Dual Pump CO2 Extraction System for Gas Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extraction systems for natural products using supercritical CO2 and hydrocarbon gases are inefficient due to the inability to accurately combine and pump gases with widely varying vapor pressures, leading to slow and maintenance-prone operations, and fail to fully recover flammable gases like propane and butane.
Innovation Solution
The use of a high-pressure liquid pump and modified refrigerant pump to maintain stable gas extractant combinations in liquid form, allowing for efficient extraction and complete recovery of gases, including the integration of CO2 and lower vapor pressure gases like butane and propane, which mitigates flammability risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gas booster technology is used to conduct CO2 extractions or extractions using one lower pressure gas, then the extraction process can be carried out, but the system cannot accurately combine and pump gas vapors of widely varying vapor pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical state parameter of the extractant gases from vapor phase to liquid phase before pumping. By maintaining the gases in liquid form through controlled pressure and temperature conditions, the system can accurately meter and combine gases with widely varying vapor pressures (CO2 at 73 atm, propane at 42 atm, butane at 24 atm at 20°C) without the operational difficulties associated with vapor phase handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces liquid-phase storage tanks as intermediary components between the gas sources and the extraction chamber. These tanks serve as mediators that allow precise control of gas proportions by pumping liquids, which then evaporate in the extraction chamber to provide the desired vapor mixture. This intermediary liquid phase resolves the difficulty of directly combining vapors with different vapor pressures.
2Productivity
If hydrocarbon gases like propane or butane are used as solvents, then extraction effectiveness is improved, but flammability risks and recovery complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains an inert atmosphere throughout the extraction process by conducting all operations in a closed system and using nitrogen or CO2 as purge gases. The liquid-phase storage and pumping of flammable hydrocarbons eliminates vapor accumulation in transfer lines, and the system incorporates automatic shutdown and purging capabilities to prevent ignition scenarios, thereby enabling effective use of hydrocarbon solvents while mitigating flammability hazards.
3Productivity
If gas booster technology is used for supercritical extraction, then the extraction can be performed, but the process becomes slow and maintenance-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical gas booster compression mechanism with a liquid-phase pumping system. High-pressure liquid pumps are designed to handle the liquid extractants under pressure, which are then allowed to evaporate in the extraction chamber. This substitution eliminates the mechanical complexity and maintenance issues of gas boosters while achieving faster extraction rates through more reliable pumping action and better pressure control.
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 enables faster, more reliable extraction processes with complete gas recovery, providing safe and flexible options for extracting constituents from botanicals while minimizing the risks associated with flammable gases.
Implementation Method 1
the high pressure pump(s) apply sufficient pressure required to keep the CO2 in its liquid phase. This same pressure will keep the lower pressure extractant gases used in combination with the CO2 in a liquid state
Implementation Method 2
an efficient separator vessel for flashing off compressed gases to separate extract from liquid extraction solvents
Implementation Method 3
a cooling tower and accumulator vessel for efficiently converting gases back to liquid
Implementation Method 4
a modified refrigerant recovery pump capable of building pressure up and pulling down into the vacuum range for efficient and full recovery of gases
Data Source
AI summary
A carbon dioxide extraction system which recirculates CO2 and/or other gases in a continuous loop for maximum extraction efficiency and which recovers substantially all gases at the end of the extraction cycle for cost savings and greater workplace safety. The extractor utilizes a dual pumping system which can incorporate high vapor pressure CO2 and/or lower vapor pressure gases such as propane, butane, chemical refrigerants such as R134a, and other lower vapor pressure gases. The system allows the operators to work with supercritical CO2 alone with high pressure liquid pump(s), lower vapor pressure gases alone with modified refrigerant recovery pump(s), or a mixture of CO2 and lower vapor pressure gases using a combination of high pressure liquid pump(s) for extraction and modified refrigerant recovery pump(s) for full recovery of gases at the end of an extraction cycle.