Extraction of sucrose

Claim 2

A process for separating sucrose from an aqueous solution of sucrose and at least one of the compounds comprising betaine and a mineral salt which process comprises contacting at adsorption conditions said solution with a solid adsorbent exhibiting selectivity for said sucrose, which process comprises the steps of: (a) providing net positive fluid flow through all portions of a column of said adsorbent in a single direction, which column contains at least three zones having separate operational functions occurring therein and being serially interconnected with the terminal zones of said column connected to provide a continuous connection of said zones; (b) providing the first of said at least three zones as an adsorption zone in said column, said zone defined by the adsorbent located between a feed inlet stream of said solution at an upstream boundary of said zone and a raffinate outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (c) providing another of said at least three zones as a purification zone immediately upstream from said adsorption zone, said purification zone defined by the adsorbent located between an extract outlet stream at an upstream boundary of said purification zone and said feed inlet stream at a downstream boundary of said purification zone; (d) providing another of said at least three zones as a desorption zone immediately upstream from said purification zone, said desorption zone defined by the adsorbent located between a desorbent inlet stream at an upstream boundary of said zone and said extract outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (e) passing said feed stream into said adsorption zone at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of sucrose by said adsorbent in said adsorption zone and withdrawing a raffinate outlet stream from said adsorption zone; (f) passing a desorbent comprising alcohol into said desorption zone at desorption conditions to effect the displacement of said sucrose from the adsorbent in said desorption zone; (g) withdrawing an extract stream comprising said sucrose and desorbent material from said desorption zone; (h) passing a water inlet stream into said adsorption zone downstream of said feed inlet stream to effect the flushing of said alcohol from said adsorbent in said adsorption zone; and, (i) periodically advancing through said column of adsorbent in a downstream direction with respect to fluid flow in said adsorption zone the feed inlet stream, raffinate outlet stream, desorbent inlet stream, extract outlet stream and water inlet stream to effect the shifting of zones through said adsorbent and the production of extract outlet and raffinate outlet streams.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 further characterized in that it includes the step of maintaining a buffer zone immediately upstream from said desorption zone, said buffer zone defined as the adsorbent located between the desorbent input stream at a downstream boundary of said buffer zone and a raffinate output stream at an upstream boundary of said buffer zone.

Claim 4

A process for separating sucrose from an aqueous solution of sucrose and at least one of the compounds comprising betaine and a mineral salt, which process comprises contacting at adsorption conditions said solution with a solid adsorbent exhibiting selectivity for said sucrose, which process comprises the steps of: (a) maintaining net fluid flow through a column of said adsorbent in a single direction, which column contains at least three zones having separate operational functions occurring therein and being serially interconnected with the terminal zones of said column connected to provide a continuous connection of said zones; (b) maintaining an adsorption zone in said column, said zone defined by the adsorbent located between a feed inlet stream of said solution at an upstream boundary of said zone and a raffinate outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (c) maintaining a purification zone immediately upstream from said adsorption zone, said purification zone defined by the adsorbent located between an extract outlet stream at an upstream boundary of said purification zone and said feed inlet stream at a downstream boundary of said purification zone; (d) maintaining a desorption zone immediately upstream from said purification zone, said desorption zone defined by the adsorbent located between a desorbent inlet stream at an upstream boundary of said zone and said extract outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (e) maintaining a buffer zone immediately upstream from said desorption zone, said buffer zone defined as the adsorbent located between the desorbent input stream at a downstream boundary of said buffer zone and a raffinate output stream at an upstream boundary of said buffer zone; (f) passing said feed stream into said adsorption zone at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of sucrose by said adsorbent in said adsorption zone and withdrawing a raffinate outlet stream from said adsorption zone; (g) passing a desorbent comprising alcohol into said desorption zone at desorption conditions to effect the displacement of said sucrose from the adsorbent in said desorption zone; (h) withdrawing an extract stream comprising said sucrose and desorbent material from said desorption zone; (i) passing a water inlet stream into said buffer zone at the upstream boundary of said zone to effect the flushing of said alcohol from said adsorbent in said buffer zone; and, (j) periodically advancing through said column of adsorbent in a downstream direction with respect to fluid flow in said adsorption zone the feed inlet stream, raffinate outlet stream, desorbent inlet stream, extract outlet stream and water inlet stream to effect the shifting of zones through said adsorbent and the production of extract outlet and raffinate outlet streams.

Claim 5

A process for separating sucrose from an aqueous solution of sucrose and at least one of the compounds comprising betaine and a mineral salt, which process comprises contacting at adsorption conditions said solution with a solid adsorbent exhibiting selectivity for said sucrose, which process comprises the steps of: (a) maintaining net fluid flow through a column of said adsorbent in a single direction, which column contains at least three zones having separate operational functions occurring therein and being serially interconnected with the terminal zones of said column connected to provide a continuous connection of said zones; (b) maintaining an adsorption zone in said column, said zone defined by the adsorbent located between a feed inlet stream of said solution at an upstream boundary of said zone and a raffinate outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (c) maintaining a purification zone immediately upstream from said adsorption zone, said purification zone defined by the adsorbent located between an extract outlet stream at an upstream boundary of said purification zone and said feed inlet stream at a downstream boundary of said purification zone; (d) maintaining a desorption zone immediately upstream from said purification zone, said desorption zone defined by the adsorbent located between a desorbent inlet stream at an upstream boundary of said zone and said extract outlet stream at a downstream boundary of said zone; (e) maintaining a buffer zone immediately upstream from said desorption zone, said buffer zone defined as the adsorbent located between the desorbent input stream at a downstream boundary of said buffer zone and a raffinate output stream at an upstream boundary of said buffer zone; (f) passing said feed stream into said adsorption zone at adsorption conditions to effect the selective adsorption of sucrose by said adsorbent in said adsorption zone and withdrawing a raffinate outlet stream from said adsorption zone; (g) passing a desorbent comprising alcohol into said desorption zone at desorption conditions to effect the displacement of said sucrose from the adsorbent in said desorption zone; (h) withdrawing an extract stream comprising said sucrose and desorbent material from said desorption zone; (i) passing a water inlet stream into said buffer zone at the upstream boundary of said zone to effect the flushing of said alcohol from said adsorbent in said buffer zone; and, (j) periodically advancing through said column of adsorbent in a downstream direction with respect to fluid flow in said adsorption zone the feed inlet stream, raffinate outlet stream, desorbent inlet stream, extract outlet stream and water inlet stream to effect the shifting of zones through said adsorbent and the production of extract outlet and raffinate outlet streams.

Claim 6

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said adsorbent comprises activated carbon.

Claim 7

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said adsorbent comprises carbonaceous material.

Claim 8

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said adsorbent comprises a porous polymeric material.

Claim 9

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said adsorbent comprises a carbonaceous pyropolymer.

Claim 10

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said desorbent comprises methanol or a methanol-water mixture.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein said desorbent comprises a methanol-water mixture in which methanol comprises from about 10 vol.% to about 70 vol.% of said methanol-water mixture.

Claim 12

The process of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said desorbent comprises ethanol or an ethanol-water mixture.

Claim 13

The process of claim 10 wherein said desorbent comprises an ethanol-water mixture in which ethanol comprises from about 10 vol.% to about 70 vol.% of said ethanol-water mixture.

Claim 14

The process as set forth in any of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which said adsorption conditions include a temperature in the range of from about 20° C. to about 200° C. and a pressure in the range of from about atmospheric to about 500 psig to ensure liquid phase.

Claim 15

The process as set forth in any of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which said aqueous solution is molasses.