# US 10,307,690 B2 · Method for extracting essential oils > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,690 B2 - Document ID: US10307690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/788,185 - Filed: 2017-10-19 - Published: 2018-02-08 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-05 - Assignees: Essential Innovations, Inc. - Applicants: Essential Innovations, Inc. - Inventors: Casey Steele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307690B2 ## CPC - B01D 11/0219: {Fixed bed of solid material} - B01D 11/0207: {Control systems} - B01D 11/0288: {Applications, solvents} - B01D 11/0292: {Treatment of the solvent} - C11B 1/10: by extracting - C11B 9/02: Recovery or refining of essential oils from raw materials - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C11B: PRODUCING, e.g. BY PRESSING RAW MATERIALS OR BY EXTRACTION FROM WASTE MATERIALS, REFINING OR PRESERVING FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES, e.g. LANOLIN, FATTY OILS OR WAXES; ESSENTIAL OILS; PERFUMES (drying-oils C09F) ## Abstract A system and method of extracting essential oils from plant material through the use of a low pressure alcohol-based closed system that includes a solvent chamber connected to a material column that in turn is connected to a recovery chamber. Plant material in the material column and the solvent in the solvent chamber are cooled using a cooling liquid, such as nitrogen. A vacuum pump connected to the recovery chamber creates a vacuum in the recovery chamber to draw the cooled solvent through the cooled plant material and extract essential oils, which are collected in the recovery chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-pressurized, vacuum-only method of extracting oil from plant material, comprising: cooling plant material in a material container; extracting oil from the plant material, the extracting including: generating a continuous vacuum in a recovery chamber that is in fluid communication with the material container, the generating the continuous vacuum including using a vacuum pump connected to the recovery chamber only; continuously pulling solvent through the plant material in the material container by using only the continuous vacuum in the recovery chamber to extract oil from the plant material and generate a liquid containing extracted oil from the plant material and solvent; continuously pulling the liquid containing solvent and extracted oil into the recovery chamber with the continuous vacuum from the recovery chamber and leaving the plant material in the material container; and purging solvent from the liquid in the recovery chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing cooling liquid into the material container prior to the continuously pulling solvent through the plant material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising cooling the solvent with cooling liquid before the introducing the solvent into the material container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method claim 3, wherein the cooling liquid is liquid nitrogen. ### Claim 5 A non-pressurized vacuum-only method of extracting oil from plant material, comprising: introducing plant material into a material container; generating a continuous vacuum in a recovery chamber that is in fluid communication with the material container by using a vacuum pump connected to the recovery chamber only; continuously pulling solvent through the plant material in the material container by using only the continuous vacuum in the recovery chamber to extract oil from the plant material and generate a liquid containing extracted oil and solvent; continuously pulling the liquid containing solvent and extracted oil into the recovery chamber with only the continuous vacuum from the recovery chamber and leaving the plant material in the material container; and purging solvent from the liquid in the recovery chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising an initial step of cooling the plant material prior to the introducing the plant material into the material container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising cooling the plant material while the plant material is in the material container prior to the continuously pulling solvent through the plant material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising, after the introducing the plant material into the material container and prior to the generating of the continuous vacuum, introducing cooling liquid into the material container to cool the plant material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method claim 8, wherein the cooling liquid is liquid nitrogen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising cooling solvent in a solvent chamber prior to the continuously pulling solvent through the plant material in the material container. ### Claim 11 A non-pressurized vacuum-only process of extracting oil from plant-based material using an extraction system that includes a solvent chamber in fluid communication with a material column that in turn is in fluid communication with a recovery chamber via a filter, and a vacuum pump that is connected only to the recovery chamber, the process comprising: introducing plant-based material into the material column; introducing solvent into the material column; generating a continuous vacuum in the recovery chamber with the vacuum pump that is connected only to the recovery chamber to continuously pull solvent through the plant-based material and continuously generate liquid containing solvent and extracted oil; continuously pulling the liquid containing solvent and extracted oil into the recovery chamber from the material column with only the continuous vacuum from the recovery chamber and leaving plant material in the material column; and purging solvent from liquid in the recovery chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, further comprising cooling the plant-based material prior to the introducing the plant-based material into the material column. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, further comprising cooling the plant-based material after the introducing the plant-based material into the material column and before the introducing solvent into the material column by introducing liquid nitrogen into the material column and pulling the liquid nitrogen through the plant-based material in the material column by using only the vacuum in the recovery chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, further comprising introducing solvent into the solvent chamber prior to the introducing solvent into the material column. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14, further comprising cooling solvent prior to the introducing solvent into the solvent chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process of claim 15, wherein the cooling solvent comprises either freezing solvent or introducing cooling liquid into solvent in the solvent chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, further comprising filtering the liquid containing extracted oil and solvent prior to the pulling the liquid containing extracted oil and solvent into the recovery chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11 further comprising compressing plant-based material in the material column prior to the introducing solvent into the material column. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18 wherein the compressing plant-based material in the material column comprises using a plunger that is mechanically attached to a top of the material column. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process of claim 19, further comprising, after the pulling the liquid containing extracted oil and solvent into the recovery chamber, stopping the creating of the continuous vacuum, opening the material column, attaching the plunger to the material column, and pressing spent material out of the material column for purposes of cleaning the material column.