Adsorption Properties, Mathematical Modelling, Optimization, Control and Supervision of Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) processes

Conventional batch chromatography is relatively inefficient in terms of adsorbent and solvent consumption and significant benefits can be achieved by performing separation of high-added value products, such as enantiomers produced in the pharmaceutical industry, with a simulated moving bed (SMB) process (Lehoucq et al., 2000). The SMB process allows a counter-current movement of the liquid and the solid to be achieved in order to increase the exchange capabilities between both phases. In practice, there is no real solid movement but a "simulated" counter-current which is achieved by periodically switching the inlet and outlet valves in the direction of the liquid flow.