TOPIC 5

DESIGN OF BIOCATALYTIC
PROCESSES

MASS BALANCE IN DESIGNING BIOCATALYST REACTOR

Importance of mass balance in biocatalyst

design:
Reactor size
Reaction (residence) time
Amount of catalyst
Required conversion

MASS BALANCE IN DESIGNING BIOCATALYST REACTOR

Substrate converted, [S]=[S]0-[S]E, depends

on:
The amount and activity of catalyst (which are

given by the maximal reaction rate Vmax)

The reaction time (t) or residence time () in
the reactor
The substrate concentration [S], which
depends on the reaction time (t) or residence
time () (or the length in tubular reactor)

MASS TRANSFER IN BIOCATALYST REACTOR

External mass transfer depends on hydrodynamics in reactors
Turbulence and rheology
Flow patterns
Power numberversusReynolds number plots
Flow numbers
Energy dissipation rates
Flow close to impellers and between multiple impeller systems

Homogenization significance for bioreactor performance

Aeration and the behavior of impellers
flow patterns
aerated power characteristics
mixing time
scale-up considerations.

Configuration of Enzyme Reactors

Modifications of basic types to create optimal design to meet
requirements of a specific process
Read reference : Biocatalysts and Enzyme Technology page 460-466

Configuration of Enzyme Reactors-Characteristic

dimensionless numbers for Reactor design
Dimensionless numbers
Re, Ne, Sh, Sc
used to correlate power consumption and mass transfer with
thermodynamic, that is fluid flow at different flow regimes
Characterization of fluid flow : Reynolds number (Re)
Refer reference book: Biocatalysts and Enzyme Technology page 467
Characterization of power consumption: Newton number (Ne)
Refer reference book: Biocatalysts and Enzyme Technology page 467
Characterization of external mass transfer: Sherwood number (Sh) and
Schimdt number (Sc)
Refer reference book: Biocatalysts and Enzyme Technology page 468
Not dimensionless but most relevant parameter
Characterization of power input (PR)
Refer reference book: Biocatalysts and Enzyme Technology page 468

Holding time and residence time

Holding time is defined as time needed

to treat one reactor volume.

Residence time or mean residence
time space time is defined as mean
residence time of flowing material in
the reactor.
From fig when inside popcorn popper,
when popping occurs at back end of
popper then holding time and
residence time will be same.
When popping occurs in midway or
every where inside the popper then
the two time will be different.
For unchanging density system holding
time and residence time will be equal.

Residence Time Distribution

(RTD)

Residence time distribution (RTD) function (E function)

is proposed to describe residence time presented by
different reaction elements inside a reactor
is important factor from the point of view of real
equipment.

RTD provides information about the time for which a

volume element stays inside a reactor.

Element of fluid will take different route through the

reactor and may take different length of time to pass
through the reactor.

Ideal reactor design are made by considering volume

of reactor or time spend by all the reactant will be
same inside reactor.

Completion of reaction will depend on time of

exposure inside the reactor.