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Continuous butanol/isopropanol fermentation in down-flow column reactor coupled with pervaporation using supported
M Matsumura1, S Takehara, H Kataoka
1Institute of Applied Biochemistry, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|January 20, 1992
Summary
Continuous fermentation using immobilized Clostridium isopropylicum achieved higher butanol and isopropanol production by coupling a column reactor with a pervaporation module for efficient product removal.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Microbiology
Background:
- Continuous fermentation processes are susceptible to product inhibition, limiting yields.
- Molasses is a cost-effective substrate for microbial fermentations.
- Efficient product removal is crucial for high-concentration bioproducts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance continuous butanol/isopropanol fermentation using immobilized Clostridium isopropylicum.
- To investigate the efficacy of a coupled pervaporation system for product recovery.
- To overcome product inhibition and achieve high product concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a downflow column reactor with immobilized Clostridium isopropylicum.
- Integrated a pervaporation module with a supported liquid membrane (oleyl alcohol).
- Operated the system continuously using molasses as substrate.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 2-fold increase in specific butanol production rate compared to fermentation without product removal.
- Attained a butanol concentration of 230 kg/m³ in the permeate, 50 times higher than in the culture broth.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of pervaporation in mitigating product inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Coupling pervaporation with continuous fermentation significantly boosts butanol and isopropanol productivity.
- Supported liquid membrane pervaporation is a viable technology for in-situ product recovery.
- Further optimization of module design can lead to even higher fermentation efficiency.
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