Experimental and Modeling Study of Galactosyl-Oligosaccharides Formation in Continuous Recycle Membrane Reactors (CRMR)

Abstract

Galactosyl-oligosaccharides (GOS) can be produced with native enzymes in Continuous Recycle Membrane Reactors (CRMR) or with immobilized enzymes in Plug Flow Bed Reactors (PFBR). In this paper a simple three kinetic constants model was implemented and used to define the optimal operation conditions to obtain a higher GOS yield. Ex- perimental GOS yield and productivity obtained with CRMR were in good agreement with simulated results. The advan- tages of using single CRMR, two coupled CRMR and single CRMR coupled with Simulated Moving Bed Chromatogra- phy (SMBC), for product separation and continuous lactose recycling, were investigated with a modeling and experimen- tal study. Experimental studies for single CRMR showed a 89 % higher amount of produced GOS than reports from im- mobilized enzymes in Plug Flow Bed Reactors (PFBR). Two coupled CRMR produced a 25 % higher amount of GOS than single CRMR. Simulated results with CRMR and SMBC for continuous lactose recycling showed 45% higher GOS amount than single CRMR. The results prove the feasibility and advantages of GOS production in single or series CRMR with native enzymes with or without lactose recycling.