Selective extraction of botanicals from plant material

Abstract

A system selectively extracts compounds form plant material. A liquid solvent is introduced to the material and through subsequent cycles of gradually increasing the temperature and pressure of the extraction chamber, various compounds can be selectively harvested from the plant material. The desirable compounds can each be routed to an individual collection chamber for individual extraction and storage. This allows volatile compounds and non-volatile compounds to be selectively extracted and stored separately.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of extracting components from a botanical material, comprising:
 passing subcritical carbon dioxide solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a first component from the botanical material;   collecting the first component in a first collection chamber;   passing supercritical carbon dioxide solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a second component from the botanical material; and   collecting the second component in a second collection chamber separate from the first collection chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein passing subcritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material and passing supercritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material are both carried out in the same extraction vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant material is repositioned at least once while passing subcritical carbon dioxide through the plant material, while passing supercritical carbon dioxide through the plant material, or both. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out in the absence of alcohol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a modifier is added to the subcritical carbon dioxide, the supercritical carbon dioxide, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modifier is an alcohol. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 heating the first component in a separation chamber prior to collecting the first component in the first collection chamber, wherein the heating boils off carbon dioxide without boiling the first component to thereby separate carbon dioxide from the first component; and   heating the second component in the separation chamber prior to collecting the second component in the second collection chamber, wherein the heating boils off carbon dioxide without boiling the second component to thereby separate carbon dioxide from the second component.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature and pressure are maintained steady inside the extraction vessel and the separation chamber while passing subcritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the temperature and pressure are maintained steady inside the extraction vessel and the separation chamber while passing supercritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the temperature and pressure while passing supercritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material is higher than the temperature and pressure while passing subcritical carbon dioxide through the botanical material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 collecting the boiled carbon dioxide;   condensing the boiled carbon dioxide to provide liquid carbon dioxide; and   using the condensed liquid carbon dioxide in subsequent passing steps.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 mixing the first component with the second component, after further independently processing the first component and the second component, to form a product.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first component is a volatile component and the second component is a non-volatile component. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method operates thermodynamically and in the absence of a powered pump. 
     
     
         15 . A method of extracting components from a botanical material, comprising:
 passing subcritical solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a first component from the botanical material; and   passing supercritical solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a second component from the botanical material.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein passing subcritical solvent through the botanical material and passing supercritical solvent through the botanical material are both carried out in the same extraction vessel. 
     
     
         17 . A method of extracting components from a botanical material, comprising:
 passing subcritical carbon dioxide solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a first component from the botanical material;   collecting the first component in a first collection chamber;   passing subcritical carbon dioxide solvent mixed with a second solvent through the botanical material to thereby extract a second component from the botanical material; and   collecting the second component in a second collection chamber separate from the first collection chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method operates thermodynamically and in the absence of a powered pump. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 heating the first component in a separation chamber prior to collecting the first component in the first collection chamber, wherein the heating boils off carbon dioxide without boiling the first component to thereby separate carbon dioxide from the first component; and   heating the second component in the separation chamber prior to collecting the second component in the second collection chamber, wherein the heating boils off carbon dioxide without boiling the second component to thereby separate carbon dioxide from the second component.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 collecting the boiled carbon dioxide;   condensing the boiled carbon dioxide to provide liquid carbon dioxide; and   using the condensed liquid carbon dioxide in subsequent passing steps.