Simulated moving-bed type chromatographic separation method and simulated moving-bed type chromatographic separation system

A simulated moving-bed type chromatographic separation method comprising:

• using a circulation system in which three or more unit packed columns each filled with an adsorbent are connected in series and in an endless form via pipes, dividing the circulation system into at least three sections annularly continuous from an upstream side to a downstream side so that each section has at least one of the unit packed column, and separating, by using an eluent, a weakly adsorptive component, a strongly adsorptive component, and an intermediately adsorptive component having adsorption performance on the adsorbent, which performance is intermediate between the previous two components, the weakly adsorptive component, strongly adsorptive component, and intermediately adsorptive component being included in a feed solution, wherein a cycle containing step (A) and step (B) below is repeated:
• <step (A)>
• a step comprising:
• sub-step (A1) of blocking circulation of the circulation system by setting a blocked position to a position upstream of the weakly adsorptive component-rich section, supplying the feed solution at a section downstream of the blocked position and extracting, from the circulation system, the weakly adsorptive component-rich weakly adsorptive fraction at a position further downstream of the blocked position, and supplying an eluent for desorbing the intermediately adsorptive component at a section upstream of the blocked position and extracting, from the circulation system, the intermediately adsorptive component-rich intermediately adsorptive fraction at a position downstream thereof,
• sub-step (A2) of supplying an eluent for desorbing the weakly adsorptive component instead of supplying the feed solution and continuing extraction of the weakly adsorptive fraction and extraction of the intermediately adsorptive fraction,
• sub-step (A3) of shifting the blocked position to an upstream side and supplying an eluent for desorbing the strongly adsorptive component at a position upstream of the blocked position having been shifted and extracting the strongly adsorptive component-rich strongly adsorptive fraction at a position further downstream thereof while continuing extraction of the weakly adsorptive fraction, and
• sub-step (A4) of shifting the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction to a downstream side and extracting the weakly adsorptive fraction while extracting neither the intermediately adsorptive fraction nor the strongly adsorptive fraction,
• wherein, in step (A), the sub-steps (A1), (A2), (A3) and (A4) are performed in this sequence;
• and
• <step (B)>
• a step comprising step α of separately extracting each of the weakly adsorptive fraction or strongly adsorptive fraction not extracted in step (A) by controlling supply of the eluent and the blocked position without supplying the feed solution while keeping the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction as it is, and then shifting the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction to a downstream side and extracting only the weakly adsorptive fraction, wherein, in step (B), at least one of the step α is performed.

A simulated moving-bed type chromatographic separation system obtained by using a circulation system in which three or more unit packed columns each filled with an adsorbent are connected in series and in an endless form via pipes, dividing the circulation system into at least three sections annularly continuous from an upstream side to a downstream side so that each section has at least one of the unit packed column, and separating, by using an eluent, a weakly adsorptive component, a strongly adsorptive component, and an intermediately adsorptive component having adsorption performance on the adsorbent, which performance is intermediate between the previous two components, the weakly adsorptive component, strongly adsorptive component, and intermediately adsorptive component being included in a feed solution, the system comprising means for repeating a cycle containing a first process and a second process below:

• <first process>
• a process containing blocking circulation of the circulation system by setting a blocked position to a position upstream of the weakly adsorptive component-rich section, supplying the feed solution to a section downstream of the blocked position, and extracting, from the circulation system, the intermediately adsorptive component-rich intermediately adsorptive fraction from a section upstream of the blocked position;
• and
• <second process>
• a process containing extracting the strongly adsorptive component-rich strongly adsorptive fraction by controlling supply of the eluent and blocking of the circulation system without supplying the feed solution, and shifting a supply position of the eluent relative to the circulation system and an extraction position of the strongly adsorptive fraction to a downstream side in accordance with movement of the strongly adsorptive fraction, and
• wherein in the cycle containing the first process and the second process, the extraction position of the strongly adsorptive fraction is shifted to a downstream side by 2 sections or more and the [number of sections] shifted toward the downstream side and the total number of sections are not the same.

A simulated moving-bed type chromatographic separation system obtained by using a circulation system in which three or more unit packed columns each filled with an adsorbent are connected in series and in an endless form via pipes, dividing the circulation system into at least three sections annularly continuous from an upstream side to a downstream side so that each section has at least one of the unit packed column, and separating, by using an eluent, a weakly adsorptive component, a strongly adsorptive component, and an intermediately adsorptive component having adsorption performance on the adsorbent, which performance is intermediate between the previous two components, the weakly adsorptive component, strongly adsorptive component, and intermediately adsorptive component being included in a feed solution, the system comprising means for repeating a cycle containing step (A) and step (B) below:

• <step (A)>
• a step comprising:
• sub-step (A1) of blocking circulation of the circulation system by setting a blocked position to a position upstream of the weakly adsorptive component-rich section, supplying the feed solution at a section downstream of the blocked position and extracting, from the circulation system, the weakly adsorptive component-rich weakly adsorptive fraction at a position further downstream of the blocked position, and supplying an eluent for desorbing the intermediately adsorptive component at a section upstream of the blocked position and extracting, from the circulation system, the intermediately adsorptive component-rich intermediately adsorptive fraction at a position downstream thereof,
• sub-step (A2) of supplying an eluent for desorbing the weakly adsorptive component instead of supplying the feed solution and continuing extraction of the weakly adsorptive fraction and extraction of the intermediately adsorptive fraction,
• sub-step (A3) of shifting the blocked position to an upstream side and supplying an eluent for desorbing the strongly adsorptive component at a position upstream of the blocked position having been shifted and extracting the strongly adsorptive component-rich strongly adsorptive fraction at a position further downstream thereof while continuing extraction of the weakly adsorptive fraction, and
• sub-step (A4) of shifting the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction to a downstream side and extracting the weakly adsorptive fraction while extracting neither the intermediately adsorptive fraction nor the strongly adsorptive fraction,
• wherein, in step (A), the sub-steps (A1), (A2), (A3) and (A4) are performed in this sequence;
• and
• <step (B)>
• a step comprising step α of separately extracting each of the weakly adsorptive fraction or strongly adsorptive fraction not extracted in step (A) by controlling supply of the eluent and the blocked position without supplying the feed solution while keeping the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction as it is, and then shifting the extraction position of the weakly adsorptive fraction to a downstream side and extracting only the weakly adsorptive fraction, wherein, in step (B), at least one of the step α is performed.