A high-efficiency extraction device for plant essential oils based on steam distillation

Abstract

This invention discloses a high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation, belonging to the technical field of extraction equipment. This device includes an evaporator and a condenser, with the gas in the evaporator pumped into the condenser. Through the design of the evaporator, the plant debris is tightly wrapped by the deformation of the rack during loading and unloading, facilitating the removal and placement of the plant debris in the plant container. During extraction, the rack can also deform to loosen the plant debris. With the rotation of the central tube and the second partition, combined with the stationary position of the container body and the first partition, the debris is pushed towards the inner wall of the container by centrifugal force, undergoing a circular accumulation, collapse, and tumbling process. This results in larger gaps between the debris, a larger effective contact area with water vapor, and prevents adhesion and caking, ensuring efficient gas exchange.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of extraction equipment technology, specifically relating to a high-efficiency extraction device for plant essential oils based on steam distillation. Background Technology

[0002] Plant essential oil extraction is a method for extracting volatile aromatic substances from plants. Commonly used extraction techniques include distillation, solvent extraction, pressing, and supercritical fluid extraction. Distillation involves heating the plant material to evaporate the essential oil, then cooling and condensing it to recover the oil. Solvent extraction uses organic solvents to dissolve the essential oil, then evaporates the solvent to obtain the essential oil. Pressing is mainly used for extracting essential oils from citrus peels. Supercritical fluid extraction uses supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent, making it environmentally friendly and highly efficient. These methods preserve the natural components of plants and are widely used in aromatherapy, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

[0003] The existing Chinese invention patent with publication number CN102250689A uses a perforated steam coil or sieve plate to uniformly and gradually heat the material layer from top to bottom with water vapor. At the same time, the saturated steam is gradually condensed by the material layer, and the resulting hot water continuously penetrates into the material structure. The material forms a good water diffusion effect during the heating, diffusion, and condensation process of the steam. As water vapor continues to enter, the oil-water mixed steam is introduced into the condenser through the steam outlet at the bottom of the material tank.

[0004] In practical use, the upward flow of steam results in a long flow path and a significant cooling effect. This causes excessive water vapor and entrained essential oil vapor to condense into water droplets that fall onto the plant surface. This can lead to the plant being blocked by water, resulting in insufficient contact area for extraction. Furthermore, the cooling effect caused by the condensed water droplets also lowers the extraction temperature, leading to poor extraction efficiency. When extracting plants with low essential oil content, the extraction yield is small. Therefore, this paper provides a high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a high-efficiency extraction device for plant essential oils based on steam distillation.

[0006] The technical solution adopted to solve the above technical problems is:

[0007] A high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation includes an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the gas in the evaporator is pumped into the condenser, and the device further includes:

[0008] An inner frame is built into the evaporator, which divides the evaporator into an evaporation chamber and an extraction chamber. A gas distribution shell is installed on the inner frame, and the inner frame and the gas distribution shell form a gas passage between the evaporation chamber and the extraction chamber.

[0009] The plant bucket is mounted on the inner frame. The plant bucket includes a cylindrical hollow bucket with the opening facing upward. The circumferential side wall of the bucket has a guide hole. The gas distribution shell is vertically arranged between the outer circumferential wall of the bucket and the inner wall of the evaporator.

[0010] A shelf built into the plant bucket includes a central tube with a notch on its circumferential sidewall. The outer circumferential wall of the central tube has partitions one and two arranged alternately. Partitions one and two divide the inside of the bucket into a contact section and a bypass section arranged alternately. Plant debris is placed inside the contact section. Condensate in the bucket is drained out of the bucket through a guide hole via partition one.

[0011] In use, the plant material to be extracted is crushed into small pieces and placed in the space above partition one and below partition two. The evaporator top cover is then opened, the plant container is placed inside the evaporator, and it is positioned above the inner rack. The evaporator top cover is then closed. Water vapor is generated by heating distilled water in the evaporation chamber. The rotating conveyor delivers a metered amount of water vapor from the evaporation chamber to the extraction chamber for continuous and stable steam extraction. During extraction, water vapor in the gas distribution shell enters the contact section and bypass section from all sides and converges at the center for upward discharge. The water vapor entering the contact section directly contacts the plant material for extraction. The water vapor entering the bypass section supplements the heating of the plant material through partitions one and two, preventing liquefaction at the contact section due to heat loss. This ensures the extracted essential oil remains vaporized and flows out of the contact section. Both water vapor and essential oil vapor are concentrated and discharged from the top of the container via the central pipe. The water vapor entering the bypass section does not directly participate in the extraction, maintaining a higher temperature. The water vapor entering the central pipe... To maintain a high temperature in the central tube and prevent the essential oil vapor from liquefying during transport before entering the condenser, thus improving essential oil extraction efficiency, the rotation of the conveying component drives the barrel to rotate. This allows plant debris to directly contact water vapor as it passes through the gas distribution shell, improving heating uniformity. The barrel's rotation also drives the partitions and the plant debris above them to rotate. The central tube and partition two remain stationary relative to the barrel and partition one. As the barrel revolves, the debris concentrates on the circumferential sidewall due to centrifugal force. The upper layer of plant debris, upon contact with the partitions, is decelerated by friction and collapses in the opposite direction of rotation. This causes the lower layer of plant debris to be flipped back to the top. This continuous circulatory movement of the plant debris during the revolving motion further improves heating uniformity. The plant debris is also kneaded and rubbed. The dynamic process of the plant debris sliding outwards due to centrifugal force and collapsing inwards due to friction results in larger gaps between the debris compared to static stacking, providing a larger effective contact area with water vapor and preventing adhesion and caking, thus ensuring efficient gas exchange.

