Multiphase catalysis. II. Hollow fiber catalysts

A theory of diffusion control within hollow fiber catalysts is derived for three different types of coordinate geometries: Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical. Effectiveness factors are calculated and formulas for reactant conversion in both a fixed‐bed and a contimunuous‐feed stirred‐tank reactor are derived. The apparent Michaelis constant, Km′, is a measure of the amount of diffusion control within the catalysts. When Km′ is equal to Km, the true Michaelis constant, there is no diffusion control. In all other cases Km′ is greater than Km. Hollow fibers are attractive alternatives to spherical microcapsules for the encapsulation of enzymes.