The best CO2 extraction method for agarwood essential oil
Table of Contents
The best carbon dioxide extraction process of agarwood essential oil
The optimum process conditions for supercritical CO2 extraction of agarwood essential oil are as follows: soaking time 83h, extraction pressure 28MPa, temperature 46℃, material-liquid ratio 1:1.2, extraction time 2h. Under this condition, the extraction rate of agarwood essential oil was 1.89%.
The CO2 extreaction method of agarwood essntial oil
Agarwood pretreatment The agarwood was crushed, passed through a 40-mesh sieve, and soaked in distilled water at room temperature for 83 hours. Then, the agarwood powder is recovered by filtration and air-dried for supercritical CO2 extraction.
Agarwood essential oil extraction step Accurately weigh 100g of dried agarwood powder, add the corresponding proportion of (1:1.2) entrainer-ethyl acetate, and fill it in the extraction kettle.
After filling, turn on the instrument, After each part of the system reaches the set conditions, the average CO2 flow is controlled to be 20L/h, the temperature of separation 1 and separation 2 are both 55 °C, and then the extraction is started according to the set extraction temperature, pressure and other parameters.
Agarwood oil supercritical CO2 extraction equipment
Supercritical CO2 extraction of agarwood essential oil is first-class and pure. The essential oil in the aroma of agarwood can be extracted under extremely high pressure. This method has high extraction efficiency and guarantees the quality of the essential oil.If high-temperature methods are used to extract essential oils, the effective ingredients of the original agarwood essential oils will be destroyed.
| Type | Specification | Pressure | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48L | 24L*2 | 40Mpa | 2 extraction vessels & 2 separator |
| 72L | 24L*3 | 40Mpa | 3 extraction vessels & 2 separator |
| 120L | 30L*4 | 40Mpa | 4 extraction vessels & 2 separator |
| 200L | 50L*4 | 40Mpa | 4 extraction vessels & 2 separator |
Features of CO2 extraction method
- Supercritical CO2 extraction can be performed at close to room temperature (35-40°C) and under the envelope of CO2 gas, which effectively prevents the oxidation and escape of heat-sensitive substances. Therefore, the effective components of agarwood essential oil are kept in the extract, and the substances with high boiling point, low volatility, and easy pyrolysis can be extracted at a temperature far below its boiling point;
- Supercritical CO2 extraction is the cleanest extraction method. Since the whole process does not use organic solvents, there are no residual solvents in the extract, thus preventing the existence of harmful substances to the human body and pollution to the environment during the extraction process, ensuring 100% The naturalness of
- Extraction and separation are combined into one. When the saturated dissolved CO2 fluid enters the separator, due to the pressure drop or temperature change, the CO2 and the extract quickly become two phases (gas-liquid separation) and separate immediately, not only extraction The efficiency is high and the energy consumption is low, which improves the production efficiency and reduces the cost;
- CO2 is an inactive gas, no chemical reaction occurs during the extraction process, and it is a non-flammable gas, tasteless, odorless, non-toxic, and very safe;
- CO2 gas is cheap, high in purity, easy to prepare, and can be reused in production, thereby effectively reducing costs;
- Both pressure and temperature can be used to adjust the parameters of the extraction process. The purpose of extraction is achieved by changing the temperature and pressure. When the pressure is fixed, the material can also be separated by changing the temperature; on the contrary, the temperature is fixed, and the extract is separated by reducing the pressure. Therefore, the process is simple and easy to master, and the extraction speed is fast.
What is agarwood
In China’s coastal areas of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan, there is a tree called “White Wood Fragrant Tree”.
This kind of tree is scarred by fat that is blown off branches by wind, lightning strikes, insects, and artificial cuts.
This is called agarwood, so it is very rare and precious.
Ancient Chinese monarchs used agarwood to make water, make tea, and make wine, which has a good health preservation effect.
Agarwood essential oil
Agarwood essential oil is refined from precious agarwood raw materials after supercritical extraction, which is the essence of agarwood.
Agarwood essential oil has multiple effects and effects on the human body, such as: improving aura, relieving stress, sleeping and anti-depression, regulating the body and mind, and promoting body metabolism.
Due to the non-renewability of natural agarwood, the refined agarwood oil is even more rare and precious.
CO2 Extractio Method
There are a total of 7 processes in the common CO2 extraction method:
- Biomass drying
- Grinding
- Fill Biomass
- Pressurize with CO2
- Run in Closed Loop
- Periodically
- Depressurize
1. Biomass drying
Biomass (flowers, leaves, seeds, rhizomes, etc.) is much easier to buck when it includes less than 10% moisture.
Dry biomass to moisture content below 10%.
As an alternative to machinery, many farmers let their crops dry in the field. This works well as long as the harvest time is cool and dry.
2. Grinding
Once the biomass has been dried, it is granulated. In general, smaller particles (30-80 mesh) are desirable and tighter particle diameter distributions are better for extraction throughput.
Important: Before grinding (pulverizing) large chunks of biomass, it needs to be divided into flakes and sent to a pulverizer for grinding. This avoids the high temperature generated by the high-speed pulverization of biomass in the pulverizer, which destroys the characteristics of the extract and loses part of the essential oil.
3. Fill Biomass
Load Extraction Vessel with biomass.
4. Pressurize with CO2
Bring each vessel to working pressure using CO2 from supply cylinders.
5. Run in Closed Loop
In Extraction Vessel, compounds are pulled from biomass into solution.
Solvent (CO2) is boiled out of solution in Separator 1.
Evaporated CO2 is condensed into liquid and stored in Accumulator.
6. Periodically
Open valve on the separator to collect extract.
7. Depressurize
After allotted run time, system is depressurized by releasing CO2 through Separator 3.