Mass transport and flow regimes in centrifuga partition chromatography

Abstract

Centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) is a support-free liquid-liquid separation process that depends for efficiency on the behavior of the two liquid phases. Hydrodynamics of phases was studied according to flow rate and centrifugal acceleration, using a transparent column and a stroboscopic video system. For the heptane-methanol two-phase system, three main flow regimes - stuck film, oscillating sheet, and atomization - are observed, highlighting the coriolis acceleration effect as well as the influence of the column shape. Mass transport in the CPC column is modeled by a plug flow with axial dispersion and mass transfer with a stagnant volume. Model parameters (residence time, Péclet number, partition ratio, and mass-transfer coefficient) are fitted on solute residence-time distribution. Off-column dispersion is an important source of peak broadening in CPC, whereas its irregular geometry provides a plug flow for mobile phase. Importance of flow pattern on mass transfer is demonstrated. CPC interest for preparative applications is confirmed.