Measurement of the axial and radial temperature profiles of a chromatographic column: Influence of thermal insulation on column efficiency

The temperatures of the metal wall along a chromatographic column (longitudinal temperature gradients) and of the liquid phase across the outlet section of the column (radial temperature gradients) were measured at different flow rates with the same chromatographic column (250 mm × 4.6  mm). The column was packed with 5  μ m C18-bonded silica particles. The measurements were carried out with surface and immersion thermocouples (all junction Type T, ± 0.1 K) that measure the local temperature. The column was either left in a still-air bath (ambient temperature, T ext = 295 –296 K) or insulated in a packing foam to avoid air convection around its surface. The temperature profiles were measured at several values of the inlet pressure ( ≃ 100 , 200, 300 and 350 bar) and with two mobile phases, pure methanol and a 2.5:97.5 (v/v, %) methanol:water solution. The experimental results show that the longitudinal temperature gradients never exceeded 8 K for a pressure drop of 350 bars. In the presence of the insulating foam, the longitudinal temperature gradients become quasi-linear and the column temperature increases by + 1 and + 3  K with a water-rich (heat conductivity ≃ 0.6  W/m/K) and pure methanol (heat conductivity ≃ 0.2  W/m/K), respectively. The radial temperature gradients are maximum with methanol ( + 1.5  K at 290 bar inlet pressure) and minimum with water (+0.8 K at 290 bar), as predicted by the solution of the heat transfer balance in a chromatographic column. The profile remains parabolic all along the column. Combining the results of these measurements (determination of the boundary conditions on the wall, at column inlet and at column outlet) with calculations using a realistic model of heat dispersion in a porous medium, the temperature inside the column could be assessed for any radial and axial position.