Supercritical Fluid Continuous Extraction Device Research

In this paper, the structures of extractors for solid material extraction by supercritical fluids were summarized. At present, the equipment in use is mainly intermittent operation equipment. The work efficiency of the equipment is low. Every time of loading and unloading material, the covers of the extractors must be opened. The pressure in the extractors increases and decreases repeatedly. The workers' intensity of labour is heavy. The equipment is easy to fatigue and reduce life itself. Once the safeguard is disabled and an accident is inevitable.For solving the problems in intermittent operation equipment, two kinds of continuously loading-unloading equipment were put forward in this paper. They are the spherical-loading-unloading extractors and the chain-loading-unloading-tubal extractors. Applying these extractors , the supercritical fluid extraction equipment can continuously input solid material and output the remainder and the work efficiency is increased.The whole operation process is completed in close status, extraction solvent and energy are saved, production cost is reduced. The environment pollution is decreased and the safety and reliability are enhanced.Based on GB150-1998 Steel Pressure Vessels and JB4732-1995 Steel Pressure Vessels-Design by Analysis, the formulas and method design of the spherical-loading-unloading extractors were put forward. According to this method, an example was given.The mid disk of the sphere in the spherical-loading- unloading extractors was analyzed by finite-element software (ANSYS). The results showed that the structure and thickness of the disk could satisfy intensity requirement and not get fatigue failure.