Supercritical fluid extraction equipment is suitable for a variety of substances, especially those fat-soluble substances, such as vegetable oils, essential oils, etc. Since supercritical fluids (such as carbon dioxide) are non-polar (fat-soluble), they are particularly suitable for extracting such substances. At present, it is widely used in extracting active ingredients of hops, tea decaffeination, spice extraction of oleoresin, edible oil extraction, lycopene extraction, etc. However, it is not suitable for extracting some highly polar substances.
Regarding the shortcomings of supercritical fluid extraction equipment, they mainly include:
Complex operation: Supercritical fluid extraction requires complex operating devices and operating techniques, which increases operating costs.
High cost: Since supercritical fluid extraction involves high equipment costs, strict process requirements and other issues, the cost is higher compared to organic solvent extraction.
Supercritical fluid extraction equipment has a wide range of application scenarios, mainly including medicine, food, spices, petrochemicals, environmental protection and other fields. It is especially suitable for the separation and extraction of solid substances and is faster than liquid extraction. At the same time, supercritical fluid extraction equipment can perform extraction operations under conditions close to normal temperature, and the energy consumption is lower than ordinary distillation and evaporation. Therefore, it is also suitable for the separation of heat-sensitive substances, easily oxidized substances, and volatile substances.
In general, supercritical fluid extraction equipment is a piece of equipment with unique advantages, but it also needs to be selected and used according to specific application scenarios and needs.