Mathematical model using non-uniform flow distribution for dynamic protein breakthrough with membrane adsorption media

A mathematical model has been investigated to predict protein breakthrough during membrane adsorption/chromatography operations. The new model incorporates a non-uniform boundary condition at the column inlet to help describe the deviation from plug flow within real membrane adsorption devices. The model provides estimated breakthrough profiles of a binding protein while explicitly accounting for non-uniform flow at the inlet of the separation operation by modeling the flow distribution by a polynomial. We have explored experimental breakthrough curves produced using commercial membrane adsorption devices, as well as novel adsorption media of nanolayered nanofiber membranes, and compare them to model predictions. Further, the impact of using various simplifying assumptions is considered, which can have a dramatic effect on the accuracy and predictive ability of the proposed models. The new model, using only simple batch equilibrium and kinetic uptake rate data, along with membrane properties, is able to accurately predict the non-uniform and unsymmetrical shape for protein breakthrough during operation of membrane adsorption/chromatography devices.

► New dynamic protein adsorption model for membrane chromatography.
► Incorporation of non-uniform flow distribution at the inlet.
► Predictive model using equilibrium and kinetic data with membrane properties.
► Model predicts non-symmetrical, tailing experimental breakthrough curves.
► Model uses a binding solute and volumetric flow is conserved.