NIKE, Inc.
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 ("CO.sub.2") is introduced into a pressure vessel also containing the target material to be scoured. The CO.sub.2 is raised in temperature and pressure to a SCF state. The CO.sub.2 is recirculated within the pressure vessel to scour the target material. An exchange of the CO.sub.2 is occurs allowing for the scoured elements to be removed from the CO.sub.2 and therefore from within the pressure vessel. Operation variables such as temperature, pressure, time, internal flow rate, and CO.sub.2 exchange are adjusted to achieve a scouring of the target material.