Extraction plant for recovering secondary plant substances (SPS) using organic solvents

The Fraunhofer IVV possesses a complete processing line for treating plant-based raw materials with organic solvents. Extractions can be performed on a scale up to 300 liters using the percolation and immersion methods. All subsequent processing steps such as filtration, distillation, evaporation, and the drying of solids or solutions can be carried out in our small pilot plant under explosion-proof conditions.

Using this equipment we are able to isolate secondary plant substances such as pigments, polyphenols, and waxes from various plant raw materials via solid/liquid or liquid/liquid extraction.
The characterization of the recovered extracts is used to evaluate the extraction processes and can be undertaken in our laboratories.
We can naturally also use this processing line without solvents to process plant-based oils and for the aqueous extraction of proteins on up to a 300 liter scale.

Features of the explosion-proof line

The two stirred extraction reactors are double-walled vessels for solids and liquids and are coupled to a vacuum system with condensers. They are designed for a temperature range of 0 to 150°C and are suitable for pressures of -1 to +3 bar.
Due to special components it is possible to use the liquid reactor as a vacuum unibody evaporator with forced circulation having a 2.7 m² evaporation surface and to use the solid reactor as a vacuum contact dryer having a contact surface of 1.5 m².
The spray tower can be used for the direct drying of organic solutions. In the closed system the extracts are sprayed under an inert nitrogen atmosphere and evaporated with up to 30 kg/h solvent or water.
A dynamic crossflow filtration plant having a filer surface of 0.81 m² with rotating, ceramic filters can be used for microfiltration to separate fibers and for ultrafiltration to concentrate dissolved substances.