Extraction of jojoba oil with liquid CO2 + propane solvent mixtures

Abstract

In this work liquid CO2/propane mixtures were used to extract jojoba oil from oilseeds. First, experiments at 313 K and pressures of 70 bar and 200 bars were carried out on jojoba oil deposited on glass spheres, using different solvent concentrations (30 wt%, 50 wt% and 70 wt% CO2), to assess the influence of the solvent composition and phase behavior on the extraction rate. Then, jojoba oil was extracted from the milled seeds under homogeneous liquid conditions, using solvent mixtures containing 30 wt% and 50 wt% CO2 at 70 bar and 313 K. A solvent mixture with 30 wt% CO2 exhibited good solvent power. Oil extraction yields of 98 % were obtained using a minimum solvent to oilseed mass ratio of 5 g solvent / g oilseed and operating the extractor at 313 K and 70 bar.