US 12,102,657 B2 · Systems and methods for producing hemp extracts and compositions

Abstract

A method for producing full spectrum hemp extract comprising extracting substances from cannabis-based green material that are soluble in an extraction solvent and collecting an extract that includes the extraction solvent distilling at least a portion of the extraction solvent which results in a concentrate that is not distilled off, removing at least a portion of water soluble substances from the concentrate by partitioning the at least a portion of water soluble substances into an aqueous phase and a remainder of substances from the concentrate into a partitioned concentrate, heating the partitioned concentrate to evaporate the nonpolar solvent and to yield a crude oil, degassing the crude oil by heating it which results in a degassed crude oil, performing a first pass distillation at about 150° C. and collecting a first residue, performing a second and third pass distillation at about 170° C. and about 185° C., and collecting a distillate from same.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for producing a refined broad spectrum hemp extract from a Cannabis sativa (C. sativa)-based extract product by removal of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), said method comprising:

a. dissolving the C. sativa-based extract product in hexane at a ratio of about 2:1 hexane to extract product;
b. formulating a solvent system for centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) by admixing hexane:methanol:water at a ratio of 5:4:1 respectively;
c. allowing the solvent system to separate for an effective amount of time into an upper layer and a lower layer;
d. adjusting the density of the lower layer to about 0.8 g/cm3 at 70° F. (about 21° C.) using water, methanol, or both;
e. running the dissolved C. sativa-based extract product through a CPC apparatus to separate the dissolved C. sativa-based extract product into reclaim fractions, THC-free fractions, and waste fractions;
f. distilling hexane, methanol, water, or combinations thereof from the THC-free fractions in a horizontal wiped film evaporator set to heat at about 140° F. (about 60° C.) and at full vacuum;
g. distilling hexane, methanol, water, or combinations thereof from the THC-free fractions using a rotary evaporator with an oil bath set to at least about 100° C.;
h. removing water from the THC-free fractions using an unheated rotary evaporator under vacuum, a heated rotary evaporator under vacuum, or both;
and
i. collecting a resultant broad spectrum hemp extract.

7 more elements

A method for removing Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from a Cannabis sativa (C. sativa)-based extraction product to produce a broad spectrum hemp extract comprising:

a. dissolving 1 part C. sativa-based extraction product in 2 parts hexane, the C. sativa-based extraction product obtained by:
i. mixing C. sativa-based plant material in completely denatured ethanol cooled to between about −20° C. and about 0° C. and collecting an extract that includes an extraction solvent and soluble substances dissolved therein;
ii. distilling at least a portion of the extraction solvent off of the extract and collecting a concentrate that is not distilled off;
iii. removing at least a portion of water-soluble substances from the concentrate by partitioning the at least a portion of water-soluble substances into an aqueous phase and a remainder of substances from the concentrate into a partitioned concentrate dissolved in a phase of a nonpolar solvent;
iv. evaporating the nonpolar solvent to yield a crude oil;
v. degassing the crude oil using heat to obtain a degassed crude oil;
and
vi. distilling the degassed crude oil at least one time to obtain a full spectrum hemp extract;
b. running the dissolved C. sativa-based extraction product through a centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) apparatus to separate the dissolved C. sativa-based extraction product into reclaim fractions, THC-free fractions, and waste fractions wherein separation using CPC is based on a solvent system of hexane:methanol:water at a ratio of 5:4:1 respectively that has been separated into an upper layer and a lower layer wherein the density of the lower layer has been adjusted to about 0.8 g/cm3 at 70° F. (about 21° C.) using water, methanol, or both;
c. distilling hexane, methanol, water, or combinations thereof from the THC-free fractions to produce a distilled THC-free fraction;
d. removing water from the distilled THC-free fraction;
and
e. collecting a resultant broad spectrum hemp extract.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for producing hemp extracts and compositions

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for producing hemp extracts and compositions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20