Entry-level SFE for universities and industry ..

Available from Activotec the new SFT-100 Supercritical Fluid Extractor (SFE) is an entry-level system, which possesses many features typically found in more costly SFE equipment. It may be used for a variety of applications from routine analytical work to basic process development.

The SFT-100 was developed for people who want to investigate the feasibility of applying supercritical fluid techniques to a wide variety of analytical and processing problems. In addition to its numerous industrial uses, the SFT-100 is well suited to the needs of colleges and universities. It is so affordable that it may be incorporated into teaching laboratories. At the same time, it is capable enough to be used for serious research.

The SFT-100 accommodates a wide range of extraction vessels from 10 ml to 100 ml. It may be operated at pressures up to 10,000 psi. (68.9 MPa) and at temperatures ranging from ambient to 200°C. The wide range of vessel volumes available makes the SFT-100 well suited to both analytical scale SFE applications and basic process development work. With a 100 ml vessel, the SFT-100 can extract very low levels of key components from materials and process larger amounts of bulk material than would be possible with smaller, analytical scale SFE equipment. Inside the SFT-100's oven, a pre-heater ensures that the temperature of the fluid reaching the extractions vessel is controlled precisely. This is essential to obtaining accurate, repeatable results.

The SFT-100 incorporates a high performance, dual piston pump that produces the high pressures required for supercritical fluid work. The system has built-in safety precautions to prevent accidental over-temperature or overpressure conditions. As an additional safety backup, a rupture disc assembly provides mechanical protection against accidental over pressurisation of the system.

Manually operated valves ensure long term, maintenance free operation. An integrated program logic controller monitors and adjusts fluid pressure inside the extraction vessel to achieve and maintain a desired set point. A PID temperature controller monitors and maintains the precise fluid temperature inside the high-pressure vessel.

A robust, variable restrictor valve (back pressure regulator) provides precise control over flow rates, which is essential in obtaining highly reproducible results from run to run. Flow rates can range from 0.1 to 24 ml/min. (0.08 to 18 grams/ min.) of liquid CO2 under typical operating conditions. While carbon dioxide is the most commonly used solvent, the SFT-100, with some modification, allows the user flexibility to work with a variety of supercritical fluids. Extract collection options include: solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, fractional cyclone separators, and EPA sample vials. An optional co-solvent addition module is available for the SFT-100.

Activotec is a customer-focused company providing high technology products and services for chemistry and biochemistry applications. Activotec provides a complete range of products and services for organic, peptide and protein synthesis. For further information on the SFT-100 please click 'request more info' or telephone.