Fractal Considerations in Chromatography: Column Efficiency and the Multimicrocolumn System

The first part of this paper uses only fractal geometry mathematics to study the variations in column efficiency (h) with its geometrical characteristics (both column and particle diameter,...) and constant column length. In this case the fractal dimension D of h was 2. Conventional results in chromatography were found with this theory independent of the others. For example, a decrease in the particle diameter filling the column must theoretically increase column efficiency. In a second part, geometry was linked to hydrodynamic considerations to study the effect of the microcolumn structure and its organization in a multimicrocolumn chromatographic system. It demonstrated that to minimize the pressure drop, the geometric structure must obey a power law. This system uses columns with a low diameter and a low pressure drop to perform efficient separation.