Continuous ethanol production by immobilized yeast in a fluidized reactor

Summary In order to minimize the adverse effect of CO₂ gas in a packed bed immobilized yeast reactor, a fluidized bed reactor was used for the continuous production of ethanol from glucose. Immobilized yeast was prepared by entrapping whole cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae within a Caalginate matrix. It was found that the efficiency of the ethanol production in a fluidized bed reactor was 100% better than that for a packed bed reactor system. The alcohol productivity obtained was 21 g/l/hr in a fluidized bed reactor at 94% of conversion level.