Optimal feed temperature for an immobilized enzyme fixed-bed reactor: a case study on hydrogen peroxide decomposition by commercial catalase

Optimal feed temperature was determined for a non-isothermal fixed-bed reactor performing hydrogen peroxide decomposition by immobilized Terminox Ultra catalase. This feed temperature was obtained by maximizing the average substrate conversion under constant feed flow rate and temperature constraints. In calculations, convection-diffusion-reaction immobilized enzyme fixed-bed reactor described by a set of partial differential equations was taken into account. It was based on kinetic, hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameters previously obtained in the process of H2O2 decomposition. The simulation showed the optimal feed temperature to be strongly dependent on hydrogen peroxide concentration, feed flow rate and diffusional resistances expressed by biocatalyst effectiveness factor.