APPLICATIONS OF MATHEMATICAL-MODELING TO THE SIMULATION OF BINARY PERFUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY

A mathematical model of binary (competitive adsorption involving two c omponents) perfusion chromatography is used to simulate and study the behavior of a binary adsorption system. The dynamic behavior of column systems (frontal analysis) is examined for different particles sizes, column fluid superficial velocities, V(f), and intraparticle fluid ve locities, upsilon(p). Column systems with perfusive (upsilon(p) > 0) a nd purely diffusive (upsilon(p) = 0) adsorbent particles are studied. The results obtained from the binary system studied in this work sugge st that the times at which breakthrough begins for components 1 and 2, and the dynamic (unsteady state) relative separation between componen ts 1 and 2 obtained from the column with perfusive particles, are high er than those obtained from the column having purely diffusive particl es, especially as the particle size, z0, and the column fluid superfic ial velocity, V(f), increase. The improved separation efficiency obtai ned from the chromatographic columns with perfusive adsorbent particle s studied in this work, is mainly due to the intraparticle fluid flow which enhances intraparticle mass transport.