Cannabis Extraction Using Cooling Agent Agitation and Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and inefficiency of extracting cannabinoids like CBD and THC from cannabis plant material due to labor-intensive drying processes, water wastage in separation methods, and the need for complex equipment and hazardous solvents in current extraction techniques make medicinal cannabis inaccessible and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A method and system involving the use of a cooling agent to separate trichomes from cannabis plant material through agitation and filtration, with recirculation loops to optimize the extraction process, reducing water usage and solvent requirements, and enabling continuous processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional drying processes are used to reduce moisture content in harvested cannabis plant material, then the plant material can be stored and processed, but the process is labor-intensive and energy-demanding, taking up to two to three weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses freeze-drying (lyophilization) which involves freezing the plant material and then sublimating the ice directly to vapor under vacuum conditions. This phase transition process removes moisture much faster than traditional air drying, reducing drying time from weeks to hours while preserving the plant material's structure and cannabinoid content.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical/thermal drying process with a vacuum-based freeze-drying system. Instead of using heat and air circulation to evaporate moisture, the system uses vacuum pressure to lower the sublimation point of ice, allowing moisture removal at lower temperatures and much faster rates without degrading the plant material.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If solvents like ethanol are used to extract cannabinoids from trichomes, then the extraction can be performed, but complex scientific equipment and skilled staff are required, and hazardous solvents must be stored and disposed of appropriately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable extraction cartridges or single-use extraction chambers that are pre-loaded with plant material. These disposable units eliminate the need for complex cleaning and sterilization procedures between uses, reducing equipment complexity and eliminating the need for skilled operators to perform maintenance and sanitation tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the essential function of solvent-based extraction (cannabinoid separation) while removing the harmful aspects. By using supercritical CO2 or other safe fluids that can be easily evaporated, the system achieves effective extraction without requiring hazardous chemical handling infrastructure, complex solvent recovery systems, or specialized safety equipment.
3Ease of operation
If water is used to separate trichomes from plant matter by immersion and agitation, then the separation can be achieved, but the process is very wasteful of water, requiring 20 parts of water to one part plant matter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the separation medium by using oil-based carriers or supercritical fluids instead of water. These alternative media have different density and viscosity properties that enable effective trichome separation with much lower volumes, reducing water consumption from a 20:1 ratio to significantly lower amounts while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transition properties of alternative separation media (such as CO2 transitioning between supercritical and gaseous states) to achieve separation without large volumes of liquid. The phase change allows for easy separation and recovery of the trichomes from the medium, eliminating the need for large amounts of water that would otherwise be wasted.
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 approach reduces processing time and costs, minimizes water wastage, and enhances the efficiency of cannabinoid extraction, making the process more economically viable and accessible for medicinal cannabis production.
Implementation Method 1
a) charging a first vessel with a quantity of harvested cannabis plant material and a quantity of a cooling agent
Implementation Method 2
b) filtering and/or agitating the first mixture in the first vessel to produce a first laden quantity of cooling agent containing a first filtrate including at least some trichomes
Implementation Method 3
d) operating the first separator to remove at least a portion of the trichomes from the first filtrate of the first laden quantity of cooling agent
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology is directed towards providing an apparatus, system and method for the cost-effective extraction of compounds of interest, such as CBD and THC, from freshly harvested cannabis plant material. The system includes a processing module with a tank that has a flow path to a separator. The tanks are filled with a cooling agent and cannabis plant material which is immersed and agitated to break up the plant material. The filtered outflow from the tank is a filtrate of a mixture of cooling agent and broken up plant material that is transferred to the separator to separate out at least some trichomes containing the compounds of interest.