A device and method for deep processing of spinacia oleracea for astaxanthin extraction

Abstract

The present application relates to astaxanthin extraction technical field, specifically, it relates to a kind of astaxanthin extraction with side chrysanthemum deep processing device and method.Wherein a kind of astaxanthin extraction with side chrysanthemum deep processing device, including base, the feed box of being set to the outer wall of base and the homogenizing box of being set to the outer wall of feed box, the inside of feed box is opened with first feed channel, the inside of homogenizing box is opened with the accommodating cavity and discharge channel that are communicated with first feed channel, the inside of accommodating cavity is provided with sealing tube, the inside of accommodating cavity is provided with the homogenizing valve with valve gap, the inside of sealing tube is provided with top plate, first flow path for slurry passing between sealing tube and top plate is provided, the second flow path for slurry passing is opened in the cylinder wall of sealing tube.The device effectively solves the problem that traditional homogenizer cannot fundamentally realize the self-adaptive matching of homogenizing flow channel and slurry viscosity change.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of astaxanthin extraction technology, and more specifically, to a deep processing device and method for astaxanthin extraction from calendula officinalis. Background Technology

[0002] Astaxanthin, a potent natural antioxidant, possesses a unique molecular structure that endows it with antioxidant activity far exceeding that of vitamin E and beta-carotene. It effectively scavenge free radicals and inhibit cellular oxidative damage, demonstrating significant efficacy in preventing cardiovascular disease, delaying aging, and reducing inflammation. In recent years, with the rapid development of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry, the demand for astaxanthin as a raw material in biopharmaceutical manufacturing has continued to grow, placing higher demands on the extraction and preparation technologies of high-purity, high-activity astaxanthin.

[0003] The main raw materials for extracting natural astaxanthin currently include Haematococcus pluvialis, by-products of aquatic product processing, and higher plants such as Calendula officinalis, which has attracted much attention in recent years. The astaxanthin content in dried Calendula officinalis flowers can reach 2%, demonstrating promising industrialization prospects. A typical process for extracting astaxanthin from Calendula officinalis involves: drying and pulverizing the raw material, extraction with organic solvents or subcritical fluids, concentration by vacuum distillation, and purification by column chromatography. However, regardless of the solvent system used, the extraction efficiency is limited by the rate at which the solvent penetrates into the plant cell tissue. To improve mass transfer efficiency, high-pressure homogenization is often introduced before extraction in production practice to mechanically tear the cell walls, thus fully exposing the target substance within the cells.

[0004] High-pressure homogenizers use a positive displacement piston pump to pressurize and deliver slurry to the homogenizing valve. The shearing, cavitation, and impact effects generated when the slurry passes through tiny gaps at high speed break down cell walls, releasing intracellular target components. However, during the homogenization and cell wall breaking process of calendula slurry, as the cell walls continue to break down, a large amount of polysaccharides, proteins, and other macromolecules rich in the cells dissolve, leading to a significant and continuous increase in the viscosity of the homogenized slurry system. This dynamic increase in viscosity presents a significant challenge to the stable operation of traditional high-pressure homogenizers: the gaps in existing homogenizing valves are mostly fixed structures, or can only be manually preset when the machine is stopped, and cannot automatically adjust the flow cross-section in real time to follow the increase in slurry viscosity during operation. When the viscosity increases sharply due to cell wall breakage, the throttling resistance of the fixed gaps to the viscous slurry surges, and the drastic pressure fluctuations can easily cause the slurry to instantly generate high-temperature hot spots, leading to irreversible oxidative degradation of astaxanthin, a large loss of active ingredients, and an inability to guarantee the consistency of product quality during the cell wall breaking and homogenization process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a deep processing device and method for calendula flowers for astaxanthin extraction. By setting a structure inside the homogenizing valve gap that allows the cross-section of the homogenizing channel to dynamically change according to the viscosity of the slurry, it solves the problem mentioned in the background art, namely: traditional homogenizers cannot fundamentally achieve adaptive matching between the homogenizing channel and the change in slurry viscosity.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a deep processing device for calendula flowers for astaxanthin extraction, comprising a base, a feeding box disposed on the outer wall of the base, and a homogenizing box disposed on the outer wall of the feeding box. The feeding box has a first feeding channel inside, and the homogenizing box has a receiving cavity and a discharge channel communicating with the first feeding channel inside. A sealing tube is disposed inside the receiving cavity, and a homogenizing valve with a valve gap is disposed inside the receiving cavity. A top plate is disposed inside the sealing tube, and a first flow path for slurry is disposed between the sealing tube and the top plate. A second flow path for slurry is disposed on the cylinder wall of the sealing tube, and the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path is larger than that of the first flow path, and the length of the second flow path is shorter than that of the first flow path.

