Volatile Ester Extraction of Plant Aroma Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting floral fragrance absolutes are either inefficient, damage floral oils, or leave behind petrochemical residues, making it difficult to produce high-quality, organic-certifiable floral fragrances.
Innovation Solution
A method using volatile organic esters, such as ethyl acetate, to extract aroma components from plant materials, which results in higher yields and chemically distinct fractions that are free from petrochemical residues, allowing for organic certification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If steam distillation is used to extract essential oils, then the method uses no petrochemicals, but floral aroma components are altered and the method is not useful for all plant materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the extraction parameters by using supercritical carbon dioxide instead of steam distillation or petrochemical solvents. This parameter change allows extraction without altering floral aroma components while avoiding petrochemical contamination, resolving the contradiction between aroma quality and chemical purity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses carbon dioxide in a supercritical state as an inert solvent that does not react with or alter the aromatic components. The inert nature of CO2 preserves the original floral aroma while enabling effective extraction, solving the problem of aroma alteration in steam distillation
2Productivity
If petrochemical solvents such as benzene, toluene or hexane are used for solvent extraction, then the extraction efficiency is high, but petrochemical residues remain in the final product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameter from petrochemical-based solvents to carbon dioxide. This parameter change maintains high extraction efficiency while eliminating petrochemical residues, as CO2 evaporates completely leaving no harmful traces in the final aromatic product
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses carbon dioxide as a temporary, disposable solvent that performs the extraction function effectively then disappears completely through evaporation. This resolves the contradiction by providing high extraction efficiency without leaving persistent harmful residues like petrochemical solvents
3Ease of operation
If supercritical carbon dioxide is used as a solvent, then easy removal from extract is achieved, but water in fresh plant materials interferes with solvency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-drying the plant material to remove water content before supercritical CO2 extraction. This preliminary step eliminates the interference of water with CO2 solvency, enabling effective extraction while maintaining the advantage of easy solvent removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary anti-action by removing water from plant material before extraction to prevent it from interfering with the supercritical CO2 solvency. This preliminary counter-measure ensures the CO2 can effectively extract aromatic components without being hindered by water content
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 provides higher yields of aromatic components with unique chemical compositions and odor profiles, ensuring organic certification and improved quality, particularly for floral fragrances, while reducing processing costs and avoiding petrochemical residues.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the plant material containing aroma components with a volatile ester, preferably an ester of the general formula CH3COOR, where R═CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C4H9 or C5H11 for a period of time sufficient to achieve transfer of aroma components to the ester
Implementation Method 2
evaporating the ester to produce a concrete containing aroma components
Implementation Method 3
contacting the concrete with at least one alcohol wash, chilling the wash to separate an alcohol soluble fraction from a wax fraction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing petrochemical-free aroma components, which comprises extracting aroma components from plant materials with a volatile ester such as ethyl acetate. The method produces unique concrete, wax and absolute components that are useful in all types of fragranced compositions, which compositions, due to the absence of petrochemicals, can be certified as organic.