J.

of Supercritical Fluids 49 (2009) 2331

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

The Journal of Supercritical Fluids

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/supflu

Mathematical modeling of supercritical uid extraction for obtaining extracts from vetiver root
M.A.A. Melreles a, , G. Zahedi b , T. Hatami b
a b

LASEFI-DEA/FEA (School of Food Engineering)/UNICAMP (University of Campinas), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 80, 13083-862 Campinas, So Paulo, Brazil Simulation and Articial Intelligence Research Center, Chemical Engineering Department, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

a r t i c l e

i n f o

a b s t r a c t
Mathematical modeling study for extraction of oil from vetiver root using supercritical carbon dioxide was performed in this study. Mass transfer is based on local equilibrium between solvent and solid. The equilibrium constant between solid and solvent was determined by tting theoretical extraction yield with experimental constant velocity data. The model was solved numerically. Model estimation was validated with constant residence time and small scale experimental data. Effect of supercritical uid ow rate, extractor diameter per extractor length ratio, particle diameter and bed void fraction on extraction yield was investigated using the model. 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Article history: Received 21 September 2008 Received in revised form 9 December 2008 Accepted 11 December 2008 Keywords: Mathematical modeling Supercritical uid extraction Vetiver root

1. Introduction Supercritical uid extraction (SFE) has proved to be feasible technically as well as economically for a variety of solid substratum; this fact can be corroborated by the increasing number of industrial SFE units installed worldwide. Nonetheless, for certain countries with rich biodiversity this technology is not yet used industrially. One of the reasons being the high investment required for a SFE plant as compared to a conventional low-pressure solvent extraction process. Thus, tools that can be made available to help process design decision makers are needed. One of such a tool is the modeling of the extraction phenomena occurring inside the extractor vessel. The mathematical modeling of experimental data has the objective to determine parameters for process design, such as equipment dimensions, solvent ow rate and particle size, in order to make the estimation of the viability of SFE processes in industrial scale, through the simulation of the overall extraction curves (OECs). Because of the enormous variety of solid substratum that can be suitable to SFE, the modeling of the overall extraction curves can be done applying several models, being them empirical [1] or based on the mass balance inside the extraction bed [2]. In this case, each author gives his/her own interpretation of the mass transport phenomena that happen during the process. The mass balance equations can be solved analytically depending on the assumptions made [2,3] or they can be solved numerically. In any case, when the model describes well the phe-

Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 19 3521 4033; fax: +55 19 3521 4027. E-mail address: meireles@fea.unicamp.br (M.A.A. Melreles). 0896-8446/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.supu.2008.12.009

nomena occurring in the extractor vessels it can safely be used for process designing and process scale-up. In order to solve the differential mass balance equations and to analyze the adequacy of the model it is necessary to compare calculated OECs with experimental ones. There are several experimental data for SFE from solid substratum where the SFE extract was compared to the extracts obtained by other techniques available in literature [4]. One of the plants studied is the root of vetiver because of its commercial importance. Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash ex Small) is found in tropical regions of the planet, such as India, China, Indonesia, Haiti and the Reunion Island, who are the world main vetiver oil producers. Brazil and other South American countries have an incipient production of vetiver; nonetheless, based on the edaphoclimatic conditions of these countries we anticipate that vetiver can be cultivated at an attractive cost. The volatile oil from vetiver roots is a viscous liquid at ambient temperature. Its color varies from amber to dark brown, and whose odor has sweet, earthy and woody notes [5]. The vetiver extract obtained by SFE has a quite complex composition, including substances from various chemical functions, such as hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones and acids, mainly with sesquiterpenic structures [6]. Martnez et al. [6] compared different methods of extraction from Brazilian vetiver roots; their comparison was based on the extraction yields and the quality of the products. Recently, Martnez et al. [7] used the mathematical model of Sovov [2] to model the OECs obtained from kinetic experiments performed extractors vessels of two sizes: a small (5 cm3 ) and a large (300 cm3 ) scale extracting vessels. These authors proposed a scale-up procedure that described quite well experimental OECs obtained for clove bud oil but failed in describing the OECs for vetiver roots. Another study with vetiver root addressed the

