Patent ID: 8137549

Claim:
A column packing system comprising an automated control unit including automation software and hardware and a column having a longitudinal axis and a movable adapter, movable by pumping liquid in or out of a sealed space between said movable adapter and a lid of said column, said movable adapter being movable by pumping liquid in or out of a sealed space between said movable adapter and a lid of said column, while being monitored by the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to pack the column with a settled bed of media based on the control unit having relevant media information of a desired packed bed height, a volume of slurry with a specified particle concentration and a descent speed the movable adapter has to move to provide a required settled bed height and a required amount of compression of the settled bed of media, wherein said automation software of the control unit is adapted to determine a breakpoint when said movable adapter begins to compress said settled bed of media by calculating the position where a pressure rise starts in said sealed space and also adapted to calculate the distance that said movable adapter has to move from said breakpoint to achieve a predetermined amount of bed compression and to control the movement of said movable adapter to the position corresponding to the distance.