Chilled Ethanol Extraction for Low-Chlorophyll Essential Oil Isolates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting cannabinoids and terpenes from plant substrates, such as hydrocarbon and lipid-based extractions, face challenges including solvent volatility, high start-up costs, difficulty in obtaining pure solvents, and safety concerns due to the use of low-quality hydrocarbons in DIY extractions, which can lead to explosions and fires.
Innovation Solution
A novel extraction process using 100% grain ethanol as a solvent, where the solvent and plant substrate are cooled to -1°C to -50°C, with contact times between 1 minute and 40 minutes, followed by filtration, atmospheric evaporation, and solvent recovery via distillation or rotary evaporator, and purging under vacuum to produce a clean cannabinoid/terpene extract devoid of plant lipids and chlorophyll.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hydrocarbon solvents (butane, propane) are used for extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but safety risks increase due to volatility and explosion hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of solvent selection from hydrocarbons to ethanol, which has different safety characteristics. Ethanol is less volatile and less prone to explosion, thereby reducing safety risks while maintaining extraction efficiency through optimized contact time and temperature parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent advocates using food-grade ethanol that can be obtained and used without expensive safety infrastructure, making the process accessible to novice manufacturers without requiring explosion-proof equipment or specialized ventilation systems
2Manufacturing precision
If pure hydrocarbon solvents (N-butane, N-hexane) are used, then extraction quality is improved, but cost and availability worsen due to difficulty in obtaining pure solvents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, hard-to-obtain pure hydrocarbon solvents with readily available food-grade ethanol. This substitution maintains extraction quality while dramatically improving solvent availability and reducing costs, making the process feasible for small-scale and novice manufacturers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes extraction parameters (contact time, temperature, solvent-to-substrate ratio) specifically for ethanol to compensate for its different chemical properties compared to hydrocarbons, thereby maintaining extraction quality with the more accessible solvent
3Object-affected harmful factors
If lipid-based solvents are used for extraction, then safety is improved, but process complexity increases due to difficulty in separating cannabinoids from lipid emulsion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the desired cannabinoid and terpene components from the plant material using ethanol, leaving behind lipids and other undesired constituents in the plant residue. This selective extraction eliminates the need for complex separation processes required by lipid-based solvents
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses ethanol as an intermediary solvent that selectively dissolves cannabinoids and terpenes without co-extracting lipids. This intermediary approach simplifies the extraction process by achieving selective solubility, avoiding the need for thorough understanding of chemistry and expensive distillation devices
4Manufacturing precision
If SFE (super critical CO2) is used for extraction, then extraction selectivity is improved, but cost and process complexity increase due to expensive machinery and post-extraction purification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive SFE machinery with simple, inexpensive equipment suitable for ethanol extraction. The process can be performed in a food-grade manufacturing environment without specialized supercritical fluid equipment, dramatically reducing capital investment while maintaining extraction selectivity through optimized ethanol parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes ethanol extraction parameters (temperature, contact time, solvent ratio) to achieve selectivity comparable to SFE. By carefully controlling these parameters, the patent achieves selective extraction of cannabinoids and terpenes without co-extraction of undesired constituents, eliminating the need for expensive post-extraction purification
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 allows for a safe, cost-effective, and efficient production of high-quality cannabinoid and terpene extracts in a food-grade manufacturing environment, even for novice manufacturers, reducing the risk of explosions and fires while ensuring the removal of undesired plant constituents.
Implementation Method 1
The method comprises chilling a solvent to a desired temperature between -1 C. and -50 C., adding the chilled solvent to a extraction vessel, adding chilled plant substrate to the extraction vessel, and allowing the solvent and plant substrate to contact one another for a desired period of time to create a cannabinoid rich emulsion
Implementation Method 2
The method comprises passing the cannabinoid rich emulsion through a chilled filtration system to separate the emulsion from plant debris
Implementation Method 3
The method comprises removing the remaining solvent from the extract by applying reduced pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A system, machines and methods for extracting select moieties, flavonoids, and essential oils from plant material without co-extracting chlorophyll, lipids and other undesirable constituents from plants. Super-cooled extraction techniques are taught. Likewise, according to embodiments methods provides 100% grain ethyl alcohol extract with a concentration of chlorophyll that is below 1%.