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Nomenclature Bi Biot number, (kf Rp )/De c (kmol/m3 ) oil concentration in the pore of vetiver particle C (kmol/m3 ) oil concentration in the supercritical phase dp (m) particle diameter De (m2 /s) diffusivity in the particle pore Dext (m) extractor diameter Dm (m2 /s) molecular diffusion coefcient D1 (m2 /s) axial dispersion coefcient F extraction yield h axial coordinate increment number k solute equilibrium constant between solid and uid phase kf (m/s) mass transfer coefcient L (m) extractor length m radial coordinate increment number mfeed (kg) feed mass n0 (kmol) initial mole of solute in the bed P (bar) pressure Peclet number for the bed, (Lv)/D1 Peb Pep Peclet number for the vetiver particle, (Rp v)/De q (kmol/m3 ) oil concentration in the solid part of vetiver particle Q (kg/s) ow rate of supercritical uid, (vA f ) r (m) axial coordinate in vetiver root Re Reynolds number, (2Rp v f )/ f Rp (m) vetiver particle radius Sc Schmidt number, f / f Dm Sh Sherwood number, (2Rp kf )/Dm t (s) time T (K) temperature v (m/s) interstitial uid velocity x (m) distance of a point in bed from place of input uid initial mass fraction of solute in solid phase X0 y solid or uid concentration (kmol/m3 ), extraction yield z dimensionless axial coordinate along the bed, x/L Greek letters z dimensionless length of axial coordinate increment, 1/h1 dimensionless length of radial coordinate increment, 1/m1 void fraction of packed bed p particle porosity spherical coordinate f (kg/m s) supercritical uid viscosity spherical coordinate dimensionless radial coordinate in the vetiver particle, r/Rp 3 f (kg/m ) supercritical uid density dimensionless time, (tv)/L subscript p particle s surface of particle, solid phase 0 at time zero

No work has been done to mechanistically model extraction from Brazilian vetiver roots based on our literature survey and to the best of our knowledge. The objective of this research was application of a theoretical model for describing SFE extraction from vetiver roots and study the inuence of some process parameters such as supercritical uid ow rate, extractor geometry, particle diameter and bed void fraction on the extraction yield. For verication of the model our previous experimental data have been used [8]. 2. Mathematical modeling Fig. 1 depicts schematic of SFE bed from our previous work [7]. The xed bed consists of vetiver root as stationary phase with the supercritical carbon dioxide as the mobile phase. The assumptions for modeling are: (1) axial dispersion is signicant; (2) radial concentration gradients are neglected in uid phase; (3) the system is isothermal and isobaric; (4) the physical properties of the supercritical uid are constant along the bed; (5) there is local equilibrium at interface of uid and solid phase; (6) bed void fraction and particle porosity doesnt change during extraction; (7) for small particles it was assumed that particle solute concentration is independent of radius and is a function of time only (lumped system); (8) solute concentration in particles is independent of coordinates and . Applying conservation of mass, the following equation can be written for element in Fig. 1 [9]: 1 2 C 1 3L Bi C C + + (C Cs ) = 0 Peb z 2 Rp Pep z The boundary and initial conditions for this equation are: at z = 0 C = 0 C = Peb (C 0) at z = 0+ z at z = 1 at C =0 z (2a) (2b) (3) (4) (1)

=0C=0

separation step of the SFE process [8]. These authors studied the inuence of a non-ideal separation step of a SFE unit; the solvent was carbon dioxide. The behaviors of clove bud (Eugenia caryophyllus), vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) were analyzed [8].

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of element in SFE rig.

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25

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of element in small and large vetiver particle. For large particle element is inside the particle but for small particles element is considered to be at surface of particle because small particle can considered as lumped system. Appling mass balance for small particle will result in Eq. (5): dq k L (C C) = 3 f v Rp s d The initial condition of this equation is: at = 0 q = q0 (6) (5)

where q and Cs are related by assuming equilibrium condition as: q = kCs (7)

Appling mass balance for large particle will result in Eq. (8) [9]: p + (1 p ) q c c 1 L 1 1 = Pep Rp 2
2

(8)

The relevant boundary and initial conditions are: at = 1 Bi(C c| =0

=1 )

(9)

at at

c c = 0, = =0

(10) (11)
Fig. 3. Schematic of increments in both uid and solid phases, for small particles.

