Supercritical Fluid CO2 Extraction System SCFE

Supercritical Fluid CO2 Extraction System SCFE

Salient Features

• Supercritical fluid extraction systems with pressures upto 700 bar for lab scale units & upto 450 bar for commercial plants
• Semi or fully automated PLC based plants with CO2 recycling
• PED, U stamp, CE, CSA, UL certification optional
• Customizable designs as per client requirements

World-Class Technology For Natural Products

• There is a tremendous demand for high purity & residual solvent free extracts of natural products. Also there is increasing requirement of eco-friendly manufacturing processes for the extraction of natural products
• Supercritical fluid extraction technology provides an economical solution toproviding a safe & eco-friendly way for extraction of natural products. Its superiority over the conventional technologies of extraction, especially for natural products in the food and pharmaceutical industry is well recognized
• Supercritical CO2 textile dyeing is an emerging innovative waterless technology for dyeing of textile fabrics that will revive the textile industries

Commercial Applications Of SCFE Extractor Systems

• Extraction of natural products such as spice oil & oleoresins, flavors, fragrances, colors
• Decaffeination of tea & coffee
• Production of uniform &ultra fine particles
• Supercritical CO2 (SCO2) textile dyeing of fabrics
• Supercritical CO2 (SCO2) cleaning of high precision metal components
• Drying of aerogels

Advantages Of SCFE System

• Extract with delicacy & freshness close to natural
• High potency of active components
• Longer shelf life extracts
• Eco-friendly & green technology with no residual solvent & effluents
• High flexibility of process conditions
• Simultaneous fractionation of extracts
• High yields compared to solvent extracted products
• Low batch times for extraction
• Recycling of CO2
• Low operating cost

Advantage Of CO2 As A Solvent

• Carbon dioxide is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) for food products
• Inexpensive & easily available
• Non-toxic, non-flammable and inert to most materials

Process Description For Lab-Scale Plants

The Carbon dioxide gas from the cylinder is first liquefied & then pressurized above the critical pressure of co2 (73.8 bar) to the required pressure necessary for extraction. This high pressure liquid co2 is then heated above the critical temperature of co2 (31 °C) to the required temperature. co2 which is now in supercritical phase (sco2) enters the extractor where the raw material is fed in powder form & the extraction is achieved on the basis of solubility. The compounds dissolved in sco2 finally come to the separator at atmospheric pressure & get precipitated. co2 leaving the separator is then measured by passing it through a CO gas flow meter.

Process description for commercial scale plant

The raw material in powder form is fed to the extractor. The liquid carbondioxide from the co2 tank is precooled by passing it through the precooler. This precooled liquid carbon dioxide is then pressurized by means of a positive displacement plunger pump to a pressure above the critical pressure of co2 (i.e. 73.8 bar). High pressure liquid co2 is then heated above the critical temperature of co2 (i.e 31 °C) by passing it through preheater. co2 which is now in the supercritical state enters the extractor in which the raw material is loaded. The sco2 dissolves substances on the basis of solubility, depending on operating conditions. The sco2 with soluble extracts enters the separators where the pressure & temperature are reduced sequentially so that solubility decreases & extract precipitates in the separators. Finally the clean co2 without any traces is recycled back to the co2 tank via condenser.

Amar make high pressure reactors are a critical part of supercritical fluid extraction equipment designed and manufactured by us. These units are used for various purposes including Extraction of natural products such as spice oil & oleoresins, flavors, fragrances, colors, Decaffeination of tea & coffee, Production of uniform &ultra fine particles, Supercritical Co (SCO ) textile dyeing of fabrics, Supercritical Co (SCO ) cleaning of high precision metal components, Drying of aerogels, etc. As opposed to the traditional solvent extraction systems, these systems are eco-friendly, more reliable, efficient and safer. End product of very high to ultra high purity can be obtained with the help of accurately designed SCFE systems.

Notes:

• The feed capacity is assuming bulk density of 0.4 kg/ltr of feed, 6 batches/day & one extractor. 5 ltr & above can be offered with 2 extractors & the feed capacity shall double the above given capacity.
• 5 ltr & above systems are offered with co2 recycling & PLC controls.