[0007] In the above technical solution, when the slurry viscosity is lower than the preset threshold, the second flow path is closed and the slurry is discharged only through the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened and the slurry is discharged preferentially from the second flow path with lower pressure.

[0008] Based on the above, the first flow path includes a connecting column fixedly installed on the top plate away from the homogenizing valve, a fixed cylinder fixedly installed between the connecting column and the sealing tube, an inlet opened on the outer wall of the fixed cylinder, a cavity opened inside the connecting column, a first flow pipe fixedly installed between the connecting column and the fixed cylinder, and a second flow pipe fixedly installed between the fixed cylinder and the sealing tube, and the receiving cavity, the inlet, the first flow pipe, the cavity, the second flow pipe and the discharge channel are interconnected.

[0009] The cavity is equipped with a flow-blocking rod, and an adjusting rod is fixedly installed on the flow-blocking rod. The outer wall of the adjusting rod slides against the inner wall of the cavity. The surface of the adjusting rod is provided with a threaded section, which is threadedly connected to the inner wall of the sealing tube.

[0010] The flow-blocking rod includes a limiting plate that is slidably installed inside the cavity, a second flow-blocking part that is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the limiting plate, and a first flow-blocking part that is fixedly installed at the end of the second flow-blocking part. The outer diameter of the rod wall of the first flow-blocking part and the second flow-blocking part are different, and the outer wall of the limiting plate is slidably attached to the inner wall of the cavity.

[0011] The second flow path is a through hole opened in the wall of the sealing tube. A baffle is slidably installed inside the sealing tube to block the through hole, and the outer wall of the baffle has a hollow groove.

[0012] A groove is formed between the first material conveying channel and the valve gap of the homogenizing valve. A sealing ring is slidably installed inside the groove. A sealing cylinder is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring, and the outer wall of the sealing cylinder slides against the inner wall of the valve gap of the homogenizing valve. An elastic element is sleeved on the outer wall of the sealing cylinder. The outer wall of the sealing ring is connected to the baffle through a connecting plate. A sliding groove is formed inside the homogenizing valve for the connecting plate to slide. One end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring, and the other end of the elastic element is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove.

[0013] The top plate includes a first stepped end face, a second stepped end face, and a third stepped end face arranged from the inside out. The axial height of the first stepped end face is lower than the axial height of the second stepped end face, and the axial height of the second stepped end face is lower than the axial height of the third stepped end face. The end of the homogenizing valve is provided with a fourth stepped end face, the shape of which is adapted to the shape of the top plate.

[0014] The inside of the feeding box is also provided with a third feeding channel and a second feeding channel that are connected to the first feeding channel. The inside of the third feeding channel is provided with a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve. The inner wall of the third feeding channel is also provided with a through groove. The outer wall of the feeding box is provided with a drive cavity that is connected to the through groove. A push rod driven by a piston pump is slidably installed inside the drive cavity.

[0015] The second conveying channel is equipped with a feed pipe at the feed end and a discharge pipe at the discharge end of the discharge channel.

