Microwave Oil Distillation Using an Absorbing Agent to Prevent Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microwaves are ineffective in steam distilling cannabinoid oils or heavy oleoresins from plant material, often causing combustion or thermal degradation due to the non-polar nature of most plant oils, which do not efficiently absorb microwaves.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a microwave absorbing agent is used to heat plant material, volatilize oils and oleoresins without thermal breakdown, utilizing dielectric heating of the agent and thermal radiation from the agent to the plant material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microwaves are used to directly heat plant material to evaporate and distill high boiling point plant oils and oleoresins, then the distillation process can be performed, but the plant oils undergo thermal breakdown and degradation due to inefficient microwave absorption by non-polar molecules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a microwave-absorbing substance as an intermediary between the microwave radiation and the plant material. This substance absorbs microwaves efficiently and transfers the energy to the plant material through thermal conduction, enabling effective heating of non-polar plant oils without direct microwave absorption by the oils themselves, thus preventing thermal degradation while maintaining distillation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct dielectric heating mechanism (which fails for non-polar substances) with a thermal conduction-based heating system. Instead of relying on the plant oils to absorb microwaves directly, the system uses a microwave-absorbing substance to convert microwave energy into heat, which then conducts thermally to the plant material, substituting the ineffective electromagnetic heating mechanism with an effective thermal conduction mechanism
2Productivity
If microwaves are used to heat plant material for oleoresin distillation, then the process can be completed, but combustion of the plant material occurs prior to evaporating the desired oils
Solution Approach 1:
The microwave-absorbing substance serves as a thermal mediator that distributes heat more uniformly throughout the plant material. By absorbing microwaves and conducting heat through thermal contact rather than direct electromagnetic heating of the plant material surfaces, the system prevents localized overheating and combustion while maintaining sufficient heat for oleoresin evaporation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heating mechanism parameter from direct dielectric heating to indirect thermal conduction heating. This parameter change allows for better control of the heating rate and temperature distribution, enabling the oleoresins to evaporate at appropriate temperatures without reaching the combustion point of the plant material
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 efficiently extracts oils and oleoresins without thermal degradation, producing high-quality, suitable-for-consumption oils by dielectrically heating the absorbing agent and using thermal radiation for plant material heating.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent
Implementation Method 2
heating the microwave absorbing agent by interfacial or Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars polarization
Implementation Method 3
The plant material may be heated primarily by heat transfer from the microwave absorbing agent to the plant material, e.g., by thermal radiation or convection
Implementation Method 4
condensing the volatized oil in the cooling chamber, thereby producing a condensed oil
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for extracting plant oil from plant material. A system may comprise a microwave emitter, an extraction chamber, and a cooling chamber. Microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter may dielectrically heat a microwave absorbing agent, which may heat the plant oil of the plant material. Plant oil of the plant material may be volatized in the extraction chamber and may be directed into the cooling chamber to be condensed.