Design considerations for an immobilized cell bioreactor operating in a batch recirculation mode.
Immobilizing microbial cells and enzymes used in biological and biochemical processes is advantageous and has been a subject of intensive study in recent years. Successful implementation of this technology requires complete understanding of physical, chemical and biological parameters which influence the performance of such a system. This paper focuses on a few basic design considerations which are essential to the design and operation of immobilized cell bioreactors. A process using microorganisms entrapped in calcium alginate gel as a biocatalyst is considered. This system is used to biodegrade the organic compound, phenol. A batch reactor operated in a recirculation mode is used, and parameters like concentration of dissolved oxygen, concentration of the organic compound, bead size, biomass loading and the flow rate are studied. The bioreactor can be operated within many operating windows where one of the above parameters may be rate limiting. With the help of conceptual and experimental data, the influence of the above parameters on the reaction rates is discussed.
NJIT Biotechnology Laboratory, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark 07102.
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Lakhwala
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Sofer
D000464:Alginates; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D007700:Kinetics; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009515:New Jersey; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid