The Top Three Types of CBD Extraction
Botanical Extraction
The process of botanical extraction goes back quite a long way and includes a variety of extraction methods that are still prevalently used today. Each of these methods tend to have their own benefits and shortcomings depending on a number of factors including the scale of your operation, the products you intend to create, etc. By familiarizing with a supercritical co2 extractor equipment and supercritical CO2 extraction method, you will be able to understand more about the different types of CBD extraction.
Topics and Information Guide
CBD Extract from Plant to Product
In order to extract CBD from hemp there is a process that should always be followed for the best extraction process. Let’s take a look at each step to find out how to make CBD oil.
While there are a number of extraction methods that have been used for decades, there are three primary methods used today that we will focus on in this article. By the end, you should be able to decide what extraction method would best fit the needs of your operation. Those Extraction methods are:
- Hydrocarbon: Hydrocarbon extraction uses butane or propane to strip active components from the hemp biomass. This method is highly effective in creating recreational and medicinal derivatives like shatter with a sturdy, glass-like consistency.
- Ethanol: Ethanol extraction uses alcohol to remove the cannabinoids from the biomass. This process is an efficient and simple method of extraction that is used by a large number of extractors in the industry.
- Supercritical CO2: This extraction method requires the most training and precise equipment, but it is incredibly efficient overall. It is a naturally organic extraction method and is the most environmentally friendly method.
Before we get into these extraction methods in more detail, let’s briefly take a look at the basics of CBD extraction.
What is CBD Extraction?
Before we dive into the three main extraction methods in the industry, let’s cover the basics of extraction and the necessary equipment to get it done:
Grinding
To begin, the first step on the road of hemp extraction is to shuck and grind the biomass. This means separating the high cannabinoid containing flower of the hemp plant from the remainder of the plant and grinding it to a preferred consistency for ideal CBD extraction throughput.
Decarboxylation
This process uses vacuum ovens to convert the raw, acidic cannabinoid of CBD-A to the neutral, usable form of CBD. Through heat and time, the extra COOH molecular compound is shed to create CBD which can then be extracted. This is also a great time to capture valuable terpenes.
CBD Extraction
After preparation through grinding and decarboxylating, the hemp material is ready for CBD extraction. There are a number of methods to do this, but among the most common methods, a solvent is combined with the hemp material to create a solution that contains CBD, terpenes and could contain waxes, fats and chlorophyll depending on the method. The next step is to remove those extra materials from the CBD mixture through winterization.
Winterization
Typically reserved for CO2 extraction, this process uses a combination of ethanol, very cold temperatures, and filtration to remove any remaining fats, waxes and other undesirable compounds from CBD. The solvent/CBD solution is chilled down to roughly -80C temperatures to do this because the CBD will remain soluble at low temperatures, but the waxes and lipids will solidify and be removed from the CBD derivative through vacuum filtration. Next, it’s time to remove the solvent from the CBD.
Solvent Removal
This process separates the remaining ethanol or other solvent from the CBD derivative in large quantities. This is accomplished by applying heat to the CBD solution in a vacuum so as to lower the temperature by which the solvent will volatilize and separate from the cannabinoids without risk of damaging the CBD. While this will remove a majority of the solvent from the CBD, there is one final step to pure, golden CBD derivatives.
Extract Distillation
Through some of the same principles as evaporation, distillation is performed when heat is applied to the CBD derivative in a vacuum to lower the boiling point of any remaining solvents or other residuals. To further remove those undesirable impurities, a thin film of CBD oil is created either by a wiper or by a falling film distillation apparatus that increases the purity of the intended CBD oil. What’s left from the distillation process is a golden distillate CBD derivative that contains up to 90% pure CBD extract oil.
