New enzyme reactor with forced flow of the substrate through an enzyme immobilized ceramic membrane.

Abstract

A new enzyme reactor system for low-molecular-weight substrates, utilizing forced flow through an enzyme-immobilized membrane, was developed. Invertase was physically immobilized within a porous ceramic membrane by filtering an enzyme solution, and a sucrose solution was forced through the membrane by pressure, using a crossflow filtration method. The reaction rate of the forced-flow system was more than 10 times greater than that observed in a diffusion-controlled system. The reaction rate in both systems was mathematically modeled, and the simulated results were in good agreement with the experimental results. The reaction rate in the forced-flow system was easily controlled by pressure, and its productivity was greater than those reported in other reactor systems.