In this work, a fibrous bed bioreactor with high specific surface area and good adsorption efficacy for S. cerevisiae cells was used as the immobilization matrix in the production of ethanol. In batch fermentation, an optimal ethanol concentration of 91.36 g/l and productivity of 4.57 g l(-1) h(-1) were obtained at an initial sugar concentration of 200 g/l. The ethanol productivity achieved by the immobilized cells was 41.93% higher than that obtained from free cells. Ethanol production in a 22-cycle repeated batch fermentation demonstrated the enhanced stability of the immobilized yeast cells. Under continuous fermentation in packed-bed reactors, a maximum ethanol concentration of 108.14 g/l and a productivity of 14.71 g l(-1) h(-1) were attained at 35 degrees C, and a dilution rate of 0.136 h(-1) with 250 g/l glucose.
