Continuous liquid-liquid chromatographic separation of chemical species using multiple liquid phases and related systems and articles

Inventors: Lorenzo Milani (Woburn, MA); Trevor Charles Murray (Everett, MA); Robert Viano (Medford, MA); Andrea Adamo (Cambridge, MA); Róbert Örkényi (Cambridge, GB)

Assignee: Zaiput Flow Technologies LLC

B01D11/0426 B01D11/0415 B01D11/0488 B01D2011/002

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12708864
App. No.: 17/840,884
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

The present disclosure is related to the continuous liquid-liquid chromatographic separation of chemical species using multiple liquid phases and related systems and articles.

Claims (26)

1 . A method, comprising:

transporting a feed liquid stream comprising a first solute and a second solute into a feed liquid inlet of a liquid-liquid chromatographic separator system, wherein the liquid-liquid chromatographic separator system comprises three or more separator stages arranged in series with one another from a first separator stage to a last separator stage, with one or more intermediate stages positioned between the first separator stage and the last separator stage;

transporting a liquid comprising at least a portion of the first solute and at least a portion of the second solute into a first liquid inlet of a first separator stage, such that the first separator stage produces:

a liquid having a mole fraction of the first solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute that is larger than a mole fraction of the first solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute in the liquid received by the first liquid inlet of the first separator stage, and

a liquid having a mole fraction of the second solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute that is larger than a mole fraction of the second solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute in the feed liquid stream; and

transporting a liquid comprising at least a portion of the first solute and at least a portion of the second solute into a last liquid inlet of the last separator stage, such that the last separator stage produces:

a liquid having a mole fraction of the second solute relative to sum of the first solute and the second solute that is larger than a mole fraction of the second solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute in the liquid received by the last liquid inlet.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid transported into the first liquid inlet is a mixed liquid stream comprising a first liquid phase and a second liquid phase immiscible with the first liquid phase.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising forming the mixed liquid stream that is transported into the first liquid inlet by combining the first liquid phase from a source containing the first liquid phase with a liquid stream from a liquid outlet of at least one of the one or more intermediate separator stages.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid transported into the last liquid inlet is a mixed liquid stream comprising a first liquid phase and a second liquid phase immiscible with the first liquid.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming the mixed liquid stream that is transported into the last liquid inlet by combining the second liquid phase from a source containing the second liquid phase with a liquid stream from a liquid outlet of at least one of the intermediate separator stages.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting a liquid comprising at least a portion of the first solute and at least a portion of the second solute into an intermediate liquid inlet of at least one of the one or more intermediate separator stages, such that the intermediate separator stage produces:

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising transporting at least a portion of the liquid that is produced by the at least one intermediate separator stage having a mole fraction of the first solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute that is larger than a mole fraction of the first solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute in the liquid received by the intermediate liquid inlet into a liquid inlet of a next separator stage.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the next separator stage is the last separator stage or another intermediate separator stage.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising transporting at least a portion of the liquid that is produced by the intermediate separator stage having a mole fraction of the second solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute that is larger than a mole fraction of the second solute relative to the sum of the first solute and the second solute in the liquid received by the intermediate liquid inlet into a liquid inlet of a preceding separator stage.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the preceding separator stage is the first separator stage or another intermediate separator stage.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the liquid that is transported into the intermediate liquid inlet comprises a mixed liquid stream comprising a first liquid phase and a second liquid phase immiscible with the first liquid phase.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming the mixed liquid stream that is transported into the intermediate liquid inlet by combining a liquid stream from a liquid outlet of the preceding separator stage and a liquid stream from a liquid outlet of a next separator stage.

13 . The method of claim 1 , furthering comprising operating the liquid-liquid chromatographic separator system continuously.

14 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first solute has a partition coefficient K 1 between the first liquid phase and the second liquid phase of greater than 1.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second solute has a partition coefficient K 2 between the first liquid phase and the second liquid phase of less than 1.

16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein an extraction factor of the first solute (Y 1 ) is greater than 1.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein an extraction factor of the second solute (Y 2 ) is less than 1.