System Costs

Investment Cost of Supercritical Fluid Extractors

Supercritical fluid extractor systems are sophisticated high tech instruments constructed from high-grade stainless steel in order to withstand the extreme pressure and temperatures required to operate safely. Several factors influence the cost of extractors. Although economy models are available, a general purpose extractor with options at base level one can expect to invest anywhere from $150K-$300K. Fortunately the cost of an extractor can potentially have a return on investment as soon as 90 days depending on many factors.

Factors dictating investment cost:

Maximum pressure rating
Extraction vessel size
Type of application
Upgraded option packages
Custom modification requests

Factors dictating ROI:

Extraction efficiency
Hours of operation
Extraction vessel size
Facility operating costs
Cost of material and final profit margins

Operation Costs of Supercritical Fluid Extractors

CO2 is an inexpensive readily accessible compressed gas from local suppliers. The amount of electricity per extraction can vary depending on factors such as run time, equipment energy efficiency, and equipment manufacturer but in general an extraction system will use between 80-150 amps of electricity. Overall the cost requirements are relatively low.