Traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil extraction and liquid oil water separation device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of oil-water separation, and particularly relates to a traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil extraction and liquid oil-water separation device, which comprises a distillation kettle and a condenser connected thereto, and a centrifugal separation assembly is connected to one end of the condenser away from the distillation kettle; one end of the centrifugal separation assembly is connected to an oil-water separation assembly, a shunt layering device is arranged in the oil-water separation assembly, a plurality of oil-water layering pipes are arranged in the shunt layering device, the oil-water layering pipes are distributed in the shunt layering device in a honeycomb shape, a volatile oil collection valve outlet is arranged at the bottom of the oil-water separation assembly, and a backwater pipeline is arranged on the side wall of the oil-water separation assembly, and the water level height of the pipeline is parallel to the middle point of the height of the oil-water layering pipe; the distillation liquid is subjected to centrifugal separation pretreatment by using a hydrophilic and oleophobic coating modification, and the oil-water gravity sedimentation layering is combined with the multi-channel parallel and hydrophobic and oleophilic modification, so that the acquisition rate of conventional traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil is improved, and the problem of low oil-water separation efficiency caused by insufficient layering in the traditional method is overcome.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of oil-water separation technology, specifically to a device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid oil from water. Background Technology

[0002] Volatile oils (also known as essential oils) of traditional Chinese medicine are volatile, oily liquid components in medicinal herbs that can be preserved through steam distillation. They typically possess significant pharmacological activity and are important indicators for evaluating the quality of traditional Chinese medicine. The most commonly used extraction method in industry is steam distillation: the medicinal herbs are co-distilled with water, and the volatile oil is extracted with the steam. After condensation, an oil-water mixture is obtained, which is then separated into pure products using an oil-water separation device.

[0003] The most commonly used conventional device is a single-hole volatile oil separator (or volatile oil analyzer). Its typical structure includes: a vertical glass oil-water separation component, with the upper part of the tube connected to a condenser and the lower part connected to a distillation flask. An overflow drain is provided in the middle or at the top, and an oil collection chamber and an oil drain valve are provided at the top. Based on gravity sedimentation, the condensed oil-water mixture enters the oil-water separation component. The water phase, due to its higher density, sinks, while the oil phase, due to its lower density, floats, forming an oil layer at the top of the tube. Once a certain thickness is reached, the oil is collected by overflow or manual draining.

[0004] However, since the density of volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine is generally close to that of water, and for some varieties (such as angelica, chuanxiong, and cinnamon twig oil), the density difference with water is extremely small, when using the aforementioned single-channel separator to process such volatile oils, the mixture enters the single vertical oil-water separation component from the top, forming a parabolic laminar flow velocity distribution inside the tube, with the flow velocity in the central region being significantly higher than that near the wall. The liquid flow in the central high-speed flow zone exerts an axial drag effect on the oil droplets, resulting in a very short actual residence time for them in the separation zone. Meanwhile, the characteristic time required for oil droplets of similar density to complete radial buoyancy separation in a gravitational field is much longer than this value. Therefore, the oil phase is entrained and discharged by the water phase before it even floats to the liquid surface, further reducing the oil-water separation efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water components to solve the proposed technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water mixtures. It employs a pretreatment process involving centrifugal separation of distillate modified with a hydrophilic-oleophobic coating, combined with multi-channel parallel oil-water gravity sedimentation stratification with hydrophobic-oleophobic modification, thereby improving the yield of volatile oils from conventional traditional Chinese medicines and overcoming the problem of low separation efficiency caused by insufficient stratification in traditional methods.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: a device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid oil and water, comprising a distillation kettle for containing and heating traditional Chinese medicine materials to generate oil-water mixed vapor, a condenser for condensing the oil-water mixed vapor into condensed distillate, and a centrifugal separation component connected to the end of the condenser away from the distillation kettle, the centrifugal separation component being used for centrifugal condensation of the distillate;

[0007] The centrifugal separation unit is connected to an oil-water separation unit at the end furthest from the condenser. A flow divider is fixedly connected inside the oil-water separation unit. The flow divider contains several oil-water separation tubes, all of which are parallel to the axis of the oil-water separation unit and are distributed in a honeycomb pattern within the flow divider. A volatile oil collection valve outlet is provided at the bottom of the oil-water separation unit. A return water pipe connected to the distillation kettle is provided on the side wall of the oil-water separation unit. The plane at the highest point of the liquid flow in the return water pipe is level with the midpoint of the height of the oil-water separation tubes. The return water pipe is used to continuously flow the distillate after oil-water separation into the distillation kettle.

