Cold Trap Plant Extract Isolation Under Vacuum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for extracting essence oils and other chemical constituents from plants often result in the destruction or degradation of desirable chemicals due to the application of heat, and struggle to minimize the extraction of undesirable chemicals, particularly in the case of cannabis plants.
Innovation Solution
A cold trap system is employed where plant material is volatilized at temperatures below 35°C under positive or negative pressure, and the volatilized compounds are condensed in a sealable chamber to produce an extract, avoiding the degradation of heat-sensitive chemicals and minimizing the extraction of unwanted substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional distillation processes are used to extract essence oils from plants, then the extraction efficiency is improved, but heat application destroys or degrades desirable chemicals in the plant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs low-temperature vacuum distillation where plant materials are volatilized at temperatures below 35°C under negative pressure conditions. This phase transition approach allows chemical compounds to evaporate and condense without thermal degradation, resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and chemical preservation by using pressure-induced phase changes instead of heat-driven distillation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter from conventional high-temperature distillation to low-temperature operation (below 35°C) combined with pressure parameter changes (applying negative pressure). This parameter modification enables efficient extraction while preventing thermal degradation of heat-sensitive chemical compounds in the plant material
2Productivity
If solvent extraction is used to extract desired chemicals from plants, then the extraction efficiency is improved, but undesirable chemicals are also extracted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses low-temperature vacuum distillation to selectively volatilize and extract desired chemical compounds from plant material without using solvents. This extraction method separates target chemicals based on their volatility characteristics under vacuum conditions, achieving both high extraction efficiency and improved separation purity by excluding non-volatile undesirable substances
Solution Approach 2:
The process operates under negative pressure (vacuum) conditions, creating an inert environment that prevents oxidation and degradation of extracted chemicals. This inert atmosphere approach enhances both extraction efficiency and chemical purity by eliminating solvent-related contaminants and preventing unwanted chemical reactions during the extraction process
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 preserves desirable terpenes and terpene derivatives, producing enriched extracts without thermal degradation, and allows for the isolation of previously challenging-to-isolate chemicals from cannabis and other plant materials.
Implementation Method 1
applying positive or negative pressure to the compartment at a temperature of less than about 35°C to volatilize chemical compounds contained in the plant material
Implementation Method 2
condensing the volatilized chemical compounds in the condenser to form the extract
Data Source
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Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
A plant extract can be produced from a plant material, such as a cannabis plant material, via an ambient temperature distillation followed by a cold trap condensation. The cold trap apparatus has at least one sealable chamber under vacuum connected to a condenser for extracting chemical compositions at an un-elevated temperature from a plant material. Desirable chemicals can be volatilized under negative pressure at low temperatures utilizing the cold trap system described herein.