2023-06-20 17:25:24

Supercritical CO₂ Extraction is a process in which CO₂ is separated from a fluid at a certain temperature and pressure with a suitable flow rate using appropriate operating conditions. The pressure and temperature of the CO₂ gas medium in the process are higher than the atmospheric pressure, and because the forces between the gas molecules are smaller in the supercritical state, the diffusion rate is much faster. Supercritical fluids can therefore pass through porous plates as quickly as ordinary fluids, unlike normal solids which are subject to diffusion rate limitations. Because of its high density, viscosity, surface tension and density properties, a supercritical fluid does not create mass transfer resistance during extraction and has a higher extraction efficiency than normal solvents. Supercritical CO₂ extraction is a highly efficient, energy-saving, environmentally friendly and pollution-free green technology.

Good extraction effect

Compared with other extraction technologies, supercritical fluid extraction technology has the characteristics of fast extraction speed, high extraction efficiency and is not affected by environmental factors.

1. Fast speed: supercritical fluids flow extremely fast and can reach from one medium to another in a few seconds, achieving high transfer efficiency.Generally only 10-30 minutes are needed to complete the extraction process.

2. High efficiency: The efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction is very high, generally up to 70%-90%, which is 10-20 times higher than solvent extraction.

3. No pollution: supercritical fluid is a non-toxic medium and will not pollute the environment.

4. No by-products: supercritical fluids are in the gas phase and do not contain any organic matter; moreover, there is no problem of phase separation between the solvent and supercritical fluids, and there is no problem of impurities arising from phase separation; in the supercritical state, there is no concept of solubility, and there is no problem of products after phase separation.

5. High extraction purity: As supercritical fluids have high density, viscosity, surface tension and density, etc., thus their extraction process has small mass transfer resistance and fast mass transfer rate, which is very effective in the extraction of some large molecules and some substances that are insoluble in water. Especially in the extraction of some organic substances with large molecules, the effect is remarkable.

6. Convenient separation and purification: As the supercritical fluid can pass through the porous plate quickly without being limited by the diffusion rate, it can obtain products with high purity.

Simple, safe and reliable operation

Compared with other extraction technologies, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technology has the advantages of simple operation, safety and reliability, and can avoid complex equipment and operational processes.

(1) Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction equipment has a compact structure and small footprint, and can be adapted to mass production. At the same time, the traditional reflux extraction and flash extraction technology can be used in combination, greatly improving production efficiency.

(2) Supercritical CO₂ extraction equipment has no pollution and toxicity, and will not produce waste gas, waste liquid, waste residue and other secondary pollution to the environment; it can be used to extract high value-added natural products, such as flavonoids, saponins, volatile oils, etc.; the active ingredients can be enriched in CO₂ without being destroyed.

(3) Supercritical CO₂ extraction equipment can separate raw materials and products without the use of solvents to achieve the separation effect. Supercritical CO₂ extraction equipment can separate the natural ingredients in the raw material and some synthetic ingredients, avoiding the problems of toxic and harmful substances and by-products that may be produced by using natural solvents.

(4) Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction equipment does not damage the raw materials and products, and can keep the active ingredients of the natural components from being destroyed, and no chemical changes or toxic reactions will be produced during the extraction process. Compared with traditional extraction methods, the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction process has a higher level of safety.

High separation purity

Supercritical CO₂ extraction is characterised by high selectivity and high extraction efficiency, which can separate substances that are insoluble in water, non-volatile substances and easy oxidation, polymerisation and polymerisation products, and the separation process can be completed within a few seconds. Therefore, supercritical CO2 extraction technology is suitable for separating and purifying certain specific components from complex mixtures. In Chinese medicine, for example, supercritical fluids can separate out some heavy elements and organic pollutants that are harmful to humans. In the supercritical state, the boiling point of many substances can be lower than room temperature or even below the boiling point of water, and their solubility can be tens or even hundreds of thousands of times higher. In addition, the low boiling point of supercritical CO₂ allows certain substances that are insoluble in water to come into full contact with supercritical CO₂ and be extracted and separated in a supercritical state. Therefore, supercritical fluids can easily extract these water-insoluble substances from the mixture.

Supercritical CO₂ extraction delivers high quality, eco-friendly and efficient extraction results in a variety of industries. TOPTION's state-of-the-art equipment and in-depth expertise can help you harness the power of this advanced extraction method to enhance your business and meet the growing demand for high quality, natural products. Contact us now at info@toptionlab.com.