Cannabis Extraction Using Supercritical CO2 and Vacuum Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an extraction method that produces high-quality, pure THC cannabis extracts free of polar plant material, chlorophyll, and residual solvents, suitable for shatter, wax, or budder products, which can be used for dabbing, vaping, or smoking.
Innovation Solution
A method involving dehydrated or non-dehydrated cannabis plant material is frozen and processed in a chamber with a solvent gas, filtered through multiple filters, and then purified by recovering and recycling the solvent gas, followed by heating to produce shatter, wax, or budder products, ensuring minimal residual solvent and high THC concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional extraction methods are used to obtain THC from cannabis plant material, then extraction efficiency is improved, but residual solvents and polar plant material contaminate the final product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by removing THC from cannabis plant material using supercritical CO2, which selectively extracts cannabinoids while leaving behind polar plant materials and chlorophyll. The supercritical fluid acts as a selective solvent that can be easily separated from the extract, eliminating residual solvent contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by transitioning CO2 between supercritical and gaseous states through controlled pressure and temperature changes. In the extraction chamber, CO2 is maintained in a supercritical state for efficient extraction, then pressure is reduced in the collection chamber to convert it to a gas, allowing complete separation from the extract and eliminating residual solvent.
2Manufacturing precision
If high-concentration THC extracts are produced, then product quality is improved, but purification complexity increases to remove polar plant material and chlorophyll
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of using CO2 as a solvent into a benefit by utilizing its selective solubility properties. CO2 preferentially dissolves non-polar cannabinoids while excluding polar plant materials and chlorophyll, turning what could be a contamination issue into a natural purification mechanism that simplifies the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an inert atmosphere by using supercritical CO2, which is chemically inert and does not react with the cannabis constituents. This inert environment prevents oxidation and degradation of THC during extraction, maintaining high product quality while the selective solubility naturally excludes polar contaminants without requiring additional purification steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple filtration steps are implemented to remove polar plant material, then product purity is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing the purification function during the extraction process itself. The supercritical CO2 selectively extracts THC while excluding polar plant materials and chlorophyll from the beginning, so no subsequent filtration or purification steps are needed to remove these contaminants, significantly reducing processing time.
4Reliability
If supercritical CO2 extraction is used to eliminate residual solvents, then product safety is improved, but equipment requirements and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical filtration and solvent evaporation systems with a supercritical fluid extraction system. By using CO2 in a supercritical state, the extraction is more efficient, and the phase change to gas upon pressure release automatically eliminates the need for complex evaporation equipment and ensures complete solvent removal, improving product safety.
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
The method achieves a high-concentration THC product with zero residual solvent, free of polar plant material and chlorophyll, resulting in clear, transparent shatter, waxy, or creamy budder products suitable for various consumption methods.
Implementation Method 1
pumping solvent gas into the chamber; filtering the solvent gas through the gasket of the chamber and the plant material in the vessel of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
applying heat to the collection vessel, boiling off the solvent gas
Implementation Method 3
boiling off the solvent gas and pumping the collected solvent gas back into a gas holding tank
Implementation Method 4
heating the powder under vacuum pressure between about 70° F. and about 110° F. from about 15 minutes to about 48 hours
Implementation Method 5
heating the powder at atmospheric pressure from about 160° F. to about 210° F. until a clear and transparent shatter product is obtained
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of preparing cannabis extracts, including shatter, budder and wax extracts. The extraction method can provide a high quality and pure extraction product of THC from cannabis plant material, as either a shatter, wax or budder end extraction product. The extracted product is free of polar cannabis plant material, chlorophyll and residual solvents, has a high concentrate of THC, and can be used for dabbing, vaping or smoking consumption by a user. Suitable solvents for the method are gases selected from the group consisting of propane, butane or iso-butane, and the preferred solvent is propane. A key step of the method of the present invention is recovering solvent under atmospheric vacuum and, therefore, obtaining an extraction product that is purified of solvent and has no solvent.