A system and method for extracting and separating botanical oils and compounds from botanical material without the use of solvents, having a vaporizing section which is further coupled to a centrifugal electrostatic precipitator for collection and segregation. The vaporizing section receives the botanical material through which a temperature-controlled inert gas is passed to evaporate specific vaporization temperature oils or compounds from the botanical material. The extracted vapor passes to the centrifugal electrostatic precipitator where the oil or compound is reduced back to the liquid state and is collected and segregated. The oils having the lower vapor temperature are collected first and the remaining oils are collected by specific and progressive vaporization temperature control. In some examples, selected vaporized compounds are waste exhausted as vapor by bypassing the centrifugal electrostatic precipitator at specific known vapor temperatures, thereby eliminating potentially toxic or undesirable oils or compounds from being collected.

A device and method for extracting a solute from a substrate using a hydrocarbon solvent is disclosed. The device includes a storage tank for storing solvent at temperature T1 and pressure P1, with T1 and P1 below the boiling point. A material column is included for holding the substrate and a compression pump to pump the solvent from the storage tank to the material column at a second pressure P2 to leach the substrate material of solute, P2 being higher than P1. A collection vessel is included for receiving the solvent/solute solution. The collection vessel being configure to separate the solute from solvent by raising the solution to a second temperature T2 above the boiling point of the solvent. A heat exchanger for liquefying the solvent gas before the solvent is transferred back to the storage tank.

A continuous-flow extraction system and method for extracting oil from oil-bearing plant parts, or biomass, with liquid-phase hydrocarbon solvent in a continuous process, providing more than one extraction vessel so that one or more extraction vessels can be cleared of exhausted biomass and reloaded with biomass, while another one or more extraction vessels are undergoing the extraction process, optionally providing a de-waxer for use when needed, providing a primary jacketed separator vessel for flashing hydrocarbon solvent to a vapor phase and precipitating and collecting liquid plant extract, providing at least one secondary jacketed separator vessel for purification and refinement of vapor-phase hydrocarbon solvent and providing for re-liquefication of the solvent for the purpose of re-circulating and reusing the solvent, and providing for the heating, cooling, and pumping necessary to carry out the various steps.

A method including contacting an organic stream with water and carbon dioxide, whereby sodium is extracted from the organic stream, and separating an aqueous sodium salt-containing phase from an organic phase comprising a reduced sodium content. The organic stream can be a heavy residue formed in the co-production of propylene oxide and styrene. Contacting can include combining the carbon dioxide with the water to form a CO.sub.2-saturated water stream and contacting the CO.sub.2-saturated water stream with the organic stream, and/or combining the organic stream and the water to form a mixture and injecting the carbon dioxide as a gas thereinto. The method can further include repeating the contacting and the separating one or more times on the organic phase, subjecting the organic phase to ion exchange, or both, to obtain an organic phase having a further reduced sodium content. A system for carrying out the method is also provided.

The present invention is directed to a modular distillation system incorporating a removable capsule for containing source material for extraction. Through the action of the invention, the steam distillation process described herein produces a substantially larger amount of volatile oil than a distillation system that does not use an enclosed, modular system. The present invention provides for an apparatus that allows for greater contact between the steam and plant matter during the distillation process through the use of a closed removable capsule containing relatively small amount of plant matter. Additionally, the present invention is directed to a system that allows the generation of higher quality distillate and considerably higher quantity of volatile oil extracts by forcing the steam to evenly disperse through a removable capsule, and by preventing the condensed liquid to return back to the boiling water within the vessel.

A method of fractionating a mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) containing composition by loading the composition onto an adsorbing support, separating a fraction which is enriched in MELs from the support using supercritical carbon dioxide, and optionally separating one or more further fractions enriched in MELs from the support using supercritical carbon dioxide and an optional co-solvent. The MELs can be obtained at high concentration by using only green solvents.

The present invention is directed to a modular distillation system incorporating a removable capsule for containing source material for extraction. Through the action of the invention, the steam distillation process described herein produces a substantially larger amount of volatile oil than a distillation system that does not use an enclosed, modular system. The present invention provides for an apparatus that allows for greater contact between the steam and plant matter during the distillation process through the use of a closed removable capsule containing relatively small amount of plant matter. Additionally, the present invention is directed to a system that allows the generation of higher quality distillate and considerably higher quantity of volatile oil extracts by forcing the steam to evenly disperse through a removable capsule, and by preventing the condensed liquid to return back to the boiling water within the vessel.

A dual phase re-circulating extraction apparatus comprises at least one extraction vessel, at least one separation chamber, and a circulation conduit configured to direct a process fluid into the extraction vessel, where it may come into contact with a source material to form a mixture, and is then passed to the separation chamber, where the process fluid separates from the extracted material, and the process fluid is recirculated back to the extraction vessel. The apparatus includes a gas pump, at least one heat exchanger, and a liquid pump, each connected to the conduit, to efficiently convert a relatively low pressure gas after separation to a relatively high pressure liquid or supercritical fluid for extraction. The apparatus can be configured to enable a batch mode process allowing continuous flow to the separators while the extractors are cycled online and offline in a sequence to enable servicing and reloading.

A solvent extraction apparatus comprises a cooler for condensing solvent vapor and a funnel provided towards its lower end. The funnel has an upper surface at which terminates a central downwards directed elongate outlet having an internal exit port formed in a side wall. A vertically movable lifting rod passes through the cooler and the outlet. A section of the lifting rod is shaped to delimit a passage-way for condensate while simultaneously sealing the port. A liquid guide is provided at the upper surface to preferentially direct flow of condensate towards the passage-way.

A method of fractionating a mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) containing composition by loading the composition onto an adsorbing support, separating a fraction which is enriched in MELs from the support using supercritical carbon dioxide, and optionally separating one or more further fractions enriched in MELs from the support using supercritical carbon dioxide and an optional co-solvent. The MELs can be obtained at high concentration by using only green solvents.