Modeling of the transient hydrodynamic behavior of preparative chromatography columns

The complex hydrodynamic packed bed behavior of preparative chromatography columns was described by a deterministic simulation model combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with the discrete element method (DEM). Using this modeling approach, the causes leading to the hysteretic packing behavior during cyclic operation were investigated for the first time and the influencing factors being experimentally inaccessible were uncovered. Thereupon, the hydrodynamic packing behavior was improved.