Method and apparatus for separating a component from a mixture

A method for separating a first component from a mixture including at least the first component and a second component, the first and second component having non-linear adsorption properties, and non-negligible mass transfer resistances, the method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a simulated moving bed apparatus, the simulated moving bed apparatus including at least one column being packed with an adsorbent and having four zones, a first zone, a second zone, a third zone, and a fourth zone, a first inlet positioned between a first pair of the four zones and configured to receive the mixture, a first outlet positioned between a second pair of the four zones and configured to pass a solution predominately including the first component, and a second outlet positioned between a third pair of the four zones and configured to pass a solution predominately including the second component;
• feeding the mixture into the simulated moving bed at a predetermined flow rate in the first inlet;
• optimizing a flow rate for each of the four zones and a switching time, the flow rates for each zone and the switching time being optimized by the following relationships wherein uoI is the flow rate for the first zone, uoII is the flow rate for the second zone, uoIII is the flow rate of the third zone, and uoIV is the flow rate of the fourth zone:
• 72 u 0 I = ( 1 + P ⁢ ⁢ δ , I ) ⁢ v + β 2 I ⁡ ( E b 2 I L I + Pv 2 ⁡ ( δ , ⁢ I ) 2 K f 2 I ⁢ L I ) u 0 II = ( 1 + P ⁢ ⁢ δ , II ) ⁢ v + β 1 II ⁡ ( E b 1 II L II + Pv 2 ⁡ ( δ , ⁢ II ) 2 K f 1 II ⁢ L II ) u 0 III = ( 1 + P ⁢ ⁢ δ , III ) ⁢ v - β 2 III ⁡ ( E b 2 III L III + Pv 2 ⁡ ( δ , ⁢ III ) 2 K f 2 III ⁢ L III ) ⁢ u 0 IV = ( 1 + P ⁢ ⁢ δ , IV ) ⁢ v - β 1 IV ⁡ ( E b 1 IV L IV + Pv 2 ⁡ ( δ , ⁢ IV ) 2 K f 1 IV ⁢ L IV ) ;
• and u 0 III - u 0 II = F feed S ⁢ ⁢ ϵ b
• wherein Ffeed corresponds to the flow rate of the mixture into the simulated moving bed, S corresponds to the cross-sectional area of the column and εb corresponds to the interparticle porosity of the adsorbent;
• and
• controlling the zone flow rates and switching time.

A method for separating a first component from a mixture including at least the first component and a second component the method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus, the apparatus including at least one column being packed with an adsorbent and having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including a first and a second zone connected together in series and the second portion including a third zone, a fourth zone, and a fifth zone connected together in series;
• feeding the mixture into the second portion of the apparatus;
• optimizing a flow rate for each of the zone of the second portion and a switching time to facilitate the separation of the first component and the second component;
• collecting the first component from an outlet of the second portion of the apparatus;
• and
• treating the first portion of the apparatus to remove the second component from the apparatus.

A method for separating Clarithromycin from 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mixture of the Clarithromycin and 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A in a mobile phase containing at least one organic solvent;
• providing a batch elution system having at least one column, a first inlet and a first outlet, the at least one column being packed with a stationary phase having a higher affinity for the 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A than the Clarithromycin;
• introducing the mixture into the batch elution system through the first inlet;
• and
• retrieving the Clarithromycin from the batch elution system at the first outlet.

A method for separating Clarithromycin from 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mixture of the Clarithromycin and 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A in a mobile phase containing at least one organic solvent;
• providing a four zone simulated moving bed system having at least one column, a first inlet and a first outlet, the at least one column being packed with a stationary phase having a higher affinity for the 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A than the Clarithromycin;
• introducing the mixture into the four zone simulated moving bed system through the first inlet;
• and
• retrieving the Clarithromycin from the four zone simulated moving bed system at the first outlet.

A method for separating Clarithromycin from 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mixture of the Clarithromycin and 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A in a mobile phase containing at least one organic solvent;
• providing a five zone simulated moving bed system having at least one column, a first inlet and a first outlet, the at least one column being packed with a stationary phase having a higher affinity for the 6,11-O-methyl erythromycin A than the Clarithromycin;
• introducing the mixture into the five zone simulated moving bed system through the first inlet;
• and
• retrieving the Clarithromycin from the five zone simulated moving bed system at the first outlet.