SSI SFC-24 Stainless Steel Supercritical Fluid Pump

Overview

The SSI SFC-24 Stainless Steel Supercritical Fluid Pump is an engineered constant-flow, high-pressure delivery system designed specifically for supercritical fluid applications—primarily carbon dioxide (scCO₂)—in analytical, preparative, and process development laboratories. It operates on positive displacement principles with precision-machined stainless steel and aluminum components, delivering stable, pulse-free flow across a wide operational envelope. Unlike conventional HPLC pumps, the SFC-24 incorporates active thermal management via an integrated Peltier thermoelectric cooling module, enabling precise temperature stabilization of the CO₂ phase upstream of the pump head—a critical requirement for maintaining single-phase fluid density and minimizing cavitation during compression. Its dual-mode operation (constant flow and constant pressure) supports both method-driven chromatographic separations and density-sensitive extraction protocols under ISO 22969 and ASTM D7560-compliant workflows.

Key Features

• Integrated Peltier thermoelectric cooling system—fully embedded within the pump housing, eliminating external chillers, refrigerant lines, or fluorocarbon-based cooling media
• Stainless steel fluid path and all-wetted parts compliant with scCO₂ chemical compatibility standards (ASTM F2231, NACE MR0175/ISO 15156)
• Aluminum alloy pump head with optimized thermal mass and low coefficient of expansion for dimensional stability under pressure cycling
• High-fidelity electronic pressure transducer with real-time feedback and closed-loop pressure regulation
• Front-panel keypad interface with LED display for local parameter entry, status monitoring, and fault diagnostics
• Motor health monitoring circuitry with automatic shutdown upon stall detection or thermal overload
• Integrated 2-µm sintered stainless steel outlet filter to prevent particulate carryover into downstream instrumentation
• RS-232 serial interface supporting ASCII command protocol for integration into automated SFC systems and LIMS environments

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The SFC-24 is validated for use with supercritical CO₂, subcritical CO₂, and mixed-fluid systems containing co-solvents such as methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol at concentrations ≤20% v/v. Its wetted materials meet USP Class VI biocompatibility requirements and are compatible with GMP/GLP-regulated environments when operated within specified pressure and temperature limits. The pump conforms to IEC 61000-6-2 (EMC immunity) and IEC 61000-6-4 (EMC emissions) standards. Pressure and flow calibration traceability follows NIST-traceable procedures, supporting audit readiness for FDA 21 CFR Part 11–governed data integrity frameworks when paired with compliant software logging.

Software & Data Management

While the SFC-24 operates autonomously via front-panel controls, its RS-232 interface enables bidirectional communication with third-party SFC control platforms (e.g., Waters Empower, Thermo Chromeleon, or custom LabVIEW-based systems). All pressure setpoints, flow rates, runtime hours, and fault logs are accessible via standardized ASCII commands (e.g., “PSET?”, “FLOW?”, “ERR?”). When integrated into validated workflows, the pump supports electronic signature capture, audit trail generation, and user-access-level configuration—key prerequisites for 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. Firmware updates are delivered via serial upload and include version-stamped changelogs and cryptographic checksum verification.

Applications

• Preparative and analytical supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) for chiral separation of pharmaceutical intermediates
• Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of natural products, lipids, and nutraceuticals under controlled density conditions
• Impregnation and particle formation processes (RESS, SAS, PGSS) requiring precise scCO₂ delivery dynamics
• Method development for green chemistry workflows where solvent reduction and energy efficiency are prioritized
• Accelerated stability testing of polymer-based drug delivery systems using CO₂-mediated plasticization
• Calibration reference pumping in metrology labs validating high-pressure fluid delivery systems per ISO/IEC 17025

FAQ

What is the maximum allowable inlet temperature for CO₂ gas before entering the SFC-24?
The recommended inlet gas temperature range is –10 °C to +25 °C; operation outside this range may compromise Peltier efficiency and phase stability.
Can the SFC-24 be used with fluids other than CO₂?
It is qualified for CO₂ and CO₂/co-solvent mixtures only; use with aggressive solvents (e.g., chlorinated hydrocarbons, strong acids/bases) voids warranty and violates material compatibility specifications.
Is pressure calibration required before each run?
No—factory calibration is stable for 12 months under normal operating conditions; annual recalibration against NIST-traceable deadweight testers is recommended for GLP/GMP applications.
Does the pump support gradient elution in SFC mode?
Not natively—the SFC-24 delivers constant flow or constant pressure; gradient formation requires external co-solvent pump integration and system-level controller coordination.
How is motor overload protection implemented?
Current sensing and thermal profiling are continuously monitored; sustained current deviation >15% above nominal triggers immediate deceleration and error code E04, logged to non-volatile memory.