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- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Grants
- Sprachen: English
- Patent Number: 10722,814
- Publication Date: July 28, 2020
- Appl. No: 16/487302
- Application Filed: February 20, 2018
- Assignees: BREVETS, LLC (Lewes, DE, US)
- Claim: 1. A continuous extraction unit (CEU) comprising: at least one compressor, wherein at least one first compressor is situated to provide fluid flow in a fluid flow portion of the CEU; a multiplicity of extraction chambers (ECs) comprising quick-disconnect valves at the inlet and outlet of the ECs, wherein at least two ECs containing extractable material EM are mounted in the CEU within a fluid flow portion of the CEU, wherein the quick-disconnect valves permit disconnecting and removing a first EC containing depleted EM and an extract solution in a dilute state from the fluid flow portion while under flow of the CEU and connecting a second EC containing EM and the extract solution in a concentrated state while under flow without loss of the extract solution or a solvent of the extract solution to a surrounding environment during removal of the first EC and replacement with the second EC; and at least one liquid transfer portion of the CEU, wherein the liquid transfer portion comprises: the first EC removed from the fluid flow portion and mounting in the liquid transfer portion; a third EC containing fresh EM and under vacuum; a first conduit configured for connecting the quick-disconnect valve at the outlet of the first EC to the quick-disconnect valve at the inlet of the third EC; and a second conduit configured for connecting the quick-disconnect valve at the outlet of the third EC to the quick-disconnect valve at the inlet of the first EC, wherein the first EC is positioned at an elevation higher than an elevation of the third EC, wherein the first compressor or a second compressor draws a residual solvent gas from the first EC after the liquid transfer to the third EC, wherein the third EC becomes the second EC and is positioned for replacement into the fluid flow portion of the CEU.
- Claim: 2. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one double phase change heat exchanger (HE) comprising: a condenser (SC); an expansion chamber (EXC) comprising a heat transfer tube proximal to or shared with the SC; an expansion valve (EV) situated at the top of the heat transfer tube within the EXC and configured to deliver the extract solution to the entire circumference of the heat transfer tube; and a gas outlet path within the EXC that promotes liquid-gas separation by structures for coalescence of an aerosol and separation of the solvent gas from the extract solution and the extract concentrated from the extract solution, wherein the EV has an adjustable or fixed orifice.
- Claim: 3. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 1 , further comprising a valve connected to a port connected to a source of a second solvent, wherein the second solvent essentially non-volatile at the pressure and temperature of the EXC.
- Claim: 4. The continuous extraction (CEU) according to claim 1 , further comprising an information processor interfaced with at least one actuator and/or at least one sensor.
- Claim: 5. The continuous extraction (CEU) according to claim 4 , wherein: the information processor comprises a programmed computer; the sensors comprise, independently or in combination, one or more flow meters, fluid density sensors, refractive index detectors, infra-red, visible or ultraviolet light detectors, and/or conductivity detectors; and the actuators comprise, independently or in combination, one or more valves, pumps, and/or alarms.
- Claim: 6. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor comprising a Coriolis flow meter.
- Claim: 7. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , herein the SC comprises coiled tubing proximal to the heat transfer tube of the EXC.
- Claim: 8. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , wherein the SC comprises an outer containment tube and shares a heat transfer tube of the EXC as the inner surface of the SC and the outer surface of the EXC.
- Claim: 9. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , wherein the EV comprises the fixed orifice or the adjustable orifice at the top of the EXC, said fixed or adjustable orifice is rectangular or oval in shape with a long dimension perpendicular to the circumference of the heat transfer tube and parallel to the length of the heat transfer tube, and wherein the gas outlet path at the exit of the EV has a spiral geometry for induction of a spiral flow of the extract solution.
- Claim: 10. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , wherein the EV comprises the fixed orifice or the adjustable orifice at the top of the EXC, said fixed or adjustable orifice in the form of a disc having an outer circumference that is 95 to 99.9 percent of an inner circumference of the heat transfer tube, wherein a solution is discharged between the outer circumference of the disc and the inner circumference of the heat transfer tube, wherein the outer circumference of the EV is featureless for a direct downward discharge of the solution along the inner circumference of the heat exchange tube or the outer circumference is grooved for induction of a spiral flow of solution along the inner circumference of the heat exchange tube.