[0016] This invention also provides a method for deep processing of Calendula officinalis for astaxanthin extraction, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Drying and pulverizing Calendula officinalis raw material to obtain Calendula officinalis powder; Step 2: Mixing Calendula officinalis powder with an organic solvent to obtain Calendula officinalis slurry; Step 3: Inputting the Calendula officinalis slurry into a first feeding channel for high-pressure homogenization; when the slurry viscosity is lower than a preset threshold, the second flow path is closed, and the slurry is discharged from the outlet channel only through the first flow path; when the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened, and the slurry is preferentially discharged from the outlet channel through the lower-pressure second flow path; Step 4: Concentrating the homogenized slurry by vacuum distillation and purifying by column chromatography to obtain astaxanthin product.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0018] 1. In this astaxanthin extraction and calendula deep processing device, the linkage structure of the sealing ring, elastic element, connecting plate, and baffle enables the automatic opening and closing of the second flow path according to changes in slurry viscosity. This ensures that when the slurry viscosity increases, it preferentially discharges from the lower-pressure second flow path. This avoids high-temperature hotspots and irreversible oxidative degradation of astaxanthin caused by pressure fluctuations, guaranteeing that the active ingredients of astaxanthin are not lost during homogenization.

[0019] 2. In this astaxanthin extraction and calendula deep processing device, the design of the first, second, and third stepped end faces of the top plate and the fourth stepped end face of the homogenizing valve forces the slurry to pass through a narrow slit area with progressively changing cross-sections before reaching the discharge channel, thus improving the uniformity of the shearing process. This solves the problem of uneven stress on the slurry in the central and edge areas under traditional planar end face matching, resulting in more uniform cell wall breakage and improved batch-to-batch consistency of the final astaxanthin product. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the homogenizing box in this invention;

[0022] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the groove structure in this invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the top plate in this invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the baffle in this invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the homogenizing valve in this invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the flow-blocking rod in this invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the homogenizing box of the present invention when the slurry viscosity exceeds a preset threshold.

[0029] Figure 10 For the present invention Figure 9 Enlarged diagram of point B in the middle.

[0030] The meanings of the labels in the diagram are as follows:

[0031] 100. Base; 101. Feed box; 102. Second feed channel; 103. Third feed channel; 104. First feed channel; 105. Homogenizing box; 106. Receiving cavity; 107. Discharge channel; 108. Homogenizing valve; 109. Top plate; 110. Valve gap; 111. Feed pipe; 112. Discharge pipe;

[0032] 200. First check valve; 201. Second check valve; 202. Drive chamber; 203. Through groove; 204. Push rod; 205. Piston pump;

[0033] 300. Fixed cylinder; 301. Inlet; 302. First flow pipe; 303. Cavity; 304. Second flow pipe; 305. Flow-blocking rod; 306. Adjusting rod; 307. Baffle; 308. Hollowed-out groove; 309. Sealing pipe; 310. Connecting column; 311. Through hole;

[0034] 400, Groove; 401, Sealing ring; 402, Sealing cylinder; 403, Connecting plate; 404, Slide groove; 405, Elastic element; 500, First flow-blocking part; 501, Second flow-blocking part; 502, Limiting plate; 503, Third stepped end face; 504, ...

[0035] Second-step end face; 505, first-step end face; 506, fourth-step end face. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of this invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0037] Therefore, in Example 1, refer to Figures 1-10 This is the first embodiment of the present invention. Addressing the problem that traditional homogenizers cannot fundamentally achieve adaptive matching between the homogenization channel and changes in slurry viscosity, the present invention discloses a deep processing device for astaxanthin extraction using calendula officinalis. (Refer to...) Figures 1-10 As shown, the device includes a base 100, a material conveying box 101 disposed on the outer wall of the base 100, and a homogenizing box 105 disposed on the outer wall of the material conveying box 101. The material conveying box 101 has a first material conveying channel 104 inside. The homogenizing box 105 has a receiving cavity 106 and a discharge channel 107 communicating with the first material conveying channel 104 inside. The receiving cavity 106 has a sealing tube 309 inside. The receiving cavity 106 has a homogenizing valve 108 with a valve gap 110 inside. The sealing tube 309 has a top plate 109 inside. A first flow path for slurry is provided between the sealing tube 309 and the top plate 109. A second flow path for slurry is provided on the cylinder wall of the sealing tube 309. The flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path is larger than that of the first flow path, and the length of the second flow path is shorter than that of the first flow path.

