Abbreviations a hydrodynamic radius of the solute (m) C m mobile phase concentration (mol l -1 ) C f feed concentration (mol l -1 ) C s stationary phase concentration (mol l -1 ) C H m normalized mobile phase concentration C H s normalized stationary phase concentration C H m normalized mobile phase concentration in the Laplace domain C H s normalized stationary phase concentration in the Laplace domain C D drag coefficient D m dispersion coefficient, m 2 s -1 D s diffusion coefficient in the stationary phase, m 2 s -1 D ? bulk diffusivity, m 2 s -1 k mass transfer coefficient, m s -1 K eq equilibrium partition coefficient L length of the column, m m n n th moment about the origin N Avogadro number Nu s Nusselt number in the stationary phase Nu m Nusselt number in the mobile phase Pe Peclet number R particle size, m r 0 pore radius, m Re Reynolds number S Particle surface area per unit column volume, m -1 Sh Sherwood number Sc Schmidt numberGreek letters b internal porosity e external porosity m kinematic viscosity, m 2 s -1