Effect of staggered array structure on the flow field of micro gas chromatographic column

Abstract

A new design of staggered array semi-packed micro gas chromatographic column was presented based on the micro electromechanical system (MEMS) technology. It was a sensor for gas sample analysis. The internal velocity fields of ten types of semi-packed micro gas chromatographic column were studied. The effects of array spacing and dislocation spacing on the flow field distribution were investigated. The results show that on the basis of ensuring the formation of virtual wall, with the increase of array spacing, the maximum velocity difference between the flow channels in the vertical direction decreases gradually, but the velocity difference in the flow channels a and b increases. When the inlet velocity was set to be 0.18 m/s, the maximum velocity difference in the channel of the staggered semi-packed micro gas chromatography column 3 (CSAC3) was 0.05610 m/s. The maximum velocity difference in the channel a was 0.09160 m/s. The maximum velocity difference in the channel b was 0.02401 m/s. CSAC3 had a more uniform velocity field distribution, which can effectively suppress the laminar flow effect during chromatographic separation, and had a smaller pressure distribution, which puts forward lower requirements for carrier gas system. The staggered array semi-packed micro gas chromatography column proposed in this paper can effectively improve the velocity field distribution and pressure distribution in the channel, and provide a theoretical basis for the design of the new micro gas chromatography column structure.