SINGLE PHASE ENRICHMENT OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUID MIXTURES

RESEARCH ON A NOVEL, NEWLY-INVENTED SEPARATIONS METHOD FOR ENRICHING A SOLUTE IN SUPERCRITICAL FLUID SOLUTION WHILE MAINTAINING A SINGLE PHASE AT CONSTANT PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE IS PROPOSED IN ANSWER TO THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND ECONOMIC PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH SEPARATION IN CONVENTIONAL SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION PROCESSES CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE TO DETERMINE AND MEASURE THE EFFECTSOF THE THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS ON THE SEPARATION EFFICIENCYOF THE NEW CONCEPT AND TO ASSESS THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF ITS APPLICATION. THE PROPOSED METHOD CAN SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE COSTS RELATIVE TO ADSORPTION CLEAN UP AND TWO PHASE, PRESSURE-TEMPERATURE CYCLING OPERATION REQUIRED IN ALL CURRENT SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION/SEPARATION PROCESSES.SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHED ON PHASE I AND PHASE II PROMISES TO BROADEN THE APPLICABILITY OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUID PROCESSING.