Simulated moving bed chromatography under linear conditions

The authors review their recent contributions to the theory of Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) chromatography. SMB is an implementation of preparative chromatography which is attracting much interest in the pharmaceutical industry, especially (but not only) for the purification of enantiomers. This process is more complex than those conventionally used for preparative applications. Its operation under linear conditions is illustrated using the numerical solutions derived from different simple models (ideal, equilibrium-dispersive). The influence of nonideal effects (e.g., dispersion and mass transfer resistances), of section subdivision into several columns are discussed. The importance of the differences between the flow rates in the different sections of the SMB is also illustrated. Experimental results are well explained by theoretical considerations.