Processes and apparatuses for soluble compound recovery using supercritical fluid (SCF) are disclosed. An example process involves solvent extraction of a soluble compound using a SCF from a solid or liquid substrate including, but not limited to, microalgae, plant matter, and polymers. The apparatus comprises SCF, an extraction vessel, a pressure exchanger, a separate soluble compound, and solid or liquid compound separators.

An oil extraction apparatus includes an ultrasonication vessel that receives raw plant material and ethanol. An ultrasonication probe ultrasonicates the raw plant material received in the ultrasonication vessel and generates a mixture including ultrasonicated raw plant material, plant oil, and ethanol. A collection vessel is in fluid communication with the ultrasonication vessel. The collection vessel receives a mixture including plant oil and ethanol from the ultrasonication vessel. A heater heats the collection vessel to separate ethanol from the mixture including plant oil and ethanol. A reclamation vessel is in fluid communication with the collection vessel. The reclamation vessel receives separated ethanol from the mixture including plant oil and ethanol. An ethanol collection tube is connected with the reclamation vessel. The ethanol collection tube is arranged to carry separated ethanol from the mixture including plant oil and ethanol to the reclamation vessel from the collection vessel.

A device for extracting polysaccharide from acaudina molpadioides is provided, which includes a mixing box, a blocking cover, a feed pipe group, a discharge pipe, a bottom plate, a side plate, a first motor, a first transmission shaft, two drive shafts, a first circular gear, two second circular gears, two rotary discs, two connecting frame groups, two semiarc rotary discs, a slide bar, a stop collar, a fixed link, a baffle, a first bushing group and a first sleeve spring group. A top side wall and a rear lower side of the mixing box are communicated with the feed pipe group and the discharge pipe, respectively. Front side and rear sides of the slide bar are longitudinally connected with multiple first engaging teeth. Both the two semiarc rotary discs are connected with multiple second engaging teeth. The fixed link is connected between the stop collar and the slide bar.

Some variations provide an automated system for solvent extraction of a feed stock to produce a botanical extract, fats, oils, or other desirable solute, comprising: an extraction reactor; a distillation unit; and a second-stage purge chamber or a second-stage purge process utilizing the extraction reactor itself. The second-stage purge chamber or process receives or holds the solid material along with a heated inert non-condensable gas and/or solvent vapor, to recover residual solvent contained in the solid material. Other variations provide a process comprising: feeding a raw material and a solvent into an extraction reactor; generating dissolved material in rich solvent and extracted solid material; distilling the rich solvent to generate purified product and recovered solvent; conveying the solid material and a heated inert non-condensable gas and/or solvent vapor into a second-stage purge chamber, or holding the solid material in the same vessel, to recover residual solvent; and recovering the purified product.

An apparatus and process for extracting organic molecular compounds from plant material and concentrating those into a viscous oil, the process supported by a machine architecture that heats, cools, and stirs a cooking mixture of plant material and a consumable solvent oil, the viscous oil suitable for use in sublingual tinctures, food products, and topical salves.

Some variations provide an automated system for solvent extraction of a feed stock to produce a botanical extract, fats, oils, or other desirable solute, comprising: an extraction reactor; a distillation unit; and a second-stage purge chamber or a second-stage purge process utilizing the extraction reactor itself. The second-stage purge chamber or process receives or holds the solid material along with a non-condensable gas and/or solvent vapor, to recover residual solvent contained in the solid material. Other variations provide a process comprising: feeding a raw material and a solvent into an extraction reactor; generating dissolved material in rich solvent and extracted solid material; distilling the rich solvent to generate purified product and recovered solvent; conveying the solid material and a heated inert non-condensable gas and/or solvent vapor into a second-stage purge chamber, or holding the solid material in the same vessel, to recover residual solvent; and recovering the purified product.

Disclosed herein are improved methods and devices for recycling lithium cathodes from batteries.

Disclosed herein are improved methods and devices for recycling lithium cathodes from batteries using a Soxhlet extractor.

A method for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes introducing a fluid comprising solid materials dispersed in a fluid medium into a fluid duct, flowing the fluid through an annular space between a cylindrical wall of the fluid duct and an outer surface of a cylindrical acoustic projector that is concentric with the cylindrical wall, the acoustic projector comprising a plurality of hammer elements spaced apart from one another by a first plurality of slots in the acoustic projector, supplying electrical energy to a transducer coupled to the acoustic projector to cause the acoustic projector to vibrate, thereby causing cavitations in the fluid, and flowing the fluid through an outlet of the disruptor after the fluid has been exposed to the cavitations. The cavitations can disrupt solid materials such as pulp, flowers, stems and seeds to release juice or oils from the materials.

An apparatus for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes a plurality of hammer elements that transfer acoustic energy from an acoustic transducer into a concentration zone between heads of the hammer elements and inner walls of a fluid duct which act as an anvil, thereby causing cavitations to form within the concentration zone. The transducer may be a cylindrical transducer compression fit into an acoustic projector from which the hammer elements extend towards a distal end, and mass balance elements extend towards a proximal end. The apparatus can be used to efficiently extract juice from fruit pulp, separate oils from plant matter, and process various organic and inorganic materials.