Extracting apparatus, and extracting-unit manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11612832-B2
Application number	US-201917043907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

An extracting apparatus includes: a first phase transition section that causes a phase transition of an extraction solvent from a gas to a liquid; a second phase transition section that causes a phase transition of the extraction solvent from a liquid to a gas; a treatment tank that stores a treated material, and receives an inflow of the extraction solvent that has been liquefied in the first phase transition section; a first valve that is provided between the second phase transition section and the treatment tank; and a second valve that is provided between the first phase transition section and the treatment tank. The second phase transition section is connected with a recovery valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An extracting apparatus comprising:
a first heat exchanger configured to cause a phase transition of an extraction solvent from a gas to a liquid;
a second heat exchanger configured to cause a phase transition of the extraction solvent from a liquid to a gas;
a first treatment tank that stores a treated material, and receives an inflow of the extraction solvent that has been liquefied in the first heat exchanger;
a first valve that is provided between the second heat exchanger and the first treatment tank;
a second valve that is provided between the first heat exchanger and the first treatment tank, wherein
the second heat exchanger is connected with a recovery valve;
a second treatment tank that is provided in parallel with the first treatment tank;
a third valve that is provided between the second heat exchanger and the second treatment tank; and
a fourth valve that is provided between the first heat exchanger and the second treatment tank, wherein
the first valve and the third valve are provided in parallel,
the second valve and the fourth valve are provided in parallel; and
the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are configured to perform a refrigeration cycle in the extracting apparatus;
a compressor provided on the refrigeration cycle; and
a pump configured to output a liquid-phase of the extraction solvent.

2. The extracting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein
the compressor is configured to compress a gas-phase of the extraction solvent.

3. The extracting apparatus according to claim 2 comprising:
a controller that controls the compressor; and
at least one of a liquid sensor that senses a height of a liquid in the second phase transition section heat exchanger, a first temperature sensor that senses an outlet temperature of a refrigerant in the second phase transition section heat exchanger, and a second temperature sensor that senses an outlet temperature of the extraction solvent in the second phase transition section heat exchanger, wherein
in a case where the liquid sensor detects that the height of the liquid is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the first temperature sensor detects that the outlet temperature of the refrigerant is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, or the second temperature sensor detects that the outlet temperature of the extraction solvent is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the controller lowers a rotation speed of the compressor.

4. The extracting apparatus according to claim 2 comprising:
a controller that controls the compressor; and
at least one of a second temperature sensor that detects an outlet temperature of a refrigerant from the second phase transition section heat exchanger, and a flow sensor for the extraction solvent that flows out from the first phase transition section heat exchanger, wherein
in a case where the temperature detected at the second temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, or the flow rate detected at the flow sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined flow rate, the controller stops the compressor.

5. The extracting apparatus according to claim 2 comprising:
a pressure sensor provided downstream of the pump; and
a controller that controls the pump, wherein
in a case where a pressure value detected at the pressure sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, the controller lowers a rotation speed of the pump.

6. The extracting apparatus according to claim 1 comprising:
a vacuum pump that is connected between the first valve and the first treatment tank.

7. The extracting apparatus according to claim 1 comprising:
a vacuum pump that is connected between the first valve and the second valve; and
an extraction solvent container for feeding the extraction solvent into the first treatment tank, wherein
the vacuum pump and the extraction solvent container are installed on a same side relative to the first treatment tank.

8. The extracting apparatus according to claim 1 comprising:
an end sensor that detects an end of a transfer of the extraction solvent that is in a part of the first treatment tank after extraction of an extract that is in the part of the first treatment tank to another part of the first treatment tank.

9. An extracting apparatus comprising:
a first heat exchanger configured to cause a phase transition of an extraction solvent from a gas to a liquid;
a second heat exchanger configured to cause a phase transition of the extraction solvent from a liquid to a gas;
a treatment tank that stores a treated material, and receives an inflow of the extraction solvent that has been liquefied in the first heat exchanger;
a first valve that is provided between the second heat exchanger and the treatment tank;
a second valve that is provided between the first heat exchanger and the treatment tank;
wherein the second heat exchanger is connected with a recovery valve;
a discharge valve that discharges a gasified extraction solvent in the treatment tank;
a reuse compressor that is provided being connected to the discharge valve; and
a cooler that is provided being connected to the reuse compressor, and is connected to an upstream side of the treatment tank, wherein
the gasified extraction solvent is liquefied by passing through the reuse compressor and the cooler.

10. An extract manufacturing method that uses a phase-transition cycle of butane, the extract manufacturing method comprising:
an extraction step of extracting an extract from a treated material contained in a first treatment tank;
a containing step of, during the extraction step, providing a treated material contained in a second treatment tank in parallel with the first treatment tank;
a transfer step of, after the extraction step, transferring a liquefied butane in the first treatment tank to the second treatment tank; and
before a recovery step of recovering the extract, a condensation step of closing a valve upstream of the first treatment tank, opening a valve located upstream of the second treatment tank, and driving a compressor in a refrigeration cycle of the butane.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Sano Tadashi
• Sekiya Sachio

Classifications

• B01D11/0203 Primary

  with a supercritical fluid · CPC title

• B01D11/0492

  Applications, solvents used · CPC title

• B01D11/0407 Primary

  the supercritical fluid acting as solvent for the solute · CPC title

• B01D2011/007

  Extraction using a solvent in the gas phase · CPC title

• B01D11/0207

  Control systems · CPC title