EXTRACTION METHOD BY SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS COMPRESSION-EXPANSION CYCLES APPLIED AT WORKING PRESSURE

摘要

According to the invention, the application of quick and cyclic variations in the working pressure, and in the form of compression-expansion cycles of the supercritical fluid, with or without co-solvents and used as a solvent in systems for extracting the active ingredients contained in plants or other resources, allows 1) the increase of the extraction yield of such systems and 2) the substantial reduction of said working pressure. Combinations of such supercritical fluids are considered as a single supercritical fluid. According to the invention, a simple method for producing said quick variations in said working pressure of said supercritical fluid comprises completely filling a sealed housing with said supercritical fluid and varying the volume relative to the constant mass of supercritical fluid. An elementary assembly of the invention is proposed for producing the same. Another assembly for producing the present invention and using the AQUARESE system is also proposed.