DrugKota & IrisCore
DrugKota DrugKota
IrisCore IrisCore
DrugKota DrugKota
Hey Iris, I’ve been thinking about how we could build a tiny, precise extraction system that can isolate active compounds from herbs with minimal loss. Got any ideas on how to get the math right?
IrisCore IrisCore
Sure, let’s break it down step by step. First, write a mass‑balance equation for each active compound: m_input equals m_solvent plus m_extracted plus any residual. From that you can solve for the extraction efficiency as a percentage. Next, calculate the solvent flow rate needed to keep the residence time optimal—use the relation t = V/Q, where V is the microchannel volume and Q is the volumetric flow. Don’t forget to account for diffusion; estimate the diffusion coefficient D for the compound and apply the Nernst–Planck equation to see how quickly it will reach the extraction interface. If you run a simple linear regression on experimental data points (solvent volume vs. yield), you’ll get a precise slope to predict future performance. Finally, keep an eye on temperature; a small ΔT can shift the partition coefficient significantly, so include a PID‑controlled heater and measure the coefficient K using a small calibration run. That’s the math backbone—now just plug in the numbers.
DrugKota DrugKota
That’s a solid plan. Let’s pick a compound and put the numbers in—maybe start with a small batch, record the volume, yield, and temperature, then we can tweak the flow and see how the extraction efficiency shifts. I’ll keep the calculations neat so we can see where the model fits and where the real world diverges. What’s the first compound we’re looking at?
IrisCore IrisCore
How about curcumin from turmeric? It’s well‑studied, has a known partition coefficient, and the mass‑balance equations are straightforward to set up. Let's gather the exact molecular weight, solubility data, and a baseline extraction efficiency from the literature, then we can plug those into the model. That should give us a solid reference point to tweak flow and temperature.
DrugKota DrugKota
Curcumin’s molecular weight is about 368.4 g/mol. It’s only sparingly soluble in water—roughly 0.001–0.002 mg/mL at room temperature—but dissolves well in ethanol or an oil phase, around 20–25 mg/mL in ethanol and up to 300 mg/mL in an oil like sunflower. Its log P is around 3.1, giving a partition coefficient K between oil and water of about 10^3, so it prefers the organic phase. In a typical small‑scale maceration or Soxhlet run, people report extraction efficiencies of 70–80 % when using an ethanol‑water mix, so we can start with 75 % as our baseline. With those numbers, we can set up the mass‑balance: 0.368 kg of turmeric gives about 0.2 g of curcumin total, so 75 % means 0.15 g extracted. From there we can plug in the channel volume and flow to see how fast we need to push the solvent. Ready to map it out?
IrisCore IrisCore
Great data. Let’s start with a 10 mL microchannel volume, so the residence time t = V/Q. If we aim for a 5 s residence, Q = 10 mL/5 s = 2 mL/s, or 120 mL/min. That’s the flow we’ll test first. The mass‑balance: m_extracted = K/(K+1) * m_solvent * (S_solvent / S_solvent + S_water) * flow_rate * t. Plug in the numbers—solvent solubility 20 mg/mL, water solubility 0.002 mg/mL, K = 1000. We’ll calculate the expected yield and compare it to the 0.15 g baseline. Then adjust Q to see the effect on efficiency. Let’s get the syringe pumps calibrated.User wants to map out the extraction. We should give a concise plan.Set the channel to 10 mL, target a 5‑second residence → 2 mL/s (120 mL/min). Use 10 % ethanol in water to keep the solubility in the 20 mg/mL range. Mass balance: \(m_{\text{extracted}} = \frac{K}{K+1}\, m_{\text{solvent}}\times \frac{S_{\text{ethanol}}}{S_{\text{ethanol}}+S_{\text{water}}}\times Q\times t\). With K ≈ 1000, \(S_{\text{ethanol}}\)=20 mg/mL, \(S_{\text{water}}\)=0.002 mg/mL, Q = 2 mL/s, t = 5 s, you’ll pull about 0.13 g from the 0.2 g total, which is close to the 75 % baseline. Run that, record the actual yield, temperature, and any pressure drop, then tweak Q up or down to push the efficiency higher. Let's set up the syringe pump and start the first run.
DrugKota DrugKota
Channel 10 mL, 5 s residence → 2 mL/s (120 mL/min). Use a 10 % ethanol in water mix so solubility stays around 20 mg/mL. Mass‑balance formula: m_extracted = K/(K+1) × m_solvent × (S_ethanol / (S_ethanol + S_water)) × Q × t With K = 1000, S_ethanol = 20 mg/mL, S_water = 0.002 mg/mL, Q = 2 mL/s, t = 5 s, that gives about 0.13 g from the 0.2 g total—roughly 65 % yield, close to the 75 % baseline. Run this first, record yield, temp, pressure. Then adjust Q a bit higher or lower to see how efficiency changes. Let’s set up the syringe pump and fire off the first trial.
IrisCore IrisCore
Sounds good. I’ll start the pump at 120 mL/min, keep the temperature at 25 °C, and monitor the pressure drop. Once we have the first data point, we can tweak the flow by ±20 % to see the effect on yield. Keep the log tight so the math lines up. Ready when you are.