Simulated Moving Bed Chromatography for PUFA Purification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional moving bed chromatographic systems are limited in their ability to separate polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from mixtures containing both polar and non-polar impurities, requiring preliminary separation steps and being inefficient in producing pure PUFA products due to the fragility of PUFAs and the degradation issues during distillation processes.
Innovation Solution
A single simulated or actual moving bed chromatographic separation process using an aqueous organic solvent eluent in a multi-zone system, where the raffinate and extract streams from one zone are introduced into non-adjacent columns in the other zone, allowing for the separation of PUFAs from both more and less polar components without the need for preliminary purification, and operating under standard temperature and pressure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional moving bed chromatography is used to separate PUFAs from mixtures, then separation can be achieved, but the process requires preliminary separation steps and produces high levels of isomeric impurities due to PUFA fragility and degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The chromatographic system is divided into multiple zones (first zone and second zone) with different stationary phases. The first zone uses a non-polar stationary phase to separate PUFAs from less polar impurities, while the second zone uses a polar stationary phase to separate PUFAs from more polar impurities. This segmentation allows simultaneous removal of both impurity types in a single continuous process, eliminating the need for preliminary separation steps and reducing isomeric impurity formation.
2Manufacturing precision
If distillation is used to purify PUFAs, then separation can be achieved, but PUFA degradation occurs leading to non-acceptable product quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal distillation with chromatographic separation based on polarity differences. Instead of using heat to separate PUFAs from impurities (which causes degradation), the system uses a chromatographic column with a polar stationary phase to selectively retain PUFAs while allowing less polar impurities to pass through. This substitution eliminates thermal stress and prevents PUFA degradation while achieving high purity.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional chromatography is used to separate PUFAs from both polar and non-polar impurities, then complete separation can be achieved, but multiple preliminary steps are required increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate chromatographic separations into a single continuous process. The first zone removes less polar impurities, and the second zone removes more polar impurities, both occurring simultaneously in one operational cycle. This merging eliminates the need for sequential preliminary steps and reduces total process time while achieving complete purification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process achieves high yield and purity of PUFA products with low levels of isomeric impurities, effectively addressing the challenges of PUFA degradation and separation limitations in existing methods, and providing a cost-effective and efficient purification method.
Implementation Method 1
The principle of operation involves countercurrent movement of a liquid eluent phase and a solid adsorbent phase. Some of the components tend to fix strongly to the stationary phase and thus will percolate slowly, whereas others tend to fix weakly and exit from the column more quickly.
Implementation Method 2
a mixture whose components are to be separated percolates through a container. The column contains a packing of a porous material (generally called the stationary phase) exhibiting a high permeability to fluids.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a chromatographic separation process for recovering a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) product, from a feed mixture, which process comprises introducing the feed mixture to a simulated or actual moving bed chromatography apparatus having a plurality of linked chromatography columns containing, as eluent, an aqueous organic solvent, wherein the apparatus has a plurality of zones comprising at least a first zone and second zone, each zone having an extract stream and a raffinate stream from which liquid can be collected from said plurality of linked chromatography columns, and wherein (a) a raffinate stream containing the PUFA product together with more polar components is collected from a column in the first zone and introduced to a nonadjacent column in the second zone, and/or (b) an extract stream containing the PUFA product together with less polar components is collected from a column in the second zone and introduced to a nonadjacent column in the first zone, said PUFA product being separated from different components of the feed mixture in each zone, and wherein the aqueous organic solvent is other than aqueous alcohol.