Mass separation of materials
AssigneeVitamins, Inc.
InventorWayne K. Rice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An extraction process comprising contracting a material to be extracted with an extracting fluid at elevated pressure within a defined space, and separating the extracted fluid and extract as a mass, from the extracted material while reducing the volume of the defined space and while maintaining the elevated pressure within the defined space. Apparatus for carrying out the process is adapted to separate the extracting fluid and the extract, as a mass, from the extracted material, while maintaining elevated pressure and reducing the volume as the point of separation.
Claims10
A method of extracting soluble materials from a material to be extracted which comprises:
- contacting the material to be extracted with an extracting fluid at an elevated pressure within a defined space;
- forming a fluid mixture of said extracting fluid and extract from said material to be extracted in said defined space;
- separating said fluid mixture from the residue of said material to be extracted;
- and
- discharging said fluid mixture as a mass from said defined space;
- and
- simultaneously reducing the volume of said defined space at a rate sufficient to maintain said elevated pressure as said fluid mixture is discharged from said defined space.
A process of separating material which comprises:
- contacting a liquid material with a selected quantity of CO.sub.2 at a selected elevated pressure in a defined space under conditions which promote a chemical reaction which produces a solid material;
- forming a fluid mixture of CO.sub.2 and the soluble component of the feed material in said defined space;
- separating said fluid mixture from the solid form during said chemical reaction and discharging said fluid mixture as a mass from said defined space;
- simultaneously reducing the volume of said defined space at a rate sufficient to maintain said elevated pressure as said fluid mixture is discharged from said defined space;
- and
- compacting the residue of said solid material as the volume of said defined space is reduced.
A process of separating material from a solid material comprising a soluble component which comprises:
- contacting a solid material with an organic solvent and a selected quantity of CO.sub.2 at a selected elevated pressure within a defined space;
- forming a fluid mixture of an organic solvent, CO.sub.2 and a soluble component of said solid material in said defined space;
- separating said fluid mixture from the insoluble portion of said solid material at said elevated pressure and discharging said fluid mixture as a mass from said defined space;
- simultaneously reducing the volume of said defined space at a rate sufficient to maintain said elevated pressure as fluid mixture is discharged from said defined space;
- and
- compacting the residue of said solid material as the volume of said defined space is reduced.
A process of separating materials which comprises:
- contacting a solid vegetable material with a fluid at a selected, elevated pressure within a defined space;
- forming a fluid mixture of said fluid and a component of said solid material at said elevated pressure in said defined space;
- separating said fluid mixture from the insoluble portion of said solid material at said elevated pressure and discharging said fluid mixture as a mass from said defined space;
- and
- simultaneously reducing the volume of said defined space at a rate sufficient to maintain said elevated pressure as the fluid mixture is discharged from said defined space.
A process of separating material from a solid material comprising a soluble component which comprises:
- contacting a solid vegetable material with a selected quantity of CO.sub.2 at a selected elevated pressure within a defined space;
- forming a fluid mixture of CO.sub.2 and a soluble component of said solid material at said elevated pressure in said defined space;
- separating said fluid mixture from the insoluble portion of said solid material at said elevated pressure and discharging said fluid mixture as a mass from said defined space;
- simultaneously reducing the volume of said defined space at a rate sufficient to maintain said elevated pressure as fluid mixture is discharged from said defined space;
- and
- compacting the residue of said solid material as the volume of said defined space is reduced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.