Double-Layer Simulated Moving Bed Chromatography for Ternary Separations: Serialized Layer Configurations

Double-layer simulated moving bed chromatography introduced for the complete ternary separation problems utilizes parallel column configurations. The inlet and outlet streams of paired columns need to be properly split and merged to realize parallel operations with the packed bed columns. To make a pair of split streams, at least one flow control unit is additionally required. Therefor, the double-layer simulated moving bed chromatography that consists of six zones with parallelized two columns required at least 10 pumps to control five internal flow splits and five external inlet and outlet flows. In this work, two alternative layer configurations of the double-layer simulated moving bed were introduced to simplify the internal flow patterns. Applying an orthogonal parameter screening method, the design parameters of the double-layer simulated moving bed processes were optimized. The simplified layer configurations were compared with the standard parallel double-layer configuration in terms of process performances and system pressure decrease.