Bulk separation of sorbitol by selective adsorption on zeolitic molecular sieves
AssigneeUnion Carbide Corporation
InventorsChien C. Chao, John D. Sherman
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Abstract
A process for the bulk separation of sorbitol from a solution of a carbohydrate mixture by selective adsorption on a zeolite molecular sieve having a faujasite type structure and having predominantly Ca.sup.++ cations in association with the AlO.sub.2.sup.- tetrahedra thereof.
Claims6
A process for separating sorbitol from a solution of a carbohydrate mixture also containing inositol by selective adsorption which comprises contacting said solution at a temperature of from about 0.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. and at a pressure sufficient to maintain the system in the liquid phase with an adsorbent composition comprising at least one crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite selected from the group consisting of zeolite type Y and zeolite type X in which the zeolite cations in association with at least 50% of the AlO.sub.4 tetrahedra of said aluminosilicate are calcium, whereby the sorbitol is selectively adsorbed thereon, removing the non-adsorbed portion of said solution from contact with the zeolite adsorbent, and desorbing the sorbitol therefrom by contacting said adsorbent with a desorbing agent and recovering the desorbed sorbitol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.