends as helix around an outer surface of the tank body, adjacent turns of the exterior pipe is spacedly arranged to form a gap therebetween, the exterior pipe has a first inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet and the first outlet communicate the exterior respectively.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fermentation tank of claim 2, wherein the first inlet is located at a top of the exterior pipe, the first outlet is located at a bottom of the exterior pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The fermentation tank of claim 2, wherein the first inlet is located at a bottom of the exterior pipe, the first outlet is located at a top of the exterior pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The fermentation tank of claim 2, wherein the heat exchange structure further includes an interior pipe, the interior pipe extends as helix around an inner surface of the tank body, the interior pipe positionally corresponds to the gaps of the exterior pipe, the interior pipe has a second inlet and a second outlet, the second inlet and the second outlet communicate the exterior respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fermentation tank of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange channel extends the longitudinal direction and has a third inlet and a third outlet, the third inlet and the third outlet communicate the exterior respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fermentation tank of claim 6, wherein the heat exchange channel extends in a meandering way in the at least one flow disturbing plate, the third inlet is located at a bottom of the heat exchange channel, the third outlet is located at a top of the heat exchange channel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fermentation tank of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow disturbing plate includes at least four flow disturbing plates.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fermentation tank of claim 1, wherein a stirring member is arranged in the tank body to stir fermentation material in the cavity.