[0012] Furthermore, the partition 1 adopts a flexible annular structure, a rotating ring is installed at the inner edge of the partition 1, the rotating ring is rotatably installed at the annular groove provided on the circumferential side wall of the central tube, a reinforcing ring is installed at the outer edge of the partition 1, the reinforcing ring is connected to a pull rope 1, the reinforcing ring can be pulled by the pull rope 1 to a position higher than the rotating ring, and the reinforcing ring can be lower than the rotating ring position when the partition 1 is relaxed.

[0013] Through the above technical solution, the structure of the partition 1 is optimized. The flexible structure of partition 1 can bend under force. Before adding plant debris to the plant bucket, the partition 1 can be lifted around its perimeter using the pull rope 1 to form a basin-like structure, which can hold more plant debris and prevent it from slipping off the perimeter. Similarly, when removing the extracted plant debris from the plant bucket, the plant debris can be scraped out of the plant bucket by lifting the reinforcing rings around partition 1. This way, the plant bucket does not need to be removed when removing plant debris, and the plant debris can be completely discharged. During extraction, the pull rope 1 is released, allowing the partition 1 to hang down under gravity. Because the center of partition 1 is limited by the central tube, it can form a partition 1 shape that is high in the middle and low around the perimeter. This makes it easy for the plant debris to quickly approach the inner circumference of the plant bucket during centrifugation and facilitates smooth circulation and tumbling. At the same time, the generated condensate will flow out of the plant bucket in time, ensuring that the plant debris is relatively dry and preventing the accumulation of condensate from affecting the internal temperature of the plant bucket.

[0014] Furthermore, the second partition adopts a flexible annular structure, and a relay frame is installed at the inner edge of the second partition. The relay frame slides up and down along the notch. A central rod is installed in the middle of the relay frame, and a connecting rod is hinged in the middle of the relay frame. The connecting rod overlaps the upper surface of the second partition. A pull rope is installed at one end of the connecting rod located inside the central tube, and a sliding tube is installed at the other end of the connecting rod located outside the central tube. The sliding tube is fixedly connected to the outer edge of the second partition.

[0015] Through the above technical solution, the structure of partition two is optimized. Partition two is installed on the outside of the central tube by sliding up and down through the relay frame. When loading plant debris, the plant debris can be pressed into the space between partition one and partition two by pressing down the central rod and the supporting rod, which further alleviates the situation of plant debris slipping off the shelf. During extraction, partition two and the supporting rod can slide upward when squeezed by the plant debris below, leaving sufficient collapse space near the central tube. The weight of the supporting rod can also cause the edge of partition two to be deformed downward into a concave part, which can provide greater obstruction to the upper layer of plant debris and realize the smooth turning of plant debris.

[0016] Furthermore, a connecting sleeve is installed between the relay frame and the rotating ring. The connecting sleeve is fitted on the outside of the central tube. The connecting sleeve can extend and retract along the axial direction of the central tube. The connecting sleeve can prevent plant debris from entering the opening and allow gas to pass through smoothly.

[0017] Through the above technical solution, in order to prevent blockage of the internal space of the central tube, a connecting sleeve is installed at the opening. The connecting sleeve adopts a telescopic fine-pore cloth sleeve, which can block plant debris and allow gas to pass through smoothly. At the same time, the telescopic movement of the connecting sleeve can adapt to the position changes of the relay frame. It can also clean the plant debris on the surface of the connecting sleeve by multiple telescopic movements when removing plant debris after extraction, making maintenance convenient.

[0018] Furthermore, a top frame is installed at the top of the first pull rope, a bushing is rotatably installed at the center of the top frame, the top of the second pull rope is fixedly connected to the bottom of the bushing, the top frame is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the middle rod via the bushing, the top frame is movably overlapped with the top of the middle tube, and a fixed support arm is installed at the top of the middle rod.

[0019] With the above technical solution, to facilitate the deformation operation of the shelf, a top frame is slidably installed on the top of the central tube. The top frame can simultaneously pull rope one and rope two. When transferring plant debris, the relay frame is pressed down by pushing down the central rod, and then rope one and rope two are lifted up at the same time so that the plant debris can be wrapped by partition one and partition two. During normal extraction, the central rod, rope one and rope two are all in a relaxed state, and the top frame and rope one rotate synchronously. The fixed support arm can be connected to the inner wall of the evaporator or other stationary structures, so that the central rod and rope two remain stationary, ensuring smooth rotation heating and debris turning.

