WHEY PROTEINS EXTRACTION BY FLUIDIZED ION-EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY - SIMPLIFIED MODELING AND ECONOMICAL OPTIMIZATION

This paper is about sweet whey protein (alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lac toglobulin) recovery by a fluidized ion exchange chromatographic proce ss. Simplified models are proposed for both main steps of this cyclic process: a model with intraparticle diffusion for the-adsorption of pr oteins (fixation step) and a lumped kinetic model for their desorption (elution step). The validity of these models and their physical backg round are discussed. They are then used for an economical optimization algorithm in order to determine operating conditions (fixation and el ution steps durations, elution effluent recycling and liquid-phase vel ocity). Recycling the elution effluents leads to a slight improvement in the process but it was found to be less advantageous than an optimi zation of the liquid-phase velocity.