- Claim: 11. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , wherein the gas outlet path within the EXC comprises a gas deflection tube within and parallel to the heat transfer tube.
- Claim: 12. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer tube has a decorated surface to increase the heat transfer tube's surface area.
- Claim: 13. The continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 12 , wherein the decorated surface comprise an accordion like series of groves, a series of close packed trigonal pyramids, a series of close packed square pyramids, a series of close packed hexagonal pyramids, a series of close packed hemispheres or any combination thereof.
- Claim: 14. A method of extraction, comprising: providing an EM; providing a CEU according to claim 1 comprising: at least four ECs, wherein the ECs include at least two ECs containing the EM and an extract solution that reside in the fluid flow portion of the CEU, at least one second EC containing the EM and the extract solution in a concentrated state and stationed for placement into the fluid flow portion of the CEU upon removal of a first EC containing the EM and the extract solution in a diluted state or the solvent of the extract solution, and at least one third EC containing the EM under vacuum; at least one a HE comprising at least one SC and at least one EXC comprising an EV and a gas outlet path that promotes liquid-gas separation; and at least one compressor; inducing a flow of the solvent in a liquid state by at least one of the at least one compressor into the first ECs; flowing the extract solution from the first ECs into the EXC; separating the solvent as a gas from the extract solution in the EXC; recirculating the gaseous solvent by introduction to the inlet of at least one of the compressors of the at least one compressor and outputting hot compressed gaseous solvent to the SC where the solvent exiting the SC is directed to at least one of the first ECs; replacing a spent first EC with a second EC; placing the spent first EC in the liquid transfer portion of the CEU; connecting the spent first EC to the third EC; transferring the solvent as a liquid from the spent first EC to the third EC to form a second EC; stationing the second EC; transferring the solvent residual in the liquid transfer portion absent the third EC as a gas to the fluid flow portion of the CEU or to a container for filling the fluid flow portion of the CEU employing the same or another of the at least one compressor of the one of the at least one compressors; and disconnecting the first EC from the liquid transfer portion of the CEU and replacing the spent EM with fresh EM and evacuating to form a third EC.
- Claim: 15. A continuous extraction unit (CEU) comprising: at least one compressor, wherein at least one first compressor is situated to provide fluid flow in the CEU; a multiplicity of extraction chambers (ECs) configured in pairs, each of the ECs comprising two-way valves at the inlet and outlet of the ECs, wherein: at least one first EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs comprise extractable material (EM) and a concentrated extract solution and at least one second EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs comprise EM, where the first EC of the first pair of ECs is positioned for fluid flow to the first EC of the first pair of ECs: and at least one second pair of ECs comprising a first EC of the second pair containing the EM and an extract solution of the solvent and a second EC of the second pair comprising the EM or in a state of removing the EM that is depleted of the extract and replacing with EM that is fresh; at least one heat exchanger (HE) comprising a condenser (SC) and an expansion chamber (EXC) connected within the CEU to receive the extract solution from the at least one first EC of the at least one first pair of ECs at the EXC and output extract as a neat or concentrated solution, output the solvent as a gas to at least one compressor of the at least one compressor, and input the solvent from the compressor to the SC and output the solvent from the SC to the at least one second EC of the first pair of ECs; at least one first three-way valve that is positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is to drain at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs with isolation of the at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs and the second position for transforming the at least one first ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after completion of draining; at least one second three-way valve positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is to fill at least one of the at least one second ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs with the solvent from the at least one compressor of the at least one compressor with isolation of the at least one of the at least one second ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs and the second position is for transforming the at least one second ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into the at least one second ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs upon completion of draining; at least one third three-way valve positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is a closed position during the draining of the at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs and as second position that is open between the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs and at least one compressor of the at least one compressor to remove the solvent residual in the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after effectively completion of draining; and at least one pump or at least one valve for continuously or periodically removing the extract from the EXC without disruption of the fluid flow.