[0020] Furthermore, a through seat is installed through the middle of the bottom end of the barrel, and the middle tube is rotatably inserted into the opening at the top of the through seat. The top of the through seat is higher than the inner wall of the bottom end of the barrel by a certain distance, and the bottom end of the through seat slides in contact with the top of the conveying component.

[0021] Through the above technical solution, the barrel body is optimized. When installing the barrel body, the through seat rests on the top of the conveyor and can slide relative to it, providing central support when the barrel body rotates. The upward protrusion of the through seat, after the middle tube is installed, can form an elevated area below the middle tube. When the first partition is a rigid structure, it facilitates the smooth passage of water vapor and increases the surrounding temperature of the lower plant debris. When the first partition is flexible, it leaves sufficient space for the first partition to hang down around its perimeter, facilitating the smooth deformation of the first partition.

[0022] Furthermore, the conveying component includes a drive shaft and centrifugal blades, the inner frame includes a partition shell, the partition shell has a cylindrical space inside, the edge of the centrifugal blades slides in contact with the inner wall of the partition shell, and the vertical side wall of the partition shell has four side openings with a 90-degree angle between adjacent side openings.

[0023] Through the above technical solution, in order to achieve quantitative delivery, water vapor in the evaporation chamber is introduced into the separator shell through an open side opening. When the centrifugal blades rotate, centrifugal force is used to transport the water vapor in the separator shell to the side opening position connected to the gas distribution shell. While ensuring that the pressure in the evaporation chamber is stable within a small range, the speed of the centrifugal blades can be changed to control the amount of water vapor supplied. Furthermore, the continuous extraction by the centrifugal blades can keep the pressure in the evaporation chamber below the normal atmospheric pressure, lowering the boiling point of water. When the pump at the top of the evaporator works synchronously, keeping the evaporator at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, water vapor below 100 degrees Celsius can be generated, reducing the heat required for heating and allowing the plant debris to be steam-extracted at a lower temperature, avoiding the deterioration of essential oils caused by high temperatures and improving the quality of essential oils.

[0024] Furthermore, the conveying component also includes a permanent magnet ring, which is fixedly connected to the centrifugal blades. A force-bearing ring is installed on the barrel facing the permanent magnet ring. A load-bearing ring is fixedly installed on the inner frame between the force-bearing ring and the permanent magnet ring. The force-bearing ring and the permanent magnet ring are magnetically attracted to each other, while the force-bearing ring and the load-bearing ring are magnetically repelled.

[0025] Through the above technical solution, in order to achieve the rotation drive of the barrel, since the centrifugal blades require a high rotation speed while the barrel can rotate at a low speed, non-contact magnetic transmission can be used. The rotation of the permanent magnet ring attracts the force-receiving ring, which overcomes the inertia of the barrel and makes it rotate at a low speed. Furthermore, the magnetic force between the bearing ring and the force-receiving ring can overcome the gravity of the barrel and the internal materials, reducing the rotational resistance of the barrel. With reduced energy consumption, the barrel can be driven to rotate more smoothly at a low speed.

[0026] Furthermore, the inner frame includes fins, a guide plate is fixedly connected to the top of the fins, a limiting ring that cooperates with the guide plate is installed on the outer wall of the barrel, and a circular plate is installed at the bottom of the fins, the circular plate being fixedly connected to the inner wall of the evaporator.

[0027] Through the above technical solution, the internal frame structure is optimized. The fins and guide plates provide support, keeping the barrel in a vertical position for stable rotation. The circular plates divide the space, allowing the barrel to be placed in the evaporator for steam extraction in a sealed environment.

[0028] Furthermore, a cross plate is installed at the bottom of the circular plate, the evaporator includes an insulation shell and a heating plate, the heating plate is fixedly installed at the bottom of the insulation shell, the cross plate is fixedly connected to the heating plate, a drain pipe is installed at the lowest point of the circular plate, a water supply pipe is embedded in the fins, and the bottom end of the water supply pipe extends into the evaporation chamber.

[0029] Through the above technical solution, the cross plate can support the bottom of the circular plate, making the structure more stable. Moreover, the cross plate can conduct heat. Compared with the heat transfer of water vapor, the cross plate, circular plate, and fins are made of metal, and the gas distribution shell is embedded between the cross plate, circular plate, and fins. This can ensure that the water vapor continuously absorbs heat before contacting the plant debris. The heat insulation shell can ensure heat insulation and reduce heat loss, avoiding temperature drop or even condensation backflow due to transportation, thus improving extraction efficiency. The fins can also heat the water supply pipe to prevent the newly added water from being too cold and causing unstable water vapor production. The drain pipe can discharge the condensate and essential oil carried in the condensate from the plant bucket. The wastewater can be separated and recycled through secondary wastewater treatment, reducing the waste of essential oil.

[0030] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0031] (1) Through the design of the evaporator, the plant debris is tightly wrapped by the deformation of the rack during loading and unloading, which facilitates the loading and unloading of plant debris in the plant bucket. The rack can also deform during extraction to loosen the plant debris. With the rotation of the central tube and the second partition, the bucket body and the first partition remain stationary. This allows the debris to be pushed towards the inner wall of the bucket by centrifugal force and to revolve while the plant debris is circulated, stacked, collapsed and turned. The gaps between the debris are larger, the effective contact area with water vapor is larger, and adhesion and caking can be prevented, ensuring the gas exchange efficiency.

