ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to focus attention on the fundamental transport processes such as heat and mass transfer involved in extraction from natural products using a supercritical fluid (SCF) solvent. Thermodynamic and phase equilibrium properties dictate the feasibility of such a process and the conditions for maximum possible separation. Knowledge of transport properties of the SCF solvent and resistance to transport processes are required for deciding the time required for extraction and the sizes of the critical components of the process plant. This chapter is useful for process design, simulation, and optimization purposes. It summarizes the relevant procedures for generating the required quantitative information.
