Patent Description:
In general, adult diapers and the like are worn for a long time, and malodorous components may be generated as microorganisms are cultured by urine. Therefore, products such as adult diapers can be made of superabsorbent polymers with an antibacterial function.

To develop the performance of superabsorbent polymer products having an antibacterial function, studies have been conducted to reduce malodorous components by controlling the culturing degree of microorganisms in a superabsorbent polymer.

Accordingly, there is a need for a technique for checking the effect of reducing the malodorous components generated by microorganisms in a superabsorbent polymer, and specifically, a technique for quantitatively collecting the malodorous components.

Malodorous components generated by microorganisms in a superabsorbent polymer include ammonia and multi-odor components, and since a gas collection means varies depending on the types of malodorous components, conventionally, separate analysis has been carried out for each component to be analyzed. In the case of analysis through bacterial culture, as there are many factors that hinder reproducibility, there is a need for a technique capable of simultaneously analyzing both ammonia and multi-odor components in one experimental set.

<NPL>, relates to collecting samples of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from or taken up by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae cultures by means of GC-MS after adsorption of headspace samples on multi-bed sorption tubes. However, the use of more than one collecting unit at the same time, particularly, the use of two or more collecting units in parallel is not disclosed. Furthermore, mass flow controllers are not configured to measure the mass flow for each collecting unit separately.

The present invention relates to a gas collecting apparatus, according to claim <NUM>, and is intended to provide a gas collecting apparatus for collecting gases generated while microorganisms are cultured in a superabsorbent polymer product.

A gas collecting apparatus of the present invention comprises: a constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) inside of which is maintained a set temperature by heating means; a culture flask unit (<NUM>) provided inside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and in which bacteria are cultured; a first collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>); a second collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>); a first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the first collecting unit (<NUM>) ; a second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the second collecting unit (<NUM>); a discharge flow path (<NUM>) with one end thereof connected to a discharge port (<NUM>) provided in the culture flask unit (<NUM>) and serving as a passage through which the gas inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>) is discharged; a first flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the first collecting unit (<NUM>); and a second flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) together with the first flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the second collecting unit (<NUM>), wherein the first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the first flow path (<NUM>), and the second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the second flow path (<NUM>).

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the adsorbent tube is connected, together with the ammonia gas-detecting tube or the impinger in parallel, to the rear end of the culture flask unit, such that ammonia and multi-odor components can be collected simultaneously, and quantitative analysis can be possible for each of the malodorous components.

Since the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention can control the flow rate, collecting volume and time, etc., independently of each other for each of the first and second collecting units connected in parallel to the rear end of the culture flask unit, accurate quantitative and qualitative analysis can be possible.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention is a system that ensures airtightness without leakage even in experiments conducted over a prolonged time, and thus, can collect gas components produced in real-time under the air flow by continuously supplying and discharging air.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention is capable of continuously generating an air flow, and thus, can collect gas components without limitations according to the collection time regardless of the capacity of the culture flask unit.

Since the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention can control and meter an accurate flow rate with mass flow control units and facilitates easy adjustment of environmental conditions such as culture time, temperature, or the like, it is possible to precisely perform quantitative analysis according to the number of cultured bacteria, and antibacterial and deodorizing treatment of the superabsorbent polymer.

A gas collecting apparatus of the present invention comprises: a constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) inside of which is maintained at a set temperature by heating means; a culture flask unit (<NUM>) provided inside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and in which bacteria are cultured; a first collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>); a second collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>) ; a first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the first collecting unit (<NUM>); a second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the second collecting unit (<NUM>); a discharge flow path (<NUM>) with one end thereof connected to a discharge port (<NUM>) provided in the culture flask unit (<NUM>) and serving as a passage through which the gas inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>) is discharged; a first flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the first collecting unit (<NUM>); and a second flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) together with the first flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the second collecting unit (<NUM>), wherein the first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the first flow path (<NUM>), and the second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the second flow path (<NUM>).

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the first collecting unit may be an adsorbent tube, and the second collecting unit may be an impinger or a gas-detecting tube.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the first mass flow control unit is provided on the first flow path, and the second mass flow control unit is provided on the second flow path.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, a first valve may be provided at a front end of the first mass flow control unit on the first flow path, and a second valve may be provided at a front end of the second mass flow control unit on the second flow path.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the discharge flow path may comprise a first discharge flow path passing through a wall of the constant temperature chamber, a second discharge flow path that is a flow path connecting the discharge port of the culture flask unit to the first discharge flow path inside the constant temperature chamber, and a third discharge flow path that is a flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path to the first discharge flow path outside the constant temperature chamber.

