Theoretical analysis of forced segmented temperature gradients in liquid chromatography

Abstract

An equilibrium model is applied to study the effect of forced temperature gradients introduced through heat exchange via specific segments of the wall of a chromatographic column operating with a liquid mobile phase. For illustration of the principle, the column is divided into two segments in such a manner that the first segment is kept at a fixed reference temperature, while the temperature of the second segment can be changed stepwise through fixed heating or cooling over the column wall to modulate the migration speeds of the solute concentration profiles. The method of characteristics is used to obtain the solution trajectories analytically. It is demonstrated that appropriate heating or cooling in the second segment can accelerate or decelerate the specific concentration profiles in order to improve certain performance criteria. The results obtained verify that the proposed analysis is well suited to evaluate the application of forced segmented temperature gradients. The suggested gradient procedure provides the potential to reduce the cycle time and, thus, improving the production rate of the chromatographic separation process compared to conventional isothermal (isocratic) operation.