Continuous separation of glucose and fructose using the simulated counter-current adsorbed system

Abstract

was experimentally performed by a simulated moving bed adsorber packed with the Ca$^{++}$ ion form of ion exchange resin. In the SMB system, the continuous counter-current contact of liquid phase with the solid adsorbent was simulated by advancing inlets and outlets of liquid phase aginst the fixed adsorption beds without actual movement of the solid phase. Equilibrium constants and kinetic parameters were determined from the chromatographic measurements. The equilibrium constants of glucose and fructose were 0.123 and 0.310, respectively and the effective overall mass transfer resistances could be represented with the velocity dependence. The estimated values could be successfully used to estimate the phenomena in the chromatographic column and also the performance of the SMB system. The more realistic plate model with a velocity dependent mass transfer resistance was used to estimate the performance of the SMB system. The suggested model could accurately predict the phenomena in the SMB system and the theoretical concentration profiles were well agreed with the experimental profiles in this present work. Various operating conditions, such as the eluent flow rate, a margin $\alpha$, column configuration and total column numbers, were tested to find the optimal condition on the separation of glucose and fructose in the SMB system. Among those, effects on eluent flow rate and clumn configuration had shown little sensitivity, while the total column number was the important variable with respect to the complexity of the operation and the additional cost of the nuit. Under properly selected conditions, the purity of 86\% to 99\% and the recovery of 74\% to 98\% could be obtained.