Fermentation matching air compressor
Gas Supply Logic of Fermentation Workshop and Key Points of Air Compressor Selection
fermentation production relies more heavily on compressed air than many people think. From seed tank inoculation, fermentation tank stirring to post-filtration and filling, each link is inseparable from a stable gas supply. However, the fermentation environment is quite special, there are a large number of microorganisms in the tank, and there are clear requirements for the cleanliness and water content of the gas. Once the gas is mixed with oil or too much water, it is likely to affect the activity of the bacteria, resulting in fluctuations in the quality of the batch of products.
The fermentation gas supply system is usually not carried by a single device, but multiple air compressors and post-processing equipment form a complete gas supply link. Some are responsible for basic gas supply, some supplement their output during peak gas consumption, and some specialize in supplying gas to instruments and control valves. This system needs to maintain continuous operation, because once the fermentation tank is out of gas, the stirring stops, the temperature is out of control, and the whole tank material may be scrapped.
In this scenario, the role of oil-free water lubrication air compressor is more obvious. This kind of equipment uses water instead of oil to complete sealing and cooling, and the output compressed air itself does not contain oil, thus eliminating the burden of the back-end oil removal link. The humidity in the fermentation workshop is inherently high, and the water lubrication method has better adaptability in this environment, and the long-term operation of the equipment does not have to worry about the emulsification and deterioration of the lubricating oil.
From the perspective of energy consumption, the proportion of electricity in the production cost of the fermentation gas supply system is not low. If the air compressor selection is improper or the operation mode is unreasonable, it is easy to appear the situation of large horse-drawn trolley. A more pragmatic approach is to adjust the number of operating units according to the gas fluctuations in the fermentation cycle. For example, in the inoculation stage and the early stage of fermentation, the gas consumption is relatively stable, and the gas consumption will obviously increase in the middle and late stages of mixing and feeding. At this time, the standby unit will be put into operation, which is more energy-saving than full operation.
No oil and water lubrication air compressor in this logic also has a practical advantage. Because there is no need to replace the lubricating oil and oil filter, the frequency of daily maintenance is relatively low. For the continuous operation of the fermentation production line, the less the number of downtime maintenance, the better. The water filter and air filter element are replaced on time, and the cooling water circuit is kept unblocked, which can basically maintain the stable output of the equipment.
In terms of daily operation and maintenance, the air compressor inspection in the fermentation workshop should pay special attention to several points. Condensed water should not be discharged lazily. The fermenter area has long pipelines and many elbows. The accumulated water is easy to hide in the low point and is not clean. The air inlet of the air compressor should also be cleaned regularly. The air in the fermentation workshop may contain particles of feed liquid, which will block the air inlet and reduce the gas production efficiency. For water lubrication models, the water quality of circulating water needs attention, the heat exchange efficiency decreases with more scale, and the host temperature is easy to be high.
Fermentation production is about batch stability, and the gas supply system is one of the infrastructure to support this stability. Only by selecting the right equipment, adjusting the operation rhythm and keeping up with the daily maintenance can the whole fermentation process be free of accidents.
