Cleaning, extraction, impregnation and decontamination
Liquid CO2 MACHINE
Our machines are very versatile due to the ”platform” or modular design, comprising a treatment vessel for the goods, a storage and a recovery system for CO2 and additives. With industry-specific modifications, the machines are employed in very diverse industries such as leather processing, metal treatment , modification of plastics and biopolymers, and many special tasks e.g. in the pharma industry.
No compromise
We do not compromise when safety, quality and reliability is concerned. Our machines can handle up to 100 kg / 250 lbs of goods. We also offers small scale multi-purpose reactors for the industry and universities. For a summary of our machines and configurations, please have a look at the overview page from the menu above. Product data sheets can be found under the download section in the menu above.
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Learn more about
The liquid CO2
At atmospheric pressure, CO2 is an odourless gas. Increasing the pressure e.g. to 40 bar or more, the CO2 gas will turn into a clear liquid. Further increase of pressure (above 73 bar and 31 degree C) turns CO2 into a supercritical fluid. Already at the liquid state, CO2 has solvent properties similar to acetone and hexane. The viscosity and surface tension is orders of magnitudes lower than water and organic solvents.
By altering the temperature and pressure or by including an additive, the solvent power of CO2 can be optimized for a specific application.
Environmentally safe solvent
Liquid CO₂ is non-toxic and non-flammable and is recovered from gaseous waste streams of the chemical industry, meaning it does not contribute additional CO₂ to global warming. The process does not emit volatile organic compounds and does not pollute groundwater.
Energy-efficient low-temperature process
The process operates at low temperatures and does not require drying, resulting in low energy consumption and savings in both process water and energy.
Effective replacement for conventional solvents
Liquid CO₂ dissolves fats similarly to organic solvents and can replace PERC and hydrocarbon solvents while offering improved penetration due to its low surface tension.
Closed-loop and cost-efficient operation
CO₂ is recycled within the machine up to 98.5%, enabling a highly cost-efficient process with easy recovery of process chemicals.
Fast, clean and reliable processing
The process is fast and efficient, leaves no odour and provides antibacterial effects.
Learn more about
The SiOx CO2 method
Using SiOx machines technology, it is possible to replace processes traditionally carried out in benzene, perchloroethylene, hydrocarbons and other toxic and/or flammable solvents by environmentally friendly, non-toxic carbon dioxide under pressure.
CO2 under pressure has excellent cleaning properties. It is safe to work with and reaches the smallest structures due to very low surface tension. Goods can be placed in the machine in dry state, and after the treatment they are still dry.
Supercritical CO2 is most well known in the field. We offer liquid CO2 (LCO2) technology which has all the advantages of supercritical CO2 – but at significantly lower investment costs.
Liquid CO2 machine
Cycle explained
1
Loading
Goods are placed into the treatment chamber. After closing the door, the air inside the chamber is evacuated.
2
CO₂ injection
Liquid CO₂ is introduced from the internal storage tank into the treatment chamber.
3
Additives mixing and treatment
Depending on the application, additives are introduced and mixed with the liquid CO₂.
The goods can either:
- rotate inside the chamber, or
- remain stationary while CO₂ flows through them
Operating temperature typically ranges between 8 °C and 25 °C, ensuring gentle treatment without mechanical abrasion.
4
Separation and recovery
Liquid CO₂ is transferred to the recovery unit, where it is separated from additives and dissolved substances such as grease.
The CO₂ is then evaporated, condensed and returned clean to the storage tank.
Thanks to the patented recovery process, this step requires very little energy. In some applications, additives are recovered as well.
5
Optional repeat cycle
Depending on the process requirements, the recovery step may be repeated with or without additives.
6
Pressure release
Pressure inside the chamber is reduced to atmospheric level and remaining CO₂ is transferred back to the storage tank via the recovery unit.
Approximately 98.5 % of the CO₂ is recovered.
7
Unloading
The chamber can be opened and goods removed immediately.
After treatment, materials are:
- completely dry
- odour-free
- never exposed to temperatures above 30 °C
No drying process is required.