An apparatus for supercritical fluid chromatography, the apparatus comprising: a binary pump; an autosampler (module 2), downstream of the binary pump, including a sampling valve; a first port switching valve, downstream of the autosampler (module 2); a first manifold downstream of the first port switching valve, operable to divide a sample into two or more channels; two or more channels downstream of the first manifold, each channel having a check valve assembly, a separation column downstream of the check valve assembly and one or more dedicated detectors; a second manifold downstream of the channels to recombine the samples; a backpressure regulator downstream of the second manifold, wherein the apparatus excludes additional backpressure regulators or pumps on individual channels; and computer software and hardware to 1) control distribution of fluid through the apparatus, including switching between: a multi-channel mode; providing simultaneous parallel screening of the sample through the two or more channels; and a single channel mode, in which the sample flows through only a selected one of the two or more channels; 2) analyze data collected by the one or more dedicated detectors; and 3) optimize separation of analytes by controlling solvent combinations, concentration gradients, pressure and temperature. a binary pump; an autosampler (module 2), downstream of the binary pump, including a sampling valve; a first port switching valve, downstream of the autosampler (module 2); a first manifold downstream of the first port switching valve, operable to divide a sample into two or more channels; two or more channels downstream of the first manifold, each channel having a check valve assembly, a separation column downstream of the check valve assembly and one or more dedicated detectors; a second manifold downstream of the channels to recombine the samples; a backpressure regulator downstream of the second manifold, wherein the apparatus excludes additional backpressure regulators or pumps on individual channels; and computer software and hardware to 1) control distribution of fluid through the apparatus, including switching between: a multi-channel mode; providing simultaneous parallel screening of the sample through the two or more channels; and a single channel mode, in which the sample flows through only a selected one of the two or more channels; 2) analyze data collected by the one or more dedicated detectors; and 3) optimize separation of analytes by controlling solvent combinations, concentration gradients, pressure and temperature. 1) control distribution of fluid through the apparatus, including switching between: a multi-channel mode; providing simultaneous parallel screening of the sample through the two or more channels; and a single channel mode, in which the sample flows through only a selected one of the two or more channels; a multi-channel mode; providing simultaneous parallel screening of the sample through the two or more channels; and a single channel mode, in which the sample flows through only a selected one of the two or more channels; 2) analyze data collected by the one or more dedicated detectors; and 3) optimize separation of analytes by controlling solvent combinations, concentration gradients, pressure and temperature.