Acoustic Shock Wave Extraction for Cellular Plant Tissue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting nutrients and flavors from cellular plant tissues, such as coffee beans and tea leaves, are inefficient, with only 10-15% of extractables released into water, requiring excessive material usage and inadequate polyphenol dissolution.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus employing acoustic shock waves to enhance the release of extracts from cellular plant tissues by transmitting shock waves through a fluid immersed in the plant material, increasing permeability and extract yields without mechanical cell rupture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional hot water extraction is used, then the process is simple and equipment-free, but only 10-15% of extractables are released into water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical agitation and heating methods with acoustic shock wave technology. The acoustic shock wave device generates pressure waves that physically disrupt the hydrophobic oil barrier and cell structures, enabling significantly higher extract release (potentially 4-5 times improvement) without requiring complex mechanical stirring or high-temperature equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the extraction process by introducing acoustic shock waves with specific frequency and intensity ranges (16 Hz to 10 kHz, with optimal ranges identified). This parameter change transforms the extraction mechanism from passive diffusion to active acoustic disruption, dramatically increasing extract yield while maintaining process simplicity.
2Quantity of substance
If more coffee grounds are used to compensate for low extraction efficiency, then sufficient extractables are obtained, but material waste increases and cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing conventional extraction mechanics with acoustic shock wave mechanics, the patent achieves complete or near-complete extraction of available extractables from coffee grounds. This eliminates the need to use excess grounds to compensate for poor extraction efficiency, thereby reducing material waste and operational costs while maintaining sufficient extractable quantity.
3Quantity of substance
If polyphenols are added to improve health benefits, then nutritional value increases, but polyphenols do not adequately dissolve in hot water alone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acoustic shock waves to mechanically disrupt the aggregation and poor solubility of polyphenols in hot water. The pressure waves enhance the wetting and dispersion of polyphenolic compounds, enabling them to dissolve adequately in the beverage without requiring additional mechanical stirring or chemicalå© agents, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving nutritional content.
4Productivity
If the hydrophobic oil barrier is broken down to improve extraction, then extract yield increases, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex multi-step mechanical processing (such as pre-treatment, enzymatic breakdown, or high-pressure homogenization) with a single acoustic shock wave treatment step. The acoustic waves directly disrupt the hydrophobic oil barrier and cell structures in one operation, achieving complete breakdown of extraction barriers without adding processing step complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly increases the percentage of extractable materials released into beverages, improving flavor and nutrient delivery, potentially quadrupling coffee yields and enhancing the extraction of beneficial compounds like polyphenols.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic shock wave device for transmitting shock waves to the wet cellular plant tissue to enhance release of extracts into the fluid
Implementation Method 2
The present invention employs acoustic shock waves to bombard cellular plant tissue used in preparation of beverages or medicines
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus 110 for increasing extracts 100E taken from cellular plant tissue 100 has a preparation container 114 for holding the cellular plant tissue 100, the container 114 having an inlet or opening 112 to receive a fluid 101 to wet the cellular plant tissue 100 and take extracts 100E from the cellular plant tissue 100 to create a fluid with extracts mixture 101E, and an outlet to pass the fluid with extracts mixture, a lower portion of the container is a holding vessel 111 to receive the fluid with extracts 101E; and an acoustic shock wave device 43 for transmitting shock waves 200 to the wet cellular plant tissue 100 to enhance release of extracts 100E into the fluid 101. The invention further discloses a method of increasing extracts 100E taken from cellular plant tissue 100 comprises the steps of placing prepared cellular plant tissue 100 in a container 114; introducing a fluid 101 into the container 114 to wet and immerse the prepared cellular plant tissue 100; and emitting acoustic shock waves 200 into the fluid 101 immersed cellular plant tissue 100 to increase the extracts 100E released by the plant tissue 100 into the fluid 101 and a product made from the method, the product being a beverage, medicine or drug.