The third discharge flow path of the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may be provided with a venting unit through which a gas inside the third discharge flow path is discharged to the outside.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may further comprise: an injection flow path connected to an injection port provided in the culture flask unit and through which air injected into the culture flask unit flows; and a third mass flow control unit provided in the injection flow path and configured to control a flow rate of the air injected into the culture flask unit.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the injection flow path may comprise a first injection flow path passing through a wall of the constant temperature chamber, a second injection flow path that is a flow path connecting the injection port of the culture flask unit to the first injection flow path inside the constant temperature chamber, and a third injection flow path that is a flow path connecting the third mass flow control unit located outside the constant temperature chamber to the first injection flow path from outside the constant temperature chamber.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the first mass flow control unit may be provided at a rear end of the first collecting unit, the second mass flow control unit may be provided at a rear end of the second collecting unit, and a vacuum pump for sucking the gas in the culture flask unit into the first collecting unit and the second collecting unit may be connected to the rear end of the first mass flow control unit and the rear end of the second mass flow control unit.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the vacuum pump may be a diaphragm pump.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may further comprise: an injection flow path connected to an injection port provided in the culture flask unit and through which air injected into the culture flask unit flows; and a check valve provided in the injection flow path to prevent the gas inside the culture flask unit from being discharged through the injection port of the culture flask unit.

Hereinafter, embodiments in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. During this course of description, the sizes or shapes of the components shown in the drawings may not be made to scale for clarity and convenience of description.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a gas collecting apparatus of the present invention. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing a culture flask unit <NUM>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing a constant temperature chamber <NUM>. <FIG> is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of a gas collecting apparatus of the present invention. <FIG> is a schematic diagram showing yet another embodiment of a gas collecting apparatus of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may be for analyzing malodorous gases produced by bacteria cultured in a superabsorbent polymer <NUM>. The malodorous gases generated by bacteria may contain various components including ammonia. Specifically, the malodorous gases may contain ammonia and multi-odor components.

The multi-odor components are odorous components causing a malodor among various chemical components generated by microorganisms, and may include, for example, trimethylamine of a nitrogen compound; dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide of sulfur compounds; cresol and guaiacol of phenols; Isovaleraldehyde, pentanal, and hexanal of aldehydes; <NUM>-methyl butanol and ethanol of alcohols; diacetyl, <NUM>-pentanone, and <NUM>-heptanone of ketones, and the like.

In general, ammonia may be collected with a gas-detecting tube or an impinger, and multi-odor components may be collected with an adsorbent tube or an impinger. In other words, in order to analyze various types of components included in the malodorous gas, the collection means varies depending on the types of components. Therefore, conventionally, in the case of collecting various kinds of gas components, analysis was carried out by a separate experiment for each component. When analyzing gas components generated by bacteria, bacteria cultured in spaces independent of each other may show reduced reproducibility between each other even if the same culture conditions are given, and there may be limitations in analyzing bacteria that generate various malodorous components with analyzing components that have been individually collected in systems independent of each other.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention can carry out the analysis of various kinds of components generated in the malodorous gas accurately by quantitatively collecting and analyzing the various kinds of components contained in the malodorous gas at the same time, with a single culture in one culture space <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention includes: a constant temperature chamber <NUM> inside of which is maintained at a set temperature; a culture flask unit <NUM> provided inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> and in which bacteria are cultured; a first collecting unit <NUM> provided outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit <NUM>; a second collecting unit <NUM> provided outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit <NUM>; a first mass flow control unit <NUM> provided outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the first collecting unit <NUM>; a second mass flow control unit <NUM> provided outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the second collecting unit <NUM>; a discharge flow path <NUM> with one end thereof connected to a discharge port <NUM> provided in the culture flask unit <NUM> and serving as a passage through which the gas inside the culture flask unit <NUM> is discharged; a first flow path <NUM> having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path <NUM> and the other end thereof connected to the first collecting unit <NUM>; and a second flow path <NUM> having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path <NUM> together with the first flow path <NUM> and the other end thereof connected to the second collecting unit <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the culture flask unit <NUM> is a container in which bacteria are cultured. The culture flask unit <NUM> may be provided with a culture space <NUM> therein, in which bacteria are cultured therein. The bacteria to be cultured and the superabsorbent polymer <NUM> may be housed in the culture space <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM>, and the superabsorbent polymer <NUM> may be seated on the bottom surface of the culture space <NUM>.

