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

A mathematical model of binary (competitive adsorption involving two components) 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 velocities, upsilon(p). Column systems with perfusive (upsilon(p) > 0) and purely diffusive (upsilon(p) = 0) adsorbent particles are studied. The results obtained from the binary system studied in this work suggest that the times at which breakthrough begins for components 1 and 2, and the dynamic (unsteady state) relative separation between components 1 and 2 obtained from the column with perfusive particles, are higher than those obtained from the column having purely diffusive particles, especially as the particle size, z0, and the column fluid superficial velocity, V(f), increase. The improved separation efficiency obtained from the chromatographic columns with perfusive adsorbent particles studied in this work, is mainly due to the intraparticle fluid flow which enhances intraparticle mass transport.