Phenol Concentration using Thermal Simulated Moving Bed Concentrator

Abstract

− Conventional SMB process is operated using 4-zone having several chromatography columns in each zone. Unlike batch chromatography, SMB process can continuously separate binary materials. Both high productivity and purity are obtainable by using SMB process. In this study, the simulation on Thermal Simulated Moving Bed Concentrator (TSMBC) which is a SMB process with thermal swing adsorption was carried out. The advantage of TSMBC is that adsorption isotherm can be easily controlled by thermal wave or direct heating. Recovery of pure water and concentration of phenol was studied in simulation. To verify environmental-friendly potential of TSMBC, DOWEX 1X4 was chosen as an adsorbent and phenol was selected as a target material. When 3 columns were used in this study, concentration of phenol is 2.29, 2.28 and 1.31 times higher than injected sample. However, a contamination of phenol in solvent port was found, probably due to the restriction of adsorption isotherm of phenol on DOWEX 1X4.