Recycle hollow fiber enzyme reactor with flow swing

The hollow fiber enzyme reactor with pulsation developed by Kim and Chang (1983) was operated in a differential mode by recycling a substrate solution, in order to assess the efficiency of ultrafiltration swing. The rates of lactose conversion by beta-galactosidase contained in the shell side of the reactor were measured to determine the effects of recirculation rate, pulsation period, and amplitude. The conversion increased with the increase of recirculation flow rate and the amplitude while variation in period affected the conversion relatively little. The maximum increase of 113% in the activity was observed in the reactor with pulsation as compared to that without pulsation. The two-compartment model well described the experimental data obtained in this study. Square-wave pulsation was theoretically more effective in increasing conversion than sine wave pulsation. However, in experimental operation the damping effect of the hollow fiber wall narrowed the difference between these two wave forms.