[0032] (2) Through the optimization of the inner frame and the conveying component, the inner frame can ensure that the water vapor absorbs heat continuously before contacting the plant debris, avoiding the temperature drop or even condensation and backflow caused by the conveying, thus improving the extraction efficiency. The conveying component can provide continuous water vapor and spray it along the height direction to the barrel direction, so that the steam can contact the plant debris from all sides with a shorter path and be collected in the central tube for centralized discharge, reducing the degree of temperature drop during the steam flow process, maximizing the entrainment of essential oil vapor to the condenser for separation, and increasing the essential oil extraction rate. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the present invention with the protective box removed;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the condenser shell of the present invention in a semi-sectional state;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the evaporator of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the evaporator of the present invention in the state of removing plants from the bucket;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure between the inner frame and the conveying component of the evaporator of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the assembly position between the inner frame of the evaporator and the plant container of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the plant barrel of the evaporator of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the plant bucket shelf of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 10 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the storage rack of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the storage rack of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the storage rack of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0045] Attached reference numerals: 1. Heat source; 2. Evaporator; 21. Heating plate; 22. Insulation shell; 23. Evaporation chamber; 24. Extraction chamber; 25. Protective cover; 26. Hanger; 3. Condenser; 4. Cold source; 5. Shelf; 51. Central tube; 511. Notch; 512. Annular groove; 52. Partition 1; 521. Reinforcing ring; 522. Pull rope 1; 523. Top frame; 53. Partition 2; 531. Intermediate frame; 532. Central pole; 54. Support pole; 541. Pull rope 2; 54 2. Sliding tube; 55. Connecting sleeve; 6. Inner frame; 61. Cross plate; 62. Circular plate; 63. Fin; 64. Guide plate; 65. Limiting ring; 66. Drainage pipe; 67. Water supply pipe; 68. Separator shell; 69. Side opening; 7. Conveying component; 71. Drive shaft; 72. Centrifugal blade; 73. Permanent magnet ring; 74. Bearing ring; 75. Force-bearing ring; 8. Gas distribution shell; 9. Plant bucket; 91. Bucket body; 92. Through seat; 93. Skirt; 94. Contact section; 95. Bypass section. Detailed Implementation

[0046] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0047] like Figure 1 - Figure 12As shown, this embodiment provides a high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation, including an evaporator 2 and a condenser 3. Gas in the evaporator 2 is pumped into the condenser 3. A heat source 1 heats the water in the evaporator 2 to generate steam, which then contacts the plant in the evaporator 2 for steam extraction. A cold source 4 provides a low-temperature heat exchange medium to the condenser 3 to obtain separated condensate and essential oil.

[0048] Regarding inner frame 6, refer to... Figure 4 The inner frame 6 is built into the evaporator 2. The inner frame 6 divides the evaporator 2 into an evaporation chamber 23 and an extraction chamber 24. The evaporation chamber 23 is located below the extraction chamber 24 and is used to hold the water to be evaporated. The extraction chamber 24 provides a sealed space for steam extraction. The inner frame 6 is equipped with a gas distribution shell 8. The inner frame 6 and the gas distribution shell 8 form an air passage between the evaporation chamber 23 and the extraction chamber 24, so that the water vapor below can rise smoothly and contact the plants above.

[0049] Regarding Plant Bucket 9, please refer to... Figure 4 The plant bucket 9 is mounted above the inner frame 6 and can rotate under the limitation of the inner frame 6. The plant bucket 9 includes a cylindrical hollow bucket 91 with an upward opening. The bucket 91 has a large volume and rotates smoothly. The circumferential side wall of the bucket 91 has guide holes. The gas distribution shell 8 is vertically arranged between the outer circumferential wall of the bucket 91 and the inner wall of the evaporator 2. The guide holes facilitate the passage of water vapor. The vertical arrangement of the gas distribution shell 8, combined with the openings along the height direction of the gas distribution shell 8, and the skirt 93 on the top of the bucket 91, can prevent water vapor from directly bypassing the bucket 91 and rising. This can achieve a horizontal supply of water vapor. Compared with the bottom-up steam supply, it can shorten the steam flow distance, make full use of the height of the plant bucket 9 to increase the steam supply area, and also reduce the degree of cooling and reduce the condensation inside the evaporator 2.

