A kinetic non-steady state analysis of immobilized enzyme systems with external mass transfer resistance

The goal of this paper is to utilize the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and Laplace transform to provide an approximate analytical expression to the non-linear time-dependent reaction diffusion equation arising in a mathematical model of an immobilized enzyme system with external mass transfer resistance. This mathematical model is a non-steady, non-linear reaction diffusion equation based on Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Approximate analytical expressions are also provided for various geometries of the enzyme catalytic pellets, namely, planar, cylindrical, and spherical. Obtained semi-analytical expressions are proven to fit for all the parameters appearing in the system and for all the geometries of enzyme catalytic pellets. When comparing the numerical and approximate analytical solutions, satisfactory results are obtained. Also, approximate analytical expressions of the effectiveness factor (EF) of the immobilized system are presented, and the effect of parameters on the EF is also analyzed.