Extraction Method of Astaxanthin Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction

摘要

PURPOSE: A method for extracting astaxanthin by using supercritical fluid extraction and its apparatus are provided, to improve the purity of astaxanthin and to minimize the use of an organic solvent. CONSTITUTION: The method comprises the steps of passing the fluid discharged from a fluid storage tank(2) through a front pressure controller(4) and cooling the fluid at a cooling device(6); filtering the cooled fluid at a filter(42); increasing the pressure of a filtered fluid at a first high pressure liquid pump(8); heating the high pressure fluid at a heat exchanger(10) to prepare a supercritical fluid; transferring the supercritical fluid to a first extractor(20) or a second extractor(22) to extract astaxanthin; flowing the fluid where astaxanthin is extracted into a first separator(30) to collect an oily component and astaxanthin; flowing the fluid passed the first separator into a second separator(32) to collect the remaining oily component and astaxanthin; flowing the fluid passed the second separator into a third separator(34) to collect the final oily component and astaxanthin; and transferring the fluid from the third separator into the cooling device(6) for reuse.