Patent ID: 6162162
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: B01D,B04B,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for extracting a component from liquids comprising:an inlet conduit for supplying a liquid, said liquid containing a desired fraction to be extracted therefrom;a supply vessel for supplying a dense phase solvent for extractin said desired fraction, said dense phase solvent being chosen from the group consisting of supercritical fluids and liquefied gases;a rotatable mixer connected to said inlet conduit and said supply vessel, said rotatable mixer having a centrifuge, said centrifuge having inlets for receiving said liquid and said dense phase solvent, a mixing chamber for dissolving said desired fraction into said dense phase solvent as a loaded solvent at an extraction pressure sufficient to maintain said desired fraction dissolved in said dense phase solvent and for separating loaded solvent from remaining raffinate, a raffinate outlet for discharging said raffinate and a solvent outlet for discharging said loaded solvent; anda separation vessel connected to said solvent outlet of said rotatable mixer for receiving said loaded solvent, said separation vessel having a separation pressure less than said extraction pressure of said centrifuge for converting said loaded solvent into a gas and said desired fraction and for liberating said desired fraction from said gas, wherein a pressure reduction valve connects said solvent outlet and said separation vessel for decreasing pressure in said separation vessel.