Molecular Separation Barriers and Their Application to Catalytic Reactor Design

Abstract

The use of semipermeable membranes for multicomponent separations based on molecular size has long been recognized. In certain applications, however, it is often desirable not to effect a separation of chemical constituents, but to sustain a separation which already exists. As an example, the efficient and economical design of a. chemical reactor using an enzyme as a catalyst depends on the accessibility of the reactant to the catalyst as well as on the degree to which a physical separation between the enzyme and the reactor product stream is maintained. A particularly simple and attractive means of achieving this is through the use of semipermeable asymmetric hollow fiber membranes. For example, by sequestering an enzyme solution within the annular macroporous support regions of an asymmetric hollow fiber, a physical separation between enzyme and a reactant solution flowing through the fiber lumen is achieved. In this way, small reactant molecules are free to diffuse across the ultrathin membrane skin into the opencell support structure where reaction will occur. Product molecules will diffuse back into the lumen, and a compact chemical reactor results. The operating behavior of this type of catalytic reactor will be described and its application to the hydrolysis of o-nitro-phenyl-B-d-galactopyranoside and of lactose is discussed.