A method for converting a pump for use in a flow stream containing a
mixture of highly compressed gas, compressible liquid or supercritical
fluid wherein the pump delivers a compressible fluid against a
back-pressure regulator which in turn delivers a controllable flow rate
downstream of the regulator without performing variable compressibility
compensation adjustments on the pump. By using a pressurized source of
compressible fluid combined with isocratic conditions, the delivery
pressure from the pump is controlled at a rate higher than the downstream
gradient with the back-pressure regulator, and an inexpensive pump may be
used in place of specialized, expensive pumps and compressibility
compensation systems for use in stems operating at or near supercritical
fluid levels of compressible fluids. Significant capital and operating
laboratory costs are saved through a simpler and cheaper system for
accurately delivering compressible fluids into mobile phase flow streams.