AMINO-ACID SEPARATION IN A MULTISTAGE FLUIDIZED ION-EXCHANGER BED

Theoretical and experimental investigations of the use of a Cloete-Str eat contactor for ion exchange of amino acids are presented. A new ste p pH gradient approach was developed to concentrate and recover dilute components. For short cycles, the models have to include the supernat ant fluid in between stages. Agreement between theory and experiment f or phenylalanine separation was excellent for isocratic experiments bu t only fair with pH step gradients. Slow changes in internal pH were n ot included in the model and appear to be the reason for the lack of a greement between theory and experiment. For lysine separation, experim ental concentration factors greater than 2.5 were obtained.