US 12,005,402 B2
Terpene extraction system and method of extracting terpenes from plant biomass
Robert N. Wirtz, Royal Oak, MI (US); and Dylan Havey, Eugene, OR (US)
Assigned to PYTHON EXTRACTION SYSTEMS, LLC, Port Huron, MI (US)
Filed by Python Extraction Systems, LLC, Port Huron, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/592,967.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/145,963, filed on Feb. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0241699 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 8/00 (2006.01); F04B 37/08 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 8/00 (2013.01) [F04B 37/08 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solventless terpene extraction system, comprising:
a reactor assembly having a housing and an agitator, said housing having an interior that receives plant biomass, said agitator having at least one paddle situated at said interior;
a heater interactable with said housing in order to increase a temperature of said interior;
at least one cold trap situated downstream of said reactor assembly and communicable with said housing, wherein said at least one cold trap condenses and freezes a water and terpene vapor mixture without a solvent; and
a vacuum pump communicable with said interior of said housing in order to reduce a pressure within said interior;
wherein, during use of the terpene extraction system, said agitator and said at least one paddle stir the plant biomass at said interior, said heater increases the temperature at said interior, and said vacuum pump reduces the pressure within said interior concurrently in order to cause vaporization within said interior and produce the water and terpene vapor mixture, and wherein the stirring and increase in temperature and reduction in pressure and caused vaporization within said interior occurs in the absence of a solvent.