Determination of slurry concentration
View Patent ↗A method for determining the concentration of a chromatographic medium in a liquid slurry comprises the steps of: providing a column ( 1 ) having a top end ( 3 ) and a bottom end ( 2 ) and adapted to retain a chromatographic medium therein; introducing a defined volume of the slurry ( 15 ) into the column ( 1 ); providing a liquid flow through the column ( 1 ) from the top end to the bottom end of the column to settle the chromatographic medium in the column; measuring the bed height of the consolidated chromatographic medium or a value related thereto; and determining from the measured bed height or value related thereto the concentration, or a value related to the concentration of the chromatographic medium in the slurry. A device for performing the method as well as the use of the method in packing of especially large scale columns are also disclosed.
1. A method of determining the concentration of a chromatographic medium in a liquid slurry, comprising:
providing a column ( 1 ) having a top end ( 3 ) and a bottom end ( 2 ) and adapted to retain a chromatographic medium therein;
introducing a defined volume of the slurry ( 15 ) into the column ( 1 );
providing a liquid flow through the column ( 1 ) from the top end to the bottom end of the column to settle the chromatographic medium in the column;
measuring the bed height of the consolidated chromatographic medium or a value related thereto; and
determining from the measured bed height or value related thereto the concentration, or a value related to the concentration of the chromatographic medium in the slurry;
wherein prior to settling the chromatographic medium, the medium is subjected to a wash step in the column ( 1 ).
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring the introduced volume of the slurry automatically with a level measuring device ( 25 ; 29 ) and measuring the bed height of the consolidated chromatographic medium automatically with the level measuring device ( 25 ; 29 ).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wash step comprises flowing a liquid through the column ( 1 ) from the bottom end ( 2 ) towards the top end ( 3 ) of the column.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wash step comprises flowing a liquid through the column ( 1 ) from the top end ( 3 ) towards the bottom end ( 2 ) of the column ( 1 ), and mixing the medium in the column before settling the medium in the column.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wash step comprises flowing a liquid through the column ( 1 ) alternatingly from the bottom end ( 2 ) towards the top end ( 3 ), and from the top end ( 3 ) towards the bottom end ( 2 ) of the column.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid in the wash step is other than the liquid of the slurry.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the settled medium is allowed to stabilize for a defined time before measuring the bed height or a value related thereto.
8. A method of packing a first column with a slurry of a chromatographic medium to obtain a desired bed height of packed medium in the column, comprising:
determining the concentration, or a value related the concentration, of the chromatographic medium in the slurry by the method of claim 1 using a second column ( 1 );
determining from the determined slurry concentration or value related thereto the amount of slurry to be introduced into the first column to obtain the desired bed height therein; and
filling the first column with the determined slurry amount.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second column ( 1 ) is substantially smaller than the first column.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first column is a pilot type column or a process type column, and the second column ( 1 ) is a laboratory type column.