Mobile Plant Extraction With Engine Waste-Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cannabis farmers face challenges in accessing efficient and timely extraction technology for essential elements from plant matter due to geographical and regulatory barriers, leading to issues like theft, damage, and high costs associated with shipping and equipment investment.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates power for extracting essential elements from plant matter using a method involving an engine-generator to provide thermal and electrical energy for separation processes, including a control system to manage energy distribution and maintain optimal temperatures, allowing for remote monitoring and control of extraction and separation equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plant matter is shipped to centralized extraction facilities, then extraction processing can be performed, but transportation costs increase and plant matter may be damaged or stolen
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized extraction facility is segmented into mobile extraction units that can be distributed to multiple farm locations. Each unit operates independently to process plant matter on-site, eliminating the need for long-distance transportation of bulk plant material while maintaining extraction processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile extraction units serve as intermediary processing stations between farms and centralized facilities. These units enable local processing of plant matter, reducing transportation requirements while providing farmers with access to extraction technology through a middle-ground solution.
2Productivity
If farmers invest in their own extraction equipment, then they can process their own plant matter, but capital costs and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Farmers gain self-service processing capability through mobile extraction units that visit their locations. The system provides on-demand extraction services without requiring farmers to own or maintain complex extraction equipment, enabling them to process their own plant matter while avoiding large capital investments.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile extraction units are designed to serve multiple farmers and multiple locations, providing universal extraction services. This multi-functional approach allows a single unit to replace multiple individual farm installations, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining on-site processing capability for many users.
3Productivity
If centralized extraction facilities are built, then extraction services are available, but farmers have little ability to verify traceability of their plant matter
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile extraction unit system implements feedback mechanisms where farmers receive direct confirmation and tracking information about their plant matter processing. The system provides real-time or near-real-time data feedback to farmers about the status and location of their materials, enabling verification of traceability while maintaining extraction service availability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If mobile extraction units are deployed, then transportation risks are reduced, but energy management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile extraction unit combines multiple functions including extraction processing, power generation through engine-generator systems, thermal energy recovery, and energy management control into a single integrated platform. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate systems while managing energy complexity through unified control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses thermal energy from the engine-generator power system to meet heating requirements of the extraction process. This energy recovery mechanism reduces overall energy consumption and simplifies energy management by utilizing waste heat that would otherwise be discarded, turning a potential complexity into an efficiency opportunity.
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 solution enables efficient and controlled extraction of essential elements closer to farmers, reducing risks and costs, while ensuring the quality and traceability of the extracted products, improving operational efficiency and competitiveness.
Implementation Method 1
A mobile extraction system may be used that is powered by an engine-generator
Implementation Method 2
a first substance included in the cannabinoid containing material is evaporated when the cannabinoid containing material is heated to an evaporation temperature
Implementation Method 3
The first material may also be condensed at the condenser based on a cooling temperature associated with the condenser
Implementation Method 4
heat at least a portion of a separation apparatus by transferring thermal energy from an engine to the separation apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus consistent with the present disclosure may provide electrical energy and thermal to extraction or separation equipment. Methods and apparatus consistent with the present disclosure may extract and concentrate essential elements plant matter. An amount of wasted heat energy collected from an engine that powers an electrical generator may be provided to an evaporation or separation process when electrical power is provided to extraction or separation processing equipment. Computers or electronics that control equipment consistent with the present disclosure may be remotely controlled via a mobile electronic device, when desired. Such computers or electronics may receive sensor data related to the operation of plant matter extractors, related separation equipment, or other equipment may be used to manage a production line. As such, methods and apparatus consistent with the present disclosure may extract essential elements from cannabis plant matter and process those essential elements into cannabis extracts or isolates.