Method of carrying out enzyme catalyzed reactions
OwnerRobert W. Coughlin, Marvin Charlesinventors
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Abstract
A liquid stream containing the reactants is passed through a bed of enzyme catalyst, made up of enzymes bonded to small, dense particles of carrier or support materials, in a manner which causes the bed to expand or fluidize and a chemical reaction is thereby carried out in a process that is simultaneously free from limitations due to plugging and excessive pressure drop and which also has the advantage of the high mass transfer rates that can be realized between the liquid and small particles.
Claims13
An improved method of effecting enzymatic reactions in a reactant material which is contained in a carrier fluid by passing the carrier fluid past enzyme material attached to a supporting material comprising:
- a. passing the carrier fluid generally upwardly through a reaction zone containing finely divided particles having a size range of 0.01 millimeters to 5 millimeters to which the enzyme material is attached, said particles composed essentially of material having a theoretical density of from about 2.4 grams/cm.sup.3 to 25 grams/cm.sup.3, the volume of the reaction zone being sufficient to contain all of the particulate supporting material in at least an expanded condition wherein the various particles are substantially not supported upon each other,
- b. maintaining an upward velocity of carrier fluid through said reaction zone sufficient to suspend and agitate the said particulate supporting material, but insufficient to carry said particulate supporting material from reaction zone.
Apparatus for conducting enzymic reactions wherein enzymes are immobilized on particles that are fluidized by the upward flow of carrier fluid containing a reactant material, comprising tube means forming a reaction vessel, enzyme material immobilized on insoluble supporting particles within said reaction vessel, said particles having sizes ranging from about 0.01 millimeter to 5 millimeters and composed essentially of material having a theoretical density ranging from about 2.4 grams/cm.sup.3 to about 25 grams/cm.sup.3, pumping means for causing flow of carrier fluid upwards through said enzyme-bearing particles, with the restriction that the dimensions of said reaction vessel, the sizes and densities of said particles, and the characteristics of said pumping means are such as to result in fluidization of said particles while permitting said particles to remain within said vessel, when said carrier fluid is caused to flow through the said vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.