The present invention discloses a means to improve the production capacity
and feedstock handling flexibility of a simulated moving bed adsorptive
separation process by introducing a second feed stream to the adsorbent
chamber, such second feed stream comprising a feed material of a
different concentration of the desired compound than the concentration of
such desired compound in the first feed material stream. The introduction
of this second feed material stream may be performed at any location on
the adsorbent chamber between (i) a transfer point located immediately
upstream of the point of the raffinate material stream withdrawal from
the adsorbent chamber to (ii) a transfer point located immediately
downstream of the point of extract material stream withdrawal from the
adsorbent chamber. The specific transfer point used for the introduction
of the second feed material stream will depend upon the concentration of
the desired component in the second feed material stream.