Extraction of botanical material using high-pressure hydrocarbons
AssigneeIlluminated Extractors, Ltd.
InventorZachary Richard Lantz
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for extraction of oils from botanical material using high-pressure hydrocarbons such as propane, or butane, or mixtures thereof are described. A high-pressure propane or butane saturated liquid/vapor mixture formed by pressure reduction through a valve placed before an extraction column, thereby serving as an expansion port was employed. The apparatus is capable of both continuous liquid extraction or batch-style liquid operation through the use of a manifold valve, which directs the solvent liquid/vapor in the system to either a supply tank or an extraction column.
Claims7
A method for extraction of oils from botanical material using a hydrocarbon solvent having a pressure and a temperature, comprising:
- reducing the pressure and cooling said hydrocarbon solvent such that a saturated liquid-vapor mixture thereof is formed;
- contacting said botanical material with a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent forming thereby a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material;
- boiling off said hydrocarbon solvent from said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material, leaving extracted oils from said botanical material;
- compressing said boiled off hydrocarbon solvent;
- cooling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent;
- and
- directing said cooled, compressed hydrocarbon solvent to a hydrocarbon solvent storage tank therefor, or reducing the pressure and cooling said cooled, compressed hydrocarbon solvent such that a saturated liquid-vapor mixture thereof is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.