System for measuring the solubility of solid compounds in supercritical fluids

摘要

A system for measuring the solubility of various solid organic compounds in supercritical fluids such as methane or carbon dioxide for example, and for studying the equilibrium between the solid phase and the supercritical phase in a wide pressure and temperature range is disclosed. The system comprises four functional units E1, E2, E3, E4. Unit E1 delivers a supercritical fluid (methane, CO.sub.2, etc.), unit E2 comprises a sampling cell containing the compound to be solubilized, where the pressurized gas from unit E1 saturates on contact therewith, unit E3 is intended for sampling and bringing the sample into solution, and unit E4 is intended to receive the saturated fluid and to analyze it. The system allows dynamic solubilization to be performed with on-line or off-line analysis of the sample. The system can be applied for production of very pure compounds isolated from mixtures of heavy hydrocarbons for example or from alloys, or in the agribusiness for isolation of flavors.