Modelling of continuous supercritical fluids extraction to recover fatty and volatile oil from Traditional Chinese Medicinal materials

Several classical Chinese herbal materials (CHMs) were extracted using continuous supercritical fluid extraction (CSFE), a newly developed technology to further elevate the efficiency of traditional batch supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). A mathematical model was established to describe CSFE process and predict the optimal switching times. The results showed that the total extraction times of Ganoderma lucidum spores (S- GL ), Juglans regia seeds, Zingiber officinale rhizoma and Citrus reticulata pericarp by CSFE were 55.2%, 40.3%, 55.5% and 36.0% lower than those by batch SFE, respectively. Furthermore, mathematical predictions could further help to improve the extraction efficiency and make full utilization of CHMs. When using the calculated optimal switching times, the total extraction rate of CSFE kept constant at the maximum value. Qualities of CHMs extracts had no significant difference between batch SFE and CSFE. The mathematical model of CSFE can be used to guide the extraction of active ingredients from CHMs. • CSFE with shorter extraction time and high efficiency was developed. • Three kettles were adopted for cycle switching with two-kettle in series. • Mathematical model was established to descript extraction process of herbs. • The model can predict optimal switching times to guide CSFE operation.