Essential oils and scents are obtained by subjecting organics such as rose petals or lavender to this high pressure process. Some snack foods have been processed this way to extract fat from the products.
MAXPRO high pressure air operated liquid pumps and gas boosters are used to increase the pressure of the carbon dioxide to its “supercritical state.” The Maximator pump or booster is used in conjunction with a heated or cooled extraction vessel which contains the product to be extracted. In the extractor, the CO2 acts as a solvent by selectively removing one or more components from the base product. The laden rich supercritical CO2 then passes through a separator vessel where the pressure/temperature is reduced, which releases the extracted material.