| CPC C11B 1/10 (2013.01) [B01D 11/0207 (2013.01); B01D 11/0219 (2013.01); B01D 11/0257 (2013.01); B01D 11/0261 (2013.01); B01D 11/0288 (2013.01); B01D 11/0296 (2013.01); B01D 11/0284 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |

|
1. An automated system for solvent extraction of a plant-based raw material or other biomass material to produce a botanical extract, fats, oils, or other desirable solute, said system comprising:
(a) a reaction conveyer configured for combining a lean solvent with a plant-based solid raw material, biomass, or other feed stock material;
(b) an extraction reactor configured with (i) a sealed feed inlet for feeding said lean solvent and said plant-based solid raw material, biomass, or other feed stock material from said reaction conveyer, (ii) one or more gas ports for introducing an inert non-condensable gas and/or a solvent vapor to said extraction reactor and/or for removing gases from said extraction reactor; (iii) optionally, a refrigeration cycle with the interior of said extraction reactor acting as an evaporator of said solvent, to sub-cool said plant-based solid raw material, biomass or other feed stock material; (iv) a solid outlet for conveying solid material out of said extraction reactor; and (v) a product outlet for removing rich solvent containing a botanical extract, or other precipitate, out of said extraction reactor; and
(c) a closed-loop continuous-flow distillation unit configured to generate purified botanical extract and recovered solvent from said rich solvent containing said botanical extract.
|