= 0 c = 0, q = q0

where q and c are related by assuming equilibrium condition as: q = kc (12)

2.1. Numerical solution In order to solve partial differential equations (PDEs) and boundary conditions of (1)(14) nite difference method has been implemented [10]. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the length of extractor was dividing into h section, the radius of the particles was divided into 1 part for bed with small particles and m parts for bed with large particles (S in Fig. 4 equals to h+(i 1)m) then the PDEs were expand by nite difference methods. Appling nite difference method for Eq. (1) will result in Eq. (15) as: dy(i) y(i) y(i 1) 1 y(i + 1) 2y(i) + y(i 1) + = 2 Peb d z ( z) + 1 3L Bi Rp Pep y(i) y(h + i) k =0 (15)

By applying conservative of mass law for whole extractor system, extraction yield can be described as following: dF LA C|z=1 = n0 d The initial condition of this equation is: at =0F =0 (14) (13)

For small particle solved Eqs. (1), (5) and (13) simultaneously, but for large particle solved Eqs. (1), (8) and (13) simultaneously.

For i = 2, 3, 4. . . h 1. The boundary conditions for this equation are: at z = 0 C = 0 (y(1)) = 0 at z = 0+ = 1 1+ zPeb (16a)

C y(2) y(1) = Peb (C 0) = Peb y(1) (y(1))+ z z y(2) (16b)

at z = 1 at

y(h) y(h 1) C =0 = 0 y(h) = y(h 1) z z For i = 1, 2, 3 . . . h

(17) (18)

= 0 C = 0 y(i) = 0 For Eq. (5):

Fig. 2. Schematic representation of element in small and large vetiver particle.

k L dy(i + h) = 3 f v Rp d

y(i + h) y(i) k

For i = 1, 2, 3, . . . h

(19)

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M.A.A. Melreles et al. / J. of Supercritical Fluids 49 (2009) 2331

at

= 0 q = q0 (y(i + h)) = q0 For Eq. (8):

For i = 1, 2, 3 . . . h

(20)

[p + k(1 p )] = 1 L Pep Rp

dy(h + (i 1)m + j) d

of a point in large particle pore where the distance of this point from inlet place of uid and from center of particle is (i 1)L z and (j 1)R respectively, also y(h + h m + 1) denoted extraction yield.

y(h + (i 1)m + j + 1) 2y(h + (i 1)m + j) + y(h + (i 1)m + j 1) 2 y(h + (i 1)m + j) y(h + (i 1)m + j 1)) + 2 ( )

(21)

For i = 1, 3, 4. . . h and j = 2, 3. . . m 1. The boundary conditions for this equation are: at = 1 Bi(C c| =
=1 )

c Bi(y(i) y(h + i m)) (22)

By use of the above numerical method the PDEs were converted to set of ODEs. then set of ODEs were solve using Matlab 7.4 software. 2.2. Model parameters Critical temperature, critical pressure, acentric factor and average molecular weight of vetiver extract were obtained from Takeuchi et al [8]. Density of CO2 was calculated using the Soave/Redlich/Kwong equation of state [11]. The residual viscosity correlation of Jossi et al [11] was used for viscosity calculations. The effective intra particle diffusion coefcient of SFE extract was estimated to be De = Dm 2 [12,13]. Diffusion coefcient of the SFE p extract in supercritical CO2 was calculated using the Wilke and Lee method [11], axial dispersion coefcient was given by correlation of Funazukuri et al. [14] as below: DI = 1.317(ReSc)1.392 Dm (29)

y(h + i m) = y(h + i m 1)

y(h + i m)

1 (1/ ) + Bi

Bi y(i) +

y(h + i m 1) (23)

For i = 1, 2, 3 . . . , h

at

=0

c y(h + (i 1)m + 2) y(h + (i 1)m + 1) =0 =0 (24)

y(h + (i 1)m + 1) = y(h + (i 1)m + 2)

For i = 1, 2, 3, . . . h (25)

For Sh calculation two correlations as following was used (depending on Re and Sc range): (1) Tan et al correlation which is valid over Re range from 2 to 40 and Sc from 2 to 40 [15]:

at

= 0 c = 0 y(h + (i 1)m + j) = 0 and j = 1, 2, 3, . . . m

(26)

Sh = 0.38Re0.83 Sc 0.33

(30)

For = 1, 2, 3, . . . h For Eq. (13):

