Microwave extraction of essential oils

A method of extracting an essential oil from plant matter, the method comprising:

• drying plant matter that includes at least one essential oil until the plant matter has a moisture content of less than 5.0% by weight;
• providing the plant matter to an interior of an extraction vessel, wherein the plant matter includes at least one essential oil;
• using at least one vacuum pump to reduce the pressure within the interior of the extraction vessel with the plant matter;
• applying microwave energy to the plant matter that is within the extraction vessel while the interior of the extraction vessel is under the reduced pressure, wherein a combination of the reduced pressure and the microwave energy reduces the observed boiling point and creates a vapor comprising at least a portion of the essential oil included with the plant matter within the extraction vessel, wherein the step of using the at least one vacuum pump and the step of applying microwave energy are performed after the step of drying the plant matter;
• directing the vapor that comprises at least a portion of the essential oil from the extraction vessel to at least one condenser means;
• and
• condensing the vapor that comprises at least a portion of the essential oil, by utilizing the at least one condenser means, to at least one liquid including the essential oil.

A method of extracting an essential oil from plant matter, the method comprising:

• providing plant matter to an interior of an extraction vessel, wherein composition of the plant matter includes at least one essential oil;
• using at least one vacuum pump to reduce the pressure within the interior of the extraction vessel with the plant matter therein, wherein the step of using the at least one vacuum pump comprises reducing the pressure within the interior of the extraction vessel with the plant matter therein to an absolute pressure of between 5 and 300 mm Hg absolute pressure;
• applying microwave energy at a frequency between 1 GHz and 1000 GHz to the plant matter that is within the extraction vessel while the interior of the extraction vessel is under the reduced pressure, wherein a combination of the reduced pressure and the microwave energy creates a vapor comprising at least a portion of the essential oil contained within the plant matter provided inside of the extraction vessel;
• directing the vapor that comprises at least a portion of the essential oil from the extraction vessel to at least one condenser means;
• and
• condensing the vapor to a liquid state such that the vapor comprises at least a portion of the essential oil, by utilizing the at least one condenser means, to at least one liquid including the essential oil.