Influence of particle diameter distribution on protein recovery in the expanded bed adsorption process.

The General Rate model has been developed and solved to describe protein adsorption in an expanded bed. The model takes into account axial and local variation of particle size distribution (PSD), external and intra-particle mass transfer resistances, and dispersion in liquid phase. The influence of PSD on breakthrough profiles has been analysed. The simulation results show that for a significantly high expanded bed the lower part of the breakthrough curve profiles, calculated for local particle size distribution (LPSD) and for axial average particle size distribution (APSD) are very similar. However, the upper part of breakthrough profiles calculated for LPSD approaches inlet concentration much more slowly than those calculated for APSD. The retention times of the lower part of uptake curves calculated with average particle diameter are constantly shorter than those obtained from LPSD. For the calculation of the dynamic capacity (DC), the LPSD can be replaced by APSD for large expanded bed heights. Using breakthrough profiles calculated for average particle size, DC values are constantly underestimated.