In a system and process for selectively purifying various pharmacologically-relevant components of a source plant such as cannabis, an initial step provides a low-temperature, robust essential oil/terpene capture that also dehydrates and decarboxylates the starting product—fresh raw cannabis—by means of a vacuum-assisted microwave distillation process. By doing the terpene capture under vacuum distillation temperature may be kept low. The low distillation temperature maximizes yields of thermally sensitive components such as terpenes and cannabinoids. The system includes an oil/water separator configured to prevent leakage of ambient air into the system.

In a system and process for selectively purifying various pharmacologically-relevant components of a source plant such as cannabis, an initial step provides a low-temperature, robust essential oil/terpene capture that also dehydrates and decarboxylates the starting product—fresh raw cannabis—by means of a vacuum-assisted microwave distillation process. By doing the terpene capture under vacuum distillation temperature may be kept low. The low distillation temperature maximizes yields of thermally sensitive components such as terpenes and cannabinoids. The system includes an oil/water separator configured to prevent leakage of ambient air into the system.

A Cannabis processing system comprises a grinding apparatus and a cell disruption apparatus. The grinding apparatus is configured to grind wet Cannabis cuttings to from a ground, wet Cannabis material comprising wet Cannabis particles having an average particle size within a range of from about 1 mm to about 3 mm. The cell disruption apparatus is downstream of the grinding apparatus and is configured to disrupt cell walls of plant cells of the wet Cannabis particles through one or more of flash freezing, a cellulose solvent, applied negative pressure, and vacuum distillation to facilitate removal of one or more cannabinoids within the plant cells of the wet Cannabis particles. Methods of processing Cannabis are also described.

Disclosed herein is a method for obtaining compounds and compositions from plant and fungus materials by thermal treatment, affinity capture, filtration, and release through multi-phasic transitions between gas, solid, and liquid states. The compounds of interest are obtained by manipulating the temperature and pressure of the heating chamber. The compounds in gas phase are passed through an affinity medium which captures the compounds of interest in either solid or liquid phase by exposing the compound of interest to the localized micro-affinity environment of the medium. The compounds are separated from the medium using direct competition with solvent or buffers optimized for the specific chemical properties of compounds.

A method for separating CO.sub.2 from C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes includes introducing a first stream including C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes and CO.sub.2 into a first separation zone, the first separation zone including a hydrocarbon solvent, and separating the first stream into a recycle stream and a second stream in the first separation zone. The recycle stream including CO.sub.2 and one or more of CO, H.sub.2, and CH.sub.4, and the second stream including C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes. The method further includes introducing the second stream into a second separation zone, and separating the second stream into a third stream and a fourth stream, wherein the third stream includes C.sub.2 alkanes and the fourth stream includes C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 alkanes.

A method for separating CO.sub.2 from C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes includes introducing a first stream including C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes and CO.sub.2 into a first separation zone, the first separation zone including a hydrocarbon solvent, and separating the first stream into a recycle stream and a second stream in the first separation zone. The recycle stream including CO.sub.2 and one or more of CO, H.sub.2, and CH.sub.4, and the second stream including C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 alkanes. The method further includes introducing the second stream into a second separation zone, and separating the second stream into a third stream and a fourth stream, wherein the third stream includes C.sub.2 alkanes and the fourth stream includes C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 alkanes.

A process can treat a gaseous material mixture obtained by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas that contains at least alkenes, possibly alcohols and possibly alkanes, and also possibly nitrogen as inert gas and unconverted components of the synthesis gas, comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. After catalytic conversion of synthesis gas, separation of the product mixture obtained in this reaction into a gas phase and a liquid phase is performed by at least partial absorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, in a high boiling point hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture as an absorption medium, separation as the gas phase of the gases not absorbed into the absorption medium, separating an aqueous phase from the organic phase of the absorption medium, preferably by decanting, and desorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, from the absorption medium.

A process can treat a gaseous material mixture obtained by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas that contains at least alkenes, possibly alcohols and possibly alkanes, and also possibly nitrogen as inert gas and unconverted components of the synthesis gas, comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. After catalytic conversion of synthesis gas, separation of the product mixture obtained in this reaction into a gas phase and a liquid phase is performed by at least partial absorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, in a high boiling point hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture as an absorption medium, separation as the gas phase of the gases not absorbed into the absorption medium, separating an aqueous phase from the organic phase of the absorption medium, preferably by decanting, and desorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, from the absorption medium.

A process can produce alcohols having at least two carbon atoms by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas into a mixture containing alkanes, alkenes, and alcohols. Alkenes are converted into corresponding alcohols in a subsequent step by hydration of the alkanes. Before the hydration and after the catalytic conversion, gas and liquid phases may be separated. Specific catalysts can be employed that have a markedly higher selectivity for alkenes than for alkanes. These catalysts comprise grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter d.sub.p from 1 to 20 nm, and an average distance D between nanoparticles is from 2 to 150 nm. The combined total mass fraction of metal ω in the grains ranges from 30% to 70% by weight of the total mass of the grains of non-graphitic carbon, wherein 4.5 dp/ω>D≥0.25 dp/ω.

A system and method for extracting essential oils is provided. One embodiment comprises an extractor assembly with an extractor cover, an extractor container, and an extractor assembly base, wherein the extractor container is secured between the extractor cover and the extractor assembly base during an extraction process; a bowl cover assembly with a collection bowl, and a bowl cover assembly base, wherein the collection bowl is secured between the extractor assembly base and the bowl cover assembly base during the extraction process; and a canister compression holder assembly, wherein a cannister containing a solvent is secured within the canister compression holder assembly during the extraction process. A solvent that is released from the cannister passes into the extractor container that contains matter that is to have essential oils extracted therefrom. The extracted oils exits the extractor assembly base into the collection bowl that collects the solvent with the essential oils.