[0050] Regarding the shelf 5, it is built into the plant container 9 and can be pulled out of the plant container 9 for easy loading of plants to be extracted. The shelf 5 includes a central tube 51 with a notch 511 on its circumferential side wall. The central tube 51 serves as the main body, and partitions 52 and 53 are arranged alternately on the outer circumference of the central tube 51. The partitions 52 and 53 serve as the rotation center of partition 52 and the mounting carrier of partition 53. The partitions 52 and 53 divide the interior of the container 91 into an alternately arranged contact section 94 and a bypass section 95. The contact section 94 contains plant debris, which increases the cross-sectional area and improves the steam reception. The contact area is large, and steam enters both the contact section 94 and the bypass section 95 at the same time. Part of the steam enters the contact section 94 to directly extract the essential oil from the plant debris, while the other part enters the bypass section 95 to maintain the temperature of the plant debris through the first partition 52 and the second partition 53. This ensures that the temperature of the plant debris is stable during the extraction process, reduces the generation of condensate, and ensures that the extracted essential oil can be transferred to the condenser 3 as much as possible. Even if condensate is generated, the condensate in the barrel 91 is guided out of the barrel 91 through the guide hole by the first partition 52 and discharged in time to avoid the impact of condensate accumulation on the internal temperature of the barrel 91.

[0051] In a further embodiment, to adapt to plant debris handling and extraction scenarios, the structure of septum 52 is optimized, referring to... Figure 8 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 The partition 52 adopts a flexible annular structure, which can bend under stress. A rotating ring is installed on the inner edge of the partition 52, and the rotating ring is rotatably installed in the annular groove 512 set on the circumferential side wall of the central tube 51. A reinforcing ring 521 is installed on the outer edge of the partition 52, and the reinforcing ring 521 is connected to a pull rope 522. Before adding plant debris to the plant bucket 9, the partition 52 can be lifted around its perimeter using the pull rope 522 to form a basin-like structure, which can hold more plant debris and prevent the plant debris from slipping off the perimeter. Similarly, when removing the extracted plant debris from the plant bucket 9, the partition 52 can also be lifted. The reinforcing rings 521 around the perimeter scrape plant debris out of the plant container 9, so that the plant container 9 does not need to be removed when picking up or putting away plant debris. This also ensures that the plant debris is completely discharged. During extraction, the pull rope 522 is released, allowing the partition 52 to hang down under the influence of gravity. Because the center of the partition 52 is limited by the central tube 51, it can form a partition 52 shape that is high in the middle and low around the perimeter. This makes it easy for the plant debris to quickly approach the inner circumference of the plant container 9 during centrifugation and to facilitate smooth circulation and tumbling. At the same time, the generated condensate will flow out of the plant container 9 in time, ensuring that the plant debris is relatively dry and preventing the accumulation of condensate from affecting the internal temperature of the plant container 9.

[0052] In a further embodiment, to improve the efficiency of steam extraction by changing the state of plant debris, the structure of septum 53 is optimized, referring to... Figure 9 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 The second partition 53 adopts a flexible ring structure. A relay frame 531 is installed at the inner edge of the second partition 53. The relay frame 531 slides up and down along the notch 511. The second partition 53 is installed on the outside of the central tube 51 through the relay frame 531. A central rod 532 is installed in the middle of the relay frame 531. A connecting rod 54 is hinged in the middle of the relay frame 531. The connecting rod 54 overlaps the upper surface of the second partition 53. A pull rope 541 is installed at the end of the connecting rod 54 located inside the central tube 51. When loading plant debris, the plant debris can be pressed down by pressing down the central rod 532 and the connecting rod 54 to compress it in the space between the first partition 52 and the second partition 53, further reducing the possibility of plant debris slipping off the shelf 5. A sliding tube 542 is installed at the end of the connecting rod 54 located outside the central tube 51. (Refer to...) Figure 10 The slide tube 542 is fixedly connected to the outer edge of the second septum 53. During extraction, the second septum 53 and the support rod 54 can slide upward when squeezed by the plant debris below, leaving sufficient space for collapse near the central tube 51. The weight of the support rod 54 can also cause the edge of the second septum 53 to deform downward into a concave part. Due to the design of the slide tube 542, the weight at the edge of the second septum 53 can be increased, and the deformation of the second septum 53 is greater. In addition, the slide tube 542 can slide on the outside of the support rod 54, ensuring that the support rod 54 swings smoothly without causing the edge of the second septum 53 to warp. It can also provide greater obstruction to the upper plant debris, so as to achieve smooth turning of the plant debris.

[0053] In a further embodiment, to prevent blockage of the internal space of the central tube 51, a specific configuration is disclosed, referring to... Figure 9 A connecting sleeve 55 is installed between the relay frame 531 and the rotating ring. The connecting sleeve 55 is fitted onto the outside of the central tube 51 and installed at the notch 511. The connecting sleeve 55 is made of a telescopic fine-perforated cloth sleeve, which can block plant debris and allow gas to pass through smoothly. The connecting sleeve 55 can telescopically deform along the axial direction of the central tube 51. The telescopic deformation of the connecting sleeve 55 can adapt to the positional changes of the relay frame 531. It can also clean the plant debris on the surface of the connecting sleeve 55 by multiple telescopic movements when removing plant debris after extraction, making maintenance convenient.

