Modeling the fluid dynamics of a high-pressure extraction column

•The fluid dynamics of a high-pressure extraction column using supercritical carbon dioxide as continuous phase and water as disperse phase were analyzed using the method Volume-of-Fluid.•The single-phase pressure drop and the channel velocity were simulated and compared to own experiments and experimental results retrieved from the literature being in good agreement.•The holdup was calculated and compared to the measured holdup. The formation of droplets was observed, by analyzing the fluid dynamics.