System and method for continuous microwave-assisted extraction of bioactive agents from biomass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11419354-B2
Application number	US-201716463307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Dec 5, 2016
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a system and method of extracting bioactive agents from biomass using continuous microwave-assisted extraction. The disclosed system includes a plurality of microwave modules that exposes the biomass to continuous microwave energy, and an extraction module to extract bioactive agents from the biomass. In some embodiments, the biomass is exposed to subcritical water treatment in the microwave modules. The disclosed system enables bioactive agent to be extracted effectively, in a relatively short period of time compared to conventional extraction methods and allows for an enhanced extraction yield.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A continuous microwave assisted extraction system comprising:
one or more flow-through microwave processing units,
wherein at least one of the one or more flow-through microwave processing units is a subcritical water microwave assisted extraction unit that uses a polarity of water in a subcritical range in lieu of chemical solvents to extract one or more bioactive agents from biomass;

one or more blending units comprising a mixing or blending device;
one or more extraction vessels comprising a separation element to separate solid from liquid; and
a series of conduits that connect the flow-through microwave processing units, blending units, and extraction vessels;
wherein the extraction system optionally comprises:
one or more homogenization units comprising a chopping or slicing device; or
one or more finishing units comprising an evaporator, dryer, or both; or
both one or more homogenization units and one or more finishing units; and

wherein the extraction system is configured to provide for continuous extraction.

2. The extraction system of claim 1 , wherein the subcritical water microwave assisted extraction unit is configured to expose the biomass material flowing therethrough to a temperature of about 120-190° C. and a pressure of about 50-200 psi.

3. The extraction system of claim 1 , wherein each flow-through microwave processing unit comprises at least one of: cylindrical, traveling wave, or modular microwave flow treatment devices.

4. The extraction system of claim 1 , wherein the flow-through microwave processing units are constructed from rigid microwave transparent materials selected from ceramics, glass, TEFLON®, polyetherimide, polymethylpentene, polyetheretherketone, and combinations thereof.

5. The extraction system of claim 1 , wherein the flow-through microwave processing units comprise at least one microwave energy generator.

6. The extraction system of claim 1 , wherein the extraction vessels comprise one or more microwave extraction units.

7. The extraction system of claim 1 , further comprising a testing unit configured to test pH, concentration, temperature, or combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Sinnovatek Inc
• Univ North Carolina State

Inventors

• Druga Michael
• Vargochik Amanda
• Simunovic Josip

Classifications

• H05B6/80

  Apparatus for specific applications (stoves or ranges F24C7/02) · CPC title

• H05B6/6402

  Aspects relating to the microwave cavity · CPC title

• A23K10/37

  from waste material (from hydrolysates of wood or straw A23K10/32; from molasses A23K10/33) · CPC title

• B01F23/81

  Grinding the mixture · CPC title

• Y02P60/87

  Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production · CPC title