In the top portion of the culture flask unit <NUM>, there may be provided with an injection port <NUM> for injecting external air into the culture space <NUM>, and a discharge port <NUM> for discharging the gas generated by the bacteria in the culture space <NUM>.

An injection flow path <NUM> through which external air flows may be connected to the injection port <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM>, and the discharge flow path <NUM> through which the gas generated in the culture space <NUM> flows is connected to the discharge port <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM>.

One end of the discharge flow path <NUM> may be inserted into the culture space <NUM> provided inside the culture flask unit <NUM> through the discharge port <NUM> formed at the top portion of the culture flask unit <NUM>. The discharge flow path <NUM> may extend downward in the culture space <NUM> and discharge the gas in the vicinity of the superabsorbent polymer <NUM> provided on the bottom surface of the culture space <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, a constant temperature space <NUM> in which the culture flask unit <NUM> is housed may be formed, a heating means capable of heating the constant temperature space <NUM> may be provided, and holes through which the injection flow path <NUM> and the discharge flow path <NUM> pass may be formed in the sidewalls.

One side of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> may be formed as a door, and by opening the door, the culture flask unit <NUM> may be housed in the constant temperature space <NUM>. A transparent window may be formed in the door, and the constant temperature space <NUM> can be observed from the outside of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> through the window.

The first mass flow control unit <NUM>, the second mass flow control unit <NUM>, the first collecting unit <NUM>, and the second collecting unit <NUM> are provided outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> so as not to be heated by the heating means provided in the constant temperature chamber <NUM>. Specifically, brackets on which the first mass flow control unit <NUM>, the second mass flow control unit <NUM>, the first collecting unit <NUM>, and the second collecting unit <NUM> are mounted may be provided on the outer wall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, and the first mass flow control unit <NUM>, the second mass flow control unit <NUM>, the first collecting unit <NUM>, and the second collecting unit <NUM> may be coupled and fixed to the outer wall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> by means of the brackets. For example, the constant temperature chamber <NUM> may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a plurality of planes, and the first mass flow control unit <NUM>, the second mass flow control unit <NUM>, the first collecting unit <NUM>, and the second collecting unit <NUM> may be appropriately distributed and mounted on the outer wall surfaces of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>.

The wall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> may be provided with a vent through which air inside and outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> is vented, and a filter unit for filtering particles in the air may be provided in the vent. The temperature of the constant temperature space <NUM> of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> is changed by the heating means, and the air in the constant temperature space <NUM> can expand or contract according to the temperature change. At this time, the vent may be provided to maintain the pressure of the constant temperature space <NUM> in a certain range, and the filter unit may be provided in the vent to prevent foreign substances outside of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> from flowing into the constant temperature chamber <NUM> or components inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> from being discharged to the outside of the constant temperature chamber <NUM> due to the air flowing in or out through the vent.

The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may be of a structure in which the first collecting unit <NUM> and the second collecting unit <NUM> are connected in parallel to the rear end of the culture flask unit <NUM> through the discharge flow path <NUM>, the first flow path <NUM>, and the second flow path <NUM>. The gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may be to collect ammonia and multi-odor components. A gas containing ammonia and multi-odor components generated in the culture space <NUM> of one culture flask unit <NUM> may be divided and passed through the first collecting unit <NUM> and the second collecting unit <NUM>, thereby collecting ammonia and the multi-odor components contained in the gas by the first collecting unit <NUM> and the second collecting unit <NUM>, respectively. Specifically, in the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the first collecting unit <NUM> may be an adsorbent tube, and the second collecting unit <NUM> may be an impinger or a gas-detecting tube. The first collecting unit <NUM> may collect the multi-odor components, and the second collecting unit <NUM> may collect ammonia.

As the first collecting unit <NUM>, the adsorbent tube may be capable of adsorbing and maintaining the generated odor components in an adsorbed state for a certain period of time. The adsorbent tube may be provided with an adsorbent. The multi-odor components can be collected by the adsorbent provided in the adsorbent tube. The adsorbent is for collecting one or more components out of trimethylamine of a nitrogen compound; dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide of sulfur compounds; cresol and guaiacol of phenols; Isovaleraldehyde, pentanal, and hexanal of aldehydes; <NUM>-methyl butanol and ethanol of alcohols; diacetyl, <NUM>-pentanone, and <NUM>-heptanone of ketones, which are the multi-odor components described above, and may be a porous polymer adsorbent containing graphite. For example, the adsorbent may be Tenax® GR, obtained by combining <NUM>% graphite for adsorbing low-boiling point compounds into Tenax® TA, which is a porous polymer.

