The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for making viscous mixtures accessible to Separation by solvent extraction by means of dispersion. The present invention further provides a method for preparing a dispersion. This object and others which will become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, a mixture to be treated is charged with a solvent and then sprayed to form a dispersion, which is e.g. thereafter subject to Separation. The method comprises charging a viscous mixture with a liquid or gaseous solvent and spraying the homogenous solution to form a dispersion, contacting said dispersion with a solvent for at least one component of the mixture, dissolving at least one component of the mixture in solvent, and separating the solvent containing at least one component from the remaining components of the mixture. Further Steps are removing the solvent containing at least one component from the extraction column, separating solvent from the solvent containing at least one component by pressure reduction and/or change in temperature, and returning the solvent to the extraction column. The apparatus comprises an extraction column preceded by a charging column, wherein the upper portion of the charging column has a mixture inlet, a solvent inlet, and a liquid distributor, and filler bodies or other suitable inserts which increase the surface area of the mixture to be charged.

The procedure was developed for the optimum dispersing and separation of highly viscous mixed substances. This patent protected DISPEREX procedure was used to produce light yellow powdered de-oiled lecithin that, according to customers had an excellent quality, by de-oiling soya crude lecithin with supercritical CO2. Particular emphasis should be put on the fact that the new product, contrary to the acetone de-oiled conventional product, still contains tocopherols (vitamin E), a big advantage in view of the antioxidative effectiveness of vitamin E.