The break-free valve – fractionation with low pressure spikes at high flow rates

Back pressure built up by a fractionation valve during switching can be a challenge, especially while working with pressure sensitive columns. Here, the performance between a standard multiposition valve and the break-free multiposition valve as fractionation valves was compared. The break-free multiposition valve was able to reduce the back pressure at flow rates up to 500 ml/min by approx. 90 %. Especially at high flow rates the break-free multiposition valve proved to be the better fractionation valve. Reducing the back pressure prevents possible damage to the column bed and other pressure sensitive system components. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use the break-free multiposition valve as a fractionation valve in preparative applications.