Application US20190184309

CONDENSIBLE GAS BOTANICAL EXTRACTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS
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US20190184309

1. Apparatus for the extraction of compounds from botanical material using a condensable gas solvent, the apparatus comprising: (4) (4)

(a) an extraction chamber having a solvent outlet;

(b) a cyclonic separator comprising a cyclone chamber having a cyclonic tangential fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

(c) a solvent flow path extending from the solvent outlet of the extraction chamber to the cyclonic tangential fluid inlet; and,

(d) a sonic flow nozzle positioned in the solvent flow path adjacent the cyclonic tangential fluid inlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sonic flow nozzle is positioned at an upstream end of the cyclonic tangential fluid inlet whereby the solvent passing through the sonic flow nozzle enters the cyclone chamber at sonic velocity. (1) (0)

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extraction chamber is operated below 0° C. and with the solvent in a liquid or a supercritical phase, and the solvent flow path further comprises a heater proximate an inlet of the sonic flow nozzle wherein the solvent exiting the heater is gaseous. (0)

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a solvent return path extending from the fluid outlet of the cyclonic separator to the extraction chamber. (0)

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet of the sonic flow nozzle is positioned at an inlet port of the cyclone separator. (0)

7. A method for extracting compounds from botanical material using a condensable gas solvent, the method comprising: (5) (3)

(a) in an extraction chamber, using the condensable gas solvent to extract at least one compound from a feedstock of botanical material;

(b) withdrawing a liquid solvent containing the at least one compound extracted from the feedstock from the extraction chamber and conveying the liquid solvent through a solvent flow path to a sonic flow nozzle and obtaining solvent at a supersonic velocity; and,

(c) directly tangentially introducing the solvent exiting the sonic flow nozzle at a supersonic velocity into a cyclone separator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent in the flow path is in a phase comprising at least one of a supercritical phase and a liquid phase. (1) (0)

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent in the extraction chamber is in a liquid phase and the solvent in the flow path is in a supercritical phase. (0)

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising separating at least a portion of the at least one compound from the solvent in the cyclone separator and collecting the at least one compound as an unfoamed liquid. (1) (0)

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the outlet of the sonic flow nozzle is positioned adjacent the cyclone separator and the method further comprises directing solvent exiting the sonic flow nozzle to avoid the solvent contacting an inlet port of the cyclone separator. (0)

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the outlet of the sonic flow nozzle is positioned at an inlet port of the cyclone separator and the method further comprises conveying solvent exiting the sonic flow nozzle immediately into the cyclone separator. (0)

17. A method for extracting compounds from botanical material comprising cannabis using a condensable gas solvent, the method comprising: (4) (4)

(a) in an extraction chamber, using the condensable gas solvent in a phase comprising at least one of a supercritical phase and a liquid phase to extract at least one compound from the cannabis;

(b) withdrawing a liquid stream comprising solvent and the at least one compound and conveying the liquid stream along a solvent flow path extending from the extraction chamber to a cyclone chamber having a fluid inlet;

(d) directing the solvent in the gaseous phase into the cyclone chamber via the fluid inlet at sonic velocity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein conveying the liquid stream containing the at least one compound comprises directing solvent through a sonic flow nozzle positioned in the solvent flow path upstream of the fluid inlet. (1) (0)

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising separating at least a portion of the at least one compound from the solvent in the cyclone chamber and collecting the at least one compound as an unfoamed liquid. (1) (0)

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the condensable gas solvent from at least one of carbon dioxide, a hydrocarbon, xenon, krypton, nitrous oxide, and sulfur hexafluoride. (2) (0)

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one compound extracted from the feedstock comprises at least one of an aliphatic aldehyde, a terpene, and a cannabinoid. (0)

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Application US20190184309

CONDENSIBLE GAS BOTANICAL EXTRACTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

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