Fractionation of lipids in a static mixer and packed column using supercritical carbon dioxide

Fractionation of shark liver oil and olive oil deodorizer distillate using supercritical carbon dioxide was carried out in a laboratory-scale static m ixer and laboratory- and pilot-scale packed columns. Both lipid mixtures co ntain squalene, which was the desired end product. The separation factor fo r squalene from shark liver oil was high, and the laboratory-scale packed c olumn gave a degree of separation superior to that of the static mixer. The mass transfer performance of the static miser was similar to that of the p ilot-scale packed column for the recovery of squalene from olive oil deodor izer distillate. The separation factor for squalene was low, and more than one processing step was required before high purity squalene could be obtai ned. The pressure drop over the static mixer was measured and correlated ag ainst the specific energy consumption. For all operating conditions, the pr essure drop was less than 1 bar and, hence, not significant for industrial- scale plant design. Literature correlations for drop size and overall mass transfer coefficients were compared with experimentally determined overall mass transfer coefficients. The correlation predictions agreed with experim ental, results only at low dispersed phase velocities in the static mixer.