[0008] The technical principle of the above scheme is as follows: The oil-water mixture vapor generated by heating the Chinese herbal medicine in the distillation kettle is condensed into distillate by the condenser and then sent to the centrifugal separation component for preliminary centrifugal separation, so that the oil phase and water phase obtain an initial density difference amplification; then the distillate enters the oil-water separation component, and a flow divider with several honeycomb parallel oil-water separation tubes is fixed inside the tube. When the distillate flows through each oil-water separation tube, it is divided into multiple independent fine streams. Each fine stream completes the fine separation of oil droplet floating and water phase sinking in its own gravity field. Finally, the volatile oil gathers at the bottom of the oil-water separation component and is discharged through the volatile oil collection valve outlet, and the water phase is drawn out through the side wall extraction tank.

[0009] The above approach has the following beneficial effects:

[0010] 1. This solution uses a honeycomb-shaped multi-channel segmentation to transform a single axial concentrated flow into multiple parallel uniform thin-layer flows, suppressing the axial drag of oil droplets in the high-speed zone of the tube axis, allowing volatile oils with similar densities to obtain sufficient floating time within a limited tube length, thus solving the problem of oil droplets being entrained due to uneven flow velocity.

[0011] 2. The hydraulic diameter of each oil-water stratification pipe in this scheme is small, the Reynolds number of the liquid flow is reduced, the radial distribution of the flow velocity tends to be uniform, and the process of oil droplets floating and coalescing in the laminar flow environment is more stable. This effectively reduces the problem of insufficient driving force for gravity settling caused by the extremely small density difference between oil and water, and makes up for the defect of slow stratification speed caused by small density difference.

[0012] 3. This solution provides a large effective separation flow area within a limited cross-sectional area through a honeycomb high-density oil-water stratification pipe layout, enabling the device to achieve a high throughput while maintaining a compact size.

[0013] Furthermore, the centrifugal separation component includes a tubular centrifuge, the input end of which is connected to the condenser, the output end of which is connected to the oil-water separation component, and the tubular centrifuge is connected to a control system.

[0014] The inner wall of the centrifuge is coated with a hydrophilic and oleophobic material.

[0015] Beneficial effects: The tubular centrifuge receives the distillate from the condenser and generates a centrifugal force field through high-speed rotation. This causes the slightly less dense oil phase to concentrate towards the central axis, while the denser water phase migrates to the outer wall. Preliminary phase stratification is completed before the distillate enters the oil-water separation unit. The centrifugal force, being much greater than gravity, allows even oil-water mixtures with minimal density differences to undergo pre-separation in a short time, compensating for the insufficient driving force of single-gravity sedimentation separation. This also provides pre-separated feed conditions for subsequent multi-channel gravity-based fine separation. Furthermore, the centrifugal separation design modified with a hydrophilic-oleophobic coating induces the water phase to preferentially adhere to the wall in the centrifugal force field, forming a lubricating film. This reduces the probability of oil droplets adhering to and remaining on the inner wall of the drum, minimizing separation efficiency degradation and equipment dynamic imbalance caused by thickened oil film on the wall.

[0016] Furthermore, the flow divider and the oil-water separation component are integrally molded, and both the flow divider and the oil-water separation component are made of glass material.

[0017] Beneficial effects: The glass design allows operators to directly observe the thickness of the oil layer, the clarity of the oil-water interface, and the distribution of the two phases within the oil-water stratification tube through the pipe wall. This facilitates the determination of the timing for collecting volatile oil based on real-time visual judgment, avoiding the judgment delays or errors caused by relying on indirect liquid level measurement with opaque materials.

[0018] Furthermore, the oil-water separation pipes are all coated with a hydrophobic and oleophilic coating.

[0019] Beneficial effects: The design of the hydrophobic and oleophilic coating transforms the passive separation that originally relied solely on gravity buoyancy into an active separation mode, enabling volatile oils with extremely small density differences to achieve higher separation efficiency in oil-water separation tubes with limited tube length. At the same time, the hydrophobic properties allow the aqueous phase to form a sliding boundary at the tube wall of the oil-water separation tube, reducing the shearing and dragging of the water flow on the near-wall oil droplets and reducing the risk of the aggregated oil layer being stripped and redispersed.

