Separation of l-tryptophan present in an aromatic amino acids mixture in a four-column simulated moving bed: experimental and simulation studies

• Published in: Brazilian journal of chemical engineering 2009-09, Vol.26 (3), p.611-618
• Main Authors: Cremasco, M. A., Starquit, A., Wang, N.-H. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL
• ISSN: 0104-6632; 1678-4383; 0104-6632
• DOI: 10.1590/S0104-66322009000300016

An experimental and theoretical study is presented for the fractionation of L-Tryptophan (Trp) from L-phenylalanine (Phe) and L-tyrosine (Tyr). A Simulated-Moving Bed (SMB) with four-column system was tested, and the results are presented as effluent histories of the raffinate and extract ports. L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine were recovered as major products in the raffinate, while L-Tryptophan was recovered at the extract. To simulate the L-Tryptophan separation, a general rate model was used to represent the mass transfer phenomena that occur in each individual column of the SMB, for each solute present in the multicomponent system. A hybrid method was used to solve the model. An analytic solution was used for the intra-particle concentration, and was correlated to the liquid bed concentration by Duhamel's theorem. The results from simulation are compared with the experimental data presented in this work.