IP Library Granted Patent US 11,820,959
Granted Patent B2
US 11,820,959 · App. 17/333,728 · Granted Nov 21, 2023

Rapid botanical oil distillation device utilizing microwave agent

Inventor: C. Russell Thomas (Boulder, CO)
Assignee: NATURAL EXTRACTION SYSTEMS, LLC
C11B1/10A61K36/185A61K41/00B01D3/106B01D3/40B01D5/006B01D11/028B01D11/0288C11B1/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,820,959
App. No.
17/333,728
Granted
Nov 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (38)

1. A method of extracting pinene from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized pinene in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a plant material and a microwave absorbing agent, wherein the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing pinene from the plant material to produce the volatized pinene;

condensing the volatized pinene in the cooling chamber, thereby producing condensed pinene; and

collecting a portion or all of the condensed pinene.

2. A method of extracting linalool from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized linalool in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a plant material and a microwave absorbing agent, wherein the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing linalool from the plant material to produce the volatized linalool;

condensing the volatized linalool in the cooling chamber, thereby producing condensed linalool; and

collecting a portion of the condensed linalool.

3. A method of extracting oil from plant material, comprising:

providing a system for extracting oil from plant material, wherein the system comprises (a) a microwave emitter, (b) an extraction chamber in communication with the microwave emitter such that microwave radiation emitted by the microwave emitter is directed into the extraction chamber, and (c) a cooling chamber in communication with the extraction chamber such that volatized oil in the extraction chamber is directed into the cooling chamber;

combining a plant material and a microwave absorbing agent, wherein the microwave absorbing agent is a compound other than water;

inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber;

irradiating the microwave absorbing agent with microwave radiation emitted from the microwave emitter, thereby dielectrically heating the microwave absorbing agent, heating the plant material, and volatizing a plant oil from the plant material to produce the volatized oil;

condensing the volatized oil in the cooling chamber, thereby producing a condensed oil; and

collecting a portion or all of the condensed oil, thereby producing a collected oil.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, humulene, and pinene.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise two or more of linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, humulene, and pinene.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, caryophyllene, and pinene.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, collected oil comprise each of linalool, limonene, and pinene.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise each of linalool, myrcene, and pinene.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise caryophyllene.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise myrcene.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise limonene.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise humulene.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the volatized oil, condensed oil, and collected oil comprise pinene.

14. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method comprises volatizing a mass of water from the plant material; and the mass of plant oil that is volatized from the plant material is greater than the mass of water that is volatized from the plant material.

15. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method comprises volatizing a mass of water from the plant material; and the ratio of the mass of plant oil that is volatized from the plant material to the mass of water that is volatized from the plant material is at least 2:1.

16. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plant material consists of less than 10% water by weight.

17. The method of claim 3 , wherein the boiling point of the plant oil is greater than 212° F.; and the microwave absorbing agent has a boiling point of greater than 360° F. at atmospheric pressure.

18. The method of claim 3 , further comprising maintaining a temperature inside the extraction chamber of at least 300° F. and no greater than 450° F.

19. The method of claim 3 , further comprising maintaining at least one surface of the cooling chamber at a temperature of no greater than 50° F. and at least 30° F.

20. The method of claim 3 , wherein inserting the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber comprises inserting a cartridge comprising the plant material and the microwave absorbing agent into the extraction chamber.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: THOMAS, C. RUSSELL
To: NATURAL EXTRACTION SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063645/0785 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16465735
Provisional Application 62428868 · Dec 1, 2016
Related Publication 20210284928A1 · Sep 16, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,319,890