Recommended Hemp Extraction CBD Equipment
Now that we’ve looked at the entire process of collecting CBD via hemp extraction, let’s take a minute to go over the important hemp extraction equipment needed to create a final CBD extract:
Shucking Machine
This equipment is very important to remove the flower from the remainder of the hemp plant. While the stalk and stems may be used for industrial hemp, the flower of the hemp plant contains the vast majority of desired cannabinoids like CBD. This allows the ground hemp biomass to have predominantly more CBD yield later in the extraction process.
Vacuum Decarb Oven
There are a number of methods for decarboxylation, but the most efficient is to use a vacuum oven. Vacuum pressure decreases the temperature needed to convert CBD-A to CBD while also lowering the risk of damaging terpenes and other valuable compounds used in product formulation.
CBD Extractors
The range of different hemp extraction equipment follows the various methods of CBD extraction. For example, extraktLAB’s extractors series are optimized for supercritical CO2 extraction while other extractors may be best suited for ethanol or hydrocarbon extraction. We’ll go into these extraction methods in more detail shortly.
Extract Filters
Filters are necessary to remove the fats waxes and other plant byproducts from the CBD/solvent solution after the winterization process. Some of these filters may be similar to Büchner funnels that simply use gravity and time to filter out the solution, others use vacuum filtration to assist the process making it more efficient and less time consuming.
Evaporators
This equipment is necessary to remove a majority of solvent from the CBD solution. This is often accomplished using a rotary evaporator or falling film evaporator to volatilize or boil-off solvents like ethanol while leaving the CBD intact before heading to the distillation process.
Distillation Equipment
Some form of still will be needed to remove the last remaining solvents, terpenes, and other unwanted compounds from the CBD extract to increase purity and consumer demand. A common and effective equipment used for this is a wiped film evaporator capable of handling the increased viscosity of the remaining CBD oil, remove the residual byproducts and leave the producer with a clean, potent CBD extract that is ready for product formulation.
Comparing Hydrocarbon, Ethanol and CO2
Now that we’ve walked through the extraction process, let’s take a look at the three most common extraction methods in the industry. Take a look at the table below for a quick comparison, or keep scrolling for more details and the extraction method we choose.
| Feature | Ethanol | Hydrocarbon | Sub/Supercritical CO2 |
| Efficiency | High | High | High |
| Extract Color | Dark | Light or dark | Light or dark |
| Post-Processing | Moderate to Difficult | Easy | Easy |
| Terpene Preservation | Lowest | Highest | Moderate |
| Equipment Cost | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
| Solvent Use Cost | Highest | Moderate | Lowest |
| Regulation Requirements | Moderate to High | Highest | Lowest |
| Consumer Health Risks | Moderate | High | Low |
| Environmental Impact | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| Cannabinoid Selectivity | Lowest | High | High |
Defining Hydrocarbon, Ethanol, and CO2
Hydrocarbon (Butane, Propane, Hexane):
Hydrocarbons like butane, propane and hexane are often used in the extraction industry due to their overall speed and efficiency. In fact, the cannabinoid concentration of hydrocarbon extracts when performed properly can be in the 90% category – some of the highest in the industry.
This is a useful method for making products like shatter, wax and crumble often associated with the medical and recreational cannabis industry – though these products can also be made from CBD extraction.
A primary concern for producers who want to utilize this extraction method is the volatility of them. Hydrocarbons are particularly flammable meaning that necessary precautions are necessary when using it as a primary extraction method. This increases chances for fire hazards. It also means establishing the increased costs of C1D1 certification and necessary safety equipment to even begin using hydrocarbons to extract cannabinoids and other botanicals.
While these particular solvents are volatile in nature and not safe to consume, they are easily purged from a final extract making them relatively safe – though more studies are necessary to determine any long-term effects.
For consumers it is not guaranteed that all of the solvent will be removed from a product even through a thorough distillation process. This is often performed by vacuum purging that will lower the temperature necessary to evaporate the solvent from the extract.
After this is performed there are only trace amounts of butane, hexane or propane left in the extract that should be relatively safe for human consumption.
