Industrial applications of supercritical fluids: A review

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 77; pp. 235 - 243
• Main Authors: Knez, Ž., Markočič, E., Leitgeb, M., Primožič, M., Knez Hrnčič, M., Škerget, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2014
• Subjects: Biochemical reactions; Carriers; Extraction; Foaming; Pharmaceuticals; Polymers; Solvents; Supercritical fluids; Textiles; Supercritical fluids; Extraction; Polymers; Biochemical reactions
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.07.044

High pressure technologies involving sub and supercritical fluids offer the possibility to obtain new products with special characteristics or to design new processes, which are environmentally friendly and sustainable. By using high pressure as a processing tool one can also avoid the legal limitations for solvent residues and restrictions on use of conventional solvents in chemical processes. Supercritical fluids are already applied in several processes developed to commercial scale in pharmaceutical, food and textile industries. Extraction of valuable compounds from plant materials and their “in situ” formulation in products with specific properties is one of the very promising applications of high pressure technology. Particle formation using supercritical fluids may overcome the drawbacks of conventional particle size reduction processes. Because of their unique thermo-dynamic and fluid-dynamic properties, dense gases can also be used for impregnation of solid particles, particle coating, foaming etc. Some biochemical and chemical reactions performed in supercritical fluids have already been implemented at industrial scale to obtain products with high added value, while the use of supercritical fluids as heat carriers is a newly emerging field. In our short overview we present some applications and future expected development in the field of sub and supercritical fluids.
•Review on the applications of sub and supercritical fluids.•Supercritical extraction of valuable compounds from plant materials.•Polymer processing with minimum or no use of solvent.•Chemical and biochemical reactions in supercritical fluids.•Supercritical fluids as heat carriers in refrigeration systems or in power cycles.