This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for phytochemical extraction. One example extraction system includes two solvent columns, a material column, and a dewaxing column. The solvent columns store and provide solvent for stripping target chemicals from plant material in the material column. The solvent mixed with target chemicals passes into the dewaxing column, where the target chemicals are separated from waxes and lipids. Cooling is applied to elements of the system by way of an open-loop CO2 refrigeration method. Solvent is moved from the solvent columns to the material column by creating a pressure differential between the two solvent columns.

Novel thermal evaporative processes for the recovery of heat-sensitive constituents, raw essential oil concentrates, and other compounds from plant biomass material are disclosed, as are systems for implementing such processes. Particularly, the processes include a solvent-less process for either batch-wise or continuous removal and recovery of refined oils, such as volatile aroma components and heavier oils, from plant material.

Various aspects of this patent document relate to a method to extract an oil from a plant material using an apparatus by first exposing the plant material to a heated gas stream at a temperature sufficient to volatilize the oil from the plant material, and then rapidly cooling the gas stream to liquefy the oil.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for phytochemical extraction. One example extraction system includes two solvent columns, a material column, and a dewaxing column. The solvent columns store and provide solvent for stripping target chemicals from plant material in the material column. The solvent mixed with target chemicals passes into the dewaxing column, where the target chemicals are separated from waxes and lipids. Cooling is applied to elements of the system by way of an open-loop CO2 refrigeration method. Solvent is moved from the solvent columns to the material column by creating a pressure differential between the two solvent columns.

A method of separating impurities from a natural gas stream. The natural gas stream is cooled through heat exchange with one or more process streams to produce a chilled gas stream, which is contacted with a lean solvent stream in a contactor to separate hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) from the chilled gas stream, thereby producing a rich solvent stream and a partially-treated gas stream. Carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and H.sub.2S are separated from the partially-treated gas stream in a membrane separation system, thereby creating a fully-treated gas stream and a permeate gas stream, the permeate gas stream being comprised primarily of H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2, and the fully-treated gas stream being comprised primarily of natural gas. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream are at a lower temperature than the partially-treated gas stream. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream comprise the one or more process streams.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer-controlled programmable logic controller (PLC) extraction system for separating an extract from a biomass includes a PLC, a solvent reservoir comprising a solvent that is a gas when the solvent is at a temperature of 25 C. and atmospheric pressure, a plurality of extraction devices comprising the biomass, an extract collection reservoir for collecting the extract, a solvent recovery system, and a temperature controlled circulation system. The circulation system fluidly connects the solvent reservoir, the plurality of extraction devices, the extract collection reservoir, and the solvent recovery system and comprises at least one apparatus for controlling a flow of the solvent. The solvent comprises no more than 1 weight % CO.sub.2. A method of extracting an extract from a biomass using a PLC extraction system is also described.

Methods and systems are disclosed for concentrating a compound found in plant material from one or more species of the Cannabis genus. A system includes a capture/heating station having at least one heating element to heat a mass of material held within the capture/heating station; at least one release station in series with and liquidly isolated from the capture/heating station, each release station defining a volume at least partially filed by a release reagent formulated to release a target product from a substrate; and a conveyor configured to carry a belt through the capture/heating station and then the at least one release station.

An extracting apparatus includes: a first phase transition section that causes a phase transition of an extraction solvent from a gas to a liquid; a second phase transition section that causes a phase transition of the extraction solvent from a liquid to a gas; a treatment tank that stores a treated material, and receives an inflow of the extraction solvent that has been liquefied in the first phase transition section; a first valve that is provided between the second phase transition section and the treatment tank; and a second valve that is provided between the first phase transition section and the treatment tank. The second phase transition section is connected with a recovery valve.

An apparatus for extracting an oil from plant material includes an extraction chamber for plant material. The plant material is exposed to a heated gas stream with a temperature sufficient to volatilize on oil from the plant material. The gas stream is rapidly cooled to liquefy the oil into entrained droplets. The oil is collected with a collection solvent.

The present invention provides a solid phase extraction method using a micro device having a dam forming portion including a dam, the solid phase extraction method comprising the steps of: (i) injecting a solvent and a filler into the micro device, moving the solvent to the dam forming portion, the dam allowing the solvent to flow therethrough and preventing the filler from passing therethrough, and adsorbing a material to be separated onto the filler in the dam forming portion; and (ii) extracting, from the filler, the adsorbed material, wherein the micro device is rotated with respect to a central axis during one of steps (i) and (ii), and the rotation of the micro device is performed at an angular velocity defined by equation 1.