Next Step Processing: Cannabis Extraction Equipment and Extraction Methods

by | Dec 17, 2019 | Tips

What are Cannabis Extraction Equipment and Methods

Extraction methods are utilized to separate various components of cannabis and eliminate them from the plant mixture. Different methods can separate cannabis plant material into extracts or parts that holds diverse chemicals. In terms of cannabis, extraction methods are usually applied to segregate certain essential compounds. A cannabis holds around 113 cannabinoids, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) as the most popular. Furthermore, extraction methods are also applied to activate desirable chemicals. This article tackles the most popular extraction techniques and tools used for cannabis.

Before talking about these techniques, take note that cannabis extraction is not cooking but chemistry. Certain expertise in analytical techniques and lab equipment is needed to execute these methods safety and appropriately. Accordingly, most of these methods will require you to use safety equipment, such as a fume hood. It is crucial that the extraction procedure should be carried out appropriately to create a product that’s safe to use by humans. It can only be determined with accurate analytical testing.

Cannabis Alcohol Extraction

Common types of cannabis extraction depend on a solvent like alcohol. In short, the cannabis will be soaked in alcohol – typically ethanol – then the plant material will be eliminated. After that, the liquid will be filtered and the alcohol will be eliminated through evaporation. One of the most challenging part of alcohol extraction is the innate polarity of solvents such as ethanol. This means that it has a strong tendency to combine with water and break up water soluble molecules such as chlorophyll. Eliminating the chlorophyll from the mixture is essential since it creates a bitter taste. Alcohol extraction can be executed at atmospheric pressure, however the temperature should be greatly controlled, most especially in the evaporation process. One of the major advantages of alcohol extraction is that it doesn’t impose any risk of putting residual chemicals in the last cannabis extract

CO2 cannabis extraction

CO2 extraction makes use of carbon dioxide to eliminate cannabis components from the plant matrix. Heat and high pressure are utilized to make the CO2 supercritical. This means that it can coexist as a gas and liquid. The tools needed for this extraction technique has levels of magnitude that are greater than alcohol extraction, yet it creates higher yields and limited amount of essential components are lost.

Cannabis butane or propane extraction

Butane extraction utilizes butane as the solvent to produce what is popularly known as butane hash oil. The procedure begins with a liquid butane and cannabis placed in a heated and pressurized system. The butane solvent is eliminated through evaporation below a vacuum. The vacuum transforms the butane into a vapor, which makes it easier to eliminate. This type of extract is also termed as shatter – a clear material that usually has CBD, THC, and many other chemical components, such as terpenes. Making the shatter is a difficult process compared to creating butane hash oil, since its terpene content needs to be maintained at a low level. Using an appropriate sample, like cured flowers, can help decrease the amount of terpenes in the final output. In contrast, butane hash oil needs to be heated to eliminate its terpene content after the extraction process since they are considered more volatile compared to cannabinoids such as CBD and THC.

Solvent-free extractions

There are also simple methods for preparing cannabis and extracting the essential components from its plant matrix. For example, kief can be segregated from the cannabis buds through sieving and grinding. These crystal-like formations form the structures of trichromes that are found on cannabis plants. Cannabis trichromes are basically protective structures growing out of female plants during the flowering stage. Their powerful bitter flavor and intense aromas make cannabis distasteful to herbivores. When extracted from the buds of the cannabis, kief looks like pollen or powder. This powder can be incorporated during cannabis preparations to improve potency or used as an independent product.

Growing for CBD

Cultivating CBD rich cannabis is a very satisfying transition from the typical field crops. Industrial cannabis is more profitable and it renews the soil through naturally eliminating toxins and ceasing the soil using its huge tap roots. You can grow high CBD hemp using different ways. You can start cultivating your crop with seeds, female clones, seedlings, feminized seeds, or a combination of feminized and regular. Cannabis thrives in sunny California, to the dry climates at Texas, the cold plains in Canada, and in almost any part of the country. Cannabis is super versatile since it can adjust to various weather conditions, though it may still be defenseless against harsh temperatures. You can cultivate your CBD indoors with Gavita 1000. The Gavita Pro 1000 (906050) is a brand new model of high pressure sodium lamps manufactured by a company called Gavita. They are a reputable maker of premium-quality grow lights. The lamp offers higher performance since the reflector has a built-in ballast, removing any possibility of RF interference. You can also grow with the Galaxyhydro LED. This 300W LED grow light is the perfect fixture for cultivating good quality CBD. It comes with a sleek light proportion that produces 9 bands. It has blue and red spectra, as well as the essential wavelengths in the IR and UV range. Moreover, it has a PPFD at 796 umol per second, which means that approximately 100% light is absorbed. With this, your yield will increase and your plant growth will improve.

Growing for CBD

It’s essential to understand that the perfect growing setup doesn’t exist. The same with people, every plant is different and may thrive well in certain environments compared to others. Take this example: there are some plants that can survive better in cold or hot climates and others aren’t particular about proper air circulation. However, paying attention to the temperature, humidity, air circulation, and light will help you establish an incredible growing environment for your cannabis. This will guarantee that your plants will be happy and comfortable.

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