Moving-bed system

A hypothetical moving-bed system and a Hquid-phase composition profile are shown in Figure 7. The adsorbent circulates continuously as a dense bed in a closed cycle and moves up the adsorbent chamber from bottom to top. Liquid streams flow down through the bed countercurrently to the soHd. The feed is assumed to be a binary mixture of A and B, with component A being adsorbed selectively. Feed is introduced to the bed as shown. 

In the moving-bed system of Figure 7, soHd is moving continuously ia a closed circuit past fixed poiats of iatroduction and withdrawal of Hquid. The same results can be obtained by holding the bed stationary and periodically moving the positions at which the various streams enter and leave. A shift ia the positions of the iatroduction of the Hquid feed and the withdrawal ia the direction of fluid flow through the bed simulates the movement of soHd ia the opposite direction. 

The primary control variables at a fixed feed rate, as in the operation pictured in Figure 8, are the cycle time, which is measured by the time required for one complete rotation of the rotary valve (this rotation is the analog of adsorbent circulation rate in an actual moving-bed system), and the Hquid flow rate in Zones 2, 3, and 4. When these control variables are specified, all other net rates to and from the bed and the sequence of rates required at the Hquid... 

Chromatography may also be advantageous when it is required to separate several pure products from a single feed stream. A simulated moving-bed system can yield only two weU-separated fractions from a single feed stream. 

Njlene Separation. -Xylene is separated from mixed xylenes and ethylbenzene by means of the Parex process (Universal Oil Products Company). A proprietary adsorbent and process cycle are employed in a simulated moving-bed system. High purity -xylene is produced. 

Another approach is the simulated moving-bed system, which has large-volume appHcations in normal-paraffin separation andpara- s.yXen.e separation. Since its introduction in 1970, the simulated moving-bed system has largely displaced crystallisation ia xylene separations. The unique feature of the system is that, although the bed is fixed, the feed point shifts to simulate a moving bed (see Adsorption,liquid separation). 

The condition defined by equation (8) is met by adjustment of (Qg(3)) nd (T(3)). The pressures at the second stripping flow inlet and that of the outlet for solute (C) must be made equal, or close to equal, to prevent cross-flow. Scott and Maggs [7] designed a three stage moving bed system, similar to that described above, to extract pure benzene from coal gas. Coal gas contains a range of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, alkenes, naphthenes and aromatics. In the above theory the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, alkenes and naphthenes are represented by solute (A). 

A pseudo moving bed system was described by Barker [8,9] who simulated the process by employing a column in circular form. A diagram depicting this wheel concept is shown in Figure 13. 

Several processes based on non-precious metal also exist. Because of high catalyst deactivation rates with these catalyst systems, they all require some form of continuous regeneration. The Fluid Hydroforming process uses fluid solids techniques to move catalyst between reactor and regenerator TCR and Hyperforming use some form of a moving bed system. 

Proll T, Kusters E. (1998) Optimization Strategy for Simulated Moving Bed Systems, J. Chromatogr. A 800 135-150. 

A classical Simulated Moving Bed system consists of 4 to 24 columns distributed between 4 zones, in addition to 3 to 5 pumps and valves which connect the different streams between the columns. In general a 4 column SMB should be sufficient to test and optimize the conditions for any given separation problem. The optimal number of columns per zone must be determined in the simulation of the SMB process. The rule is more columns per zone result in a better separation, while too many columns per zone make the system too complex. If an infinite number of columns per zone are used the SMB approaches a TMB. 

A simulated moving bed system has been proposed for the production of p-cresol from mixtures of cresol isomers even derived from coal tar [52]. Neuzil et al. give details of the development of the adsorbent and desorbent system reviewing balancing mass transfer issues with selechvity [53]. The desorbent for the cresol system is 1-pentanol. For these Hquid adsorptive systems where highly polar molecules are adsorbed and desorbed with polar desorbents, the tolerance of the system for trace polar contaminants is higher because the feed and desorbent can more easily exchange with them on the surface of the zeolites. 

Moving bed systems exist where movement is exerted to the fuel-bed system, by means of conversion technology or gravity, which is of greatest relevance in commercial applications. The innovation of moving grates was a natural consequence of the search for improvements and larger scale production with continuous bed combustion processes [45]. 

Previous studies of direct reduction on iron ore pellets have been reviewed by Themelis(1), Bogdandy(2) and Huebler(3). Work on reduction by mixtures has been reported by Szekely(4) and Hughes et al(5). Modelling studies on countercurrent moving bed systems have been reported by Spitzer(6) for isothermal reduction in hydrogen, by Miller(7) for non-isothermal reduction in carbon monoxide and more recently by Tsay et al(8) and Kam and Hughes(9) for C0/H2 mixtures. However, since iron is known to be a catalyst for the water gas shift reaction, this reaction will influence the gas composition and therefore the extent of reduction. None of the previous analyses have considered this aspect and the objective of the present paper is to account for the overall reduction by inclusion of this reaction. 

The basic idea of a moving bed system is to promote a countercurrent contact between the solid and the liquid phases. The concept and principles of SMB are discussed at length in Chapter 13, and applications of protein purifications and other complex molecules are given. 

The basic idea of a moving-bed system is to promote a countercurrent contact between the solid and the liquid phases, as described in Fig. 1. The solid phase goes down in the column as a result of gravity when it exits the system (zone I), it does not contain adsorbed products and is thus recycled at the top of the system (zone IV). The liquid (eluent) stream follows exactly the opposite direction It goes up and is recycled from zone IV to zone I. Feed, containing components A and B, is injected at the middle of the column, and the fresh eluent at the bottom. 

The enzymatic ring expansion is neither complete nor selective, necessitating product isolation via chromatography in a simulated moving bed system. Because adipyl-7-ADCA rather than G-7-ADCA is produced, a new enzyme, adipyl-7-ADCA acylase, was developed to remove the side chain from adipyl-7-ADCA [132, 133], as the latter is not a substrate for penicillin G acylase. 

Zhang Z., Hidajat K., Ray A.K. and Morbidelli M., Multiobjective optimization of simulated moving bed system and Varicol process for chiral separation, AIChE J. (2002) in press. 

Another fouling mechanism that can occur is corrosion of boiler tubing and erosion of refractories due to formation of acids and their buildup in the combustion units from conversion of sulfur and chlorine present in the fuel. Fortunately, the amounts of these elements in most biomass are nil to small. The addition of small amounts of limestone to the media in fluidized-bed units or the blending of limestone with the fuel in the case of moving-bed systems are effective methods of eliminating this problem. Other sorbents such as dolomite, kaolin, and custom blends of aluminum and magnesium compounds are also effective (Coe, 1993). 

Proll, T., Kiisters, E. Optimization strategy for simulated moving bed systems, J. Chromatogr. A, 1998, 800, 135-150. 

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