Patent ID: 9522862
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: C07C

Claim Text:
1. A method of separating a desired component from a mixed feed stream, the method comprising the steps of: removing an extract from an extract bed of a simulated moving bed separator wherein the secondary flush bed is directly downstream from the extract bed, wherein the extract comprises the desired component, wherein the simulated moving bed separator comprises a plurality of adsorbent beds circularly coupled together, a distributor, and a plurality of conduits fluidly coupling the distributor to the plurality of adsorbent beds, and wherein the plurality of adsorbent beds comprises the extract bed and a secondary flush bed downstream from the extract bed; flushing a secondary flush conduit with a secondary flush fluid while removing extract from the extract bed, wherein the secondary flush conduit fluidly couples the secondary flush bed with the distributor, and wherein the secondary flush fluid comprises the extract; changing the extract bed from a first extract bed to a second extract bed in a valve step, wherein the second extract bed is the adsorbent bed directly downstream from the first extract bed such that the second extract bed is the same adsorbent bed as the secondary flush bed before the valve step; introducing the mixed feed into a feed bed, wherein the feed bed is downstream from the extract bed and wherein the mixed feed comprises the desired component and an undesired component; introducing a desorbent into a desorbent bed, wherein the extract comprises the desorbent and the desired component; and removing a raffinate from a raffinate bed, wherein the raffinate comprises the undesired component, and wherein the plurality of adsorbent beds comprise the feed bed, the desorbent bed and the raffinate bed, wherein the raffinate bed is downstream from the feed bed, the desorbent bed is downstream from the raffinate bed, and wherein removing the extract comprises removing the extract wherein the extract bed is downstream from the desorbent bed; wherein the desired component is para-xylene.