WHAT IS SUPERHEATED WATER?
The term superheated water refers to liquid water under pressure between 100oC and its critical temperature, 374oC. It is much less polar than water at ambient temperatures and can dissolve organic compounds, particularly if they are polarisable or slightly polar. It can therefore be used as an alternative to organic solvents for environmentally friendly processes, avoiding residues in the products. Extraction, liquid fractionation, chromatography, decontamination and flavour formation can be carried out. More on Superheated Water The term superheated water (alternatively subcritical water) refers to liquid water under pressure between 100oC and its critical temperature, 374oC. At lower temperatures and for most of this temperature range, the pressure of the medium does not have much effect on its properties, provided it is high enough to maintain the water in the liquid phase. Up near the critical temperature, the medium is very compressible and it has some of the properties of a supe