[0020] Furthermore, the return water pipe is an inverted U-shaped bend.

[0021] Beneficial effects: The U-shaped bend in the return water pipe can create a siphon blocking effect, so that the return water flow is driven only by the liquid level difference rather than by siphon suction. This reduces the risk of backflow caused by siphon when the liquid level is too low, which would result in the upper separated oil phase being sucked into the return water pipe. This ensures the safety and stability of the oil phase accumulated in the oil layer retention space.

[0022] Furthermore, the highest point of the inverted U-shaped bend in the return water pipe is level with the midpoint of the oil-water separation pipe, so that the upper part of the oil-water separation pipe that is higher than the water level of the return water pipe forms an oil layer retention space, and the lower part of the oil-water separation pipe that is lower than the water level of the return water pipe forms an oil-water separation space.

[0023] Beneficial effects: The partitioning mechanism formed by the oil layer retention space and the oil-water separation space reduces the risk that the oil layer will be carried away by the water flow before it has thickened sufficiently due to the return water port being located at the top of the oil-water separation pipe; at the same time, it allows the aqueous phase in the distillate to be automatically and continuously overflowed into the distillation kettle through the return water pipe, so that a constant separation liquid level is maintained during long-term continuous distillation, ensuring the volume stability of the oil layer retention space, and eliminating the operational risks of oil layer overflow loss due to excessive liquid level or oil phase being sucked into the return water pipe due to excessive liquid level.

[0024] Furthermore, the outlet of the volatile oil collection valve includes an outlet pipe, on which a first opening and closing valve is provided.

[0025] Beneficial effects: Operators can control the opening and closing sequence of the first valve to achieve segmented collection of volatile oil and independent discharge of the aqueous phase. When the oil layer accumulates to a set thickness, the valve can be opened to collect the bottom volatile oil through the outflow pipe, avoiding oil and water mixing during continuous discharge and improving the purity of the collected oil phase.

[0026] Furthermore, a second opening and closing valve is provided on the connection path between the output end of the tubular centrifuge and the oil-water separation component.

[0027] Beneficial effects: Operators can control the inlet flow rate of the oil-water separation component by adjusting the opening of the second valve, so that the liquid flow rate matches the residence time required for laminar separation in the oil-water separation tube; for volatile oil varieties that are difficult to separate, appropriately reducing the opening can prolong the effective residence time, allowing oil droplets to fully float and aggregate and obtain a longer separation window, while reducing the disturbance and damage of the already formed oil-water interface caused by fluctuations in the inlet flow rate.

[0028] Furthermore, a temperature acquisition and control unit is connected to the condenser. The temperature acquisition and control unit is used to acquire the condensate temperature data at the condenser output end in real time and to regulate the temperature of the condensate entering the condenser.

[0029] Temperature acquisition and control unit is connected to the control system signal.

[0030] Beneficial effects: By using temperature acquisition and adjustment control closed-loop temperature control, the condensation temperature is stabilized within the set range, avoiding the loss of low-boiling-point volatile oils with non-condensable gas due to excessively high condensation temperature, and also avoiding the introduction of high-boiling-point impurities due to excessively low condensation temperature, ensuring that high-purity distillate can be obtained from different medicinal materials at their appropriate condensation temperature.

[0031] Furthermore, the control system includes a temperature control module and a separation degree control module;

[0032] The temperature control module is used for operators to input the preset condensing temperature and receive real-time temperature data from the temperature acquisition and control unit. It compares the real-time temperature data with the preset condensing temperature and then adjusts the output power of the temperature acquisition and control unit based on the comparison result.

[0033] The separation degree control module allows the operator to input the separation degree and matches the rotation speed of the tubular centrifuge based on the separation degree. Then, the power of the tubular centrifuge is controlled by the signal to control the magnitude of the centrifugal force experienced by the condensed distillate inside the tubular centrifuge.

[0034] Beneficial effects: The temperature control module enables automatic stabilization of the condensation temperature, and the separation degree control module allows the centrifuge speed to be flexibly adjusted according to the separation difficulty of the medicinal materials. This allows for higher speeds to be matched with materials with small density differences to enhance pre-separation, and lower speeds to be matched with materials with large density differences to reduce energy consumption and mechanical losses, thereby improving the process adaptability and operating economy of the equipment.