[0038] It should be noted that the above structure has the function of automatically switching between the first and second flow paths according to the change in slurry viscosity during actual operation. When the slurry viscosity is lower than a preset threshold, the second flow path is closed, and the slurry is discharged only through the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened, and the slurry is preferentially discharged from the second flow path with lower pressure.

[0039] The first flow path includes a connecting column 310 fixedly installed on the top plate 109 away from the homogenizing valve 108, a fixed cylinder 300 fixedly installed between the connecting column 310 and the sealing tube 309, an inlet 301 opened on the outer wall of the fixed cylinder 300, a cavity 303 opened inside the connecting column 310, a first flow pipe 302 fixedly installed between the connecting column 310 and the fixed cylinder 300, and a second flow pipe 304 fixedly installed between the fixed cylinder 300 and the sealing tube 309. The accommodating cavity 106, the inlet 301, the first flow pipe 302, the cavity 303, the second flow pipe 304 and the discharge channel 107 are interconnected.

[0040] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 The slurry enters the fixed cylinder 300 from the receiving cavity 106 through the inlet 301, and then flows sequentially through the first flow pipe 302, the cavity 303, and the second flow pipe 304, finally converging into the outlet channel 107. This series of channels constitutes the complete flow path of the first flow path, and its total length is relatively long, which can provide sufficient flow stroke, stable cell wall breaking effect, and throttling effect under the condition of low slurry viscosity.

[0041] Reference Figures 2-3 as well as Figure 8 The cavity 303 contains a flow-blocking rod 305, on which an adjusting rod 306 is fixedly mounted. The outer wall of the adjusting rod 306 slides against the inner wall of the cavity 303. The surface of the adjusting rod 306 has a threaded section that is threadedly connected to the inner wall of the sealing tube 309. The flow-blocking rod 305 includes a limiting plate 502 slidably mounted inside the cavity 303, a second flow-blocking part 501 fixedly mounted on the outer wall of the limiting plate 502, and a first flow-blocking part 500 fixedly mounted at the end of the second flow-blocking part 501. The outer diameter of the first flow-blocking part 500 is different from that of the second flow-blocking part 501. The outer wall of the limiting plate 502 slides against the inner wall of the cavity 303.

[0042] The first flow-blocking part 500 and the second flow-blocking part 501 have different outer diameter designs, resulting in different annular gap sizes between the flow-blocking rod 305 and the inner wall of the cavity 303 at different axial positions. When the adjusting rod 306 moves the flow-blocking rod 305 axially, the annular gap at the corresponding position changes accordingly, thereby achieving fine adjustment of the throttling resistance of the first flow path.

[0043] It should be noted that by rotating the adjusting rod 306 from the outside, the axial position of the flow-restricting rod 305 inside the cavity 303 can be changed, thereby adjusting the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the slurry colliding with the flow-restricting rod 305 when it enters the cavity 303. This adjustment function allows the initial throttling degree of the first flow path to be preset according to the characteristics of different batches of calendula raw materials, enhancing the adaptability of this device.

[0044] Reference Figure 4 as well as Figure 6 The second flow path is a through hole 311 opened in the wall of the sealing tube 309. A baffle 307 for blocking the through hole 311 is slidably installed inside the sealing tube 309. A hollow groove 308 is opened on the outer wall of the baffle 307.

