Agricultural processing system and method

Abstract

A method and device for processing an agricultural product is provided. The device includes a chamber having an opening, and a heater operative to heat the contents of the chamber. A sensor having an output is coupled to the chamber, the sensor output being processed to provide information about at least one of: a state of decarboxylation, or a quantity of a material in the contents of the chamber. The method includes loading a quantity of the agricultural product in a chamber having an port and applying an elevated temperature to the chamber to increase a rate of decarboxylation. A property of a gas is measured at the port the measurement being processed to determine one of either: a state of decarboxylation, or a quantity of material in the sample.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A system for processing plant material comprising:
 a chamber having a first opening and a second opening;   a heater operative to heat contents of the chamber;   a first carbon-dioxide sensor having an output, the first sensor coupled to the chamber; and,   a fan coupled to the chamber and configured to provide a flow of gasses from the first opening through the chamber and out the second opening.   
     
     
         2 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the carbon-dioxide sensor is a non-dispersive infrared carbon-dioxide sensor. 
     
     
         3 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor output is processed by a processor to indicate at least one selected from the following list: whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold; an estimated quantity of released carbon dioxide; an estimated quantity of a neutral cannabinoid; or, an estimated quantity of an acid cannabinoid. 
     
     
         4 ) The system of  claim 1  further including:
 a mass-flow sensor configured to indicate a flow of gasses through the chamber; 
 wherein the mass-flow sensor output is processed by a processor in combination with the carbon-dioxide sensor. 
 
     
     
         5 ) The system of  claim 4  wherein the mass-flow sensor uses temperature to detect or quantify flow. 
     
     
         6 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the fan is coupled between an ambient and one of either the chamber's first or second opening. 
     
     
         7 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the fan and heater are coupled between an ambient and the chamber. 
     
     
         8 ) The system of  claim 3  wherein the heater is de-energized in response to a result obtained by processing of the sensor output. 
     
     
         9 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the heater is de-energized in response to a carbon dioxide concentration below a threshold. 
     
     
         10 ) The system of  claim 1  further including:
 a second carbon-dioxide sensor having an output; 
 wherein the first carbon-dioxide sensor is coupled to the second opening; 
 wherein the second carbon-dioxide sensor is coupled to the first opening; and, 
 wherein a difference is calculated between the first and second carbon-dioxide sensor outputs by a processor. 
 
     
     
         11 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the coupling of the carbon-dioxide sensor to the chamber further includes cooling of the gasses before being presented to the sensor. 
     
     
         12 ) The system of  claim 1  wherein the chamber further includes an exhaust port and the coupling of the first carbon-dioxide sensor to the chamber includes coupling of the first carbon-dioxide sensor to the exhaust port. 
     
     
         13 ) A system for processing plant material comprising:
 a chamber having a first opening and a second opening;   a heater operative to heat contents of the chamber;   a first carbon-dioxide sensor having an output, the sensor being coupled to the chamber proximate the first opening;   a second carbon-dioxide sensor having an output, the sensor being coupled to the chamber proximate the second opening;   a mass-flow sensor having an output, the mass-flow sensor coupled to the chamber; and,   a fan coupled to the chamber and configured to provide a flow of gasses from the first opening through the chamber and out the second opening.   
     
     
         14 ) The system of  claim 13  further including:
 a processor coupled to the first carbon-dioxide sensor output, the second carbon-dioxide sensor output, and the mass-flow sensor output; and, 
 wherein the processor is configured to process the outputs to provide information about a quantity of a cannabinoid; a quantity of a cannabinoid acid; whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold; or, an estimated quantity of released carbon dioxide. 
 
     
     
         15 ) The system of  claim 14  wherein the heater is de-energized in response to a result obtained by processing of the sensor outputs. 
     
     
         16 ) A method for processing plant material comprising:
 providing a quantity of material, the material including a cannabinoid acid;   decarboxylating at least a portion of the cannabinoid acid by applying an elevated temperature to the material, thereby increasing a rate of decarboxylation;   detecting, with a first sensor having an output, carbon dioxide released during decarboxylation; and,   processing the first sensor output to determine whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold in the provided material.   
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 the first sensor having an output provides a measure of carbon dioxide concentration; and, 
 the step of processing the first sensor output to determine whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold comprises comparing the measure of carbon dioxide concentration with a threshold. 
 
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 17  further including a step selected from the following list: halting the application of elevated temperature to the material when decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold; or, providing an indication of completeness. 
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 17  wherein the threshold is approximately 500 parts-per-million of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         20 ) The method of  claim 16  further including a step of:
 detecting, with a second sensor having an output, carbon dioxide at a second location, the second location being distinct from the location of the first sensor; and, 
 wherein the step of processing the first sensor output to determine whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold in the provided material further includes processing the second sensor output in combination with the first sensor output to determine whether decarboxylation is complete to within a threshold in the provided material.