[0035] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structural layout of an embodiment of the traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil extraction and liquid-oil-water separation device of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a front sectional view of the overall structure of the device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid oil and water in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the stratifier at point AA;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the control system in an embodiment of the herbal volatile oil extraction and liquid-oil-water separation device of the present invention.

[0040] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: 1. Centrifugal separation assembly; 101. Tubular centrifuge; 2. Oil-water separation assembly; 3. Diverter; 4. Oil-water separation pipe; 5. Volatile oil collection valve outlet; 501. Outlet pipe; 502. First opening and closing valve; 6. Return water pipe; 7. Second opening and closing valve. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation methods:

[0045] Example 1:

[0046] This embodiment provides a device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid oil and water, including a distillation kettle (not shown in the figure, preferably a combination of an alcohol lamp and a beaker) for containing and heating the traditional Chinese medicine material to generate oil-water mixed vapor. The distillation kettle is connected to a condenser (not shown in the figure, preferably a conventional laboratory circulating water condenser) for condensing the oil-water mixed vapor into condensed distillate.

[0047] The end of the condenser furthest from the distillation vessel is connected to a centrifugal separation component 1; specifically as follows... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the centrifugal separation component 1 specifically includes a tubular centrifuge 101. The input end of the tubular centrifuge 101 is connected to the condenser, and the tubular centrifuge 101 is connected to a control system. The condensed distillate from the conventional steam distillation method directly enters the gravity settling oil-water separator. For volatile oil varieties with densities similar to water, the characteristic separation time required for oil droplet floating under a single gravity field is much greater than the actual residence time of the mixture in the separation tube. This inevitably leads to the oil phase being carried away by the water phase before it has completed radial floating. In this embodiment, a connecting tubular centrifuge 101 is installed after the condenser. The centrifugal force field generated by the tubular centrifuge 101 is used to perform preliminary separation of the condensed distillate. After the condensed distillate enters the high-speed rotating drum of the tubular centrifuge 101, the oil phase with a slightly lower density is concentrated towards the central axis under the drive of centrifugal force, while the water phase with a higher density migrates towards the outer wall. The preliminary separation of the oil and water phases is completed before entering the subsequent oil-water separation component 2. The separation driving force of the centrifugal force field is much greater than that of the gravity field, which enables the oil-water mixture with a very small density difference to complete phase separation in a short time, effectively making up for the technical defect of insufficient driving force of single gravity sedimentation separation.

[0048] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the output end of the tubular centrifuge 101 is connected to an oil-water separation component 2; wherein, a flow divider 3 is fixedly connected inside the oil-water separation component 2, and the flow divider 3 and the oil-water separation component 2 are integrally formed; the flow divider 3 is provided with a plurality of oil-water separation pipes 4, all of which are parallel to the axis of the oil-water separation component 2, and the plurality of oil-water separation pipes 4 are arranged in a honeycomb pattern on the flow divider 3 (e.g., Figure 3 (as shown in the shape distribution); the oil-water separation component 2 can receive the centrifuged distillate output from the tubular centrifuge 101 and perform further fine separation by gravity sedimentation inside it.

[0049] A honeycomb-shaped arrangement of several oil-water stratification tubes 4 divides the mixed liquid flow entering the oil-water separation component 2 into multiple independent fine streams. Each fine stream independently completes gravity sedimentation separation within its corresponding oil-water stratification tube 4. This split-flow oil-water stratification, with each oil-water stratification tube 4 having a smaller hydraulic diameter than the original single-tube diameter, results in a Reynolds number within each oil-water stratification tube 4 that is closer to laminar flow at the same flow rate. The velocity distribution along the radial cross-section becomes more uniform, suppressing the high-velocity core area around the tube axis. This reduces the axial drag force on oil droplets within the oil-water stratification tube 4, extending the actual effective residence time. Secondly, the more uniform velocity distribution reduces the dispersion interference of the shear flow field on the floating oil droplets, making the process of oil droplets rising to the top of the channel and coalescing more stable in the laminar flow environment, reducing passive dispersion caused by radial velocity gradients. Thirdly, the honeycomb structure has a high channel filling density, providing a larger effective separation flow area within the limited cross-sectional area of ​​the oil-water separation component 2, enabling the device to achieve a high separation throughput while maintaining a compact volume.

