Extraction Equipment

SCFE – Supercritical CO2 Extraction Plant

Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey supercritical CO₂ (SCFE) extraction plants that use carbon dioxide above its critical point as a clean, tunable extraction medium. Supercritical CO₂ combines gas-like penetration with liquid-like solvent power, so it dissolves target compounds from a botanical bed at low temperature and then releases them when the pressure is dropped, so the CO₂ separates from the extract as a gas. Mechotech engineers the complete system — extraction vessels, fractional separators, high-pressure CO₂ pump, co-solvent dosing, chilling, CO₂ recovery and PLC-SCADA controls — for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, flavour, fragrance and cosmetic industries.

A Mechotech SCFE plant is built around a high-pressure extraction vessel (or a bank of vessels) served by a ceramic-plunger CO₂ high-pressure pump, a refrigerated chiller that liquefies the CO₂, and precise extractor/separator heat exchangers that hold each stage at its set temperature. Extract selectivity is tuned by adjusting pressure and temperature, and an optional food-grade ethanol co-solvent (entrainer) extends recovery to more polar compounds. Laden CO₂ is expanded across one or more separators so fractions drop out stage by stage, then the CO₂ is recompressed and returned to storage by a closed-loop recovery system so that it can be reused. Product-contact parts are built in stainless steel 304, with safety valves and software overpressure protection throughout; capacity, vessel count and automation level are configured to the customer's feedstock, throughput and product mix.

Process Flow

$Mechotech Supercritical CO2 (SCFE) Extraction Plant process flow — feed preparation, CO2 chilling and pressurisation, temperature conditioning, supercritical extraction, separation and fractionation, product collection, CO2 recovery and recycle, optional purification$

Technical Specifications

Technology	Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SCFE / supercritical CO₂)
Working Principle	CO₂ above its critical point as a tunable extraction fluid
Extraction Vessel	Configured to requirement — pilot to multi-vessel industrial
Separators	One- or two-stage fractional separation (configurable)
Extraction Pressure	Up to ~40–50 MPa design (configured to process requirement)
Separation Pressure	~20–25 MPa (configurable)
Operating Temperature	Ambient to ~85 °C (configurable)
Co-Solvent / Entrainer	Food-grade ethanol (optional, for polar compounds)
CO₂ Handling	Closed-loop recovery, recompression and recycle
Product-contact Material	Stainless steel 304
Automation	PLC / SCADA with touchscreen (configurable)
Utilities	Refrigerated chiller / cooling, electrical power, food-grade CO₂
Safety	Safety valves on all pressure vessels + software overpressure alarms
Output	Extract, essential oil, oleoresin or isolate

Plant Capacities

Plant Size	Scale / Usage	Configuration	Design Pressure	Operating Temperature
1 L	Pilot / R&D	Single vessel	up to ~50 MPa	ambient–85 °C
2 L	Pilot / R&D	Single vessel	up to ~50 MPa	ambient–85 °C
5 L	Pilot / R&D	Single vessel	up to ~50 MPa	ambient–85 °C
10 L	Lab / small production	Twin vessel	up to ~50 MPa	ambient–85 °C
20 L	Lab / small production	Twin vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
30 L	Small production	Twin vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
50 L	Production	Twin vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
100 L	Production	Multi-vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
200 L	Commercial	Multi-vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
300 L	Commercial	Multi-vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
500 L	Commercial	Multi-vessel	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
1000 L	Industrial	Multi-vessel train	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
2000 L	Industrial	Multi-vessel train	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C
3000 L+	Industrial (large)	Multi-vessel train	up to ~40 MPa	ambient–85 °C

Standard SCFE plant sizes; separators, CO₂ high-pressure & co-solvent pumps, chiller, CO₂ recovery, SS 304 construction and PLC-SCADA controls are scaled to each plant. Every size is configured to the customer's feedstock and throughput — larger and custom capacities on request.

Manufacturing Process

Feed Preparation

The botanical raw material is cleaned, dried and milled to an optimal particle size so supercritical CO₂ can penetrate the bed evenly and contact the target compounds.

CO₂ Chilling & Pressurisation

Food-grade CO₂ is liquefied in a refrigerated chiller and raised by the high-pressure pump above its critical point (about 31 °C and 7.4 MPa) into the supercritical state.

Temperature Conditioning

The extractor heat exchanger brings the supercritical CO₂ to the set extraction temperature, fixing the fluid's density and therefore its dissolving power.

Supercritical Extraction

Supercritical CO₂ percolates the packed extraction vessel, dissolving the target solutes; an optional ethanol co-solvent can be dosed in to recover more polar actives.

Separation & Fractionation

The laden CO₂ is expanded across one or more separators; stepwise reductions in pressure and temperature precipitate the extract, allowing fractions to be collected separately.

Product Collection

The extract, essential oil or oleoresin is drawn from the separator vessels — multiple separators enable fractional collection of distinct quality cuts.

CO₂ Recovery & Recycle

The now-clean CO₂ is recompressed and recondensed by the closed-loop recovery system and returned to the storage tank for reuse.

