US 7,396,973 B1Granted

Simulated moving bed adsorptive separation process for handling multiple feedstocks

OwnerGeorge R. Winterinventor

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Abstract

The present invention discloses a means to improve the production capacity and feedstock handling flexibility of a simulated moving bed adsorptive separation process by introducing a second feed stream to the adsorbent chamber, such second feed stream comprising a feed material of a different concentration of the desired compound than the concentration of such desired compound in the first feed material stream. The introduction of this second feed material stream may be performed at any location on the adsorbent chamber between (i) a transfer point located immediately upstream of the point of the raffinate material stream withdrawal from the adsorbent chamber to (ii) a transfer point located immediately downstream of the point of extract material stream withdrawal from the adsorbent chamber. The specific transfer point used for the introduction of the second feed material stream will depend upon the concentration of the desired component in the second feed material stream.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A simulated countercurrent adsorptive separation process for separating a desired chemical compound from a mixture of two or more chemical compounds comprising the steps of:

a. providing a first feed material having a first concentration of the desired chemical compound;
b. providing a second feed material having a second concentration of the desired chemical compound;
c. providing a multi-bed adsorbent chamber;
d. introducing a stream of the first feed material into the adsorbent chamber at a first transfer point;
e. flowing the first feed material through the adsorbent chamber in a downstream direction;
f. adsorbing the desired chemical compound from the first feed material by a selected adsorbent and thereby producing a first raffinate material;
g. removing the first raffinate material from the adsorbent chamber at a second transfer point located in a downstream direction from the first transfer point;
h. introducing a stream of the second feed material into the adsorbent chamber at a third transfer point in the upstream direction of the second transfer point;
i. flowing the second feed material through the adsorbent chamber in the downstream direction;
j. adsorbing the desired chemical compound from the second feed material by the selected adsorbent and thereby producing a second raffinate material;
k. removing the second raffinate material from the adsorbent chamber at the second transfer point;
and
l. removing a first desired chemical compound from the adsorbent chamber at a fourth transfer point located in a downstream direction from the second transfer point.

10 more elements

In a simulated countercurrent adsorptive separation process for separating a desired chemical compound from a first feed material comprising two of more chemical compounds wherein a stream of the first feed material, a flushing stream, a recycle stream, and a desorbent stream are introduced into a multiple-bed adsorbent chamber at first, second, third, and fourth transfer points, respectively;

and wherein a line flush, raffinate stream, and extract stream are individually removed from the adsorbent chamber at fifth, sixth, and seventh transfer points, respectively,
the improvement wherein:
a. a second feed material is provided having two of more chemical compounds and containing the desired chemical compound;
and
b. a stream of the second feed material is introduced into the adsorbent chamber at a selected transfer point that is located between the sixth and seventh transfer points.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.