[0050] Unlike conventional single-channel separators where oil droplets are entrained and discharged due to uneven flow velocity, this embodiment uses the honeycomb-shaped multi-channel division of the flow divider 3 to transform the mixed liquid flow from a single axial concentrated flow to multiple parallel uniform thin-layer flows. This suppresses the high-velocity core area at the tube axis and its entrainment effect on oil droplets in conventional single-channel separators, allowing even volatile oils of traditional Chinese medicine with small density differences to be separated more fully within a limited tube length.

[0051] The oil-water separation component 2 has a volatile oil collection valve outlet 5 at its bottom. The volatile oil collection valve outlet 5 specifically includes an outlet pipe 501, on which a first opening / closing valve 502 is installed. An extraction tank (not shown in the figure) for extracting the aqueous phase after oil-water separation is connected to the side wall of the oil-water separation component 2. After separation, the upper oil phase is concentrated above the separator 3 and at the top of the oil-water separation component 2, while the lower aqueous phase is located below the separator 3 and inside the oil-water separation pipe 4. At this time, opening the first opening / closing valve 502 allows the bottom volatile oil to be collected through the outlet pipe 501; the aqueous phase is discharged or sampled for testing through the extraction tank connected to the side wall. By controlling the opening and closing sequence of the first opening / closing valve 502, segmented collection of volatile oil and independent discharge of the aqueous phase can be achieved, reducing the probability of secondary mixing of the oil and water phases during discharge.

[0052] Furthermore, a second valve 7 is installed on the connecting pipe between the output end of the tubular centrifuge 101 and the oil-water separation component 2. The operator can adjust the inlet flow rate of the tubular centrifuge 101 into the oil-water separation component 2 via the second valve 7, ensuring that the liquid flow velocity entering the separator 3 matches the residence time required for laminar separation within the oil-water separation tube 4. During continuous distillation, the rate of the oil-water mixed vapor generated in the distillation vessel may fluctuate depending on the heating power and the release characteristics of the medicinal materials. If the entire output liquid flow from the tubular centrifuge 101 directly enters the oil-water separation component 2 at a fluctuating rate, the liquid flow velocity within the oil-water separation tube 4 will fluctuate accordingly, affecting the stability of the separation effect. By adjusting the opening of the second valve 7, the operator can throttle and buffer the liquid flow entering the oil-water separation component 2, maintaining the inlet flow rate within the range suitable for the oil-water separation tube 4, thus reducing the probability of disturbance and disruption of the oil-water interface already formed within the oil-water separation tube 4 due to fluctuations in the inlet flow rate. For volatile oil varieties with small density differences and high separation difficulty, appropriately reducing the opening degree of the second opening and closing valve 7 can prolong the effective residence time of the mixture in the oil-water separation pipe 4, providing a longer separation time window for the full floating and coalescence of oil droplets, and improving the purity of the finally collected volatile oil.

[0053] Example 2:

[0054] The difference from Example 1 is that the flow divider 3 and the oil-water separation component 2 are integrally formed, and both the flow divider 3 and the oil-water separation component 2 are made of glass material.

[0055] The glass material is transparent, allowing operators to directly observe the thickness of the oil layer above the separator 3, the clarity of the oil-water interface, and the distribution of the two phases within the oil-water separation tube 4 through the wall of the oil-water separation component 2. Compared to opaque metal or semi-transparent plastic materials that rely on indirect liquid level judgment, the transparent glass tube wall enables operators to visually assess the separation process in real time, facilitating the determination of when to open the first valve 502 and the collection segment node based on observation results.

[0056] The inner wall of the tubular centrifuge 101 is coated with a hydrophilic and oleophobic coating. In the high-speed centrifugation field, the design of the hydrophilic and oleophobic coating has two effects. On the one hand, the aqueous phase in the distillate can flow along the wall to form a dynamic lubricating layer, reducing the probability of oil droplets being adsorbed and retained or secondary dispersed due to collision with the wall surface, and allowing the oil phase in the distillate to migrate and accumulate more smoothly towards the central axis. On the other hand, the oleophobic properties inhibit the adhesion and accumulation of oil droplets on the inner wall of the drum of the tubular centrifuge 101, reducing the probability of separation efficiency decline caused by the thickening of the oil film on the wall surface during long-term operation of the tubular centrifuge 101. It also leverages the amplification effect of the oil-water density difference to provide a feed liquid with a clear phase interface and higher oil phase purity for subsequent gravity sedimentation.

