Patent ID: 6663780
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: B01D,C13B,C13K

Abstract:
A method for processing molasses selected from the group consisting of beet molasses, cane molasses, stillage, vinasse, wood molasses, biomass molasses, wheat molasses, barley molasses, corn molasses, and solutions derived from any of the preceding, comprising:recovering at least one product during processing of molasses in two or more loops, each loop comprising one or more chromatographic beds, columns, or parts thereof separate and distinct from the other loop, and said loops comprising at least a first loop and a second loop; said processing comprising at least one of the following phases: a feeding phase, an eluting phase and a recycling or circulation phase, wherein liquid present in each loop comprises a separate defined dry solids (dry substance) profile, and said dry solids profile is recycled; said processing of molasses further comprising fractionating a feed solution comprising said molasses in said first loop into at least two fractions by a chromatographic simulated moving bed process (SMB); crystallizing at least one of said fractions from said first loop to form a crystallized fraction and crystallization run-off; fractionating a solution derived from said crystallization run-off in said second loop by chromatographic fractionation into at least two other fractions; and wherein at least one of said fractions comprises a product fraction, said product fraction comprising a greater percentage concentration by weight on a dry solids (dry substance) basis of said product than said feed solution comprising said molasses, and said product fraction comprising a greater percentage concentration by weight on a dry solids (dry substance) basis of said product than said solution derived from said crystallization run-off.