Hot Solvent Extraction
To be able to determine the amount of many substances it is often necessary to first extract them from the material they are bound to. A typical analysis is the crude fat in food/feed samples. Other examples on extraction procedures can be found in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Of importance for many extractions is the safety of used equipment since both flammable and explosive solvents are boiled at high temperatures. Many solvents are also aggressive to the environment and to most materials. Care should be taken both by those operating such equipment as well as when selecting the right materials that can withstand these solvents.
The SoxROC Extraction unit is an automatic and safe instrument to perform solvent extraction:
- Protection doors and locks to protect operators from hazards.
- Temperature protection control to monitor and reduce risks.
- ATEX classification on exposed components and main electronics in a pressurized cabinet.
- IP55 protection of the instrument to minimize risk for dust and liquid intrusion.
- All materials in contact with the solvents are either in Borosilicate glass, Viton or PTFE.
The SoxROC extraction unit will automatically perform a complete solvent extraction.
The SoxROC Extraction Unit (SX-320-A, SX-360-A) for hot solvent extraction
The SoxROC Extraction Unit
The OPSIS LiquidLINE SoxROC Extraction Unit is based on Randall and Twisselmann techniques, using hot solvent and a closed system for optimal analytical conditions, still giving the same results as the classical and well accepted Soxhlet. During the first period, boiling, the thimble with sample is immersed in the boiling solvent. Thereafter a controlled volume solvent is collected in the receiver flask, thus lowering the solvent surface in the extraction cups below the thimble. Extraction continues, with the rinsing phase. Hot solvent vapours surround the sample and simultaneously condensed solvent washes out any remaining extractable matters (fat).
At the end of the extraction the solvent is removed in a step by step process, leaving the cups with only extractable matters (fat/ lipids). The cups are dried and weighed, the percentage extractable matters (fat) is calculated.
The SoxROC unit will automatically perform the different extraction steps in the method.
