Analysis and Design of Novel Column Geometries for Micro- Gas Chromatography

Novel column geometries for micro-gas chromatography applications are studied using traditional computational fluid dynamics and the numerical Toolbox, a suite of codes designed to model the flow of low-velocity liquids and gases through microfluidic components. Transport is modeled in columns with circular cross-section undergoing a 90ϒ bend to determine what effect sequences of such bends have on analyte transport. We also explore flow in columns with a semi-circular cross section that include grooves cut into the flat column surface to promote transport across the channel. The modeling demonstrates that, even at low Reynolds number, sequences of left and right turns redistribute the fluid within the cross-section, and grooves added to a flat channel wall can generate a secondary flow that is strong enough to redistribute the fluid within the cross section in a relatively short length of channel.