LAUSR

An experimental apparatus was developed for rapid and continuous supercritical CO2 extraction and separation of hydrophobic organic compounds from liquid solution. The mixing of supercritical CO2 and liquid solutions in a micromixer enhances mass transfer, which enables rapid extraction of hydrophobic organic compounds. Near-equilibrium yields were obtained in about 10 s. The separation of supercritical CO2 from liquid was achieved using a newly developed separation system. In this separation system, the liquid level is controlled by the differential pressure between the head pressure and the supercritical CO2 phase. A control bulb at the outlet of the liquid line was regulated to maintain a constant differential pressure. The extraction of aqueous vanillin solution was conducted at 40 °C under pressures of 10, 15, and 20 MPa. Our results suggest that greater than 97% equilibrium was achieved in our system within the extraction time of 10 s. The extraction of a black liquor filtrate, that contains vanilli...