[0045] Specifically, under normal conditions, the baffle 307 is located inside the wall of the sealing tube 309, and its main body completely blocks the through hole 311, keeping the second flow path closed. When the baffle 307 slides along the axial direction of the sealing tube 309, the perforated groove 308 on its outer wall gradually overlaps with the position of the through hole 311, exposing the through hole 311. The second flow path then switches from the closed state to the open state, allowing the slurry to be discharged directly through the through hole 311, significantly reducing flow resistance.

[0046] Reference Figure 4 as well as Figure 7 A groove 400 is provided between the first material conveying channel 104 and the valve gap 110 of the homogenizing valve 108. A sealing ring 401 is slidably installed inside the groove 400. A sealing cylinder 402 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring 401, and the outer wall of the sealing cylinder 402 is slidably fitted with the inner wall of the valve gap 110 of the homogenizing valve 108.

[0047] It should be noted that the sealing ring 401 and the sealing cylinder 402 together form a set of sealing components that can slide along the axial direction. The sealing cylinder 402 always keeps in contact with the inner wall of the valve gap 110 to ensure that the slurry will not leak from the groove 400 during the flow process.

[0048] refer to Figure 7 The outer wall of the sealing cylinder 402 is fitted with an elastic element 405. The outer wall of the sealing ring 401 is connected to the baffle 307 through a connecting plate 403. The homogenizing valve 108 has a sliding groove 404 for the connecting plate 403 to slide inside. One end of the elastic element 405 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring 401, and the other end of the elastic element 405 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove 400.

[0049] The elastic element 405 can be a compression spring or a return spring commonly used in the prior art; in this embodiment, a compression spring is preferred. Under normal conditions, the elastic element 405 applies a thrust towards the initial position to the sealing ring 401, keeping the sealing ring 401 in its original, non-displaced state. When the viscosity of the slurry increases, causing an increase in pressure within the first conveying channel 104, the sealing ring 401, under the thrust of the slurry, overcomes the force of the elastic element 405 and slides towards the top plate 109 within the groove 400. The sliding of the sealing ring 401 is transmitted to the baffle 307 via the connecting plate 403, causing the baffle 307 to move synchronously. This aligns the hollow groove 308 on the baffle 307 with the through hole 311, opening the second flow path. Simultaneously, the sliding groove 404 provides guidance and limitation for the movement of the connecting plate 403, ensuring smooth and accurate movement.

[0050] refer to Figures 5-6 The top plate 109 includes a first stepped end face 505, a second stepped end face 504, and a third stepped end face 503 arranged from the inside out. The axial height of the first stepped end face 505 is lower than the axial height of the second stepped end face 504, and the axial height of the second stepped end face 504 is lower than the axial height of the third stepped end face 503. The end of the homogenizing valve 108 is provided with a fourth stepped end face 506, and the shape of the fourth stepped end face 506 is adapted to the shape of the top plate 109.

[0051] Regarding the uniformity of the shearing process, the axial height differences between the first stepped end face 505, the second stepped end face 504, and the third stepped end face 503, combined with the corresponding contour of the fourth stepped end face 506, ensure that the slurry must sequentially pass through narrow slit regions with progressively changing cross-sections defined by each stepped end face before reaching the discharge channel 107. This flow path forces all slurry particles, regardless of their radial position, to undergo similar throttling and shearing processes, significantly improving the problem of uneven stress distribution between the central and edge regions of the slurry under traditional planar end face mating. This results in more uniform cell wall breakage and improved batch-to-batch consistency of the final product.

[0052] The material conveying box 101 is also provided with a third material conveying channel 103 and a second material conveying channel 102 that are connected to the first material conveying channel 104. The third material conveying channel 103 is provided with a first one-way valve 200 and a second one-way valve 201. The inner wall of the third material conveying channel 103 is also provided with a through groove 203. The outer wall of the material conveying box 101 is provided with a drive cavity 202 that is connected to the through groove 203. The drive cavity 202 is slidably installed with a push rod 204 driven by a piston pump 205.