Ethanol
Ethanol is a very effective method for extracting cannabinoids when done properly and with the right form of ethanol. Ethanol tends to have a relatively high solvation power and is very versatile in what it can extract. The reason for this lies in its polarity.
When it comes down to it, the polarity of a particular molecule is what determines its ability to dissolve another molecule. While some solvents like water are exclusively non-polar, ethanol has the capability to operate both as a polar and a nonpolar solvent.
This allows it to be a very wide ranging solvent that is capable of producing a variety of cannabinoid products. That said, there are particular products like isolate and “live” extracts with high terpene profiles that are not easily made via ethanol extraction due to its lack of selectivity.
Another important consideration of ethanol extraction is ensuring that the right kind of ethanol is being used to create cannabinoid products. For example, extracting with high quality food grade ethanol is a great way to create quality cannabinoid derivatives, but can be expensive in a large scale operation.
Therefore, some manufacturers turn to denatured ethanol techniques which contain chemical denaturants used to deter recreational consumption and avoid alcohol taxes.
Although denatured ethanol is created to prevent human consumption, it is still used in hemp extraction. In fact, the FDA allows for certain PPM of pentane, methanol, hexane and other denaturants in extracts that are still considered “safe” for consumption.
This is unfortunately what ends up left in many ethanol extracts that are created with denatured ethanol and little to no research has been done on the long term effects that regular consumption of these denaturants may cause.
Ethanol is also a very easy to use solvent that requires less training than some other extraction methods. Because ethanol does not have to undergo a phase change like other solvents, it is a relatively easy method that can be implemented without as much in depth training and practice.
It can also be used to entirely avoid the winterization process by chilling the ethanol down to roughly -40℃. Because of this, low upfront costs of equipment, and reduced training, ethanol is one of the most chosen extraction methods for startup operations.
CO2
Incredibly efficient in supercritical and subcritical states, CO2 is the safest, and most efficient extraction method with the lowest long-term costs for manufacturing. In its supercritical state, CO2 is converted to a liquid/gas form.
It is important that the CO2 is in a supercritical state in order to mix with the raw materials in order to strip the desired compounds during CO2 extraction.
While some extractors may try to argue that it is not an efficient method, proper equipment and operations lend evidence to the contrary making it a highly selective, powerful and safe extraction solvent.
CO2 extraction is often considered to be the best extraction solvent in terms of purity. As an organic solvent, CO2 is often called the “clean and green” extraction solvent as it is environmentally friendly as well as safe for the end user.
While ethanol and butane are not organic solvents, liquid CO2 is natural which also allows for obtaining organic certification and reduces harmful emissions that are harmful to the environment.
There are no chemical denaturants or residuals left in a CO2 extraction process making it safe for regular human consumption without any question for concern.
One concern for many startup extraction companies is the upfront costs of CO2 extraction equipment. Because of the high pressure and other factors, advanced technology, higher quality equipment and extra training are necessary to perform supercritical CO2 extraction properly.
That said, the long term operating costs of CO2 extraction are much lower than that of hydrocarbon or ethanol extraction.
Because of the selective nature of CO2, creating products with high terpene profiles or isolate products is much more feasible than ethanol extraction.
Full spectrum extracts often used in tinctures and edibles are also best suited for supercritical CO2 extraction methods that are touted for the ability to preserve all the desired cannabinoids and terpenes in the extract. With growing interest in The Entourage Effect, CO2 extracted products are becoming increasingly more desirable and profitable in the extraction industry.
Supercritical Extraction Machine
We have the perfect machine for small, medium and large producers. Our model line makes it easy for you to scale your operations while keeping your operating costs at a minimum.
CBD and Botanical Extraction Methods
With all this talk about how to make CBD oil and the various methods by which it’s accomplished, let’s take a look at three of the most common CBD extraction methods and discuss which of these is the superior option for purity, cost efficiency and overall quality in a CBD extract:
Hydrocarbon Extraction Method
This CBD extraction technique entails a solvent like propane or butane to extract the cannabinoids like CBD. The solvent is removed from the CBD after the process through heat application which results in a CBD oil that is “safe” and usable.
