Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This application i5 directed to an apparatus wherein foam
is generated as a result of the opera~ion of the apparatu~, and
whihh is provided with an improved foam breaking arrangement.
The invention is particularly useul in the continuous,
foam-free discharge of gaseous reaction products from fermenters,
i.e., from vessels wherein micro-biological reactions take p~ace
which generate such gaseous reaction products.
Equipmant of this ~ype, provided with fo~m breaking ar-
rangem~ats, is already known in ~he art, e.g., from U.S. Patents
0 ~08. 3,693,325 and 3,501,414. In these basically sati~factory con-
structions of the prior art the foam breakers are located in the
reactor vessel itself. This means that when certain dimensions of
~he reactor vessel and foam breaking arrangement are exceeded, it
is difficult to satisfactorily ~ournal the rotary shaft of the ar-
rangement, in such a manner as to prevent it from performing '~hip-
ping" motions and undergoing excessive vibrations during its rota-
tion.
It is therefore an ob~ect of this invention to further
improve foam braaking arrangements in appratus of the type outlined
above.
More particularly, it is an object of this invention to
provide auch an apparatus where the aforementioned problems are ov-
ercome and do not impose any limitations on ~he size of ~he appara-
tus and/or its output càpability per unit time.
Another ob~ect iB to provide a foam breaker arrangement
which is simple and which can be used with differently sized react-
or vessels.
In keeping with these ob~ect9, and with others which will
become apparent hereafter, a feature of the invention resides in
an apparatus in which mixing of gaseous and liquid phases results
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in the formation of foam. Briefly stated, the apparatus comprises
a) a vessel in which ~he foam is formed, said vessel having an
opening; and
b) foam-breaking means for breaking up ~he foam into its constitu-
ent liquid and gaseous components, comprising a housing stradd-
ling said opening and communicating through the same with said
vessel, a shaft extending in the interior of said housing, foam
breakers aarried by said shaft within said housing, bearings
journallinæ said shaft at axiaLly spaced locations for rotation
about the longitudinal axis of said shaft, and a drive for ro-
tating said shaft abou~ said axisO
The novel features which are considered as charac~eristic
: for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims.
The invention i~self, however, both as to its const~uction and its
~ method of operation, together with additional objects and :.a~.vant-
.~Z ages thereof, will be best understood from the following description
of ~pecific embodiments when read in connection with the accomæany-
:~ ing dra~ingO
The single FIGURE is a fragmentary vertical section
~ 20 through an exemplary embodiment of the inventionO
: Reference numbra~ 2 identifies an upright fermenter or,
generally, reactor vessel of the type disclosed in the aforemention-
ed UOS. patents. Of course, the vessel 2 could also have a more
or less horizontal orientation, if desiredO It will, in any case,
have an opening 2a which may be bounded by a flange 2bo
According to the invention, the foam breaking arrangement
has a housing 1 which is mounted on the vessel, e.g., by means of
flange la that cooperates ~lth flange 2b These flanges may be
,~
bolted or otherwi~e secured together, as known in the art~
Mounted in the upright housing 1 is an upright shaft 3
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which is journalled for rotation in an upper antifriction hearing
7 and a lower anti-friction bearing 6. In the illustrated embodi-
ment the upper bearing 7 is mounted on housing 1, whereas lower
bearing 6 is carried by vessel 2. However, both bearings could be
carried by housing 1, if desired.
A lower part of shaft is constructed as a hollow shaft
section 5 which is provided in its circumferential wall with open-
ings or perforations 5a. For this purpose, the solid shaft may be
surrounded with clearance by a perforated sleeve which is mounted
on it by means of supporting struts or the like. The upper part
of shaft 3 extends out of the housing 1 and carries a belt pulley
3a. An electric motor 9 is stationarily mounted adjacent the hous-
ing 1 (it might even be mounted on the same) and has an output shaft
which also carries a belt pulley 9a. A drive helt is trained around
the pulleys 9a, 3a and rotates shaft 3 when motor 9 is energized.
The shaft section 5 has mounted on it upwardly convergent annular
foam-breaking members 4 which are so arranged that they axially
overlap one another. The members 4 rotate with shaft 3, 5.
Mounted on the inside of housing 1, exten~ing over the
entire axial height of the members 4 but outwardly spaced from them,
are stationary baffles 10, also known as "chisanes". They prevent
a smooth circulation o foam, causing turbulence which forces the
foam to enter between the members 4 and to become separated into
its constituent liquid and gaseous components, in the manner disclos-
ed in the aforementioned U.S. patents.
In operation, dense foam develops in vessel 2 due to the
mixing of air (which is blown into the vessel 2 in known manner)
with the fermentation liquid (e.g., nutrient medium) and the reac-
tion gases which are metabolically generated by the growing micro-
organisms. This foam must be separated into its liquid component
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that is to be retained in the vessel 2, and its gaseous component(air and reaction product) which are to be vented from vessel 2.
The foam rises through opening 2a into housing 1 and is separated
into its constituent components by the rotating members 4. The
liquid component is flung against the baffles 10 and runs back into
the vessel 2, whereas the gaseous component escapes through the open-
ings 5a into the interior of the section 5 and travels upwardly
therein to escape through the outlet 11 which is provided in the
housing 1 for this purpose.
It will be understood that each of the elements descri~ed
above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application
in other types of construction differing from the types descrihed
above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as
embodied in a foam-breaker, it is not intended to be limited to the
details shown, since various modifications and structural changes
may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the
present invention.
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