| Abstract: | The promising technique of controlling chromatographic selectivity by the adjustment of individual column temperatures in systems of series-coupled columns is investigated by means of a general model incorporating the effects of temperature and mobile phase compressibility. Expressions are derived for the linear flow velocity, the effective partition coefficient and the retention time for a system of n columns assuming an ideal mobile phase gas, under conditions of constant overall pressure drop and neglect of the temperature dependence of the mobile phase viscosity. The results indicate the importance of thermodynamic parameters, relative to parameters influencing the linear flow velocity, in determining the effect of temperature on the chromatographic retention time. Numerical results are illustrated graphically for two-column systems which are discussed in greater detail. Switching of columns is also discussed and it is shown that even if thermodynamic contributions remain unchanged, non-thermodynamic contributions have a notice-able effect. |