[0053] It should be noted that the first one-way valve 200 and the second one-way valve 201 open and close in opposite directions. Together with the piston pump 205 driving the push rod 204 to reciprocate within the drive chamber 202, they form a forced material conveying unit. When the push rod 204 moves in one direction, the one-way valve on one side opens to suck material, while the one-way valve on the other side closes. When the push rod 204 moves in the opposite direction, the suction and discharge directions switch, thereby continuously pressing the slurry from the second conveying channel 102 through the third conveying channel 103 and the first conveying channel 104 to the receiving chamber 106 and the homogenizing valve 108 in a constant volumetric discharge manner.

[0054] refer to Figure 1 The second feeding channel 102 has a feed pipe 111 fixedly installed at its inlet end, and the discharge channel 107 has a discharge pipe 112 fixedly installed at its outlet end. The feed pipe 111 is used to connect to an external slurry supply source, while the discharge pipe 112 delivers the homogenized and broken slurry for subsequent solvent extraction, concentration, and purification processes. It should be noted that, in order to ensure that the slurry undergoes sufficient cell disruption, the feed pipe 111 and the discharge pipe 112 are usually placed in the same slurry tank, allowing the slurry to circulate and undergo cell disruption within the device until it is fully disrupted. After this process, the discharge pipe 112 is removed from the slurry tank, and the homogenized and broken slurry is delivered.

[0055] Working principle:

[0056] In order to enable the slurry to undergo sufficient cell wall breaking, the feed pipe 111 and the discharge pipe 112 are first placed in the same slurry tank, so that the slurry can be circulated and broken inside the device. After the device is started, the piston pump 205 drives the push rod 204 to reciprocate in the drive chamber 202. Utilizing the characteristic that the opening and closing directions of the first one-way valve 200 and the second one-way valve 201 are opposite, the calendula slurry is continuously pumped from the second conveying channel 102 through the third conveying channel 103 and the first conveying channel 104 to the receiving chamber 106 of the homogenizing box 105 in a constant volume discharge manner.

[0057] In the initial stage, the slurry viscosity is low. Under normal conditions, the baffle 307 blocks the through hole 311, and the second flow path is closed. The slurry is discharged only through the first flow path. At this time, the first stepped end face 505, the second stepped end face 504, and the third stepped end face 503 of the top plate 109, arranged from the inside out, are adapted to the shape of the fourth stepped end face 506 at the end of the homogenizing valve 108. This forces the slurry to pass through the narrow slit area with gradually changing cross-section defined by each stepped end face before reaching the discharge channel 107. It undergoes uniform throttling and shearing, thereby achieving uniform cell wall breakage.

[0058] When the viscosity of the slurry increases due to the dissolution of polysaccharides and proteins during the cell disruption process, the throttling resistance of the first flow path increases, and the pressure inside the receiving cavity 106 rises. This pushes the sealing ring 401 in the groove 400 to slide towards the top plate 109 against the thrust of the elastic element 405. The sealing ring 401 transmits the displacement to the baffle 307 inside the sealing tube 309 through the connecting plate 403, causing the baffle 307 to move axially. This causes the hollow groove 308 on its outer wall to gradually overlap with the through hole 311, opening the second flow path (with a larger flow cross-sectional area and shorter length than the first flow path). The slurry is preferentially discharged from the second flow path with lower pressure, significantly reducing flow resistance and avoiding high-temperature hot spots and astaxanthin oxidation degradation caused by pressure fluctuations.

[0059] After the slurry is circulated and processed within the device until the cell walls are fully broken, the discharge pipe 112 is removed to send out the homogenized and broken slurry for subsequent solvent extraction, concentration and purification processes.

