The present disclosure relates to scalable processes for extracting, refining and fracationating extracts of natural products, such as plant material and for providing well controlled refined extracts.

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.

A reaction assembly separating plant material from water includes a first annular filter element defining an axis. The first annular filter element is defined by an outer annular coil of flat wire and an optional second filter element is defined by an inner annular coil of flat wire, being generally helical in the axial direction. A cylindrically or frustoconical filter membrane is concentrically disposed between the first and second annular filter element. The filter membrane is porous having aperture size of less than a nano-particulate size of the plant material, but greater than a nano-particulate size of the water molecule. The second annular filter includes adjustable porosity for selectively preventing particles from reaching the filter membrane and selectively cleaning the membrane by reversed flow of water through the membrane. The assembly generates radial and distal flows and differential pressure forces, for use in high throughput industrial, agricultural and municipal facilities.

The present disclosure relates to scalable processes for extracting, refining and fracationating extracts of natural products, such as plant material and for providing well controlled refined extracts.

A system includes a hydraulic energy transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein pressure of the first fluid is greater than pressure of the second fluid. The system also includes a lubrication system coupled to the hydraulic energy transfer system and configured to pump or direct a lubrication fluid into the hydraulic energy transfer system.

An apparatus for enhancing phase contact and chemical reactions is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one first high-turbulence mixing stage and at least one second high-shear-stress and high-cavitation stage. The stages are adapted to cause an increase in the relative sliding speeds of the phases involved in a multiphase flow passing through the stages.

This invention describes a method to extract and separate compounds from plant or animal material in a continuous process. The method uses dimethyl ether as a safe and efficient solvent which will extract polar and non-polar compounds. The extracted compounds are separated by distillation which is configured to provide individual compounds or groups of compounds.

A system includes a hydraulic energy transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein pressure of the first fluid is greater than pressure of the second fluid. The system also includes a lubrication system coupled to the hydraulic energy transfer system and configured to pump or direct a lubrication fluid into the hydraulic energy transfer system.

This invention describes a method to extract and separate compounds from plant or animal material in a continuous process. The method uses dimethyl ether as a safe and efficient solvent which will extract polar and non-polar compounds. The extracted compounds are separated by distillation which is configured to provide individual compounds or groups of compounds.

A rotary separation apparatus is deployed in a process for separating resinous trichomes rich in flavoring, aromatic and/or medicinal components produced in plant trichome glands from unwanted plant matter. A liquid freezing agent is introduced into a container of the plant matter to fragment the undesirable matter while the desired portion rich in trichome remain intact.