Student Collaboration in a Series of Integrated Experiments To Study Enzyme Reactor Modeling with Immobilized Cell-Based Invertase

摘要

An integrative laboratory study addressing fundamentals of enzyme catalysis and their application to reactors operation and modeling is presented. Invertase, a fructofuranosidase that catalyses the hydrolysis of sucrose, is used as the model enzyme at optimal conditions (pH 4.5 and 45 degrees C). The experimental work involves 3 h of laboratory time for each student per week over four weeks. Students, organized in laboratory sessions of three groups with 3 or 4 students per group, work in a collaborative manner to obtain a set of replicates of initial reaction rate for different substrate concentrations, using both free and calcium alginate-immobilized Saccharomyces bayanus cells containing biologically active invertase. The results are shared by all of the groups for statistical data treatment, calculation of Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters, and modeling of three types of classical reactors, a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR), a Plug Flow Reactor (PFR), and a Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR), operating in continuous mode with immobilized invertase. For each reactor, the experimental conversion profile as a function of the feed flow rate is compared to predicted profiles based upon the kinetic parameters obtained.