Purification (Optional)

The extract can be winterised and short-path/molecular distilled on matched downstream equipment to reach isolate or crystal-grade purity.

Major Plant Equipment

Extraction vessel or vessel bank (high-pressure, stainless steel 304)
Ceramic-plunger CO₂ high-pressure pump
Refrigerated chiller (CO₂ liquefaction)
Extractor and separator heat exchangers
One- or two-stage fractional separators
Co-solvent (ethanol) dosing pump (optional)
CO₂ storage tank and closed-loop recovery, recompression and recycle system
Safety valves and software overpressure protection
PLC / SCADA control with touchscreen
Downstream winterisation and short-path / molecular distillation (optional, separate Mechotech pages)

Plant Output

Extract, essential oil, oleoresin or isolate, collected as fractions from the separatorsRecovered CO₂ returned to storage for reuse

Applications

Essential oils and aroma extracts (e.g. agarwood/oud, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, lavender, vanilla)
Spice oleoresins (black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli)
Coffee and tea decaffeination
Resins and gums (frankincense, myrrh)
Hops and botanical bitters extraction
Carotenoids and antioxidants (lycopene, astaxanthin, seabuckthorn actives)
Alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins from herbal medicine
Nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, flavour, fragrance and cosmetic ingredient production

Key Features

CO₂ Separates as a Gas
When the pressure drops the CO₂ returns to a gas and separates from the extract. Where an ethanol co-solvent is used it is removed in a later step, and the residual-solvent specification is agreed with the client.
Tunable Selectivity
Adjusting pressure and temperature changes CO₂ density and dissolving power, so the same plant can target different compounds and quality fractions.
Low-Temperature Processing
Extraction runs at mild temperatures that protect heat-sensitive aromas, actives and colours from thermal degradation.
Closed-Loop CO₂ Recovery
An integrated recovery and recycle loop reclaims the CO₂ each cycle so that it can be reused.
Optional Co-Solvent & Fractional Separators
A food-grade ethanol entrainer extends recovery to polar compounds, while multiple separators allow fractional collection of distinct cuts.
SS 304 Build, PLC-SCADA & Full Safety
Stainless-steel product-contact construction, recipe-based PLC/SCADA control, and safety valves with software overpressure protection throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is supercritical CO₂ (SCFE) extraction?

It is an extraction method that uses carbon dioxide held above its critical point (about 31 °C and 7.4 MPa). In this supercritical state CO₂ flows through a botanical bed like a gas but dissolves compounds like a liquid, then separates from the extract as a gas when the pressure is released.

How does a supercritical CO₂ extraction plant work?

Food-grade CO₂ is chilled to a liquid, pumped to high pressure into the supercritical state, temperature-conditioned, and passed through the packed extraction vessel to dissolve the target solutes. The laden CO₂ is then expanded across separators where the extract drops out, and the CO₂ is recovered and recycled for the next cycle.

Why choose SCFE over conventional solvent extraction?

SCFE uses CO₂ rather than an organic solvent as the main extraction fluid, runs at low temperature to protect heat-sensitive actives and aromas, and its selectivity can be tuned by pressure and temperature. That makes it well suited to premium food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and fragrance ingredients where purity and quality are critical.

What can a supercritical CO₂ plant extract?

Essential oils and aroma extracts, spice oleoresins, resins, hops, carotenoids and antioxidants, and alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins from herbal medicine — plus applications such as coffee and tea decaffeination — across the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, food, flavour, fragrance and cosmetic industries.

What capacity and pressure are available?

Capacity is configured to your feedstock and throughput, from pilot systems to multi-vessel industrial plants, with extraction pressures typically designed up to around 40–50 MPa. Vessel size, number of separators and automation level are all matched to the application.

Is the CO₂ recovered and reused?

Yes. A closed-loop recovery system recompresses and recondenses the CO₂ each cycle and returns it to storage, so that CO₂ can be reused.

Does Mechotech supply the plant turnkey?

Yes. Mechotech is a turnkey supercritical CO₂ extraction plant manufacturer, delivering process design, equipment manufacturing, PLC/SCADA automation, installation, commissioning and after-sales support as a single integrated system.

Does Mechotech offer CO2 extraction plants for specific botanicals?

Yes. Alongside this general-purpose SCFE plant, Mechotech manufactures feedstock-specific CO2 extraction plants across our CO2 Extraction Plants range, covering botanicals such as turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, ginger and other spices and oils.

What information is needed to specify an SCFE plant?

To configure the plant Mechotech needs the raw material and its particle size and moisture, the target compounds, the throughput or vessel size wanted, whether a co-solvent is needed, whether fractional collection is required, and the hygiene, safety and documentation requirements. Pressure, temperature and vessel count are then set during process development on a pilot run.

Which related pages does Mechotech list?

Downstream purification is on the Short Path Distillation Unit and Molecular Distillation Unit pages, and other extraction designs are on the Horizontal Rotary-Type Extraction page. The hub is Extraction Equipment Plants.

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SCFE – Supercritical CO2 Extraction Plant