Computational modeling of batch stirred tank reactor based on spherical catalyst particles

Abstract

This paper presents a model of a batch stirred tank reactor with spherical catalyst particles as microreactors. The model involves three regions: an array of porous enzyme-loaded microreactors where enzyme reaction as well as mass transfer by diffusion take place, a diffusion limiting region surrounding the particles and a convective region where the substrate is of uniform concentration. The microbioreactors are mathematically modeled by a two-compartment model based on reaction–diffusion equations containing a nonlinear term related to the Michaelis–Menten enzyme kinetics. The influence of the physical and kinetic parameters of the microbioreactors on the transient effectiveness of the bioreactor system is numerically investigated in a wide range of model parameters. The numerical simulation was carried out using the finite difference technique. The simulation results show non-monotonic effect of the initial substrate concentration and nonlinear effects of the internal and external diffusion limitations as well as adsorption capacity of the microreactors on the transient effectiveness.