There are numerous concerns to consider using this CBD extraction process – the primary being the explosive trend of these solvents. Hydrocarbon CBD extractions do go wrong, however, and can often lead to fires and explosions. This CBD extraction method can be dangerous for manufacturers and their employees if not performed perfectly.
On the market, there is no absolute means to get rid of the entirety of a hydrocarbon solvent in a CBD product. This means that hydrocarbon extracted CBD will likely have residual quantities of butane or propane in them. It is possible that unknown issues from daily usage of CBD goods with trace quantities of hydrocarbons inside them could be potentially harmful.
Ethanol Extraction Method
Ethanol CBD extraction is a process that is commonly used in many industries, but there are some discrepancies between the hemp extraction industry that are of some concern.
To be considered a truly safe CBD product, food grade ethanol can be used that is unadulterated and has zero additives – also making it an organic substance. However, this is a rare extraction application in the CBD industry who likely turn to a cheaper option: denatured ethanol.
Denaturants like methanol are added to ethanol to make products used for industrial applications and making it dangerous for consumption. While this makes the solvent cheaper for CBD producers, it does raise some concerns about consumer health. Though most regulations tend to count residual denaturants as negligible, there is little research conducted to validate the safety of continued ingestion of residual denaturants.
Denatured ethanol might have a selection of chemical contaminants that will inevitably wind up in a CBD distillate at a certain level that could comprise ketones, isopropyl alcohol, methanol and many others. This begs to question whether or not this is a safe CBD extraction method.
Supercritical CO2 to Extract CBD
The last common CBD extraction method used in a number of industries for years is supercritical CO2. Non-volatile and free of denaturants and other chemicals, supercritical CO2 extraction allows for CBD producers to create a safe, organic product for a fraction of the cost of other CBD extraction methods.
Other hydrocarbon-based solvents like ethanol may appear to need less overhead cost, but the operating costs grow dramatically when scaling up production. Ethanolic CBD extracts also need more processing to reach the same quality as CO2 extracted CBD.
Plus, supercritical CO2 CBD extraction is the norm to be used in the food and beverage market. Thus, it is logical to steer clear of any future regulations and red tape by adhering to these stipulations by using a CBD extraction method that’s tried-and-tested, particularly if you’re considering generating CBD extracts for human ingestion.
Advantages of CO2 Hemp Extraction
Clean and Green
With continued concerns for environmental friendliness in production, supercritical CO2 CBD extraction employs the use of organic solvents which are clean, and leave a lower amount of residue in CBD products compared to conventional solvents. It is drawn from the environment, and then returned to the environment, and it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect, making it a “green” option for producers to extract their CBD from hemp biomass.
Safer Consumption
Compared to hydrocarbon or denatured ethanol CBD extraction, CO2 CBD extraction is a far healthier solution for consumers. Denatured ethanol is a mixture of denaturants and pure ethanol. Chemical companies add the denaturant to pure ethanol so that they will not be consumed as a food.
Denatured recipes are published by the TTB that is administered by the National Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. There are many different recipes. One of the most common denaturants used in ethanol CBD extraction is heptane. However, there are other substances that may be used including acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methanol and other longer chain alcohols. There is very limited data on the safety of heptane over long term exposure.
Cost Efficiency
The operating cost for CO2 CBD extraction is dramatically less than the operating costs associated with ethanol CBD extraction. Where one pound of food grade ethanol purchased in bulk is roughly $4.71/lb, a pound of food grade CO2 when purchased in bulk is about $0.04/lb at current price.
Ethanol CBD extraction is a CBD extraction process that is typically run at low temperatures. First the ethanol is cooled to below -20 degrees celsius before it is introduced to the hemp. Cooling the ethanol reduces the amount of extracted chlorophyll and waxes. If you account for the energy required to chill the ethanol down to those low temperatures and then also evaporate after use, the energy bill for ethanol CBD extraction is approximately 3-6x the cost of extracting with CO2.
