High-speed CCC is liquid-liquid partition chromatography without solid support. It utilizes the hydrodynamic behavior of two immiscible liquid phases in coil columns undergoing one particular mode of planetary motion generated by a synchronous coil planet centrifuge. This centrifuge is unique in permitting connections to the rotor the rotor without the use of rotary seals.

The centrifugal force field applied to the coiled columns promotes the retention of stationary phase against a continuous flow of mobile phase, while providing efficient mixing between the two solvent phases to enable the partition process.

The efficiency of separation is solely dependent upon one parameter, the partition coefficient of the solute between the stationary and mobile phases. Thus, scale-up from analytical- to preparative-scale separation is a straight-forward process.