Supercritical fluid material scouring

Abstract

Supercritical fluid (“SCF”) is used to scour a target material to leave scour elements, such as oligomers and oils from the target material. Carbon dioxide (“CO2”) is introduced into a pressure vessel also containing the target material to be scoured. The CO2 is raised in temperature and pressure to a SCF state. The CO2 is recirculated within the pressure vessel to scour the target material. An exchange of the CO2 is occurs allowing for the scoured elements to be removed from the CO2 and therefore from within the pressure vessel. Operation variables such as temperature, pressure, time, internal flow rate, and CO2 exchange are adjusted to achieve a scouring of the target material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.