(2) The Mongkholkhajornsilp et al. correlation is valid over Re range from 0.1689 to 1.2918 and Sc from 6 to 25 [16]: (27) Sh = 0.135Re0.5 Sc 0.33 (31)

LA dy(h + h m + 1) = y(h) n0 d The initial condition of this equation is: at = 0 y(h + h m + 1) = 0

Equilibrium constant (k) is not available and should obtain from the model as will describe in the next section. (28) 2.3. Calculation of equilibrium constant Equilibrium constant should be determined so that the model t with experimental data. In the other hand the value of k should be determined so that the sum of the squares of the difference between

According to Fig. 3, y(i) and y(i + h) denoted the solute concentration of a point in uid phase and in small particle respectively where the distance of this points from inlet place of uid is (i 1)L z, also according to Fig. 4, y(h + (i 1)m + j) denotes concentration

Fig. 4. Schematic representation of increments in both uid and solid phases for large particles.

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27

Fig. 6. SFE from vetiver rootsscale-up with constant velocity.

Fig. 5. Procedure to estimate equilibrium constant.

the experimental extraction yield and the predicted extraction yield to be minimized. The criterion is described by Eq. (32) as: OBJ = (Fmodel Fexp )2 (32)

In order to test the model, a comparison between model and constant residence time and small scale experimental data shown in Figs. 7 and 8. There is a good agreement between model and experimental data at constant residence time condition as shown in Fig. 7, but it is clear from Fig. 8 that at small scale condition there is not good tting, the possible reason for this error may be a signicant loss of extract in parts of the equipment that were not washed, such as the column, since small scale SFE from vetiver provides low extract amounts so the mass of oil that remains in the column may be important [7]. Table 2 show process parameters obtained for small scale, constant velocity and constant residence time. Effect of axial coordinate increment number (h) on the solution accuracy for constant velocity, constant residence time and small scale condition have been illustrated in Figs. 911 respectively. In these gures error is described by Eq. (33) as: error|h = F|h F|h1 100 F|h1 (33)

The algorithm for equilibrium constant calculations is shown in Fig. 5. In this case a value for k was guessed, then solve the model and OBJ was calculated for constant velocity data only (small scale and constant residence time data use for test the model). Operation stops if the value of OBJ is lower than a specied small number otherwise the procedure continues. 3. Results and discussion Table 1 show experimental condition for small scale, constant velocity and constant residence time [7]. Fig. 6 illustrates comparison between model and constant velocity experimental data.

Effect of solvent ow rate on extraction yield is shown in Fig. 12. It is clear from this gure that extraction yield increase with increasing solvent ow rate. It is inferred from this gure that rate of

Table 1 Experimental condition for SFE from vetiver roots. Parameter T P X0

s f

Small scale 313 200 0.702 0.0583 1300 829 1.42 105 0.029 0.02 0.00354

Constant velocity 313 200 0.699 0.0583 1300 829 10.5 105 0.08 0.0545 0.07310

Constant residence time 313 200 0.704 0.0583 1300 829 28.33 105 0.08 0.0545 0.07197

Q L Dext mfeed

Fig. 7. SFE from vetiver rootsscale-up with constant residence time.

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Fig. 8. SFE from vetiver rootssmall scale. Fig. 10. SFE from vetiver rootsscale-up with constant residence time, inuence of increment number of uid phase (h) on the extraction yield accuracy at t = 140 min.

Table 2 Process parameters obtained for SFE from vetiver roots. Parameter Dm D1
f

Small scale 3.667 109 2.733 103 6.217 105 3.167 106 5.46 0.1866 20.671 0.159 82.469 120

Constant velocity 3.667 109 2.733 103 6.217 105 3.167 106 5.46 0.1866 20.871 0.159 227.877 30

Constant residence time 3.667 109 2.733 107 6.217 105 5.183 106 5.46 05 20.871 0.260 154.43 200

kf k Re Sc Sh Peb h

increase of extraction yield, decreases with increasing of solvent ow rate. Variation of extraction yield with extractor diameter per extractor length ratio is shown in Fig. 13. It is clear from this gure that extraction yield dose not affected by extractor geometry, so series extractor and parallel one has the same efciency. Variation of extraction yield with particle diameter and bed void fraction has been shown in Figs. 14 and 15. As the value of

Fig. 11. SFE from vetiver rootssmall scale, inuence of increment number of uid phase (h) on the extraction yield accuracy at t = 140 min.