As the second collecting unit <NUM>, the gas-detecting tube is a reaction tube containing a reagent used for easily and quickly measuring the concentration of a specific trace gas in a gas, and is also referred to as a gas detector. The concentration can be determined by the length of the colored layer of the reagent or the like produced by the reaction with a particular gas by passing a certain amount of air through the gas-detecting tube with a gas sampler. The gas-detecting tube may be a glass tube filled with a detecting agent (a reagent that is colored or discolored by chemical change with a gas component to be tested) adsorbed on silica gel or alumina gel particles to a length of <NUM> to <NUM>. Both ends of the glass tube are thinner. The gas may flow into one end of the glass tube and be discharged through the other end, and the ammonia component, which is the first component, may discolor the detecting agent in the process of the gas passing through the glass tube, and the remaining components may be discharged through the other end of the glass tube. Since the discoloration of the detecting agent gradually moves inward from the inlet, the concentration of the component gas to be tested can be calculated by comparing the length of this part with the concentration chart. The detecting agent of the second collecting unit <NUM> in the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may be discolored by ammonia, and may be sulfuric acid that can directly react with ammonia gas, silica gel containing phosphoric acid and an indicator that changes color according to a change in pH, etc. Silica gel containing sulfuric acid (H<NUM>SO<NUM>) or nitric acid (HNO<NUM>) reacts with ammonia gas to produce ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate, resulting in a change in pH in this process. In this case, as a usable indicator, Congo red, phenolphthalein, or the like may be used.

As the second collecting unit <NUM>, the impinger is a kind of dust collector used to measure dust in gas, and can collect an ammonia component.

In the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, one end of the discharge flow path <NUM> is connected to the culture flask unit <NUM>, and the other end is connected to the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM>. That is, the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM> may be branch tubes branched from the discharge flow path <NUM>. The gas discharged through the discharge flow path <NUM> may be divided into and flow in each of the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM>. That is, the gas of the same component may flow in the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM>.

The first mass flow control unit <NUM> is provided on the first flow path <NUM>, and the second mass flow control unit <NUM> is provided on the second flow path <NUM>. That is, the first mass flow control unit <NUM> controls the flow rate of the gas passing through the first flow path <NUM>, and the second mass flow control unit <NUM> controls the flow rate of the gas passing through the second flow path <NUM>. By separately providing the first mass flow control unit <NUM> and the second mass flow control unit <NUM> in each of the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM>, the amount of gas flowing through the first collecting unit <NUM> and the second collecting unit <NUM> can be controlled independently.

The malodor produced by the bacteria in the superabsorbent polymer <NUM> may contain more ammonia components than the multi-odor components. Therefore, in order for more gas to flow through the first collecting unit <NUM> than through the second collecting unit <NUM> in consideration of the detection sensitivity, the flow of the gas can be controlled through the first mass flow control unit <NUM> and the second mass flow control unit <NUM>.

The first mass flow control unit <NUM> and the second mass flow control unit <NUM> are mass flow controllers (MFCs). The pressure for the flow of fluids in the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention are provided by the first mass flow control unit <NUM> and the second mass flow control unit <NUM>. The mass flow controller includes an inlet into which the fluid flows, an outlet through which the fluid is discharged, a mass flowmeter that measures the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the inlet and discharged through the outlet, a proportional valve that regulates the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the inlet and discharged through the outlet, and a controller that controls the proportional valve based on the measured values of the mass flowmeter.

A first valve <NUM> may be provided at the front end of the first mass flow control unit <NUM> on the first flow path <NUM>, and a second valve <NUM> may be provided at the front end of the second mass flow control unit <NUM> on the second flow path <NUM>. The first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM> may be independently opened or closed via the first valve <NUM> and the second valve <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the discharge flow path <NUM> may include a first discharge flow path <NUM> passing through the wall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, a second discharge flow path <NUM> that is a flow path connecting the discharge port <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM> to the first discharge flow path <NUM> inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, and a third discharge flow path <NUM> that is a flow path connecting the first flow path <NUM> and the second flow path <NUM> to the first discharge flow path <NUM> outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM>.

For example, the first discharge flow path <NUM> may be provided by a stainless-steel pipe, and the second discharge flow path <NUM> may be provided by a Tygon tubing. The first discharge flow path <NUM> may be a fixed structure secured to the sidewall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, and the second discharge flow path <NUM> may be a replaceable pipe, which may be replaced each time a new experiment starts.

