In an attempt to develop a novel process for ethanol production from starch, a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process using Zymomonas mobilis and amyloglucosidase (AMG) was studied in continuous modes. Compared with a conventional cylindrical column type of fermentor, the tapered column type of fermentor was found to be superior in terms of reactor performance for ethanol fermentation. The tapered columm fermentor packed with coimmobilized Z. mobilis and AMG alleviated the problems which were associated with CO2 evolution and provided a significantly better flow pattern for both liquid and gas phases in the fermentor without channelling. However, the fluidized bed type of tapered column fermentor using flocculent strain of Z. mobiles and immobilized AMG showed lower productivity (5.2g/1/h) than that of packed bed type of tapered column fermentor(9.2g/l/h).