ISSN:
0178-515X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
Abstract The comparative efficiencies of two special biocatalytic reactors designed to handle gel-like immobilized biocatalysts, the hollow tubes and the hollow zones reactors, have been assessed for the performance of the hydrolysis of benzylpenicillin to 6-aminopenicillanic acid and phenyl acetic acid by an immobilized penicillin amidase preparation. On the basis of the efficiency factor η15/35, representing the ratio of activity expressed in the reactor at the end of 15 minutes in relation to the activity loaded in the reactor, and on the conversion achieved at the end of a given time close to that required to attain conversions near those required in industrial operation the hollow tubes reactor revealed to be slightly superior to the hollow zones reactor. The application to the conversion data obtained in both reactors of the α, β kinetic model derived by Cardoso and Costa [1] also gave evidence of the superior performance of the hollow tubes reactor. The influence of the linear velocity on the final conversion achieved for the hollow tubes reactor was investigated allowing the conclusion that from a velocity across the reactor of at least about 17.6 cm min-1 the final conversion time is independent of this parameter. The application of the α, β kinetic model to the conversion data obtained in the hollow tubes reactor for different linear velocities also supported this conclusion. Although the kinetic behaviour of the conversion reaction for linear velocities higher than 17.6 cm min-1 varied with the linear velocity the final conversion was not affected by this parameter.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s004490050266
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