Optimization Of Supercritical Fluid Extraction Process Using Response Surface Method And Simulation

As a new type of chemical separation technology, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technology can be effectively applied to the extraction of effective components of natural products. Characteristics of parameters during the extraction operation and optimization of experimental parameters has been the focus of scholars’research. The active components from ginger and lavender were extracted using supercritical fluid, the process was investigated using response surface method in this paper, and the operating parameters of supercritical fluid extraction were optimized. A mathematical model of supercritical fluid extraction based on the extraction bed mass conservation principle was built to analyze the supercritical extraction process.The main contents of this paper are as follows:1. The supercritical fluid extraction of ginger process were studied, the effects of the operation parameters, namely extraction pressure, temperature, solvent flow rate, and the particle size were investigated using the single factor experiment. On this basis, a second order polynomial empirical models of yield was obtained by using Box-Behnken experimental design combined with response surface method, the effect of operating parameters were analyzed, and the optimum process conditions were obtained.2. The supercritical fluid extraction of lavender process were studied, based on the single factor experiment, the influence of various parameters in the process of supercritical fluid extraction on lavender essential oil extraction yield were investigated using a central composite experimental design combined with response surface analysis method, a corresponding empirical model and optimal conditions were obtained.3. The chemical compositions of supercritical fluid extraction products were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The extracts of ginger contains a lot of volatile components, and the existence of gingerol compounds like zingerol, zingiberone as well, and the main components of lavender essential oil were linalool, linalyl acetate, etc.4. According to the extraction bed mass conservation principle, the mass transfer model of supercritical fluid extraction was built combined the broken intact cell model with shrinking-core model theories. The supercritical fluid extraction of ginger process was simulated, mass transfer coefficients of the shell under different operating conditions were obtained as well. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data, which can reflect the mass transfer mechanism of extraction process.