Chromatography columns and processes

Separation apparatus in the form of a chromatography column for expanded bed chromatography, the column having a top and a bottom and comprising:

• a vertical column tube having a cylindrical side wall and defining an operating space to contain a bed of particles for expanded bed chromatography in use, there being no mesh retainer for particles in the operating space at the top of the column;
• bottom inlet structure at the bottom of the column for process liquid to enter the operating space and fluidise the bed of particles by upflow through the operating space;
• and
• a generally conical fixed cap plate fixed at the top of the column tube side wall to close off the top of the column, the inner side of the fixed cap plate being an interior upwardly convergent conical flow surface facing onto the operating space and leading towards an outlet structure defining an outlet opening, the outlet structure being positioned centrally in the fixed cap plate whereby said process liquid flows up through the operating space and radially inwardly, in contact with the convergent conical flow surface of the fixed cap plate, from the periphery of the column tube to the outlet structure for said liquid to leave the operating space through the outlet opening after passing through the bed of particles, the convergence of the interior convergent conical flow surface being at an angle from 10° to 25° relative to horizontal, and
• the outlet structure comprising a vortex inhibitor structure to inhibit rotational flow of said liquid leaving the operating space through the outlet opening, the vortex inhibitor structure comprising one or more vanes extending both axially and radially, and projecting down below the outlet opening into the operating space.

Separation apparatus in the form of a chromatography column for expanded bed chromatography, the column having a top and a bottom and comprising:

• a vertical column tube having a cylindrical side wall and defining an operating space to contain a bed of particles for expanded bed chromatography in use, there being no mesh retainer for particles in the operating space at the top of the column;
• bottom inlet structure at the bottom of the column for process liquid to enter the operating space and fluidise the bed of particles by upflow through the operating space;
• a generally conical fixed cap plate fixed at the top of the column tube side wall to close off the top of the column, the inner side of the fixed cap plate being an interior upwardly convergent conical flow surface facing onto the operating space and leading towards an outlet structure defining an outlet opening, the outlet structure being positioned centrally in the fixed cap component whereby said process liquid flows up through the operating space and radially inwardly, in contact with the convergent conical flow surface of the fixed cap plate, from the periphery of the column tube to the outlet structure for said liquid to leave the operating space through the outlet opening after passing through the bed of particles, the convergence of the interior convergent conical flow surface being at an angle from 10° to 25° relative to horizontal, and
• the outlet structure comprising a vortex inhibitor structure to inhibit rotational flow of said liquid leaving the operating space through the outlet opening, the vortex inhibitor structure comprising:
• one or more vanes extending both axially and radially, and projecting down below the outlet opening into the operating space, and
• a downwardly-directed axial nose portion extending down below the outlet opening at least down to the axial position where the fixed cap plate begins to converge upwardly.