The Basic Principle of Soxhlet Extraction

Principle of “similar similarity”
In the laboratory, a fat extractor (Soxhlet extractor) is used for extraction. The fat extractor uses the solvent reflux and siphon principle to continuously extract the solid matter by pure solvent, which saves the solvent extraction efficiency and high efficiency. The solid material is ground prior to extraction to increase the area of solid-liquid contact. The solid material is then placed in a filter paper holder and placed in an extractor. The bottom end of the extractor is connected to a round bottom flask containing a solvent, and is connected to a reflux condenser. The bottom flask is heated to boil the solvent, the vapor rises through the branch pipe of the extractor, is condensed and drops into the extractor, and the solvent is contacted with the solid for extraction. When the solvent surface exceeds the highest point of the siphon, the solvent containing the extract is siphoned back. The flask, thus extracting a portion of the material, is repeated such that the solid material is continuously taken as a pure solvent and the extracted material is concentrated in the flask.