When you are deciding what type of supercritical CO2 extraction machine to get, there are certainly plenty of choices. You also may be wondering if you should get new or used equipment. Truthfully, buying used equipment can not only save you a lot of money, but you can still get the exact piece of equipment you need.
Buying a used CO2 extraction machine is a great way to save money when equipping a CO2 extraction business such as essential oils or pigments. But, like anything else, buying a used machine isn’t without risk. This guide will help you choose the right used CO2 essential oil extraction equipment, make sure it’s in good working order, and come with everything you need for operation.
If you find a previously used supercritical CO2 extraction machine that you want to buy, be sure you have all the information you need before closing the sale.
4 Key Questions to Know When Buying a Used Supercritical CO2 Extraction Machine
Fabrication CO2 extraction machines are continually advancing due to the demand for certain types of extracts and the technology of controller and programming systems. Machines can do more, and make more, faster and easier than ever before so it is well worth your time to investigate what is new and whether or not it applies to your extraction business needs.
Question 1: How much remaining useful life？
The design service life of the pressure vessel is an estimate given by the designer according to the expected service conditions of the vessel, and its function is to remind the user. Service beyond the design service life of the pressure vessel will objectively cause major safety hazards. When the design service life of the pressure vessel is exceeded, necessary measures should be taken, such as frequent thickness measurements and shortening of the inspection period.
Supercritical CO2 extraction equipment is actually high-pressure vessel equipment. Like other pressure vessels, they have service life requirements, which means that after a certain period of service, because of safety issues, supercritical CO2 extractors must be mandatorily retired. In China, they are designed to last 20 years.
So here comes the question, we have to find out the production date of the CO2 extraction machines from the equipment archives to calculate their remaining useful life.
Question 2: Can It Do What I Need it To Extraction?
Obviously, the most important aspect of buying any CO2 extraction machine is making sure it actually does the job for your budget and justifies it. In the long run, buying a supercritical CO2 extractor that is below capacity because it fits your budget will not do you any good, instead, it will hinder your growth. In the extraction of biomass, this means that you need to ensure that it will work in the extract you expect to apply to the plant material you are preparing to use.
Additionally, you need to ensure that the CO2 extraction machine can keep up with your production and extraction needs in a reasonable amount of time. You’ll also want to know what extra features it comes with or can add. Items such as customized ultra-high pressure (up to 1050 bar), supercritical rectification column, cold trap in the separator (for terpene and vapor recovery during decarboxylation before extraction), and third separator in biomass extraction are always important.
Question 3: How much extraction capacity?
Of course, before buying used CO2 extraction equipment, you already know its extraction capacity. To be precise, you already know the total extraction capacity of the machine. For example, it is a 300L extraction capacity machine.
Under normal circumstances, for the manufacturer, a 300L can have three models: 50L6, 100L3, and 150L*2, which have 6, 3, and 2 extraction vessels respectively.
Although they have the same total extraction capacity, the actual extraction capacity of 100L*3 per 24 hours is larger than the other two.
In terms of extraction effect, due to the machine design process, the effect of 50L*6 is not as good as that of the other two machines. There will always be unextracted residues left over from biomass, which means that the extraction is not complete. When extracting high-value biomass, this is a fatal error.
Question 4: Is it has a gas recovery system?
Although CO2 gas is free in nature, in fact reading yours is providing it to nature for free, the gas used in the CO2 extraction process is food grade and needs to be purchased from the factory. Then on the pilot-level CO2 extraction machine, we recommend being equipped with a tail gas recovery system, which can recover some gas from the extraction vessel, and more importantly, it can use the gas cylinder to a pressure lower than one atmosphere, which means that you can Make the most of the co2 gas you buy.
Key Takeaway
You need to obtain technical support during operation, it is very important to obtain the contact information of the manufacturer, and a good manufacturer is even more important, so before purchasing, you need to contact the manufacturer to confirm that you can obtain follow-up support and service.
Read More: Supercritical carbon dioxide
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