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US 12,296,281 B2Granted
Solvent extraction apparatuses and methods
AssigneeGene Pool Technologies, Inc.
InventorDavid McGhee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for the solvent extraction of a substance from a material. The disclosed systems include multiple tanks and an extraction column in communication with the tanks. Solvent transport is accomplished via pressure differentials that are established between or among tanks to cause the solvent to be transported between or among said tanks.
Claims31
A method of operating an extraction system for extracting compounds from a compound-bearing material, the method comprising:
- transporting solvent from a first tank of the extraction system to an extraction column of the extraction system via at least a solvent line arranged between the first tank, which holds the solvent, and the extraction column, which holds the compound-bearing material and is arranged downstream of the first tank, the transporting step comprising establishing or increasing a first pressure differential between the first tank and a second tank, the first pressure differential sufficient to bring the solvent in contact with the compound-bearing material, and the second tank in fluid communication with at least the first tank and extraction column and arranged downstream of at least the first tank and extraction column, with the establishing or increasing pressure differential step comprising at least one of cooling the second tank to decrease pressure within the second tank or heating the first tank to establish or increase a head pressure within the first tank.
A vacuum-based method of moving solvent within a plant-material extraction system, the method comprising:
- transporting liquid solvent from a solvent source tank through at least a solvent line that is arranged between the solvent source tank and an extraction column, the extraction column, which is in fluid communication with at least the solvent source tank and the solvent line, defining an interior that is adapted to receive at least the liquid solvent and a compound-bearing plant material,
- the transporting the liquid solvent step comprising establishing or increasing a first vacuum in a second tank, the first vacuum being sufficient to bring the solvent in contact with the compound-bearing plant material, and the second tank in fluid communication with at least the first tank and extraction column and arranged downstream of at least the first tank and extraction column;
- transporting a solvent-extracted compound mixture from the extraction column to a separator of the extraction system via at least a liquid mixture line arranged between the extraction column and the separator;
- and
- transporting vapor-phase solvent from the separator, the transporting vapor-phase solvent step comprising:
- heating the separator, and
- cooling the second tank.
4 more elements
A method of operating an extraction system for extracting compounds from a compound-bearing material, the method comprising:
- transporting solvent from a source tank of the extraction system to an extraction column of the extraction system via at least a solvent line arranged between the source tank, which holds the solvent, and the extraction column, which holds the compound-bearing material and is arranged downstream of the source tank, the transporting step comprising establishing or increasing a first pressure differential between the source tank and a collection tank, the first pressure differential sufficient to bring the solvent in contact with the compound-bearing material, and the collection tank in fluid communication with at least the source tank and extraction column and arranged downstream of at least the source tank and extraction column;
- transporting a solvent-extracted compound mixture from the extraction column to the collection tank of the extraction system via at least a liquid mixture line arranged between the extraction column and the collection tank;
- and
- transporting vapor-phase solvent from the collection tank to a solvent recapture tank of the extraction system, thereby providing transported vapor-phase solvent to the solvent recapture tank, with the transporting the vapor-phase solvent step comprises transporting, without passing the vapor-phase solvent through a recovery pump, the vapor-phase solvent from the collection tank to the solvent recapture tank through at least a solvent recapture line arranged between the solvent recapture tank and the collection tank by at least cooling the solvent recapture tank and heating the collection tank.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.