However, the energy cost is really not the key driver in the overall operating costs.
Ethanol CBD extraction requires a significant amount of ethanol to be used per pound of hemp. In fact, about 1 to 1.5 gallons of ethanol must be used per pound of dry hemp in order to extract CBD. Hemp is a very absorbent biomass material and the ethanol must fully saturate the hemp plant before any CBD extraction can take place. For this reason a large volume of ethanol is needed to extract CBD from hemp.
The key cost driver for ethanol CBD extraction is recovery of that solvent from the biomass. Even though many ethanol based hemp extraction equipment companies provide centrifuges and or presses to eliminate the amount of ethanol left over in the biomass, the best equipment will provide only a 90 to 95% recovery of the ethanol. This 5 to 10% loss in ethanol is a huge cost driver for ethanol CBD extraction.
For example, suppose you wanted to process 1000 lbs of hemp. You would need 1000 gallons of ethanol to start out at a cost of $16-33 per gallon for food grade ethanol for a total cost of $16,000 to $33,000. If you recovered 90% of the ethanol the ethanol loss would be $1,600 – $3,300 per 1000 lbs. Furthermore if you process 1000 pounds per day, this would be your daily loss.
In contrast, you will lose the equivalent of about $70 per day for CO2 extractions for the exact same process.
Besides energy and solvent usage, there are many other hidden costs related to ethanol CBD extraction including solvent reuse costs, insurance cost, increased facilities cost, and testing costs.
Why extraktLAB Chooses CO2 Extraction
As mentioned previously, all three of these extraction methods have their place in the industry and can be efficient depending on the particular operation. That said, there are reasons why extraktLAB chooses to use supercritical CO2 extraction:
Clean and Green
With continued concerns for environmental friendliness in production, supercritical CO2 CBD extraction employs the use of organic solvents which are clean, and leave a lower amount of residue in CBD products compared to conventional solvents. It is drawn from the environment, and then returned to the environment, and it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect, making it a “green” option for producers to extract their CBD from hemp biomass.
Safer Consumption
Compared to hydrocarbon or denatured ethanol CBD extraction, CO2 CBD extraction is a far healthier solution for consumers. Denatured ethanol is a mixture of denaturants and pure ethanol. Chemical companies add the denaturant to pure ethanol so that they will not be consumed as a food. A similar issue can be seen with hydrocarbons because they are inorganic solvents.
Denatured recipes are published by the TTB that is administered by the National Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. There are many different recipes. One of the most common denaturants used in ethanol CBD extraction is heptane. However, there are other substances that may be used including acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methanol and other longer chain alcohols. There is very limited data on the safety of heptane over long term exposure.
Long Term Costs
Most processors-to-be look at ethanol extraction as the most cost effective option for startups. This is because the necessary equipment costs to start an ethanol extraction operation sits somewhere around $2,000,000 as opposed to CO2’s $4,000,000 price tag.
Calculate Your Botanical Extraction Business Operating Cost
Starting a Botanical Extraction Business? Check out our Calculators and to analyze costs, estimated revenue, yield, initial investments and important metrics for your extraction business.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to CBD and its extraction, there are a number of important factors to consider. Whether a CBD producer is making products like CBD and tinctures, CBD vaporizer products, or CBD topicals the correct extraction method, equipment and methods all contribute to create quality CBD products. From seed to final product, every step in the CBD extraction process is equally critical in order to make a profit in the CBD industry.
With years of expertise in the CBD extraction industry, extraktLAB creates the highest quality equipment from extraction to distillation and every step in between. Whether you are creating your first CBD extraction startup or looking to grow and improve your business, quality products are the result of quality machines in the CBD industry – and we can provide them. Contact us to speak with one of our professionals and see where your CBD business can take you today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does decarboxylation have to be done before extraction?
