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On-line optimizing control of the intermittent simulated moving bed process

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Abstract

The I-SMB process is one of the modifications to the standard SMB process that has been demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally to exhibit rather competitive performance (Katsuo and Mazzotti in J Chromatogr A 1217:1354, 2010a, 3067, 2010b; Katsuo et al. in J Chromatogr A 1218:9345, 2011). This work aims at showing that also the I-SMB process can be controlled and optimized by using the optimizing on-line controller developed at ETH Zurich for the standard SMB process (Erdem et al. in Ind Eng Chem Res 43:405, 2004a, 3895, 2004b; Grossmann et al. in Adsorption 14:423, 2008, AIChE J 54:1942008). This is achieved by using a virtual I-SMB unit based on a detailed model of the process; past experience with the on-line controller shows that the controller’s behavior on a virtual platform is essentially the same as in laboratory experiments.

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Abbreviations

a i,k , b i,k :

Parameters in bi-Langmuir isotherm for component i

c i :

Fluid phase concentration of component i

c TF :

Total feed concentration

c P, i :

Concentration of component i at port P

\(\bar{c}_{{\rm P},i}\) :

Average concentration of of component i at port P

D i :

Axial dispersion coefficient of component i

H i :

Henry’s constant of component i

k s,i a v :

Product of mass transfer coefficient and specific surface of component i

L :

Column length

m j :

Flow rate ratio in section j of conventional SMB and I-SMB

n * i :

Adsorbed phase concentration of component i in equilibrium with the mobile phase

n j :

Number of the columns in section j

Pr :

Productivity

\(\Updelta P\) :

Pressure drop

Q j :

Volumetric flow rate in section j

\(\hat{Q}_j\) :

Average volumetric flow rate in section j

Q P :

Volumetric flow rate at port P

s k :

Slack variables

S :

Column cross-section

SC :

Dimensionless solvent consumption

t :

Time

t * :

Switch time

u :

Superficial velocity

V :

Column volume

X i :

Product purity

Y i :

Recovery of component i

α:

step ratio of I-SMB

ε* :

Overall bed void fraction

εb :

Inter particle void fraction

λ:

Weights in objective function

ϕ :

Pressure drop factor

A:

Component A

B:

Component B

i :

Component index

j :

Section index

SMB:

Conventional SMB

I-SMB:

I-SMB

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Author notes

  1. Shigeharu Katsuo

    Present address: Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Science and Technology Research Center Inc, 1000, Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, 227-8502, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Shigeharu Katsuo & Marco Mazzotti

  2. Automatic Control Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Physikstrasse 3, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Cristian Grossmann & Manfred Morari

Authors
  1. Shigeharu Katsuo
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  2. Cristian Grossmann
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  3. Manfred Morari
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  4. Marco Mazzotti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Mazzotti.

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Katsuo, S., Grossmann, C., Morari, M. et al. On-line optimizing control of the intermittent simulated moving bed process. Adsorption 20, 109–119 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-013-9553-0

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