JPS5898084A - Reactor containing immobilized enzyme - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a reactor having a reactor activity without causing clogging, by means of assemblies, consisting of fibers containing immobilized enzymes, and spaced apart in the flow direction of a substrate solution in a vessel. CONSTITUTION:A vessel 1 is divided into plural compartments 3 by porous separators 2 having holes for passing a substrate solution therethrough in the flow direction of the substrate solution. Assemblies 5 of fibers containing immobilized enzymes are packed in the respective compartments 3 to leave spaces 4 in the upper parts of the compartments 3. The vessel 1 has an inlet 6 of the substrate solution at the top and an outlet 7 of a reaction product at the bottom.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to immobilized enzyme reactors.

Conventionally, reactions using immobilized enzymes involve immobilizing the enzyme on a bead-like carrier and filling it into a container, or immobilizing the enzyme on a membrane-like carrier and forming a helical structure or a spiral structure with an appropriate spacer. This is carried out by forming a laminated structure, filling it into a container, and supplying the substrate solution to the reactor thus formed.

However, in such a reactor, since the surface area of the immobilized enzyme is small, the enzyme activity per reactor volume is generally not large enough, and if the immobilized enzyme is in the form of beads, it is easily compacted. If the immobilized enzyme is in the form of a membrane, it is not always easy to replace it. Furthermore, in conventional enzyme reactors, if there is non-uniformity or defect in the packed bed or structure of the immobilized enzyme, preferential flow or channeling of the substrate solution flow occurs throughout the reactor. reactor activity often decreases.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it has a high reactor activity (and the immobilized enzyme does not cause compaction or clogging), and the substrate solution is effective in the reactor. Another object of the present invention is to provide an enzyme reactor in which the immobilized enzyme can be easily exchanged. It is to be.

In the enzyme reactor according to the present invention, aggregates of enzyme-immobilized fibers in which enzymes are immobilized on a fibrous carrier are arranged in a container separated at intervals in the flow direction of the substrate solution. Features.

The enzyme-immobilized fiber used in the present invention has an enzyme immobilized on a fibrous carrier, and the fiber as the carrier may be appropriately selected depending on the type of enzyme to be immobilized, or may be made of, for example, polyamide, Fibers made of synthetic or natural polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, cellulose 68, collagen, etc. are used. The method for immobilizing the enzyme on the fiber carrier is not particularly limited, and conventionally known physical adsorption methods, ionic bonding methods, entrapment methods, covalent bonding methods, etc. can be used as appropriate.

In the present invention, such an aggregate of enzyme-immobilized fibers is defined as
A lump or sheet-like object formed by bundling or aggregating fibers; specific examples include an aggregate of fibers wrapped around a core material, an aggregate of fibers wrapped in net cloth, etc., and an aggregate like non-woven fabric. Examples include fiber aggregates formed by laminating and fixing these bodies, and further include fiber aggregates formed when filled in a reactor. In addition, for such an aggregate of #element-immobilized edge fibers, the enzyme may be immobilized on a fibrous carrier and this may be formed into an aggregate (or, after forming the fibrous carrier into an aggregate, Enzymes may be immobilized thereon.

In the present invention, at least two aggregates of enzyme-immobilized fibers are separated from each other at intervals and arranged in a container to form a reactor. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a vertical reactor. The container l is divided into a plurality of chambers in the flow direction of the substrate solution by a porous separator 2 having holes for passing the substrate solution, and the enzyme is immobilized in each fractionation chamber 3 so as to leave a space 4 above. It is filled with an aggregate of fibers 5, and has a substrate solution population 6 at the upper end and a reaction product output lower end at the lower end. Thus, the space agitates the flow of substrate solution from one fractionation chamber to the next, effectively preventing the occurrence of preferential flow. If necessary, one or more baffle plates 8 are disposed in the space (only some of which are shown) in order to enhance the stirring effect of the substrate solution flow through the space.

Fig. 532 shows another embodiment of a vertical reactor, in which a container 1 is divided into a plurality of fractionation chambers 3 by a porous separator 2 in the same manner as described above, and enzyme-immobilized fibers are placed in every other fractionation chamber. The aggregates 5 are filled so that a compartment forms a space 4 separating the aggregates from each other. Such a reactor can also be used as a horizontal reactor.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a horizontal reactor, in which a container 1 is divided into a plurality of fractionation chambers 3 by a porous separator 2 in the same manner as described above, and each fractionation chamber has the above-mentioned obstruction on its upstream side. A weir 9 is provided corresponding to the plate, and the aggregates 5 of enzyme-immobilized fibers are packed so as to be separated from each other in the flow direction of the substrate solution. A space 4 is formed between each separator and the weir.

As described above, according to the enzyme reactor of the present invention, the enzyme is first immobilized on a fibrous carrier with a large surface area, and since an aggregate of such enzyme-immobilized fibers is used, conventional bead-like or membrane-like Unlike immobilized enzymes, it is possible to significantly increase the reactor activity, and the immobilized enzyme does not cause compaction or clogging when the substrate solution is passed through the reactor, resulting in high reactor activity. can be maintained over a long period of time.

Furthermore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, if each fractionation chamber 3 is formed by a unit cylindrical container 7, and a plurality of fractionation chambers are assembled via the separator 2 in a disassembly manner to form a reaction container, Some of the aggregates 5 of enzyme-immobilized fibers in the container, for example, the aggregates on the upstream side where enzyme activity tends to decrease early, can be selectively replaced as necessary, reducing operating costs. There are some advantages to doing so.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views showing an embodiment of a vertical enzyme reactor according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a horizontal reactor, and FIG. 4 is a freely assembleable reactor. FIG. 1... Container, 2... Separator, 3... Fractionation chamber,
4... Space, 5... Enzyme immobilized fiber aggregate, 7...
・Unit container.

Claims (1)

[Claims] +11! ! Immobilization characterized in that aggregates of enzyme-immobilized fibers in which enzymes are immobilized on membrane-like carriers are arranged in a container separated at intervals in the flow direction of the substrate solution. Enzyme reactor.