No, decarboxylation does not have to be done before extraction. The higher temperatures used during extraction can naturally decarb the biomass; however, the best time to extract terpenes is during decarboxylation using vacuum ovens.
Why should I use CO2 if I have to use ethanol for winterization?
Although you have to use ethanol for the winterization process, the amount of ethanol used is drastically lower than ethanol extraction. It also uses food grade ethanol making it much safer than denatured ethanol extraction.
Can all derivatives be made by each of the extraction methods?
No, some extraction methods are better suited for certain products. For example, hydrocarbon is a great method for making shatter, while CO2 is better for making terpene rich sauce.
Are all extraction methods safe?
When performed properly, each extraction method is relatively safe. However, there are safety concerns for each. While hydrocarbon extraction and ethanol extraction have flammability concerns, CO2 extraction operates at high pressures. Each method must be carefully executed to ensure safety.
What are derivatives
Derivatives are any product that can be created from extracted CBD and other hemp compounds.
What is the solvent loss for ethanol extraction?
Hemp and cannabis biomass is an extremely absorbent material. As a consequence, a large amount of solvent volume must be added to the biomass to first solvate the biomass and then fluidize it. For ethanol extraction, approximately one gallon of ethanol is required to extract 1 lb of hemp. Solvent loss comes from the incomplete recovery of that solvent from the hemp.
The following table details the estimated solvent loss from ethanol extraction as a function of volume of hemp processed:
| Lbs processed per day | Daily requirement of
ethanol (gallons) |
Daily Loss of ethanol (gallons) at 90% recovery of ethanol | Max Cost of Solvent Loss per day:
$16-30/gal food grade ethanol $6-8/ gal denatured Calculated at $30/gal |
| 500 | 500-1500 | 50-150 | $1,500-45,000 |
| 1000 | 1000-3000 | 100-300 | $3,000-9,000 |
| 2000 | 2000-6000 | 200-600 | $6000-18,000 |
| 10000 | 10000-30000 | 1000-3000 | $30,000-90,000 |
Another source of solvent loss is incomplete recovery of solvent from the CBD hemp oil.
How many times can I recycle or reuse ethanol from an ethanol extractor?
In guidance published by the FDA in 2010, plans for the reuse of solvents must be accompanied by a Declaration of the maximum number of times the solvent can be reused.
the FDA has recognized that contaminants buildup in the solvent over time as they are recovered and reused
As a consequence, the FDA guidelines recommend that the solvents be brought back to a suitable state before Reuse. A suitable reuse is defined by the original specifications for the solvent that is being used.
In keeping with a risk-based approach to process validation, the key risk to address with solvent reuse is cross-contamination. Cross-contamination could happen when a solvent dissolves a low level contaminant from the biomass being extracted. As the solvent is removed, the contaminant can become magnified and concentrated in either the oil or the solvent during solvent recovery. Cross contamination then occurs when a contaminated solvent is used to extract a non contaminated batch.
Contaminants are typically identified during incoming inspection but may show up later during processing as the oil becomes more refined. Hemp is typically sampled at receiving by quality assurance and a series of tests are conducted on the Hemp biomass in order to determine if the incoming material is contaminated with pesticides, solvents, heavy metals or if it has significant microbial content. Contaminants that are identified in the quality inspection should be tested for build up in the extraction solvent during validation.
Other sources for contamination include carbon black or activated carbon that is typically used in ethanol extraction to remove chlorophyll from the ethanol. Combustion byproducts that are incorporated into the structure of carbon black can dissolve in the ethanol and contaminate.
According to FDA guidelines, the number of times ethanol solvent can be reused must be validated according to a validation protocol. Once the method and process has been validated, the requirements for testing each reuse batch may not be required depending on the risks identified during the validation study.
