Patent attributes
A process is described for the separation of a first chemical compound from a liquid feed stream comprising at least first and second chemical compounds by simulated countercurrent adsorptive separation. In the process, the feed stream and a liquid desorbent stream are passed into at least one multi-bed adsorbent chamber at two different points via different transfer lines and an extract stream rich in the first chemical compound and a raffinate stream depleted in the first chemical compound are removed from the adsorbent chamber at two different points by two additional transfer lines. In addition, the contents of the transfer line which has just been used to supply the desorbent stream are flushed into the adsorbent chamber at a point along the chamber between the transfer line just used to supply the desorbent stream and the transfer line just used to withdraw the raffinate.