Extraction System with Dual-Purpose Pump
OwnerFrederick Jackson Chessinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is an extraction system which can be used to recover light oils and other organic materials during a supercritical or subcritical fluid extraction. The extraction system utilizes dual-purpose gas-liquid extraction pump for pumping the extracting material (e.g., CO2) in either the vapor phase or the liquid phase within the extractor. The extractor is a pressure vessel which functions as an independent, full spectrum extractor. Organic material is inserted within a compartment within the extractor and liquefied and compressed gases are passed through the organic material to obtain the extractant. The extraction system also includes a separator to separate the extracting fluid from the extracted material.
Claims16
An extraction system comprising:
- a tank containing gas which comprises an inlet for filling the tank with gas and an outlet for allowing the gas to be transferred within the extraction system;
- a multifunctional dual-purpose gas-liquid extraction pump in connection with the tank wherein the pump is capable of pumping either gas or vapor phase extracting material or liquid phase extracting material throughout the extraction system in a gas phase or a liquid phase extraction process;
- an extractor pressure vessel in connection with the multifunctional dual-purpose gas-liquid extraction pump, wherein the extractor pressure vessel comprises an entry port, an entry tube, a main body and a collection zone, wherein the main body comprises an extraction chamber, wherein the extraction chamber houses material to be extracted;
- and
- a separator pressure vessel in connection with the extractor pressure vessel, wherein the separator pressure vessel comprises an entry port, an entry tube, a separation zone, a collection zone, an exit tube and an exit port, wherein the exit port is connected to the gas-liquid extraction pump and an external condenser by at least one conduit, wherein flow of material from the exit port to either the gas-liquid extraction pump or the external condenser is controlled by a valve for recirculation within the extraction system.
A method for extracting compounds from an organic material comprising the following steps:
- conducting a first phase extraction, wherein the first phase extraction comprises the following steps:
- i.) using a gas-liquid extraction pump to pump CO2 gas or vapor extracting material into a extraction vessel to pass through organic material within the extraction vessel to entrain the organic material within the extracting material;
- ii.) separating organic material from the CO2 gas or vapor by passing the gas or vapor through at least one separator vessel;
- iii.) collecting extracted and separated materials from the separator vessel;
- iv.) recirculating the CO2 gas or vapor extracting material through the extraction system by directing CO2 gas or vapor from the separator vessel to the gas-liquid extraction pump to recirculate the CO2 gas or vapor extracting material through the extraction vessel;
- conducting a second phase extraction, wherein the second phase extraction comprises the following steps:
- vi.) using the gas-liquid extraction pump to pump liquid or supercritical CO2 extracting material into the extraction vessel to pass through organic material within the extraction vessel to entrain the organic material within extracting material;
- vii.) separating organic material from the liquid or supercritical CO2 by passing the liquid or supercritical CO2 through at least one separator vessel which converts the liquid or supercritical CO2 to a gas or vapor;
- viii.) collecting extracted and separated materials from the separator vessel;
- and
- ix.) recirculating the CO2 extracting material through the extraction system by directing CO2 gas or vapor from the separator vessel to an external condenser to convert the CO2 gas or vapor to the liquid phase and optionally storing the liquid phase CO2 within an accumulator;
- x.) operating the gas-liquid extraction pump to create a vacuum to pull the liquid phase CO2 from the condenser or the accumulator and recirculate liquid phase CO2 through the extraction vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.