The second discharge flow path <NUM> may be formed of a flexible Tygon tubing, and can thus prevent the positioning of the culture flask unit inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> from being hindered by the rigidity of the second discharge flow path <NUM>.

The third discharge flow path <NUM> may be provided with a venting unit <NUM> through which the gas inside the third discharge flow path <NUM> is discharged to the outside. Depending on situations, a pump, a pressure tank, or the like may be connected to the injection flow path <NUM>, so as to apply additional pressure. In this case, the venting unit <NUM> may be provided to prevent the pressure from excessively increasing in the culture space <NUM>, the discharge flow path <NUM>, the first flow path <NUM>, the second flow path <NUM>, etc. The venting unit <NUM> may be a relief valve, a check valve, or the like.

As shown in <FIG>, a flow meter <NUM> may be provided in the injection flow path <NUM>, such that the air injected into the culture flask unit <NUM> may be quantified.

In another embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may further include an injection flow path <NUM> connected to the injection port <NUM> provided in the culture flask unit <NUM> and through which air injected into the culture flask unit <NUM> flows; and a third mass flow control unit <NUM> provided in the injection flow path <NUM> and configured to control the flow rate of the air injected into the culture flask unit <NUM>. That is, the injection flow path <NUM> may be provided with the third mass flow control unit <NUM> capable of directly controlling the flow rate of the air injected into the culture flask unit <NUM>, instead of the flow meter <NUM>. The third mass flow control unit <NUM> may be a mass flow controller.

As shown in <FIG>, the injection flow path <NUM> may include a first injection flow path <NUM> passing through the wall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, a second injection flow path <NUM> that is a flow path connecting the injection port <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM> to the first injection flow path <NUM> inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, and a third injection flow path <NUM> that is a flow path connecting the third mass flow control unit <NUM> located outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> to the first injection flow path <NUM> from outside the constant temperature chamber <NUM>.

For example, the first injection flow path <NUM> may be provided by a stainless-steel pipe, and the second injection flow path <NUM> may be provided by a Tygon tubing. The first injection flow path <NUM> may be a fixed structure secured to the sidewall of the constant temperature chamber <NUM>, and the second injection flow path <NUM> may be a replaceable pipe, which may be replaced each time a new experiment starts.

The second injection flow path <NUM> may be formed of a flexible Tygon tubing, and can thus prevent the positioning of the culture flask unit inside the constant temperature chamber <NUM> from being hindered by the rigidity of the second injection flow path.

In still another embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, in the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention, the first mass flow control unit <NUM> may be provided at the rear end of the first collecting unit <NUM>, the second mass flow control unit <NUM> may be provided at the rear end of the second collecting unit <NUM>, and a vacuum pump <NUM> for sucking the gas in the culture flask unit <NUM> into the first collecting unit <NUM> and the second collecting unit <NUM> may be connected to the rear end of the first mass flow control unit <NUM> and the rear end of the second mass flow control unit <NUM>. If the gas flow is guided by forming a negative pressure at the rearmost end of the gas collecting apparatus, a desired amount of gas can be collected regardless of the injection flow path <NUM> side.

The vacuum pump <NUM> may be a diaphragm pump.

As shown in <FIG>, the gas collecting apparatus of the present invention may further include a check valve <NUM> provided in the injection flow path <NUM> to prevent the gas inside the culture flask unit <NUM> from being discharged through the injection port <NUM> of the culture flask unit <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the discharge flow path <NUM> may be provided with a valve <NUM>, so as to prevent gas from flowing backward or inadvertently spreading at the start or end of operation of the vacuum pump <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A gas collecting apparatus comprising:
a constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) inside of which is maintained a set temperature by heating means;
a culture flask unit (<NUM>) provided inside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and in which bacteria are cultured;
a first collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>);
a second collecting unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to receive a gas from inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>);
a first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the first collecting unit (<NUM>);
a second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) provided outside the constant temperature chamber (<NUM>) and configured to control a flow rate of the gas sucked into the second collecting unit (<NUM>);
a discharge flow path (<NUM>) with one end thereof connected to a discharge port (<NUM>) provided in the culture flask unit (<NUM>) and serving as a passage through which the gas inside the culture flask unit (<NUM>) is discharged;
a first flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the first collecting unit (<NUM>); and
a second flow path (<NUM>) having one end thereof connected to the other end of the discharge flow path (<NUM>) together with the first flow path (<NUM>) and the other end thereof connected to the second collecting unit (<NUM>),
wherein the first mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the first flow path (<NUM>), and
the second mass flow control unit (<NUM>) is provided on the second flow path (<NUM>).