Comparing the performance of one-column process and four-zone simulated moving bed by computer simulation

A new one-column chromatography process, analogous to a four-zone simulated moving bed (SMB), was presented. The basic principle of the process was identical to that of a four-zone SMB. The process consisted of one chromatographic column and four tanks, instead of the four columns in the four-zone SMB (1-1-1-1), and has been used for the separation of two amino acids, phenylalanine and tryptophan, using an ion exchange resin. The operating parameters for the one-column process and four-zone SMB were obtained from equilibrium theory. Computer simulations were used to compare the performances of the new one column process to that of the general four-zone SMB, using Aspen Chromatography^™ v 11.1. The differences between the one-column and SMB processes in terms of the purities and yields of phenylalanine and tryptophan were less than 4 and about 6%, respectively. The lower purities of the one-column process were due to the loss of the developed concentration profiles in the column when the liquid was stored in tanks. The one-column process gave great flexibility, and would be useful for reconstructing an existing conventional chromatography process to one of a SMB.