Modeling of the thyme-supercritical carbon dioxide extraction system. I. The influence of carbon dioxide flow rate and grinding degree of thyme

Abstract

The influence of carbon dioxide flow rate and grinding degree of thyme on supercritical fluid extraction of thyme was investigated. The extraction rate of the pharmacologically important compound of thyme-thymol can be successfully expressed by analogy to first-order reaction kinetics. To model extraction of the thyme-supercritical carbon dioxide system, we used the Reverchon-Sesti Osseo equation as well as our modified equation.