Membrane-bioreactor basics

Figure 4.8. Schematic diagram of a membrane bioreactor with a crystallizer. 1 hollow-fiber MBR, 2 organie solution tank, 3 aqueous solution tank, 4 crystallizer, 5 pressure control valve, 6, 7, 8 pumps, 9 timer, 10 introduction of basic or acid solution for pH control, ITfilter. Adapted from Furui et al. [4.66].

The basic principles of bioconversion, bioreactors and biocatalysis are introduced, together with a description of the most important biocatalyst immobilization techniques. The mass transfer phenomena involved in membrane systems are discussed along with some representative configurations of membrane bioreactors, whose behaviour can be described using a simple mathematical approach. For all the aforementioned systems the most significant parameters have been defined to estimate the system performance. 

The basic concepts related to biocatalytic reactions, in terms of the kinetics and mass transport phenomena involved, have to be introduced in order to formulate detailed mass balance within the systems. Furthermore, in order to predict the performance of a membrane bioreactor, a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the biocatalysed processes is necessary. 

In Part I a selection of the types of membrane reactor is presented, together with chapters on the integration of membrane reactors with current industrial processes. To summarize, in Chapter 1 (Calabro) membrane bioreactors are described from an engineering point of view, together with a straightforward description and simulation, with a simple mathematical approach, of the most important configurations and processes in which they are involved. Basic principles of bioconversion, bioreactors and biocatalysis with immobilized biocatalysts are also presented. For all the cited systems the most significant parameters are defined in order to estimate their performances. The best approaches for the preparation of... 

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