Chromatographic sequential simulated moving bed fractionation of a feedstock

A method for fractionating a feedstock into two or more fractions by a chromatographic sequential simulated moving bed (SMB) system,

• wherein the SMB system comprises a separation loop comprising at least three compartments;
• and
• wherein the method comprises a separation cycle comprising at least one feeding step, at least one circulating step and at least one eluting step;
• and
• wherein dissolved substances in the feedstock form a separation profile as they progress through the separation loop;
• and the separation profile is circulated more than once through the separation loop in each separation cycle;
• wherein at least two flow paths are present in the separation loop during each feeding step of the separation cycle;
• and at least one of said flow paths is an active flow path wherein liquid is actively flowing through the compartment(s) which constitute the flow path and at least one of said flow paths is an inactive flow path wherein liquid is not actively flowing through the compartments which constitute the flow path;
• and
• wherein a part of the separation profile is held in the compartments which form the inactive flow paths, before being reintroduced into the separation profile at a subsequent step in the separation cycle;
• and
• wherein the feedstock to be fractionated is beet molasses, vinasse, or low green.