CPC C11B 1/10 (2013.01) [B01D 11/02 (2013.01); B01D 11/0207 (2013.01); B01D 11/0257 (2013.01); B01D 11/0273 (2013.01); B04C 5/081 (2013.01); B04C 5/10 (2013.01); B04C 5/103 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A method of extracting essential oils from organic material, the method comprising:
placing organic material having essential oils into an extraction chamber that comprises a substantially cylindrical wall of rigid material, wherein a diameter and a height of the extraction chamber is sized to define an interior that accommodates a desired amount of the organic material;
filling the extraction chamber with a solvent such that the organic material within the extraction chamber is substantially covered; and
moving a vortex plunger disposed within the interior of the extraction chamber in a repeated reciprocating motion during an agitation process so that vortex vanes within the vortex plunger generate one or more fluid vortices in the solvent,
wherein the one or more fluid vortices cause the solvent to be drawn into the organic material and then to be pushed through the organic material so that the solvent extracts at least a substantial portion of the essential oils from the organic material.
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