Linear flow velocity is a measure of the speed at which the mobile phase flows through the chromatographic column. It is defined as the volumetric flow rate divided by the cross-sectional area of the column.
Mathematically, linear flow velocity can be expressed as:
V = Q/A
Where V is linear flow velocity, Q is volumetric flow rate, and A is cross-sectional area of the column.
Linear flow velocity plays an important role in chromatography as it affects the efficiency of separation. High linear velocities can lead to reduced resolution due to insufficient interaction between analytes and stationary phase, while low velocities can result in longer analysis times.
Thus, optimal linear flow velocity must be determined based on several factors including column size, stationary phase properties, sample complexity, and desired separation efficiency.
