Study of Open–looped Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Chromatographic Process

Abstract

In this experimental work laboratory scale four-column simulating moving bed (SMB) equipment (L=25 cm, ID=1 cm) was planned and constructed for separation of a steroid mixture [1] using YMC S-50 silica gel as adsorbent, with the co-operation of Central Mechanical Workshop, University of Veszprem. The effect of switching time change (5.5 min, 9 min, 11.5 min, 22.5 min) on component separation was examined. During our measurements the amount of acetone in dichloromethane was 55 % v/v in the fresh eluent and pure dichloromethane in the feed. Product purity and other specifications (yield, productivity, eluent consumption) were measured by gas chromatography. An equilibrium mathematical model of the SMB process for open and closed eluent loops was constructed by means of a computer program [2, 3]. Adsorption equilibrium, and kinetic data, theoretical plate number measurement, frontal and elution adsorption-desorption measurements for determination of the optimum conditions for the SMB process and for construction of the mathematical model were measured by means of laboratory experiments. Finally results coming from simulation program were compared to measurement results. Our conclusion is that the measured and the calculated data agreed well and we have produced more than 99.9 % m/m purity and 90 % yield, at productivity 1300-3000 g “B” component/ kg adsorbent within a day using 60 g dm inlet steroid composition in case of 1:1:2:0 column configuration.