Fig. 9. SFE from vetiver rootsscale-up with constant velocity, inuence of increment number of uid phase (h) on the extraction yield accuracy at t = 140 min.

Fig. 12. SFE from vetiver roots, inuence of solvent ow rate (Q) on the yield of extraction, at T = 313 K, P = 200 bar, L = 0.08 m, Dext = 0.0545 m, = 0.704, dp = 1.8 104 m.

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29

Fig. 13. SFE from vetiver roots, inuence of extractor geometry on the extraction yield, at T = 313 K, P = 200 bar, Q = 10.5 105 kg/s, extractor volume = 1.8663 104 m3 , = 0.699, dp = 1.8 104 m.

Fig. 16. SFE from vetiver roots, inuence of radial and axial coordinate increment number on extraction yield accuracy, at T = 313 K, P = 200 bar, Q = 28.33 105 kg/s, dp = 0.067 m, Dext = 0.0545 m, p = 0.03, L = 0.08 m, = 0.704, t = 20 min.

Fig. 14. SFE from vetiver roots, inuence of particle diameter on the extraction yield, at T = 313 K, P = 200 bar, Q = 28.33 105 kg/s, = 0.704, L = 0.08 m, Dext = 0.0545 m, t = 20 min.

vetiver particle porosity are not available in literature so the inuence of particle diameter and bed void fraction on the extraction yield was studied at various particle porosity. It was proved that particle porosity and bed void fraction are independent of particle diameter (Appendix A and B). Appendix C provides bed void fraction as a function of particle arrangement for spherical particles. It is clear from Fig. 14 that extraction yield increases with decrease of particle diameter; but if vetiver particle porosity be very low, extraction yield is a weak function of particle diameter (however if particle be very small, extraction yield is a strong function of diameter). It is clear from Fig. 15 that extraction yield is a weak function of bed void fraction. Effect of radial and axial coordinate increment number on the solution accuracy has been shown in Fig. 16. From the physical view it is clear that as much as particle diameter increase and particle porosity decrease, radial coordinate increment number increases, so in Fig. 16 large diameter particles with small porosity was used to obtain maximum radial coordinate increment number. From this gure it is obvious that solution accuracy is a strong function of m and a weak function of h.

4. Conclusion and remarks In this paper, modeling of oil extraction from vetiver root is considered. In order to solve the model, equilibrium constant of oil between solid and uid was determined. The model was solved with numerical techniques and the results were validated with experimental data. In other part of paper, effect of supercritical uid ow rate, extractor geometry, particle diameter and bed void fraction on extraction yield were investigated.

Appendix A In this section it is shown that when particle diameter per bed diameter ratio is small the sidelong effect is negligible then bed void fraction is a function of particle arrangement only and is independent of particle diameter.

Fig. 15. SFE from vetiver roots, inuence of bed void fraction on the extraction yield, at T = 313 K, P = 200 bar, Q = 28.33 105 kg/s, dp = 103 m, Dext = 0.0545 m, t = 20 min.

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Assume two beds (with the same height and diameter) with the same particle arrangement but with different particle diameter. Using similarity of two beds:
3 n(1/6) dp1 3 n(1/6) dp2

V1

V2

(34)

where Vi and dpi are unit cell volume and particle diameter of bed i respectively and n is number of particles in each unit cell, so: 1
3 n(1/6) dp1

V1

=1

3 n(1/6) dp2

V2

1 = 2

(35)

Fig. 17. Schematic of a particle pores for particle radius R1 and R2 .

Also by use of mathematical view it is clear that particles arrangement is independent of particle diameter, so bed void fraction is independent of particle diameter. where n is the number of particle pores. If this particle is broken to obtain a particle with radius R2 , the new particle porosity is: p,2 =
2 n(1/3)R2 ( /4)d2

Appendix B In this section it is proved that particle porosity is independent of particle diameter. Consider a porous particle with radius R1 so that particle pore shape is a cone with height R1 and diameter d1 , in this case particle porosity is as below: p,1 =
2 n(1/3)R1 ( /4)d1 3 (4/3) R1

(4/3)

3 R2

n 16

d2 R2

(37)

