Proceso continuo de overlapping (PCO).
While in the Semi Continuous Process (SCP) the system is equipped with 2 extraction vessels, in the Continuous Overlapping Process (COP) the system is equipped with 3 extraction vessels.
Taking advantage on the typical botanical extraction kinetic, the intelligent automation of the system will apply a different extraction strategy.
The COP automation program puts two extractors in series, doubling the volume of the extractor.
The advantage is obvious: in the same process time we will have results almost comparable to a double-sized system. All these procedures are automatically managed by the on-board automation without any intervention by the operator, who will only have to take care of the unloading/reloading of the basket and the withdrawal of the extract.
As we see, the most of the extract comes out in the first half of the extraction. The new process program will apply a new approach: after the first half of the extraction, the system puts in series the extractors nr. 1 and nr.2
As the most of the compounds has been extracted from extractor nr. 1, after the first half of the extraction the CO2 is no more saturated by the compounds like before.
This means the CO2 has room to solubilize more compounds than what available in extractor nr. 1.
Connecting the extractor nr. 2 in series to extractor nr. 1 after the first half of the process will give to the production manager the advantage to recover the last 15% to 30% left in extractor nr. 1 while extracting the most of the compounds from extractor nr. 2, and so on with extractor nr. 2 and extractor nr. 3 and then again with extractor nr. 3 and extractor nr. 1 in an endless circle.