Experimental and modeling study of catalytic reaction of glucose isomerization: Kinetics and packed‐bed dynamic modeling

Abstract

AbstractThe kinetics and equilibrium of isomerization reaction of D‐glucose to D‐fructose have been investigated using a commercial immobilized glucose isomerase (IGI), Sweetzyme type IT®, in a batch stirred‐tank reactor. The batch experimental data were used to model the reaction kinetics using the well‐known Michaelis–Menten rate expression. The kinetic model was utilized in a dynamic‐mathematical model for a packed‐bed reactor to predict the concentration profiles of D‐glucose and D‐fructose within the reactor. The experimental results for the fractional conversion of D‐glucose in the packed‐bed reactor of IGI catalyst indicated that the model prediction of the transient and steady‐state performance of the packed‐bed reactor was satisfactory and as such could be used in the design of a fixed‐bed IGI catalytic reactor. Moreover, the influences of axial mixing term, particle Re number, and axial peclet number (Pea) on the performance capability of the packed‐bed reactor of IGI catalyst were investigated. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008