STUDY OF POROUS CELLULOSE BEADS AS AN ENZYME CARRIER VIA SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL-MODELS FOR THE HYDROLYSIS OF SACCHAROSE USING IMMOBILIZED INVERTASE REACTORS

Among four conjugates of invertase differently immobilized on porous cellulose beads, the chlorotriazinyl cellulose-invertase (stable catalytic activity in the time interval between 10th and 80th day of storage) was chosen for studies of reaction in kinetics in a stirred tank reactor and a packed bed reactor. In the stirred tank reactor, due to localization of invertase on external surface of the beads, the external diffusion does not exert any influence for reaction kinetics. The spherical shape of cellulose beads was partly destroyed particularly when the rate of stirring exceeded 200 rev min** minus **1. In the packed bed reactor, owing to the Sherwood number kept to below 2 (flow rates 0. 5-4 ml min** minus **1), deformation of the ideal spherical shape of beads was observed. When the preservation of original shape of beads is required, other types of reactors or reinforcement of beads is recommended.