Phytochemical extraction systems, methods, and devices
OwnerBoris David Kogoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for phytochemical extraction. One example extraction system includes two solvent columns, a material column, and a dewaxing column. The solvent columns store and provide solvent for stripping target chemicals from plant material in the material column. The solvent mixed with target chemicals passes into the dewaxing column, where the target chemicals are separated from waxes and lipids. Cooling is applied to elements of the system by way of an open-loop CO2 refrigeration method. Solvent is moved from the solvent columns to the material column by creating a pressure differential between the two solvent columns.
Claims11
A phytochemical extraction system, comprising:
- a first solvent column that includes a jacket that surrounds an inner vessel that contains a solvent in a liquid state, wherein the jacket is filled with heated liquid which causes the solvent to boil;
- a second solvent column that includes a jacket that surrounds an inner vessel that contains a solvent in a liquid state, wherein the jacket is filled with cold liquid, wherein the vessel includes an input port that is connected to an output port of the first solvent column such that gaseous solvent flows from the first solvent column vessel into the second solvent column vessel due to pressure created by the boiling solvent in the first solvent column, wherein the vessel includes an output port connected to a dip tube;
- a material column that includes a jacket that surrounds an inner vessel that contains plant material, wherein the vessel includes an input port that is connected to the output port of the second solvent column such that liquid solvent flows via the dip tube of the solvent column into the material column and washes the plant material, wherein the vessel includes an output port;
- and
- a dewaxing column that includes a jacket that surrounds an inner vessel that contains column packing, wherein the dewaxing column includes a top sight glass, a bottom sight glass, an input port, an output port, and a filter stack, wherein the input port is connected to the output port of the material column such that a mixture of solvent and compounds stripped from the plant material flows into the inner vessel of the dewaxing column, where waxes and/or lipids in the solvent mixture are separated from the mixture, wherein the waxes and/or lipids are filtered from the mixture by the filter stack before passing into the output port, wherein the output port is connected to a collection tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.