[0054] In a further embodiment, to facilitate the deformation operation of the shelf 5, refer to Figure 8 , Figure 11 and Figure 12A top frame 523 is installed at the top of the pull rope 522. A retaining ring is rotatably installed at the center of the top frame 523. The top of the pull rope 541 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the retaining ring. The top frame 523 is slidably installed on the top of the central tube 51. The top frame 523 can pull both the pull rope 522 and the pull rope 541 simultaneously. The top frame 523 is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the central rod 532 via the retaining ring. The top frame 523 is movably overlapped with the top of the central tube 51. When transferring plant debris, the relay frame 531 is pressed down by pushing down the central rod 532, and then simultaneously... The first lifting rope 522 and the second pulling rope 541 can be used to wrap the plant debris with the first partition 52 and the second partition 53. During normal extraction, the middle rod 532, the first pulling rope 522 and the second pulling rope 541 are all in a relaxed state. The top frame 523 and the first pulling rope 522 rotate synchronously. A fixed support arm is installed on the top of the middle rod 532. The fixed support arm is connected to the inside of the evaporator 2 or to other stationary structures, so that the middle rod 532 and the second pulling rope 541 remain stationary, ensuring smooth rotation heating and debris agitation.

[0055] In a further embodiment, refer to Figure 7 The barrel 91 is optimized by installing a through seat 92 through the middle of the bottom end of the barrel 91. The middle tube 51 is rotatably inserted into the top opening of the through seat 92. When the barrel 91 is installed, the through seat 92 rests on the top of the conveyor 7 and can slide relative to it, providing central support when the barrel 91 rotates. The upward protrusion of the through seat 92, after the middle tube 51 is installed, can form an elevated section below the middle tube 51. The top of the through seat 92 is higher than the inner wall of the bottom end of the barrel 91 by a certain distance. The bottom end of the through seat 92 slides in contact with the top of the conveyor 7. When the partition 52 is a rigid structure, it facilitates the smooth passage of water vapor and increases the surrounding temperature of the lower plant debris. When the partition 52 is flexible, it leaves sufficient space for the partition 52 to hang down around its perimeter, facilitating the smooth deformation of the partition 52.

[0056] In a further embodiment, to achieve quantitative steam delivery, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7Water vapor from the evaporation chamber 23 is introduced into the separator shell 68 through the open side opening 69. The conveying component 7 includes a drive shaft 71 and centrifugal blades 72. The inner frame 6 includes the separator shell 68, which has a cylindrical space inside. The edges of the centrifugal blades 72 slide in contact with the inner wall of the separator shell 68. When the centrifugal blades 72 rotate, centrifugal force is used to transport the water vapor in the separator shell 68 to the side opening 69, which is connected to the gas distribution shell 8. By changing the rotation speed of the centrifugal blades 72 while ensuring that the pressure inside the evaporation chamber 23 is kept stable within a small range, the water vapor supply can be controlled. The separator shell 68 is vertical. The straight side wall has four side openings 69, with a 90-degree angle between adjacent side openings 69. Furthermore, the centrifugal blades 72 can continuously extract the water, keeping the pressure inside the evaporation chamber 23 below the normal atmospheric pressure (the pressure inside the evaporation chamber 23 can be monitored in real time by a pressure sensor). This lowers the boiling point of water. When working synchronously with the pump at the top of the evaporator 2, the evaporator 2 is kept below atmospheric pressure, which can generate water vapor at a temperature below 100 degrees Celsius. This reduces the heat required for heating and allows the plant debris to be steam-extracted at a lower temperature, avoiding the deterioration of essential oils caused by high temperatures and improving the quality of the essential oils.

[0057] In a further embodiment, to achieve the rotational drive of the barrel 91, refer to Figure 7 Because the centrifugal blades 72 require a high rotational speed, while the barrel 91 can rotate at a low speed, the conveying component 7 also includes a permanent magnet ring 73, which is fixedly connected to the centrifugal blades 72. A force-receiving ring 75 is installed on the barrel 91 directly opposite the permanent magnet ring 73. The force-receiving ring 75 and the permanent magnet ring 73 are magnetically attracted to each other, enabling non-contact magnetic transmission. The rotation of the permanent magnet ring 73 attracts the force-receiving ring 75, overcoming the inertia of the barrel 91 and making it rotate at a low speed. At the same time, a bearing ring 74 is fixedly installed on the inner frame 6 between the force-receiving ring 75 and the permanent magnet ring 73. The force-receiving ring 75 and the bearing ring 74 are magnetically repelled. Furthermore, the magnetic force between the bearing ring 74 and the force-receiving ring 75 can overcome the gravity of the barrel 91 and the internal materials, reducing the rotational resistance of the barrel 91. With reduced energy consumption, the barrel 91 can be driven to rotate more smoothly at a low speed.

[0058] In a further embodiment, the structure of the inner frame 6 is optimized, referring to... Figure 5 and Figure 6 The inner frame 6 includes fins 63, with a guide plate 64 fixedly connected to the top of the fins 63. A limiting ring 65 that cooperates with the guide plate 64 is installed on the outer wall of the barrel 91. The fins 63 and the guide plate 64 provide support, keeping the barrel 91 in a vertical position and rotating stably. A circular plate 62 is installed at the bottom of the fins 63. The circular plate 62 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the evaporator 2, and the circular plate 62 divides the space, so that the barrel 91 is placed in the evaporator 2 for steam extraction in a sealed environment.

