Bead mills for destruction of microbial cells in production of microbial synthesis products

The method of disruption the microorganism cells in bead mills is used to disrupt the cells of mycelial fungi, yeasts and certain types of unicellular algae, with the aim of further extracting a wide range of valuable components from the liquid or solid phase of cells -proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, enzymes, biodegradable polymers, amino acids, vitamins and other substances with therapeutic properties.The bead mill consists of the following main parts: working chamber; working elements; working bodies (beads); bead separator; cooling jacket of the working chamber; suspension circulation system; suspension cooling system; drive of working elements; drive of the bead separator; frame; fixing device of the working chamber.The orientation of the working chamber -vertical, horizontal and conical affects its functionality and slightly affects productivity.The working elements of bead mills are discs, fingers or turbines.Disc working elements can have a flat surface or grooves (gaps) -blind and through, straight and complex, usually spiralshaped.The main purpose of the grooves is to create intensive circulation of beads in the working chamber of the mill.The rotational speed of the working elements of the bead mill is usually 1000-2500 rpm.The diameter of beads for disruption of the microbial cells is usually 0.4-0.6 mm; the turbine-type working elements allows the use of a smaller bead size.The slot, cartridge and centrifugal separators can be used for separation the processed suspension of microorganisms from the beads.Most often, a combination of a cartridge and centrifugal separator is used.The proposed classification of bead mills and its elements can be used in educational literature, as well as when choosing conditions and modes of destruction of microbial cells and intensification of the process.