Bifurcation, stabilization, and ethanol productivity enhancement for a membrane fermentor

A detailed modeling and bifurcation investigation for a continuous membrane fermentor is carried out with special attention to the effect of ethanol removal on the behavior of the fermentor in the bifurcation region of parameters. The investigation shows that the ethanol selective membrane does not act only as an ethanol production enhancer but also as a stabilizer for the unstable fermentor. The practical implications of the phenomena discovered are analyzed in preparation for an extensive experimental program.