US 12,007,370 B2
Reducing thermal gradients in chromatography columns with sub-ambient cooling/super-ambient heating and radial distribution
Michael O. Fogwill, Uxbridge, MA (US); Wade P. Leveille, Douglas, MA (US); Joseph D. Michienzi, Plainville, MA (US); and Fabrice Gritti, Franklin, MA (US)
Assigned to Waters Technologies Corporation, Milford, MA (US)
Filed by Waters Technologies Corporation, Milford, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/347,807.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/039,231, filed on Jun. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0389284 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 30/30 (2006.01); G01N 30/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 30/30 (2013.01) [G01N 2030/025 (2013.01); G01N 2030/027 (2013.01); G01N 2030/3015 (2013.01); G01N 2030/3046 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A chromatography system, comprising:
a chromatography column having an inlet, an outlet and a stationary phase situated in the column;
a mobile phase cooler situated before the inlet of the column for cooling a mobile phase before the mobile phase enters the chromatography column;
a calculator for estimating an amount of heating of the mobile phase due to frictional heating that is expected as the mobile phase passes over the stationary phase from the inlet to the outlet;
a controller configured to control the mobile phase cooler so that the mobile phase cooler cools the mobile phase to a target temperature that is colder than an ambient temperature surrounding the column to fully offset the estimated amount of heating that was estimated by the calculator, the target temperature being chosen as a difference between a current temperature of the mobile phase at the inlet and the estimated amount of heating.