[0057] The oil-water separation pipe 4 is equipped with a hydrophobic and oleophilic coating (preferably an alkyl SiO2 / PTFE composite coating). Specifically, alkyl SiO2 and PTFE are formulated into a coating composition and uniformly coated on the inner wall of the oil-water separation pipe 4 using compressed air spraying technology. Inside the oil-water separation pipe 4, the oil droplets rise slowly. The hydrophobic and oleophilic coating can accelerate the coalescence and growth of tiny oil droplets, shortening the time required for oil droplets to reach the critical buoyancy size. This compensates for the insufficient driving force for separation caused by the extremely small density difference between oil and water in the gravitational field. At the same time, the hydrophobic properties cause the water phase to form a slip boundary at the pipe wall, reducing the shear drag of the water flow on the near-wall oil droplets and reducing the risk of the coalesced oil layer being stripped and redispersed by the water flow. This transforms the passive separation that originally relied solely on gravity buoyancy into an active separation mode assisted by the coalescence of the wall surface (hydrophobic and oleophilic coating). This allows each oil-water separation pipe to achieve a higher oil phase capture rate and a lower oil content in the effluent within a limited pipe length.

[0058] Example 3:

[0059] The difference from Example 2 is that, as Figure 2 As shown, the side wall of the oil-water separation component 2 is connected to a return water pipe 6, which is a U-shaped bend. The return water pipe 6 is used to achieve continuous flow of the liquid surface of the distillate after condensation. The plane where the highest point of the liquid flow in the return water pipe 6 is located is flush with the midpoint of the height of the oil-water separation pipe 4, so that the upper part of the oil-water separation pipe 4 above the water level of the return water pipe 6 forms an oil layer retention space, and the lower part of the oil-water separation pipe 4 below the water level of the return water pipe 6 forms an oil-water separation space.

[0060] Utilizing the self-balancing effect of the liquid surface in communicating vessels, the liquid level in several oil-water separation pipes 4 within the oil-water separation component 2 is automatically locked to the corresponding water level in the return water pipe 6. Based on the partitioning mechanism of the oil layer retention space and the oil-water separation space, when the distillate separated by centrifugation in the self-contained centrifuge 101 enters the oil-water separation pipe 4, the liquid flow in the lower oil-water separation space flows smoothly in a low Reynolds number laminar flow state, providing a sufficient and undisturbed buoyancy environment for oil droplets of similar density. However, once the oil droplets rise to the upper oil layer retention space above the middle water level, the liquid flow in this area is almost static. The separated oil layer can accumulate stably here and further agglomerate and thicken, reducing the risk of loss due to the oil phase being carried back to the distillation vessel by the aqueous phase because it is close to the return water port. At the same time, the return water pipe 6 realizes continuous automatic overflow and return of the aqueous phase, so that the return system can maintain a constant separation liquid level without frequent manual adjustment of the drain valve during long-term continuous distillation. This not only ensures the relative stability of the oil layer accumulation space, but also eliminates the phenomenon in conventional equipment where the oil layer overflows due to excessive liquid level or the upper oil phase is sucked back to the separation pipe due to excessive liquid level. Thus, while improving the purity of volatile oil collection, it also enhances the stability and ease of operation of the unit during continuous operation.

[0061] Example 4:

[0062] The difference from Example 3 is that, as Figure 4 As shown, a temperature acquisition and control unit (not shown in the figure; in this embodiment, a temperature acquisition and control unit integrating the compressor / heater, circulating pump, and PT100 temperature sensor) is connected to the condenser. This unit is used to acquire real-time condensate temperature data at the condenser output and to regulate the temperature of the condensate entering the condenser. The temperature acquisition and control unit is connected to the control system signal.

[0063] The control system includes a temperature control module and a separation degree control module.

[0064] The temperature control module allows operators to input a preset condensation temperature and receives real-time temperature data from the temperature acquisition and control unit. It compares the real-time temperature data with the preset condensation temperature and adjusts the output power of the temperature acquisition and control unit based on the comparison result. Different Chinese medicinal herbs have varying boiling point ranges, and the condensation temperature directly affects the chemical composition and yield of the volatile oil in the condensate. If the condensation temperature is too high, some low-boiling-point volatile oil components may be lost with the non-condensable gas due to insufficient condensation, affecting the yield. If the condensation temperature is too low, some high-boiling-point impurities carried in the water vapor may also condense and enter the distillate, potentially affecting the purity of the volatile oil.

