Patent ID: 7479228

Claim:
A process for the chromatographic separation of components of a multiple-component fluid mixture by means of a Simulated Moving Bed Process, comprising passing the multiple-component fluid mixture and at least one solvent into a plurality of at least one chamber or chamber sections containing a solid, at a first and second input, and an extract flow, which contains at least one first component separated from the multiple-component fluid mixture, as well as a raffinate flow, which contains at least one second component separated from the multiple-component fluid mixture are drawn off from the chambers or chamber sections at a first and second outlet, whereby the chambers or chamber sections forming a closed circuit are connected together in series, and connection ports of the first and second inlets and outlets arranged between two chambers or chamber sections of the circuit are repositioned between two other chambers or chamber sections of the circuit at the end of a cyclical time unit, wherein the concentration of the input multiple-component fluid mixture and/or a composition of the solvent is/are changed within the cyclical time unit, which represents the duration between two switching operations for repositioning connection ports.