Superheated Water Extraction

Superheated water extraction is a promising new method for “green” production of non-polar natural compounds avoiding organic compounds. In this method, we use a cheap, widespread, environmental, health and fire safe solvent - water.

The working principle of our equipment is to increase solvent pressure to elevate extraction temperature and change water selectivity to non-polar compounds. For example dielectric constant of pure water at 170o C is equal to the dielectric constant of the aqueous-ethanolic solution with concentration 67%w/w at 20o C.

The perspectives are to extract non-polar molecules from biomass with water only. Typical extraction process parameters are temperatures up to 170o C, duration – 1-3 minutes.

The current development stage is laboratory scale – 2 l volume, industrial application are expected soon.