Continuous stirred membrane bioreactors

Steady-state flow reactors, with a constant supply of reactants and continuous removal of products, can be operated as both a continuous stirred-tank bioreactor (CSTB) and as a plug flow bioreactor (PFB). It is possible to have different configurations of the membrane bioreactor where the biocatalyst is immobilized in the fractionated membrane support (Katoh and Yoshida, 2010). In Fig. 1.6 the scheme of a CSMB in which the biocatalyst is immobilized on the surface of the membrane beads is presented. The biocatalyst immobilized in the porous structure of a fractioned membrane can also be operated in CSMB. For example, two configurations are shown in Fig. 1.7 (a) for flat-sheet and (b) for spherical porous structures, respectively. Such structures could also be adopted for PFB, where a bed of membrane support with the immobilized biocatalyst could be utilized, in either a fixed or fluid configuration. 

Figure 11.9 Different arrangements and modes of operation for membrane bioreactors Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) with recirculation arrangement (a), dead-end cell (b), tubular with entrapped enzyme (c).

The production of substances that preserve the food from contamination or from oxidation is another important field of membrane bioreactor. For example, the production of high amounts of propionic acid, commonly used as antifungal substance, was carried out by a continuous stirred-tank reactor associated with ultrafiltration cell recycle and a nanofiltration membrane [51] or the production of gluconic acid by the use of glucose oxidase in a bioreactor using P E S membranes [52]. Lactic acid is widely used as an acidulant, flavor additive, and preservative in the food, pharmaceutical, leather, and textile industries. As an intermediate product in mammalian metabolism, L( +) lactic acid is more important in the food industry than the D(—) isomer. The performance of an improved fermentation system, that is, a membrane cell-recycle bioreactors MCRB was studied [53, 54], the maximum productivity of 31.5 g/Lh was recorded, 10 times greater than the counterpart of the batch-fed fermentation [54]. 

Until now, bioreactors of various types have been developed. These include loop-fluidized bed [14], spin filter, continuously stirred turbine, hollow fiber, stirred tank, airlift, rotating drum, and photo bioreactors [1]. Bioreactor modifications include the substitution of a marine impeller in place of a flat-bladed turbine, and the use of a single, large, flat paddle or blade, and a newly designed membrane stirrer for bubble-free aeration [13, 15-18]. Kim et al. [19] developed a hybrid reactor with a cell-lift impeller and a sintered stainless steel sparger for Thalictrum rugosum cell cultures, and cell densities of up to 31 g L1 were obtained by perfusion without any problems with mixing or loss of cell viability the specific berberine productivity was comparable to that in shake flasks. Su and Humphrey [20] conducted a perfusion cultivation in a stirred tank bio-... 

Table 13.1 Equations used to calculate reaction-rate in batch and continuous stirred UF-membrane bioreactors.

Added productivity of lactic acid fermentations can be achieved by combining continuous systems with mechanisms that allow higher bacterial cell concentrationsResearch is concentrated on two mechanisms (1) membrane recycle bioreactors (MRBs) and (2) immobilized cell systems (ICSs). The MRB consists of a continuous stirred-tank reactor in a semiclosed loop with a hollow fiber, tubular, flat, or cross flow membrane unit that allows cell and lactic acid separation and recycle of cells back to the bioreactor. The results of a number of laboratory studies with various MRB systems demonstrate the effect of high cell concentrations on raising lactic acid productivity (Litchfield 1996). O Table 1.12 lists examples of published results employing various MRB systems. 

Various bioreactors (batch stirred tank reactors, continuous packed bed, stirred tank, fluidized bed and membrane) have been used with varying efficiencies. Generally, stirred tank reactors are found to be less efficient than continuous ones (Macrae, 1985b Sawamura, 1988) due to... 

Parallel plates bioreactors constitute an almost shear-free alternative to stirred bioreactors. A parallel plate bioreactor described for the culture of stem cells consists essentially of two compartments an upper compartment filled with gas, separated from a bottom compartment by a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable membrane. The bottom compartment is filled with culture medium and contains a tissue culture plastic surface for support of adherent cells (Goltry et al, 2009). Fresh medium flows continuously through the bottom compartment. 

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