[0065] Therefore, the temperature control module is used to maintain the condensation temperature near the target value set by the operator through closed-loop regulation, so that different medicinal materials can collect distillate within their suitable condensation temperature range.

[0066] The separation degree control module allows the operator to input the separation degree and matches the rotation speed of the tubular centrifuge 101 based on the separation degree. Then, the signal controls the power of the tubular centrifuge 101 to control the magnitude of the centrifugal force experienced by the condensed distillate within the tubular centrifuge 101. The target separation degree input by the operator corresponds to different rotation speed settings of the tubular centrifuge 101. For varieties with small density differences, the operator selects a higher separation degree mode, and the separation degree control module matches a higher centrifuge rotation speed, allowing the mixture to complete more thorough pre-separation under a higher centrifugal force field. For varieties with relatively large density differences, an economic mode is selected, and a lower rotation speed is matched to meet the separation requirements, while reducing energy consumption and mechanical wear.

[0067] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A device for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid oil and water, comprising a distillation vessel for containing and heating the traditional Chinese medicine material to generate oil-water mixed vapor, the distillation vessel being connected to a condenser for condensing the oil-water mixed vapor into a condensed distillate, characterized in that, The end of the condenser away from the distillation vessel is connected to a centrifugal separation component (1), which is used to centrifuge and condense the distillate. The centrifugal separation component (1) is connected to an oil-water separation component (2) at the end away from the condenser. A flow divider (3) is fixedly connected inside the oil-water separation component (2). The flow divider (3) is equipped with several oil-water separation pipes (4). The several oil-water separation pipes (4) are all parallel to the axis of the oil-water separation component (2), and the several oil-water separation pipes (4) are distributed in a honeycomb pattern inside the flow divider (3). A volatile oil collection valve outlet (5) is opened at the bottom of the oil-water separation component (2). A return water pipe (6) connected to the distillation kettle is provided on the side wall of the oil-water separation component (2). The plane where the highest point of the liquid flow in the return water pipe (6) is located is flush with the midpoint of the height of the oil-water separation pipe (4). The return water pipe (6) is used to continuously flow the distillate after oil-water separation into the distillation kettle.

2. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The centrifugal separation component (1) includes a tubular centrifuge (101), the input end of which is connected to the condenser, the output end of which is connected to the oil-water separation component (2), and the tubular centrifuge (101) is connected to a control system. The inner wall of the tubular centrifuge (101) is coated with a hydrophilic and oleophobic coating.

3. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow divider (3) and the oil-water separation component (2) are integrally formed, and both the flow divider (3) and the oil-water separation component (2) are made of glass material.

4. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil-water separation pipe (4) is equipped with a hydrophobic and oleophilic coating.

5. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The return water pipe (6) is an inverted U-shaped bend.

6. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 5, characterized in that, The highest point of the inverted U-shaped bend of the return water pipe (6) is level with the midpoint of the height of the oil-water separation pipe (4), so that the upper part of the oil-water separation pipe (4) above the water level of the return water pipe (6) forms an oil layer retention space, and the lower part of the oil-water separation pipe (4) below the water level of the return water pipe (6) forms an oil-water separation space.

7. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet (5) of the volatile oil collection valve includes an outlet pipe (501), and a first opening and closing valve (502) is provided on the outlet pipe (501).

8. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 7, characterized in that, A second opening and closing valve (7) is provided on the connection path between the output end of the tubular centrifuge (101) and the oil-water separation component (2).

9. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 2, characterized in that, The condenser is connected to a temperature acquisition and control unit, which is used to acquire the condensate temperature data at the condenser output in real time and to control the temperature of the condensate entering the condenser. Temperature acquisition and control unit is connected to the control system signal.

10. The apparatus for extracting volatile oils from traditional Chinese medicine and separating liquid-oil-water according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control system includes a temperature control module and a separation degree control module; The temperature control module is used for operators to input the preset condensing temperature and receive real-time temperature data from the temperature acquisition and control unit. It compares the real-time temperature data with the preset condensing temperature and then adjusts the output power of the temperature acquisition and control unit based on the comparison result. The separation degree control module is used for the operator to input the separation degree and match the rotation speed of the tubular centrifuge (101) based on the separation degree. Then, the power of the tubular centrifuge (101) is controlled by the signal to control the magnitude of the centrifugal force on the condensed distillate in the tubular centrifuge (101).

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