[0059] In a further embodiment, refer to Figure 5A cross plate 61 is installed at the bottom of the circular plate 62. The evaporator 2 includes an insulation shell 22 and a heating plate 21. The heating plate 21 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the insulation shell 22. The protective cover 25 can reduce the impact on the insulation shell 22. The cross plate 61 is fixedly connected to the heating plate 21. The cross plate 61 can support the bottom surface of the circular plate 62, making the structure more stable. Moreover, the cross plate 61 can conduct heat. Compared with the heat transfer of water vapor, the cross plate 61, the circular plate 62, and the fins 63 are made of metal. The gas distribution shell 8 is embedded between the cross plate 61, the circular plate 62, and the fins 63, which can ensure that the water vapor is in contact with the plant. The material continuously absorbs heat before being broken down, while the heat insulation shell 22 ensures heat insulation and reduces heat loss, preventing temperature drop or even condensation backflow due to transportation, thus improving extraction efficiency. A drain pipe 66 is installed at the lowest point of the circular plate 62, which can drain the condensate and essential oil carried in the condensate from the plant barrel 9. The essential oil is separated and recycled through secondary wastewater treatment, reducing waste. A water supply pipe 67 is embedded in the fin 63, and the bottom end of the water supply pipe 67 extends into the evaporation chamber 23. The water supply pipe 67 can be heated by the fin 63 to prevent the newly added water from being too cold and causing unstable water vapor production.

[0060] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0061] During loading, the plant to be extracted is crushed into small pieces and then placed in the space above the first partition 52 and below the second partition 53. By pressing down the middle rod 532 and lifting the first and second ropes 522 and 541, the plant pieces are wrapped by the first and second partitions 53 and loaded into the plant bucket 9 from top to bottom. Then, the top cover of the evaporator 2 is opened and the plant bucket 9 is placed into the evaporator 2 and placed on the inner frame 6. The top cover of the evaporator 2 is closed. The opening and closing of the top cover can be operated by the hanger 26.

[0062] During extraction, water vapor is generated by heating distilled water in evaporation chamber 23 through heat source 1. The conveyor 7 rotates to quantitatively transport the water vapor generated in evaporation chamber 23 to extraction chamber 24 for continuous and stable steam extraction. Water vapor in gas distribution shell 8 enters contact section 94 and bypass section 95 from all sides and gathers at the center for upward discharge. Water vapor entering contact section 94 directly contacts plant debris for extraction. Water vapor entering bypass section 95 supplements the heating of plant debris through partition 1 52 and partition 2 53 to prevent water vapor entering contact section 94 from liquefying at the contact section 94 due to heat loss when it comes into contact with plant debris. This ensures that the extracted essential oil can remain in a vaporized state and flow out of contact section 94. Water vapor and essential oil vapor are concentrated and discharged from the top of barrel 91 through central pipe 51. Water vapor entering bypass section 95 does not directly participate in extraction and can maintain a higher temperature. Water vapor entering central pipe 51 can maintain a higher temperature in central pipe 51, preventing essential oil vapor from liquefying during transportation and before entering condenser 3, thus improving essential oil extraction efficiency.

[0063] During extraction, the rotation of the conveyor 7 drives the rotation of the barrel 91, allowing plant debris to directly contact water vapor through the gas distribution shell 8, improving heating uniformity. The rotation of the barrel 91 also drives the rotation of the partition 52 and the plant debris above it. The central tube 51 and the partition 53 remain stationary relative to the barrel 91 and the partition 52. As the debris revolves with the barrel 91, centrifugal force concentrates it on the circumferential side wall of the barrel 91. The upper layer of plant debris is decelerated by friction after contacting the partition 52, and then collapses in the opposite direction of rotation. This causes the plant debris in the lower layer to be turned to the upper layer. The plant debris is circulated and turned over during the revolution, further improving heating uniformity. It can also knead the plant debris. During the process of sliding and concentrating outwards due to centrifugal force and collapsing inwards due to friction, the plant debris is dynamic. Compared with static stacking, the gaps between the debris are larger, the effective contact area with water vapor is larger, and it can also prevent adhesion and caking, ensuring gas passage efficiency.

[0064] During separation, the pump delivers water vapor and entrained essential oil vapor from the evaporator 2 to the condenser 3. The cold source 4 provides a low-temperature flowing heat exchange medium to the condenser 3 from bottom to top, which counter-exchanges heat with the steam flowing into the condenser 3 from top to bottom. At the separator position below the condenser 3, stratified condensate and liquid essential oil are obtained, and the essential oil is drawn out separately.