As a general rule of thumb, a solvent may be reused successfully 20-50 times. Whatever your company’s current practice is, it is important to define the process, validate the process, establish specifications for reuse, and also set up a testing program to measure for contaminants. In all likelihood, a solvent changeover is probably in your future and it’s cost should not be neglected in your overall operating cost model. It is easy to estimate the cost of solving change over as it is the same as the start-up cost:
| Lbs processed per day | Daily requirement of
ethanol (gallons) |
Cost per gallon:
$16-30/gal food grade $6-8/ gal denatured Calculated at $30/gal |
| 500 | 500-1500 | $15,000-45,000 |
| 1000 | 1000-3000 | $30,000-90,000 |
| 2000 | 2000-6000 | $60,000-180,000 |
| 10000 | 10000-30000 | $300,000-900,000 |
The solvent changeover cost on a 60 day change over cycle can then be estimated on a per year basis according to the following table:
| Lbs processed per day | Change Over Frequency | Cost of Changeover | Max Annual Cost |
| 500 | 60 days | $15,000-45,000 | $270,000 |
| 1000 | 60 days | $30,000-90,000 | $540,000 |
| 2000 | 60 days | $60,000-180,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 10000 | 60 days | $300,000-900,000 | $5,400,000 |
By extension, the solvent testing costs will also be important to address:
| Lbs processed per day | Change Over Frequency | Cost of Testing
(pesticides, solvents), Unknowns testing can be 5-10k USD per unknown. |
Max Annual Cost |
| 500 | 60 days | $200-400 | $2400 |
| 1000 | 60 days | $200-400 | $2400 |
| 2000 | 60 days | $200-400 | $2400 |
| 10000 | 60 days | $200-400 | $2400 |
It is important to insist that unknowns be flagged by your laboratory.
What is supercritical CO2 extraction?
Supercritical CO2 extraction is used in hemp processing in hemp extraction for extracting CBD oil from hemp biomass. You can also be used to extract any Botanical oil from any plant material.
The co2 extraction typically takes place above the supercritical pressure and temperature for CO2. Is 1,070 PSI and 31 degrees Celsius.
Under supercritical conditions, the CO2 behaves much like hexane in terms of its solubility selectivity.
Does ethanol extraction have a greater throughput than CO2 extraction?
Hemp processing equipment can be scaled for 1 to 5 tons of extracted hemp per day. It’s generally not a fair comparison to compare the throughput on an instrument from two different companies. What is fair is to specify the throughput At the tonnage process per day and then look at the operating cost for that process. You can also look at the equipment and Facilities cost to accommodate that level of Production. after you have all of your costs accounted for including the hidden costs, then you can calculate the net present value for each investment.
How much hemp can be processed per day with CO2 extraction?
CO2 extraction facilities have been scaled to do hundreds of tons per day of biomass extractions. These facilities are very safe compared to the equivalent extraction facilities that use Flammable solvents.
In Terms of extraction facilities for processing hemp, we have built facilities that will process 5 tons of hemp biomass per day in a safe, low cost, low energy, small footprint operation.
Does it cost less to process hemp with Co2 compared with Ethanol?
Yes.
In fact the operating cost for CO2 extraction is dramatically less than the operating costs associated with ethanol.
Extraction with Ethanol is a process that is typically run at low temperatures. First the ethanol is cooled to below -20oC before it is introduced to the hemp. Cooling the ethanol reduces the amount of extracted chlorophyll and waxes. If you account for the energy required to chill the ethanol down to those low temperatures and then also evaporate after use, the energy bill for extracting ethanol is approximately 3-6x the cost of extracting with CO2. However, the energy cost is really not the key driver in the overall operating costs.
Ethanol extraction requires a significant amount of ethanol to be used per pound of hemp. In fact, about 1 to 1.5 gallons of ethanol must be used per pound of dry hemp in order to extract. Hemp is a very absorbent biomass material and the ethanol must fully saturate the hemp plant before any extraction can take place. For this reason a large volume of ethanol is needed to extract cbd from hemp.
