Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
Gentle extraction of secondary plant substances ensured by the use of supercritical carbon dioxide
The use of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as a solvent allows the effective extraction of secondary plant substances such as polyphenols, flavors, and lipids.
By varying the pressure and temperature, the solubility can be adapted to the particular secondary plant substances, hence enabling efficient extraction. The treated raw materials and products are solvent-free after the extraction process, meaning this process can also be used for bio-products.
The use of co-solvents to optimize the solubility is an additional option for optimizing the process.
Our laboratories characterize the recovered extracts and so evaluate the effectiveness of the process.
Features of the carbon dioxide extraction plant
- The plant can be operated with raw material volumes of 1, 2, or 5 liters.
- The plant is a closed system, meaning that for substances having low solubility large amounts of solvent can be used.
- An extraction pressure of up to 1000 bar can be applied.