- Claim: 16. A continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 15 , further comprising a valve connected to a port connected to a source of a second solvent, wherein the second solvent essentially non-volatile at the pressure and temperature of the EXC.
- Claim: 17. The continuous extraction (CEU) according to claim 15 , further comprising an information processor interfaced with at least one actuator and/or at least one sensor.
- Claim: 18. The continuous extraction (CEU) according to claim 17 , wherein: the information processor comprises a programmed computer; the sensors comprise, independently or in combination, one or more flow meters, fluid density sensors, refractive index detectors, infra-red, visible or ultraviolet light detectors, and/or conductivity detectors; and the actuators comprise, independently or in combination, one or more valves, pumps, and/or alarms.
- Claim: 19. A method of extraction, comprising: providing an EM; providing a CEU according to claim 16 comprising: at least one first EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs comprise extractable material (EM) and a concentrated extract solution and at least one second EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs comprise EM, where the first EC of the first pair of ECs is positioned for fluid flow to the first EC of the first pair of ECs: at least one second pair of ECs comprising a first EC of the second pair containing the EM and an extract solution of the solvent and a second EC of the second pair comprising the EM or in a state of removing the EM that is depleted of the extract and replacing with EM that is fresh; at least one first three-way valve that is positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is to drain at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs with isolation of the at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs and the second position for transforming the at least one first ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after completion of draining; at least one second three-way valve positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is to fill at least one of the at least one second ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs with the solvent from the at least one compressor of the at least one compressor with isolation of the at least one of the at least one second ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs and the second position is for transforming the at least one second ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into the at least one second ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs upon completion of draining; at least one third three-way valve positioned and switchable between a first and second position where the first position is a closed position during the draining of the at least one of the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs and as second position that is open between the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs and at least one compressor of the at least one compressor to remove the solvent residual in the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after effectively completion of draining; at least one a HE comprising at least one SC and at least one EXC; at least one pump or at least one valve for continuously or periodically removing the extract from the EXC without disruption of the fluid flow at least one compressor; draining the concentrated extract solution from the at least one first EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs to the EXC and flow of the solvent in a liquid state by at least one of the at least one compressor into the at least one second EC of the at least one first pair of the ECs; separating the solvent as a gas from the extract solution in the EXC; switching the at least one first three-way valve, the at least one second three-way valve; and the at least one third three-way valve for: transforming the at least one first ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after completion of draining; transforming the at least one second ECs of the at least one second pair of ECs into at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after completion of draining; removing the solvent residual in the at least one first ECs of the at least one first pair of ECs after completion of draining to form a solvent free EC with spent EM; disconnecting the at least one second EC of the at least one first pair of ECs that is paired with the solvent free EC with spent EM and connecting it as the at least one first EC of the at least one second pair of EC; disconnecting the solvent free EC with spent EM and: connecting it as the at least one second EC of the at least one second pair of EC; removing the spent EM form the at least one second EC of the at least one second pair of EC; and filling the at least one second EC of the at least one second pair of EC with fresh EM; and removing the extract from the EXC with least one pump or at least one valve at the base of the EXC in a continuous or periodic manner.
- Claim: 20. A continuous extraction unit (CEU) according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the at least one HE is a double phase change heat exchanger (HE) comprising: a heat transfer tube proximal to or shared with the SC; an expansion valve (EV) situated at the top of the heat transfer tube within the EXC and configured to deliver the extract solution to the entire circumference of the heat transfer tube; and a gas outlet path within the EXC that promotes liquid-gas separation by structures for coalescence of an aerosol and separation of the solvent gas from the extract solution and the extract concentrated from the extract solution, wherein the EV has an adjustable or fixed orifice.
- Patent References Cited: 4278012 July 1981 Wheldon et al. ; 2014/0163247 June 2014 Buese ; 2016/0303490 October 2016 Ellis ; 2017/0240841 August 2017 Ellis
- Primary Examiner: Cutliff, Yate′ K
- Attorney, Agent or Firm: Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Eisenschenk
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