Cannabinoid Purification via Multi-Phase Pressure Cycles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Concentrating cannabinoids while minimizing contaminants such as metals, aflatoxins, and microbial toxins in botanical extracts is challenging, as existing methods often use expensive solvents or fail to completely remove contaminants, posing health risks and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A lipid-based method using coconut oil to extract cannabinoids, where water is added to dissolve contaminants, and heat, pressure, and agitation are applied to separate and remove water-soluble contaminants, followed by cooling and separation to yield a purified cannabinoid solution with reduced levels of aflatoxins and heavy metals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional extraction methods are used to concentrate cannabinoids, then cannabinoid concentration increases, but contaminant levels (metals, aflatoxins, microbial toxins) also increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecannabinoid concentrationVSAvoidcontaminant levels

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes contaminants from the cannabinoid solution through a multi-step process: (1) adding water to dissolve water-soluble contaminants, (2) applying pressure to separate phases, (3) removing the aqueous phase containing dissolved contaminants, and (4) repeating the process. This selectively extracts harmful substances while preserving the cannabinoid-rich lipid phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transition principles by creating a multi-phase system where lipids, water, and contaminants separate into distinct phases under pressure. The water-soluble contaminants partition into the aqueous phase, which can then be separated from the lipid phase containing cannabinoids. This phase separation enables selective removal of contaminants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Manufacturing precision

If expensive solvents are used to remove contaminants, then purification effectiveness improves, but processing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepurification effectivenessVSAvoidprocessing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive specialized solvents with water, the cheapest and most accessible solvent. Water is used to dissolve and remove contaminants through simple phase separation, eliminating the need for costly chemical solvents while achieving effective purification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Water acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates contaminant removal without requiring expensive chemical agents. The water temporarily binds to water-soluble contaminants through dissolution, allowing their separation from the cannabinoid-rich phase, and can be easily discarded after use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If existing purification methods are applied, then some contaminants are removed, but complete removal is not achieved, leaving health risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant reductionVSAvoidsafety assurance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs repeated cycles of water addition, pressure application, phase separation, and aqueous phase removal. This periodic repetition progressively reduces contaminant levels with each cycle, achieving complete or near-complete removal that single-pass methods cannot accomplish, thereby ensuring product safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

This method effectively purifies cannabinoid solutions by removing contaminants, ensuring safe and non-toxic products with reduced levels of aflatoxins and heavy metals, using a non-toxic and cost-effective process suitable for oral consumption, vaporization, or pharmaceutical use.

Implementation Method 1

water is added to dissolve contaminants

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

heat, pressure, and agitation are applied to separate and remove water-soluble contaminants

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

followed by cooling and separation to yield a purified cannabinoid solution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentUS11007238B2Concentrating cannabinoids in a lipid solution using multi-phase pressure cycles

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 RADERMAN HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A concentrated lipid-based solution including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is manufactured by providing a lipid solution including an array of triglycerides, cannabinoids and water soluble contaminants in a pressure vessel. Water is added to the lipid solution to create a mixture and the pressure is increased in a first phase at a first pressure and duration and in a second phase at a second temperature and duration. The mixture is agitated to dissolve the water soluble contaminants. The mixture is cooled to cause the triglycerides and cannabinoids to solidify. The solidified triglycerides and cannabinoids, including THC, are separated to yield a purified cannabinoid solution.