[0065] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency extraction device for plant essential oils based on steam distillation, comprising an evaporator (2) and a condenser (3), characterized in that, Also includes: An inner frame (6) is placed in the evaporator (2), which divides the evaporator (2) into an evaporation chamber (23) and an extraction chamber (24) on the upper and lower sides. A gas distribution shell (8) is installed on the inner frame (6). The plant bucket (9) is mounted on the inner frame (6). The plant bucket (9) includes a bucket body (91) with guide holes on the circumferential side wall. The gas distribution shell (8) is vertically arranged between the outer circumferential wall of the bucket body (91) and the inner wall of the evaporator (2). A shelf (5) placed in a plant bucket (9) includes a central tube (51) with a notch (511) on its circumferential sidewall. The outer circumferential sidewall of the central tube (51) is provided with partitions 1 (52) and 2 (53) arranged alternately. The partitions 1 (52) and 2 (53) divide the interior of the bucket (91) into a contact section (94) and a bypass section (95). The conveyor (7) quantitatively delivers water vapor from the evaporation chamber (23) to the extraction chamber (24). The water vapor in the gas distribution shell (8) enters the contact section (94) and bypass section (95) through the guide hole and is discharged from the top of the barrel (91) through the middle pipe (51). The rotation of the conveyor (7) can drive the barrel (91), the partition plate (52) and the plant debris above to rotate.

2. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The partition 1 (52) adopts a flexible ring structure. A rotating ring is installed on the inner edge of the partition 1 (52). The rotating ring is rotatably installed in the annular groove (512) provided on the circumferential side wall of the central tube (51). A reinforcing ring (521) is installed on the outer edge of the partition 1 (52). The reinforcing ring (521) is connected to a pull rope 1 (522). The reinforcing ring (521) can be pulled higher than the rotating ring position by the pull rope 1 (522). The reinforcing ring (521) can be lower than the rotating ring position when the partition 1 (52) is relaxed. The condensate in the barrel (91) is guided by the partition 1 (52) and flows out of the barrel (91) through the guide hole.

3. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second partition (53) adopts a flexible ring structure. A relay frame (531) is installed at the inner edge of the second partition (53). The relay frame (531) slides up and down along the notch (511). A central rod (532) is installed in the middle of the relay frame (531). A connecting rod (54) is hinged in the middle of the relay frame (531). The connecting rod (54) overlaps the upper surface of the second partition (53). A pull rope (541) is installed at one end of the connecting rod (54) inside the central tube (51). A sliding tube (542) is installed at one end of the connecting rod (54) outside the central tube (51). The sliding tube (542) is fixedly connected to the outer edge of the second partition (53).

4. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 3, characterized in that, A connecting sleeve (55) is installed between the relay frame (531) and the rotating ring. The connecting sleeve (55) is fitted on the outside of the central tube (51). The connecting sleeve (55) can extend and deform along the axial direction of the central tube (51). The connecting sleeve (55) can prevent plant debris from entering the opening (511) and allow gas to pass through smoothly.

5. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 3, characterized in that, A top frame (523) is installed at the top of the first pull rope (522), and a bushing is rotatably installed at the center of the top frame (523). The top of the second pull rope (541) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the bushing. The top frame (523) is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the middle rod (532) via the bushing. The top frame (523) is movably overlapped with the top of the middle tube (51). A fixed support arm is installed at the top of the middle rod (532).

6. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 1, characterized in that, A through seat (92) is installed through the middle of the bottom end of the barrel (91). The middle tube (51) is rotatably inserted into the opening at the top of the through seat (92). The top of the through seat (92) is higher than the inner wall of the bottom end of the barrel (91) by a certain distance. The bottom end of the through seat (92) slides in contact with the top of the conveyor (7).

7. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner frame (6) and the gas distribution shell (8) form a gas passage between the evaporation chamber (23) and the extraction chamber (24). The conveying component (7) includes a drive shaft (71) and centrifugal blades (72). The inner frame (6) includes a partition shell (68). The partition shell (68) has a cylindrical space inside. The edge of the centrifugal blades (72) slides in contact with the inner wall of the partition shell (68). The vertical side wall of the partition shell (68) has four side openings (69), and there is a 90-degree angle between adjacent side openings (69).

8. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 7, characterized in that, The conveying component (7) also includes a permanent magnet ring (73), which is fixedly connected to the centrifugal blade (72). A force-bearing ring (75) is installed on the barrel (91) opposite to the permanent magnet ring (73). A bearing ring (74) is fixedly installed on the inner frame (6) between the force-bearing ring (75) and the permanent magnet ring (73). The force-bearing ring (75) and the permanent magnet ring (73) are magnetically attracted, while the force-bearing ring (75) and the bearing ring (74) are magnetically repelled.

9. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner frame (6) includes fins (63), and a guide plate (64) is fixedly connected to the top of the fins (63). A limiting ring (65) that cooperates with the guide plate (64) is installed on the outer wall of the barrel (91). A circular plate (62) is installed at the bottom of the fins (63), and the circular plate (62) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the evaporator (2).

10. The high-efficiency plant essential oil extraction device based on steam distillation according to claim 9, characterized in that, A cross plate (61) is installed at the bottom of the circular plate (62). The evaporator (2) includes an insulation shell (22) and a heating plate (21). The heating plate (21) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the insulation shell (22). The cross plate (61) is fixedly connected to the heating plate (21). A drain pipe (66) is installed at the lowest point of the circular plate (62). A water supply pipe (67) is embedded in the fins (63). The bottom end of the water supply pipe (67) extends into the evaporation chamber (23).

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