[0060] Example 2, refer to Figures 1-10 The second embodiment of the present invention provides: a method for deep processing of calendula flowers for astaxanthin extraction, comprising the following steps:

[0061] Step 1: Place fresh or dried Calendula officinalis raw material in a drying device and dry it at a suitable temperature to remove moisture from the raw material, so as to prevent the moisture from affecting the stability of astaxanthin during subsequent solvent extraction. Then, pulverize the dried raw material through a pulverizing device to obtain Calendula officinalis powder with a suitable particle size. The pulverized Calendula officinalis powder has a large specific surface area, which is beneficial to the full mixing with organic solvents and the cell wall breaking during homogenization.

[0062] Step 2: Mix the obtained Calendula officinalis pollen with an organic solvent (such as ethanol, acetone, or n-hexane) at a certain mass ratio. Use a stirring device to evenly disperse the Calendula officinalis pollen in the organic solvent to form a Calendula officinalis slurry with a suitable initial viscosity. The choice of organic solvent must consider both the solubility of astaxanthin and the convenience of subsequent purification processes. The initial viscosity of the slurry must be controlled within a certain range to ensure the normal operation of the first flow path during subsequent high-pressure homogenization.

[0063] Step 3: Input the calendula slurry into the first feeding channel 104 for high-pressure homogenization. When the slurry viscosity is lower than the preset threshold, the second flow path is closed and the slurry is discharged from the discharge channel 107 only through the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened and the slurry is discharged from the discharge channel 107 first through the second flow path with lower pressure.

[0064] Step 4: The high-pressure homogenized slurry is collected through the discharge pipe 112 and concentrated by vacuum distillation to remove the organic solvent in the slurry, resulting in a concentrated solution. The concentrated solution is then purified by column chromatography. By utilizing the adsorption differences between astaxanthin and other impurities (such as polysaccharides, proteins, pigments, etc.) on the stationary phase, the astaxanthin is separated and purified, ultimately obtaining a high-purity astaxanthin product.

[0065] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A deep processing device for calendula flowers for astaxanthin extraction, comprising a base (100), a feeding box (101) disposed on the outer wall of the base (100), and a homogenizing box (105) disposed on the outer wall of the feeding box (101), wherein the feeding box (101) has a first feeding channel (104) inside, and the homogenizing box (105) has a receiving cavity (106) and a discharge channel (107) communicating with the first feeding channel (104) inside, characterized in that: The cavity (106) is provided with a sealing tube (309) inside, and a homogenizing valve (108) with a valve gap (110) is provided inside the cavity (106). The sealing tube (309) is provided with a top plate (109) inside. A first flow path for slurry is provided between the sealing tube (309) and the top plate (109). A second flow path for slurry is provided on the cylinder wall of the sealing tube (309). The flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second flow path is larger than that of the first flow path, and the length of the second flow path is shorter than that of the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity is below the preset threshold, the second flow path is closed and the slurry is discharged only through the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened and the slurry is discharged preferentially from the second flow path with lower pressure.

2. The calendula deep processing device for astaxanthin extraction according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first flow path includes a connecting column (310) fixedly installed on the side of the top plate (109) away from the homogenizing valve (108), a fixed cylinder (300) fixedly installed between the connecting column (310) and the sealing tube (309), an inlet (301) opened on the outer wall of the fixed cylinder (300), a cavity (303) opened inside the connecting column (310), a first flow pipe (302) fixedly installed between the connecting column (310) and the fixed cylinder (300), and a second flow pipe (304) fixedly installed between the fixed cylinder (300) and the sealing tube (309), and the accommodating cavity (106), the inlet (301), the first flow pipe (302), the cavity (303), the second flow pipe (304), and the discharge channel (107) are interconnected.

3. The calendula deep processing device for astaxanthin extraction according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cavity (303) is provided with a flow-blocking rod (305), and an adjusting rod (306) is fixedly installed on the flow-blocking rod (305). The outer wall of the adjusting rod (306) slides against the inner wall of the cavity (303). The surface of the adjusting rod (306) is provided with a threaded section, which is threadedly connected to the inner wall of the sealing tube (309).

