Extraction of botanical material using high pressure hyrdocarbons
AssigneeIlluminated Extractors, Ltd.
InventorZachary Richard Lantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for extraction of oils from botanical material using high-pressure hydrocarbons such as propane, or butane, or mixtures thereof are described. A high-pressure propane or butane saturated liquid/vapor mixture formed by pressure reduction through a valve placed before an extraction column, thereby serving as an expansion port was employed. The apparatus is capable of both continuous liquid extraction or batch-style liquid operation through the use of a manifold valve, which directs the solvent liquid/vapor in the system to either a supply tank or an extraction column.
Claims18
An apparatus for extraction of oils from botanical material using a hydrocarbon solvent having a chosen pressure and a selected temperature, comprising:
- an extraction column having a first closed end a second closed end, and an interior volume, for containing said botanical material;
- a first valve in fluid communication with the volume and disposed at the first end of said extraction column for receiving said hydrocarbon solvent, said first valve being adjustable such that said chosen pressure of said hydrocarbon solvent is reduced and said selected temperature of said hydrocarbon solvent is reduced by expansion of said hydrocarbon solvent through said first valve, forming thereby a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent;
- a second valve in fluid communication with the volume and disposed at the second end of said extraction column for receiving said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon after said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent has passed through said botanical material, forming thereby a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material;
- an extraction basin in fluid communication with said second valve for receiving said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material;
- a heater for providing heat to said extraction basin in order to boil off said hydrocarbon solvent from said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material, leaving extracted oils from said botanical material in said extraction basin;
- a recovery pump for compressing said hydrocarbon solvent after said hydrocarbon solvent is boiled off from said extraction basin;
- a third valve in fluid communication with said extraction basin and in fluid communication with said recovery pump;
- a condenser for cooling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent;
- a hydrocarbon solvent storage tank;
- and
- a manifold valve for directing said cooled, compressed hydrocarbon solvent into said first valve or said hydrocarbon storage tank.
A method for extraction of oils from botanical material using a hydrocarbon solvent having a pressure and a temperature, comprising:
- reducing the pressure and cooling said hydrocarbon solvent such that a saturated liquid-vapor mixture thereof is formed;
- contacting said botanical material with a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent forming thereby a saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material;
- boiling off said hydrocarbon solvent from said saturated liquid-vapor mixture of said hydrocarbon solvent containing extracted botanical material, leaving extracted oils from said botanical material;
- compressing said boiled off hydrocarbon solvent;
- cooling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent;
- and
- directing said cooled, compressed hydrocarbon solvent to a hydrocarbon solvent storage tank therefor, or reducing the pressure and cooling said cooled, compressed hydrocarbon solvent such that a saturated liquid-vapor mixture thereof is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.