A process is described for separating paraxylene from a multicomponent fluid mixture of C.sub.8 aromatics. A mixture of C.sub.8 aromatics is fed to a simulated moving bed adsorptive apparatus having at least two sieve chambers and at least two rotary valves. Each sieve chamber may be operated individually using the PowerFeed process. The flow rates of the streams to or from the individual sieve chambers may be varied during the step time in an inverse manner such that a substantially constant flow to and from the apparatus is achieved. Alternatively, the flow rates to each sieve chamber may vary during the step time according to the same profile, but the rotary valves may be off-set and step independently in a staggered manner to achieve a substantially constant flow of a stream to or from the apparatus.

Method for the simulated moving bed (SMB) separation of a feedstock (F), in which: at least one zone (1, 2, 3, 4) contains fewer than three beds, if the stream (D, E, F, R) delimiting said zone and situated upstream of said zone is injected or withdrawn at the plate P.sub.i via the bypass line L.sub.i/i+1, then the stream delimiting said zone and situated downstream of said zone is injected/withdrawn at the plate P.sub.j via the bypass line L.sub.j/j+1, and if the stream delimiting said zone and situated downstream of said zone is injected or withdrawn at the plate P.sub.i via the bypass line L.sub.i−1/i, then the stream delimiting said zone and situated upstream of said zone is injected/withdrawn at the plate P.sub.j via the bypass line L.sub.j−1/j.

The present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for xylene extraction processes. More specifically, the present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for simulated moving bed extraction processes. It decouples line flush in and line flush out, providing a means for optimizing each flush independently. This scheme will allow for minimizing each bedline and flushing each according to its own bedline volume, which will minimize any additional non-ideal compositions added to the chambers or downstream fractionation.

Disclosed is a continuous process for separating or extracting proteins from a low grade mixture of a protein of interest, other proteins, impurities, and salts in a continuous simulated moving bed separation process. The invention provides for direct extraction of heme protein and plant protein from a crude mixture of such proteins, other proteins, impurities and salts using the chromatographic technique of simulated moving bed (SMB) continuous chromatography. The SMB process combines the steps of feed loading, adsorbent washing, product elution, adsorbent regeneration, and adsorbent equilibration. The novel strong anion exchange resin adsorbent is a quaternary amine cross-linked microcellulose wherein the microcellulose is cross-linked with epichlorohydrin and the quaternary amine is 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride which exhibits selective adsorption of proteins and complete regeneration. Purified protein separated in this manner may provide human health benefits by providing greater medicinal and nutrition opportunities from low quality protein sources.

The present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for xylene extraction processes. More specifically, the present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for simulated moving bed extraction processes. It decouples line flush in and line flush out, providing a means for optimizing each flush independently. This scheme will allow for minimizing each bedline and flushing each according to its own bedline volume, which will minimize any additional non-ideal compositions added to the chambers or downstream fractionation.

The present invention relates to a method for purifying a target product in a flow-through chromatography system comprises at least a first column loaded with feed material from a feed source. The at least first column is purged after binding of impurities and wherein the outlet of purged material from the column is subsequently passed to the feed source.

Method for the simulated moving bed (SMB) separation of a feedstock (F), in which: at least one zone (1, 2, 3, 4) contains fewer than three beds, if the stream (D, E, F, R) delimiting said zone and situated upstream of said zone is injected or withdrawn at the plate P.sub.i via the bypass line L.sub.i/i+1, then the stream delimiting said zone and situated downstream of said zone is injected/withdrawn at the plate P.sub.j via the bypass line L.sub.j/j+1, and if the stream delimiting said zone and situated downstream of said zone is injected or withdrawn at the plate P.sub.i via the bypass line L.sub.i1/i, then the stream delimiting said zone and situated upstream of said zone is injected/withdrawn at the plate P.sub.j via the bypass line L.sub.j1/j.

Method for the simulated moving bed separation of a feedstock (F), in which when a fluid/effluent (feedstock F, desorbent D, extract E, raffinate R) is injected/withdrawn into/from a chosen plate (P.sub.i) using an external bypass line (L.sub.i1/i, L.sub.i+1/i) connected to said chosen plate (P.sub.i), the flow rate within the said external bypass line (L.sub.i1/i, L.sub.i+1/i) is controlled in such a way that: a major proportion of the fluid/effluent (F, D, E, R) is injected/withdrawn into/from the chosen plate (P.sub.i); and a minor proportion of the fluid/effluent (F, D, E, R) is injected/withdrawn into/from the adjacent plate (P.sub.i1, P.sub.i+1) connected to the said external bypass line (L.sub.i1/i, L.sub.i+1/i).

The present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for xylene extraction processes. More specifically, the present invention relates to dual extract flush for feeds for simulated moving bed extraction processes. It decouples line flush in and line flush out, providing a means for optimizing each flush independently. This scheme will allow for minimizing each bedline and flushing each according to its own bedline volume, which will minimize any additional non-ideal compositions added to the chambers or downstream fractionation.

The present invention relates to a process for separating isomers by simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorption, comprising separating the raw materials comprising isomers by SMB adsorption, said SMB comprising many adsorption beds each of which is equipped with grids, each of the grids being equipped with the feedstock inlet and outlet pipeline of the bed, the feedstock charged into and discharged from SMB at least comprising feedstocks, desorbent, extract, and raffinate, the extract being enriched with the target product, characterized in that the extract is used as a flushing liquid and respectively charged to first or second bed at the upstream of the feedstock charging position and to one of second to fourth beds at the downstream of the extract withdrawing position. Such process is used for separation of C.sub.8 aromatic isomers by adsorption, and can improve the capacity of the device while effectively increasing the purity of the target product separated by adsorption.