The invention relates to a method for extraction and separation of cannabinoids from industrial hemp, designed for medicinal purposes, and also the preparation of an extract, not containing tetrahydrocannabinol, and the preparation of maximum refined individual cannabinoids.

The advantage of the method according to the invention consists in the preparation of an extract from hemp, which contains at a high percentage medically useful cannabinoids and doesn't contain undesirable admixtures and tetrahydrocannabinol, so that it can be used without any restrictions as a pharmaceutical. Moreover, the method allows the possibility of separation, if required, into individual useful cannabinoids as pure compounds, in ecological terms, without environmental pollution, as it is according to the most synthetic methods. The possibility of producing pure compounds represents a great contribution to the research of substances, related to a concrete medical application and the preparation of various combinations thereof, with the objective of expansion the field of application. The method is also cost-effective.

The method consists in that the extract, obtained in accordance with various methods, undergoes a centrifugal countercurrent liquid-liquid chromatography, as the operation includes a centrifugation of solvents and the extract, obtained during the previous operations; the solvents form two phases, the phase, which the extract is dissolved in, is mobile, and the other one is stationary, whereby the mobile phase passes through the stationary phase, wherein several amounts of the components of the extract content are captured; this passing of the mobile phase through the stationary phase is repeated many times, until separation of the desired substances, which are analyzed in a familiar way, whereby as stationary phase solvents are used, which are selected from the group of straight-chain and branched-chain hydrocarbons, produced from crude oil, straight-chain and/or branched-chain alcohols, straight-chain and/or branched-chain ketones, straight-chain and/or branched chain carboxylic acids, straight-chain and/or branched-chain nitriles, gases in supercritical and subcritical condition, like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrogen oxides, water with modified acidity with or without salts of organic and non-organic substances dissolved therein, as for example NaSO.sub.3, carbonate compounds or mixtures of the above-mentioned solvents, and as mobile phase solvents are used, which are selected from the group of straight-chain and branched-chain hydrocarbons, produced from crude oil, straight-chain and/or branched-chain alcohols, straight-chain and/or branched-chain k

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 portable supercritical fluid extraction apparatus, comprising: (i) a pressure vessel for generating a supercritical fluid therein; (ii) a liquid solvent supply tank; (iii) a means for interconnecting said pressure vessel and said liquid solvent supply tank at a predetermined angle for delivery therethrough of a liquid solvent from the liquid storage tank to the pressure vessel; and (iv) a heating component for heating contents of the pressure vessel to produce a supercritical fluid therein.

The apparatus may additionally comprise a sample in fluid communication with the pressure vessel, and a receiving vessel in fluid communication with the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel may have a heating means for heating fluid contents therein, for example a heating wrap, a heating block, or a heating jacket.

A fractional extraction apparatus comprises one or more extraction vessel configured to receive a process fluid, allow the process fluid to come into contact with a source material within the extraction vessel under either of a selectively configured first predetermined pressure and a first predetermined temperature to remove a first predetermined extracted material from the source material to form a first mixture or a second predetermined pressure and a second predetermined temperature to remove a second predetermined extracted material from the source material to form a second mixture. The apparatus further comprises one or more separation chamber and a circulation conduit, the conduit including a separation portion configured to receive the first or second mixture and permit a portion of the first or second predetermined extracted material to separate from the mixture within the separation chamber. The apparatus further comprises a temperature regulator configured to regulate the temperature of the process fluid during extraction. The apparatus further comprises a thermal manager configured to regulate the temperature of the process fluid during recirculation. The apparatus further comprises one or more filter plugs configured to retain a filter at the opening of the extraction vessel.

An extraction apparatus comprises an extraction vessel configured to remove an extracted material from a source material in contact with a process fluid to form a mixture. The apparatus further comprises a separation chamber and a process fluid circulation conduit, the conduit comprising a separation portion configured to receive the mixture and permit a portion of the extracted material to separate from the mixture within the separation chamber. The apparatus further comprises a temperature regulator configured to permit re-circulation of a temperature regulation fluid and regulate the temperature of the process fluid.

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to separation systems and methods effective to separate two or more solvents in a solvent mixture. In certain examples, a system effective to separate two or more azeotrope forming solvents is provided. In some embodiments, the system can be effective to remove at least about 95% of one of the solvents from the solvent mixture.

A method for upgrading a petroleum feedstock using a supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes introducing the petroleum feedstock, water and an auxiliary feedstock. The method includes operating the system to combine the petroleum feedstock and the water to form a mixed petroleum feedstock and introducing separately and simultaneously into a lower portion of an upflowing supercritical water reactor. The auxiliary feedstock is introduced such that a portion of a fluid contained within the upflowing reactor located proximate to the bottom does not lack fluid momentum. An embodiment of the method includes operating the supercritical water petroleum upgrading system such that the upflowing reactor product fluid is introduced into an upper portion of a downflowing supercritical water reactor. The supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes the upflowing supercritical water reactor and optionally a downflowing supercritical water reactor.

A source supplier includes a source reservoir that contains a liquefied source fluid for a supercritical process, a vaporizer that vaporizes the liquefied source fluid into a gaseous source fluid under high pressure, a purifier that removes organic impurities and moistures from the gaseous source fluid and an analyzer connected to the purifier that analyzes an impurity fraction and a moisture fraction in the gaseous source fluid. Moisture and organic impurities are removed from the source fluid to reduce the moisture concentration of the supercritical fluid in the supercritical process.

The present invention discloses a novel method of isolating pure bakuchiol, substantially free of furanocoumarins (psoralen and isopsoralen) from the seeds of Psoralea sp using a combination of processes that include supercritical fluid extraction, high vacuum distillation and column purification. The invention also disclose compositions comprising bakuchiol that is free of furanocoumarins.

A method for upgrading a petroleum feedstock using a supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes introducing the petroleum feedstock, water and an auxiliary feedstock. The method includes operating the system to combine the petroleum feedstock and the water to form a mixed petroleum feedstock and introducing separately and simultaneously into a lower portion of an upflowing supercritical water reactor. The auxiliary feedstock is introduced such that a portion of a fluid contained within the upflowing reactor located proximate to the bottom does not lack fluid momentum. An embodiment of the method includes operating the supercritical water petroleum upgrading system such that the upflowing reactor product fluid is introduced into an upper portion of a downflowing supercritical water reactor. The supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes the upflowing supercritical water reactor and optionally a downflowing supercritical water reactor.