Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Mass transfer in countercurrent packed columns: Application to supercritical CO[sub 2] extraction of terpenes

Journal Article · · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00041a023· OSTI ID:6497290
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. Nova de Lisboa, Monte de Caparica (Portugal). Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is an alternative separation method to more conventional processes such as liquid extraction and distillation. However, up to now, few works have been devoted to the investigation of the efficiency of countercurrent packed columns under supercritical conditions from a mass transfer point of view. Mass transfer in a countercurrent column, filled with structured gauze packing, was measured for the separation of a mixture of terpenes (d-limonene/1,8-cineole) by supercritical carbon dioxide, at 313 and 318 K and pressures up to 9 MPa. The extraction efficiency was determined in terms of the overall mass transfer coefficient. Operating lines for this process had an appreciable curvature due to a high miscibility of the two contacting phases. The real slope of these lines had to be estimated. Available mass transfer models for packed columns predicted efficiencies diverging to a great extent from the experimental results.

OSTI ID:
6497290
Journal Information:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States), Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States) Vol. 34:2; ISSN IECRED; ISSN 0888-5885
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English