Conical heater assembly for a gas chromatography column

A gas chromatography apparatus comprising

• a conical heater assembly comprising a heating element between an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer and the outer layer are conical and wherein the outer layer has an inner surface proximate to the heating element and an outer surface distal to the heating element and the inner layer has an outer surface proximate to the heating element and an inner surface distal to the heating element;
• and
• a gas chromatography (GC) column wound around the outer surface of the outer layer of the conical heater assembly, wherein the column is in contact with the outer layer of the heater assembly or
• a gas chromatography (GC) column wound on the inner surface of the inner layer of the conical heater assembly, wherein the column is in contact with the inner layer of the conical heater assembly,
• wherein the GC column and the conical heater assembly are adapted for the GC column to move along the conical heater assembly in response to differing thermal expansions of the conical heater assembly and the GC column.