Mel’niсk V. N., Trivailo M.S., Karachun V.V.

National Technical University of Ukraine «KPI»

THE FOUR-BAR HINGE WITH SHOVELS ON THE ENDS

The utility model concerns to biotechnology and can be used for the cultivation of cells in liquid mediums at manufacturing of vaccines and biologically-active substances.

The known device for the cultivation (AC) of cells, which contains the case with technological branch pipes and a hollow shaft of a pulse drive with the plug placed on a case axis, to which attached a mixing element in shape of the four-bar hinge with shovels on the ends, the filtering element connected to the emptiness and the mobile plug of the hinge, and also an aerator (for example, А.c. The USSR №1633814, С12M3/00, 1995).

The lack of this device for the cultivation consists in the insufficient productivity.

The lack reason is caused by that at the reduction of number of turns of a shaft the intensity of mixing decreases and the cells are not provided enough with oxygen which slows down their development, and, so, reduces productivity. On the contrary, with the increasing of the number of turns of a shaft - the mixing element destroys their covers which also does not assist to the increasing of productivity of the technical equipment.

Besides, the known device has a difficult design which it is possible to consider as its other lack as it creates certain difficulties of installation, repair and operation.

The known design which contains the cylindrical case with refracting partitions and the technological branch pipes, a shaft with a disk fixed on it under a right angle placed along an axis of the case, round mixing shovels vertically located on the disk periphery, an aerator and a drive (for example, А.c. The USSR № 1555353, С12 M1/04, 1990).

This device is necessary to consider this device as the closest to the utility model for the technical essence and achievable effect and it is possible to qualify as the nearest analogue.

The lack of the known AC consists also in insufficient productivity of technological process owing to passive mixing of a working liquid on its height, and also in radial directions which is caused by the round form of the mixing shovels and their arrangement under a right angle to an axis of a shaft of the actuating unit.

The basis of the utility model is the problem of improvement of the AC in which the mixing of a working liquid on all its height and in radial directions is provided by updating of the form and the arrangement of the mixing shovels, which makes active mass exchange and accelerates growth of cells. At the same time productivity of the equipment increases.

The given task is solving by that in the device which contains the cylindrical case with the technological branch pipes, a shaft with radially located mixing shovels placed along an axis of the case, an aerator and the drive, according to the utility model, the new is that shovels are executed in shape of at least one S-like plate which is located slantedly to an axis of a shaft and is connected to it the central part, and the angle is able to change under the condition of the change of ktough resistance of a liquid.

The specified difference allows to intensify process of mixing of a biomass which accelerates growth of cells and leads to productivity growth.

On Fig. 1 the declared AC is schematically represented: on Fig. 1, b – section А-А on Fig. 1, a.

The device contains the cylindrical case 1 with a branch pipe 2 for introduction of a nutritious liquid and a sowing material, a branch pipe 3 with the aerator 4, a branch pipe 5 for removal of the cultural liquids and a branch pipe 6 for removal of the fulfilled gas. The shaft 8 with the mixing shovels 9 is located along an axis of the case 1 attached to a drive (the motor-reducer) 7. The shovels 9 are executed in shape (width B) of at least one S-like plate 10 (Fig. 1.9, b) which is located slanted under a corner to an axis of a shaft 8 and it is connected to it in the central part. The angle size is selected under a condition that the plate 10 blocked height Н of a working liquid in the case 1, and its ends – did not mention a case wall.

The AC works in the following way.

In the case 1, sterilized preliminary, through a branch pipe 2 enter a nutritious liquid and a sowing material (the subculture). After that in the aerator 4 the gas for aeration of the mediums arrives and put in action a drive 7. The drive 7 gives the rotating movement to a shaft 8 with shovels 9 which put normal specific pressure 11 upon a working liquid 12, carrying out its mixing which occurs in all its height H due to the slanted arrangement of the shovels concerning to a shaft axis. Under these conditions circular component 13 of the pressure 11 assists, as well as in the nearest analogue, to circular moving of a working liquid, and another compound 14 – to radial, which is absent in the nearest analogue.

The mass exchange of the working liquid on all its height Н (instead of a part of the height in the nearest analogue) and additional to circular moving in radial directions under the influence of a component 14 of specific pressure 11 (that absent in the nearest analogue) intensifies the mixing of the cultural liquid which assists to the growth of cells and leads to increase of productivity of technological process and quality of a finished product.

After the end of the process of the cultivation, the drive 7 is stopping, and the finished product merge through a branch pipe 5 for further use. The process can be either entirely automated, or semiautomatic.