Systems and methods for processing essential oils

A method of separating oils from a solvent, comprising:

• drawing a vacuum within an inner chamber of an outer housing so that a pressure within the inner chamber of the outer housing is below 120 Torr;
• heating a plate located within the inner chamber of the outer housing to above a boiling temperature of the solvent at the pressure within the inner chamber;
• cooling an inner surface of the outer housing surface exposed to the inner chamber of the outer housing to below the boiling temperature of the solvent at the pressure within the inner chamber;
• supplying a mixture of the oils and the solvent onto the plate and allowing the mixture to run down the plate as the solvent boils out of the mixture and condenses on the cooled surface;
• carrying the oils out of the outer housing through a first collecting conduit;
• and
• carrying the solvent out of the outer housing through a second collecting conduit.

A method of supplying a mixture of oils and a solvent from a holding tank to a system for separating the oils from the solvent, comprising:

• closing a first valve controlling an inlet conduit to the holding tank to prevent backflow out of the holding tank;
• opening a second valve controlling an outlet conduit from the holding tank to allow the mixture to flow from the holding tank to the system for separating the oils from the solvent;
• coupling a source of a pressurized inert gas to the holding tank and opening a third valve so that the pressurized inert gas can flow into the holding tank;
• and
• allowing the pressurized inert gas to force the mixture out of the holding tank, through the outlet conduit, and into the system for separating the oils from the solvent.

A method of winterizing mixtures of crude oils and a solvent, comprising:

• supplying a first mixture into an inner chamber of a first winterization vessel and a coolant into an outer chamber of the first winterization vessel;
• allowing a temperature of the first mixture to decrease until axes within the first mixture solidify;
• and
• supplying a pressurized inert gas into the inner chamber of the first winterization vessel, thereby forcing the first mixture through at least two filters within the inner chamber of the first winterization vessel and out of the inner chamber of the first winterization vessel.

A method of removing waxes from crude oils comprising:

• introducing crude oils into a first vessel;
• mixing a solvent with the crude oils at a temperature above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the first vessel;
• pressurizing the first vessel with an inert gas to advance the mixture into a second vessel;
• cooling the second vessel and the mixture to a temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit until the waxes in the mixture solidify;
• pressurizing the second vessel with an inert gas to advance the mixture through filters that trap a portion of the waxes and into a third vessel;
• warming the third vessel and the filtered mixture to a temperature above 68 degrees Fahrenheit;
• pressurizing the third vessel with an inert gas to advance the mixture into a fourth vessel that has a pressure of less than 120 Torr;
• introducing the mixture onto a tilted plate that is heated above the boiling point for the solvent within the fourth vessel;
• collecting the oil from a bottom of the plate through a first conduit out of the fourth vessel;
• and
• condensing the solvent and collecting the condensed solvent through a second conduit out of the fourth vessel.