The theoretical plate concept was also adapted for chromatographic processes by Martin and Synge. The IUPAC's Gold Book provides a definition of the number of theoretical plates in a chromatography column.
The same equation applies in chromatography processes as for the packed bed processes, namely:
In packed column chromatography, the HETP may also be calculated with the Van Deemter equation.
In capillary column chromatography HETP is given by the Golay equation.