Accurate on-line mass flow measurements in supercritical fluid chromatography

•The critical importance of accurate mass flow rate measurements is illustrated.•The properties of an on-line mass-flow meter based on the use of Coriolis force is described.•Its application to the fluids used in supercritical fluid chromatography is illustrated.•Besides accurate values of the mass flow rate, it provides useful diagnosis during operations.

This work demonstrates the possible advantages and the challenges of accurate on-line measurements of the CO2 mass flow rate during supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) operations. Only the mass flow rate is constant along the column in SFC. The volume flow rate is not. The critical importance of accurate measurements of mass flow rates for the achievement of reproducible data and the serious difficulties encountered in supercritical fluid chromatography for its assessment were discussed earlier based on the physical properties of carbon dioxide. In this report, we experimentally demonstrate the problems encountered when performing mass flow rate measurements and the gain that can possibly be achieved by acquiring reproducible data using a Coriolis flow meter. The results obtained show how the use of a highly accurate mass flow meter permits, besides the determination of accurate values of the mass flow rate, a systematic, constant diagnosis of the correct operation of the instrument and the monitoring of the condition of the carbon dioxide pump.