Cost Optimization of Extract Production in Supercritical Extraction Process with the Use of CO2 – A Novel Approach

Abstract Supercritical extraction processes have been widely commercialized since 1970 of the XX century and now they are technologically advanced. Supercritical extraction is used in a number of industrial branches. Significant achievements are observed in the field of plant raw materials processing. Scientific investigations have proved that plenty of raw materials can be processed with CO2 supercritical extraction. The most popular extraction applications include extraction of hop (e.g. bitter acids and xanthohumol), coffee, tea, and many others. Hop extraction became standard practice of processing of hop cones into extract and almost entirely dominated hop processing market. It is commonly and mistakenly believed that cost of plant processing with the use of CO 2 is very high. However, implications based on literature data published and authors’ experience prove that the cost of supercritical extraction processing is comparable to the cost of liquid extraction, and sometimes being even lower. The analysis of this technology allows for further reductions of extract production cost. Cost components and the specification of cost reductions by modification of process parameters were presented in this paper. Main business advantages can be obtained by accurate control of the amount of solvent stream in the plant system, which has an effect on energy consumption in all the important process loops. Therefore, a significant reduction of energy consumption per product manufactured in the particular production cycle is expected.