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Four important parameters of the capsicum oleoresin CO2 extraction method

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supercritical CO2 extraction equipment for extracting capsicum oleoresin

Currently, the industrial extraction of capsicum oleoresin mainly uses organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone, ether, ethyl acetate, and hexane to extract chili oil from chili powder. The product has high residual solvents, a spicy taste and a unique smell, which is difficult to satisfy The requirements of the food industry have affected the deep processing and utilization of pepper and restricted the further application of capsicum oleoresin in food and other industries.

The CO2 extraction process of capsicum oleoresin: From the perspective of operation cycle and energy saving, the appropriate conditions for actual supercritical extraction are as follows: extraction temperature 40℃, extraction pressure 10MPa, extraction time 75min.

Supercritical CO2 extraction (SCFE) technology is an advanced green separation and extraction technology. It has the advantages of a simple process, low energy consumption, non-toxic extraction agent, easy recovery, safe operation, and high product purity. It has been widely used in industrial production.

Important parameters 1#: Temperature

The supercritical extraction experiment is carried out under the conditions of extraction pressure of 10MPa, chili powder particle size of 30-50 mesh, and CO2 flow rate of 42L/h:

  • When the temperature is less than 39°C, the extraction rate increases with the increase in temperature, and when the temperature is greater than 39°C, the extraction rate decreases rapidly with the increase in temperature;
  • When the temperature reaches 55°C, the extraction rate is only about 1/8 of the highest extraction rate; at 39°C, when the extraction time is 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes, the extraction rate almost reaches its maximum.

Therefore, the optimal extraction temperature is 39°C.

Important parameters 2#: CO2 Fluid Pressure

The extraction temperature is 40℃, the pepper powder particle size is 30-50 mesh, and the CO2 flow rate is 42L/h. The influence of pressure on the extraction rate is investigated. Pressure has a certain influence on the extraction rate of chili oil. Within the allowable range of equipment operating pressure <50MPa, the influence trend is:

  • When the pressure is less than 15MPa, the extraction rate of pepper oil increases with the increase of pressure;
  • When the pressure is more than 15MPa, the extraction rate of chili oil decreases with the increase in pressure;

When the extraction pressure is 15MPa and the extraction time is 120min, the extraction rate of chili oil reaches 9.76%. Therefore, 15MPa is the most suitable pressure.

Important parameters 3#: Extraction Time

  • Under 10MPa, when the temperature is 25℃: When the extraction time is less than 15min, the extraction rate increases very rapidly with the increase of time, and at 15-30min, it increases slowly with time; When the extraction time is>30min, it becomes very slow.
  • When the temperature is 30, 35, 40℃: When the extraction time is less than 30min, the extraction rate increases very rapidly with the increase of time; From 30 to 75 min, the increase is slower with time, and when the extraction time is> 75 min, it becomes very slow.
  • When the temperature is 45, 50, and 55℃: the extraction rate increases slowly with the increase of time, and the extraction rate is lower. Therefore, time has a great influence on the extraction rate, and its degree of influence is greatly influenced by temperature.

Under the conditions of 40℃, 20MPa, and 75min, the extraction verification experiment was carried out, and the extraction rate of chili oil was 9.48%.

Important parameters 4#: Granularity Pressure

The particle size decreases, the specific surface area increases, the contact area between the particles and the fluid increases, and the mass transfer path of the solute from the particle interior to the fluid becomes shorter. Therefore, the particle size decreases, and the extraction rate increases. However, too fine particle size may aggravate the back-mixing phenomenon of the bed and adversely affect the extraction. Therefore, there is an optimal particle size range.

When the particle size is 20 mesh, 30 mesh, 50 mesh, and 50-60 mesh, the extraction rate is 2.73%, 3.22%, 3.75%, and 3.83%. Therefore, it is recommended to use the particle size range of 30-50 mesh.

Capsicum oil supercritical CO2 extraction equipment Parameters Table

ConfigurationParameter
Extraction vesselVolume: customized according to customer requirements, generally 100ml-1000l
Working pressure: 35MPa-100MPa adjustable
Working temperature: room temperature -85℃ adjustable
3 extraction vessels are recommended for production equipment
SeparatorVolume: Configured according to the volume of the extraction kettle, generally 50ml-800l
Working pressure: 10MPa-30MPa adjustable
Working temperature: room temperature -85℃ adjustable
Recommend 3 separation kettles
Working pressure: 16MPa
Gas storage tankVolume: According to the overall plan configuration, generally 10l-6000l
Working pressure: 9.9MPa
PumpCO2 high-pressure pump and carrier pump, with adjustable flow and pressure
Production equipment equipped with 2 high-pressure pumps
Heat Exchange SystemWorking pressure: 35MPa-100MPa
Working temperature: adjustable from room temperature to 90℃
Refrigeration system5℃-10℃
Security systemThe high-pressure pump and the inlet and outlet of all containers are equipped with an overpressure protection device, the safety interlocking device is connected to the PLC control system and the safety valve to ensure the safety of the system