4. The calendula deep processing device for astaxanthin extraction according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flow-blocking rod (305) includes a limiting plate (502) slidably installed inside the cavity (303), a second flow-blocking part (501) fixedly installed on the outer wall of the limiting plate (502), and a first flow-blocking part (500) fixedly installed at the end of the second flow-blocking part (501). The outer diameter of the rod wall of the first flow-blocking part (500) and the second flow-blocking part (501) are different. The outer wall of the limiting plate (502) slides against the inner wall of the cavity (303).

5. The calendula deep processing device for astaxanthin extraction according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second flow path is a through hole (311) opened in the wall of the sealing tube (309). A baffle (307) for blocking the through hole (311) is slidably installed inside the sealing tube (309). A hollow groove (308) is opened on the outer wall of the baffle (307).

6. The deep processing apparatus for astaxanthin extraction from Calendula officinalis according to claim 5, characterized in that: A groove (400) is provided between the first material conveying channel (104) and the valve gap (110) of the homogenizing valve (108). A sealing ring (401) is slidably installed inside the groove (400). A sealing cylinder (402) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring (401), and the outer wall of the sealing cylinder (402) is slidably fitted with the inner wall of the valve gap (110) of the homogenizing valve (108). The outer wall of the sealing cylinder (402) is fitted with an elastic element (405). The outer wall of the sealing ring (401) is connected to the baffle (307) through a connecting plate (403). The homogenizing valve (108) has a sliding groove (404) for the connecting plate (403) to slide. One end of the elastic element (405) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the sealing ring (401), and the other end of the elastic element (405) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the groove (400).

7. The deep processing apparatus for astaxanthin extraction from calendula as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The top plate (109) includes a first stepped end face (505), a second stepped end face (504), and a third stepped end face (503) arranged from the inside out, and the axial height of the first stepped end face (505) is lower than the axial height of the second stepped end face (504), and the axial height of the second stepped end face (504) is lower than the axial height of the third stepped end face (503). The homogenizing valve (108) has a fourth stepped end face (506) at its end, and the shape of the fourth stepped end face (506) is adapted to the shape of the top plate (109).

8. The deep processing apparatus for astaxanthin extraction from Calendula officinalis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feed box (101) is also provided with a third feed channel (103) and a second feed channel (102) that are connected to the first feed channel (104). The third feed channel (103) is provided with a first check valve (200) and a second check valve (201). The inner wall of the third feed channel (103) is also provided with a through groove (203). The outer wall of the feed box (101) is provided with a drive cavity (202) that is connected to the through groove (203). The drive cavity (202) is slidably installed with a push rod (204) driven by a piston pump (205).

9. The calendula deep processing apparatus for astaxanthin extraction according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second material conveying channel (102) is provided with a feed pipe (111) at the feed end, and the discharge channel (107) is provided with a discharge pipe (112) at the discharge end.

10. A method for deep processing of *Calendula officinalis* for astaxanthin extraction, comprising the apparatus for deep processing of *Calendula officinalis* for astaxanthin extraction as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: Step 1: Dry and pulverize the raw material of Calendula officinalis to obtain Calendula officinalis powder; Step 2: Mix the calendula powder with an organic solvent to obtain calendula slurry; Step 3: The calendula slurry is fed into the first feeding channel (104) for high-pressure homogenization. When the slurry viscosity is lower than the preset threshold, the second flow path is closed and the slurry is discharged from the discharge channel (107) only through the first flow path. When the slurry viscosity exceeds the preset threshold, the second flow path is opened and the slurry is discharged from the discharge channel (107) first through the second flow path with lower pressure. Step 4: The homogenized slurry is concentrated by vacuum distillation and purified by column chromatography to obtain astaxanthin product.

Images