Fig. 17 shown a pore of particle 1 and 2; by use of similarity between triangular ABC and AED Eq. (37), we have: d2 d1 d2 R2 = = R1 R2 R1 d1 (38)

n 16

d1 R1

(36)

Table 3 Some of simple unit cell and their bed void fraction. Bed void fraction () Arbitrary view supper view

0.3954

0.4764

0.4532

0.6509

0.7313

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References
[1] M.M. Esquvel, M.G. Bernardo-Gil, M.B. King, Mathematical models for supercritical extraction of olive husk oil, The Journal of Supercritical Fluids 16 (1999) 4358. [2] H. Sovov, Rate of the vegetable oil extraction with supercritical CO2 modeling of extraction curves, Chemical Engineering Science 49 (1994) 409 414. [3] M. Goto, M. Sato, T. Hirose, Extraction of peppermint oil by supercritical carbon dioxide, Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan 26 (1993) 401407. [4] M.A.A. Meireles, Supercritical extraction from solid: process design data, Current Opinion on Solid State and Material Science 7 (2003) 321330. [5] S. Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960. [6] J. Martnez, P.T.V. Rosa, C. Menut, A. Leydet, P. Brat, D. Pallet, M.A.A. Meireles, Valorization of Brazilian Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash ex Small) Oil, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 52 (2004) 65786584. [7] J. Martnez, P.T.V. Rosa, M.A.A. Meireles, Extraction of clove and vetiver oils with supercritical carbon dioxide: modeling and simulation, The Open Chemical Engineering Journal 1 (2007) 17. [8] T.M. Takeuchi, P.F. Leal, R. Favareto, L. Cardozo-Filho, M.L. Corazza, P.T.V. Rosa, M.A.A. Meireles, Study of the phase equilibrium formed inside the ash tank used at the separation step of a supercritical uid extraction unit, The Journal of Supercritical Fluids 43 (2008) 447459. [9] S.M. Ghoreishi, S. Shari, Modeling of supercritical extraction of mannitol from plane tree leaf, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 24 (2001) 10371048. [10] A. Constantinides, N. Mostou, Numerical Methods for Chemical engineers with MATLAB Applications, Prentice Hall PTR, 1999. [11] B.E. Poling, J.M. Prausnitz, J.P. OConell, The Properties of Gases and Liquids, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001. [12] P. Tonthubthimthong, P.L. Douglas, S. Douglas, W. Luewisutthichat, W. Teppaitoon, L. Pengsopa, Extraction of nimbin from neem seeds using supercritical CO2 and a supercritical CO2 -methanol mixture, The Journal of Supercritical Fluids 30 (2004) 287301. [13] H.Z. Nei Nei, S. Fatemi, M.R. Mehrnia, A. Salimi, Mathematical modeling and study of mass transfer parameters in supercritical uid extraction of fatty acids from Trout powder, Biochemical Engineering Journal 40 (2008) 7278. [14] T. Funazukuri, C. Kong, S. Kagei, Effective axial dispersion coefcients in packed beds under supercritical conditions, The Journal of Supercritical Fluids 13 (1998) 169175. [15] C.S. Tan, S.K. Liang, D. Liou, Fluidsolid mass transfer in a supercritical uid extractor, The Chemical Engineering Journal 38 (1988) 1722. [16] D. Mongkholkhajornsilp, S. Doulas, P.L. Douglas, A. Elkamel, W. Teppaitoon, S. Pongamphai, Supercritical CO2 extraction of nimbin from neem seedsa modeling study, Journal of Food Engineering 71 (2005) 331340.

Fig. 18. Schematic of a particle arrangement and his equivalent cubic.

Comparing Eqs. (36), (37) and (38) the following equation can be obtained: p,1 = p,2 Appendix C Void fraction of some bed with spherical particle has been calculated in this section. Consider a bed with a special arrangement as shown in Fig. 18, connect particles center by direct line to form his equivalent cubic (Fig. 18).
3 cubic volume = dp dp dp = dp

(39)

(40)

part of sphericals volume which is in cubic =8 So: = 1 = 1 part of sphericals volume which is cubic volume of cubic
3 (1/6) dp 3 dp

1 1 3 1 3 d = d 8 6 p 6 p

(41)

=1

0.4764

Some of simple unit cell and their bed void fraction have been tabulated in Table 3. Using this table it is clear that bed void fraction is strong function of particle arrangement.