At M2P2, our team studies the supercritical fractionation of liquid phases (or suspensions) using packed columns operating in countercurrent (see attached photo). The M2P2 Laboratory has developed expertise in this process, which offers the advantage of continuous operation.

The main aim of our research at M2P2 on supercritical fractionation is to gain better control of this process, and in particular to benefit from reliable tools for dimensioning industrial-scale fractionation plants. For systems of industrial interest, such as water-alcohol mixtures, lipid mixtures (Salinalgue FUI project), or plant extracts (collaboration with BONTOUX SA), the Laboratory studies the efficiency of the separations implemented, the clogging conditions of supercritical fractionation columns and develops models to estimate the titers in extracts and raffinates as a function of operating conditions (pressure, temperature, flow rates, solvent/charge ratio, etc.).