BIOREACTOR WITH A SEMI-FIXED PACKING - ANAEROBIC LACTOSE TO LACTIC-ACID FERMENTATION

The bioreactor with a semi-fixed packing consists of frames with stret ched ''Raschell''-type sacks on them. This construction enables the at tainment of a larger interfacial area of the biofilm carrier per unit reactor volume as well as the easy removal of the exhausted biomass at certain biofilm thickness. In the present paper the batch anaerobic c onversion of lactose to lactic acid in this reactor with immobilized b acteria Lactobacillus casei is studied. The dilution rate of the feedi ng substrate solution was 1 mm/s. Comparison of our experimental resul ts with data, obtained for free cells and other construction of biorea ctors with immobilized cells is made. It is shown that the used immobi lised biocatalyst is superior to free bacterial cells, or attached to the inner pores of polyurethane foam.