MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF CONTINUOUS GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY V. NON-ISOTHERMAL COLUMNS

Abstract

Concentration and flow-rate protiles have been calculated for continuous counter-current gas chromatography from a set of non-linear differential equations with non-linear boundary conditions. The accumulation of the solutes causes significant changes in the flow rate rendering total separation in some cases theoretically impossible. On increasing the column length two plateaus are developing on the protiles. Their heights are generally different and sometimes the flow rates in the lower and upper parts cannot be kept simultaneously within the separation limits. This problem can be overcome by imposing an appropriate temperature profile along the column. There are no theoretical limitations in the non-isothermal method. Total separation is always possible if there is any difference between the partition coefficients of the solutes.