Transient stirred-tank reactors operating with immobilized enzyme systems: analysis and simulation models and their experimental checking.

A mathematical model applicable to the analysis, design, and simulation of heterogeneous enzymatic processes reacting in a stirred-tank reactor has been formulated. The model develops the unsteady-state design equations for such reactors and also the diffusion reaction equation in the spherical catalyst particles for reversible Michaelis-Menten kinetics. This structured general model provides an overview of almost all of the processes occurring in an immobilized enzyme reactor system. Although the analysis presented here is limited to certain situations, it can be extended to other support geometries, enzyme kinetics, and reactor configurations. To check the model, the experimental data obtained with immobilized beta-galactosidase were compared to those theoretically predicted.