Patent ID: 7854844
Filing Date: 2010-12-21
Classification: G01F,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a chromatography apparatus, the apparatus comprising a chromatography column with a housing wall having a side wall and end portions defining an internal bed space to contain a particulate chromatography medium, comprising passing ultrasound signals through the bed space and detecting the transmitted signals to determine the status of materials in the bed space, and using the detected signals in one or more of the following: (i) determining whether a component eluting through the particulate material in the bed space satisfies a predetermined profile characteristic for such a component, and if it does not, initiating a warning signal; (ii) detecting the imminent arrival of an eluting component at the outlet of the column, and initiating the operation of a collecting valve at the column outlet, which switches the output from one line to another; (iii) comparing the overall column transmission characteristics with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether the material in the column is fit for use; (iv) initiating a warning signal when the impending arrival of a component to be collected is detected adjacent the column outlet; (v) monitoring and indicating or displaying the passage of a front between different mobile phase liquids along the column; and, (vi) indicating the degree of expansion of particulate media in an expanded-bed chromatography process.