In: Kagaku Kogaku Ronbunshu, Vol. 25, No. 4, pages 613-618. 1999.
Abstract: In this study, the authors investigate a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation process which consists of many columns as a discrete event system, and apply a Petri net model to the HPLC fractionation process of plasma proteins. A quantitative model is constructed by considering both the order of operations and the separation behavior in the process. For example, in a semi-continuous injection model of the gel filtration chromatography fractionation process, the separation behavior is appropriately simulated using the flow of proteins, the flow of operations and inhibitor area which connect these two flows. A model of the ion exchange chromatography fractionation process is constructed considering that the time required for each operation is estimated from the operational conditions, i.e., the concentration of injected samples and the salt in an eluent. Finally, the total simulation for an albumin monomer fractionation process is carried out using a combined Petri net model, which consists of some Petri nets based on the modes of separation and the styles of process. The results show that the Petri net model is useful for process design in modifying the number of HPLC columns, and the volume of intermediate tanks, because the dynamic behavior of the overall process is easily and clearly understood.
Keywords: HPLC, Petri nets, elution curves, ion-exchange chromatography, process modeling, proteins.