title: Improving performance of simulated moving bed chromatography by fractionation and feed-back of outlet streams.
abstract: Simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography is an important technique for the continuous separation of valuable products. Recently suggested process modifications have shown the potential for further improvement. In this work, a concept is presented that combines non-permanent product withdrawal at one or both outlet ports (leading periodically to a "product" and a "non-product" fraction) with an internal recycle and re-feeding of the "non-product" fraction in alternation to the original feed mixture. Using simulation studies for linear and non-linear isotherms, it was shown that in terms of process performance and product recovery, this fractionation and feed-back approach (FF-SMB) is superior to both the conventional SMB process as well as to a previously reported fractionation and discard strategy.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Sandtorstr. 1, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars Christian
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidel-Morgenstern