METHOD FOR PRODUCING CHEMICAL BY CONTINUOUS FERMENTATION

摘要

Provided is a method for producing a chemical, whereby, in a continuous fermentation device for continuously producing a chemical by fermentation using separation membranes, the separation membranes can be efficiently washed and the fermentation can be stably carried out. The method for producing a chemical by continuous fermentation according to the present invention, which comprises: a fermentation step for converting a starting material to be fermented, through fermentation by culturing a microorganism or cells, into a fermented liquor containing the chemical; and a membrane separation step for collecting the chemical, as a filtrate, from the fermented liquor with the use of two or more separation membrane modules, and returning the non-filtered liquid to the fermented liquor, is characterized in that, in said membrane separation step, the multiple separation membrane modules are intermittently driven in such a manner that a filtration treatment and a filtration-stop treatment are alternately repeated, with controlling the timing of the filtration-stop treatment in each separation membrane module.