Review of kinetic models for supercritical fluid extraction

The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of liquids and solid materials is gaining increasing interest and commercial application in last decades, most particularly under the recent concept of green chemistry and biorefinery. Hence, it is fundamental to provide adequate modeling of the SFE, in order to optimize operating conditions and simulate the global process. This work intends to review the most significant and physically sound models published in the literature for countercurrent liquid-supercritical fluid extraction and SFE of solid matrices, such as the linear driving force, shrinking core, broken and intact cells, and the combination of BIC and shrinking core models. The main assumptions and mass transfer expressions are presented and discussed.

Research highlights▶ Most significant mathematical models of supercritical extraction were reviewed. ▶ Model for countercurrent liquid-supercritical fluid extraction model was analyzed. ▶ Models for supercritical fluid extraction of solid matrices were reviewed: linear driving force, shrinking core, broken and intact cells, and the combination of BIC and shrinking core models.