Chromatography column

A chromatography column for effecting chromatographic separation of at least two components of a sample flowing therethrough comprising:

• a cylindrical housing;
• at least one cylindrical solid stationary phase in said housing and coaxial with said housing, said phase having chromatographic functionality and being effective for chromatographic separation, said stationary phase having an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, said housing having a larger diameter than said stationary phase to form a first channel means adjacent said stationary phase outer surface for axially and circumferentially directing sample flow to or from said outer surface;
• said stationary phase inner surface surrounding a cylindrical core, said core including a second channel means adjacent said stationary phase inner surface for axially and circumferentially directing sample flow to or from said inner surface, each of said channel means in fluid communication with said respective stationary phase surface;
• a means for distributing the sample to one of said channel means for radially distributing the sample through the stationary phase to the other channel means;
• a means for collecting the sample after the sample has flowed through the stationary phase and said other of said channel means.

A chromatography column for effecting chromatographic separation of at least two components of a sample flowing radially therethrough comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one solid stationary phase in said housing having a longitudinal axis, said phase having chromatographic functionality and being effective for chromatographic separation;
• a means for radially distributing the sample through the stationary phase;
• a means for collecting the sample after the sample has radially flowed through the stationary phase;
• wherein the stationary phase comprises:
• a. a swellable matrix having chromatographic functionality and being effective for chromatographic separation, spirally wound around the longitudinal axis of the solid phase to form a plurality of layers around the axis;
• b. a spacer means between each layer of said swellable matrix having open areas and separating the layers for controlling swelling of the matrix and enhancing the distribution of sample flowing radially through the stationary phase by channeling the sample flow through the matrix and substantially evenly dispersing the sample axially and circumferentialy across the matrix.