Immobilized cell reactor with simultaneous product separation. II. Experimental reactor performance
The Immobilized Cell Reactor-Separator (ICRS) consists of two column reactors: a cocurrent gas-liquid enricher followed by a countercurrent stripper. The columns are four-phase tubular reactors consisting of 1) an inert gas phase, 2) the liquid fermentation broth, 3) the solid column internal packing, and 4) the immobilized biological catalyst or cells. The application of the ICRS to the ethanol-from-whey-lactose fermentation system has been investigated. Operation in the liquid continuous or bubble flow regime allows a high liquid holdup in the reactor and consequent long and controllable liquid residence time but results in a high gas phase pressure drop over the length of the reactor and low gas flow rates. Operation in the gas continuous regime gives high gas flow rates and low pressure drop but also results in short liquid residence time and incomplete column wetting at low liquid loading rates using conventional gas-liquid column packings. Using cells absorbed to conventional ceramic column packing (0.25-in Intalox saddles), it was found that a good reaction could be obtained in the liquid continuous mode, but little separation, while in the gas continuous mode there was little reaction but good separation. Using cells sorbed to an absorbant matrix allowed operation in the gas continuous regime with a liquid holdup of up to 30% of the total reactor volume. Good reaction rates and product separation were obtained using this matrix. High reaction rates were obtained due to high density cell loading in the reactor. A dry cell density of up to 92 g/l reactor was obtained in the enricher. The enricher ethanol productivity ranged from 50 to 160 g/l h while the stripper productivity varied from 0 to 32 g/l h at different feed rates and concentrations. A separation efficiency of as high as 98% was obtained from the system.
- Research Organization:
- Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN
- OSTI ID:
- 6192085
- Journal Information:
- Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Vol. 27:7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Design and analysis of an immobilized cell reactor with simultaneous product separation: ethanol from whey lactose
Related Subjects
BIOREACTORS
DESIGN
PERFORMANCE
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
LACTOSE
FERMENTATION
WHEY
IMMOBILIZED CELLS
INHIBITION
OPERATION
PHASE STUDIES
PRODUCTIVITY
SUBSTRATES
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
DISACCHARIDES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
OLIGOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SACCHARIDES
SYNTHESIS
WASTES
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