Patent ID: 8192629

Claim:
A process for fractionating a betaine-containing solution in a chromatographic separation system, which comprises one or more columns containing one or more partial packed beds, comprising feeding the betaine-containing solution into the separation system, introducing an eluent into the separation system to elute components of the betaine-containing solution to form a separation profile, and recovering a betaine product fraction, one or more residual fractions, and optionally one or more recycle fractions, and one or more other product fractions, and further comprising introducing one or more parts of the separation profile to one or more eluent introduction positions of the separation system in one or more part feeding phases to substitute a portion of the eluent, said parts comprising one or more components selected from betaine, one or more other product components, and one or more residual components, moving said parts with their components forward in the separation system by using a sequence of steps, which steps comprise one or more of a feeding phase, a circulation phase, and an elution phase, and withdrawing components of said parts during the same or following separation sequences in one or more residual fractions and/or in one or more recycle fractions and/or in one or more product fractions, whereby the volume, introduction position and introduction step of said parts are determined on the basis of the retention volumes of the components of said parts, the volume of the resin bed through which the components of the parts pass and the volume of the steps moving the components of the parts from the introduction position to the calculated target withdrawal position of the components during said same or following separation sequences while essentially maintaining or improving the purity of the product fraction(s) and the yield of the product components.