Crossflow Magnetically Stabilized Bed Chromatography

Abstract

Abstract A device for continuous chromatographic separation of multicomponent feeds is described. It consists of a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSB) in which bed solids move crossflow to the fluidizing fluid. Adsorbable components of the feed move in two directions; with the fluidizing carrier fluid to the bed surface, and with the solids across the bed to different positions depending on their sorption characteristics. The features that make the crossflow MSB chromatograph attractive are the ability to continuously separate feed mixtures into multiple products in a single vessel with no moving mechanical parts. The MSB is ideally suited for chromatographic operation. The fluid and solids move in plug flow, and the pressure drop is limited to the weight of solids per unit bed area, independent of the particle size and fluid throughput. Using tracer gases, the operation of a crossflow MSB chromatograph has been demonstrated. Increasing the height of the crossflow bed has been shown to improve the...