CONTINUOUS GLYCEROL PRODUCTION IN A PACKED-BED BIOREACTOR WITH IMMOBILIZED CELLS OF SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

Batch and continuous glycerol fermentations of sugar beet molasses hav e been studied using sulphite as a combining agent with the aldehyde f unction. The processes were carried out in a vertical packed-bed react or with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells immobilized in sintered g lass rings. The influence of sulphite dosage and the dilution rate on the performance of the bioreactor was studied. A maximum glycerol conc entration of 30 g dm-3 and a productivity of 36.6 g dm-3 d-1 at T = 28 -degrees-C, pH = 6.9 with 25 g dm-3 sodium sulphite, for a dilution ra te of 1.22 d-1, was achieved.