Ultrafiltration reactor system of stirred tank type was introduced for economic saccharification of cellulosic biomass. Cellulase of Trichoderma viride was retained in reactor by the membrane of molecular weight cut-off size of 10,000 dalton, and attrition milled α-cellulose was continuously fed into the membrane reactor. Reaction rate in membrane reactor was maintained higher 2-4 fold than batch operation, and thus overall conversion yield was reached up to 80% in spite of elevated cellulose concentration. The product concentration decreased gradually from 12 to 8 g/L during 6 days operation and glucose consists of 85-90% of the hydrolyzed products. Each activity of cellulase complex was measured as a function of time and it was found that residual filter paper activity was 40% of initial activity at 20 day. When attrition milled α-cellulose was continuously fed, the production of glucose per unit activity of cellulase was increased 5 times when compared to that of batch hydrolysis. It is highly believed that saccharification of cellulose in stirred tank type membrane reactor increase the economics of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose from practical stand point.