The key cost driver or ethanol extraction is recovery of that solvent from the biomass. Even though many ethanol extraction equipment companies provide centrifuges and or presses to eliminate the amount of ethanol left over in the biomass, The best equipment will provide only a 90 to 95% recovery of the ethanol. This 5 to 10% loss in ethanol is a huge cost driver for extracting ethanol.
For example, suppose you wanted to process 1000 lb of hemp. You would need 1000 gallons of ethanol to start out at a cost of $16-33 per gallon for food grade ethanol for a total cost of $16,000 to $33,000. If you recovered 90% of the ethanol the ethanol loss would be $1,600 – $3,300 per 1000 lbs. Furthermore if you process 1000 pounds per day, this would be your daily loss.
In contrast, you will lose the equivalent of about $70 per day for CO2 extractions for the exact same process.
Besides energy and solvent usage, there are many other hidden costs related to extraction with ethanol including solvent reuse costs, insurance cost, increased facilities cost, and testing costs.
What is the highest yield you can expect from hemp extraction?
Industrial Hemp extraction typically has a CBD content of 5 to 15% by weight. The THC content of the Industrial Hemp is required by law to be less than 0.3% by weight in the flower that is sold.
Does raw hemp moisture affect yield?
Yes, moisture content will affect weight yield. For example, if 10% of the hemp To be extracted was water, and that water was removed during CO2 extraction, the denominator would be larger in the yield calculation, thereby giving a smaller yield number. By extension, if the same hemp was extracted but had zero water in the hemp, the overall weight percent yield of the extract would be a greater percent of the weight.
One thing to note is that in ethanol extraction, water that is in the hemp will dissolve into the ethanol. If the ethanol is removed from the CBD oil with a falling film evaporator, some of the water will be Co evaporated with the ethanol, thereby increasing the amount of water in the ethanol for each extraction cycle. Some of the water will stay in the extract and is typically removed in a secondary stirred reactor before wiped film evaporator and distillation.
Do you offer training on hemp processing and hemp extraction?
We Have taught hundreds of customers how to extract CBD oils from hemp and THC oils from cannabis. Our training package typically includes installation of the equipment, standard operating procedures, commissioning of the equipment in the facility, and training of operators on the procedures that are provided.
We also offer advanced training and quality management system implementation services for those companies who wish to achieve GMP certification.This training dresses all aspects of the quality management system, laboratory information management, batch record system, and Manufacturing execution.
What kind of employees do you need for hemp processing or hemp extraction?
There are basically four different employees that you need to have in order to run a hemp processing or hemp extraction facility. These are as follows:
- assurance
- Shift manager
- Operators
- Optionally analytical operators.
If your goal is to produce a quality product that complies with GMP requirements, you are going to need to have staff that can help you comply with those requirements.That typically means you need to have a quality assurance manager that is aware of the requirements And can Implement those requirements in your facility.
It is also necessary that you have a shift manager. This is someone who is organized and can schedule operators at each station and track the production output. This person will also ensure that operator training has occurred, ensure that yields are met, and also manage the workforce. They are also responsible for producing products that can form with the quality requirements of the end product.
Operators typically execute on the production plan by following standard operating procedures. They are typically trained on how to use the equipment and how to move materials in and out of the process. It is their job to record the data for the quality management system. The Operators typically will be successful if they are Hands-On and are able to follow instructions. It is also a big Advantage if the operator can conduct basic maintenance on the equipment. This requires someone who is Hands-On and has the physical strength to do simple maintenance tasks. This is important for the proper running in the efficiency of a hemp processing facility.
Last but not least, analytical operators or quality control technicians are important for providing yield and in-process testing to the manufacturing facility. They will work with quality assurance directly to ensure that incoming raw hemp biomass conforms to purchasing specifications and to Quality specifications. Quality control technicians are typically chemists and have a laboratory background.
Get in touch with our team to request a quote, learn more about our training or get help with your business plan.
We are dedicated to providing you with the best advice, quality and service in the industry.
