Buffalo Extraction Systems

Cannabis is becoming one of the most lucrative businesses in the United States. Since its legalization, the plant has become a key player in the country’s economy. It has led to increased tax revenues, job growth, and investment opportunities. If you want to enter the market, you’ll need to have a competitive edge—and a cannabis ethanol extraction system is one of the most efficient ways to obtain high-quality cannabis products.

How the cannabis ethanol extraction system works

Ethanol extraction is one of the most common ways to extract cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. You have three distinct types of ethanol to choose from, room temperature, warm, and cold.

Cold ethanol extraction is highly favored for its speed and efficiency. The process can be completed in a few steps, involving:

Placing the raw cannabis material in a vessel and letting it soak in cold ethanol

Allowing the alcohol to solubilize the cannabinoids, such as THC, CBD, terpenes, pigments, and plant lipids

Separating the plant material from the ethanol solution using a filter

Removing the ethanol from the extract using vacuum distillation

The benefits of using cannabis ethanol extraction systems

Safety

Ethanol is comparatively safer and easier to use than other solvents, such as butane. This type of alcohol is minimally explosive and less toxic, minimizing the risk of accidents in your facility.

Moreover, ethanol extraction does not require you to operate under high-pressure conditions. This allows you to obtain precise and high-quality results without needing complicated equipment and in-depth training.

Speed

Cryogenic ethanol extraction allows you to skip one step during the extraction process — winterization. This is as the solvent is already at the required temperature, allowing you to obtain a high-purity product in less time.

Moreover, unlike other extraction methods, using ethanol eliminates the need for the solvent to change phases. As a result, you can save time and energy.

Purity

Ethanol is both polar and non-polar. Because of this, it can easily dissolve a variety of molecules in cannabis and hemp, allowing you to target only the necessary cannabinoids.

Additionally, the solvent can draw out compounds you don’t want in an extract, including chlorophyll.

The cannabis business is one of the most lucrative industries to enter now, with the market expected to reach $30 billion by 2025. But the industry is also highly competitive. Before you can succeed, you’ll need suitable training, technology, and equipment—including industrial-grade ethanol extraction machines.

How ethanol extraction machineswork

Ethanol is a popular solvent used to extract cannabinoids from cannabis and hemp plants. This extraction method follows a relatively straightforward process, involving the steps below:

Soaking

First, the plant material soaks in ethanol inside a suitable vessel. Then, the alcohol seeps into it and solubilizes different compounds, such as CBD, THC, terpenes, and plant lipids.

Separation

The plant material’s soaking time mostly depends on the ethanol’s temperature and your desired product. Once completed, the plant mass must be separated from the ethanol solution using filtration.

Winterization

This step further purifies the cannabis extract, removing unwanted plant lipids. However, you can skip the winterization process if using cold ethanol.

Distillation

Finally, ethanol must be separated from the extract to create the final product. This step involves a vacuum distillation using a rotary evaporator or a falling film evaporator.

The business benefits of using ethanol extraction machines for cannabis extraction

There are numerous ways to extract cannabis from the plant material, including butane honey oil (BHO), carbon dioxide, and water extraction methods.

Ethanol extraction is arguably one of the most efficient methods, especially for business applications. The process is incredibly fast, and you can omit steps such as winterization if you are using cryogenic ethanol. It is also comparatively safer than other options, minimizing the risk of accidents due to high-pressure, high-temperature conditions, and strict storage requirements.

Not only that. Ethanol extraction is also highly scalable. You can purchase ethanol extraction machinesin different sizes, slowly scaling up or down according to your goals and needs. The solvent is significantly cheaper to handle than butane, thus substantiallyreducing your safety and storage costs.

Ethanol continues to be a reliable extraction medium, thanks to its solvent properties and simple methodology. The process has significantly advanced thanks to technology, and now a days, cryogenic ethanol extraction for cannabinoids is the primary method used for hemp and cannabis.

The evolution of cryogenic ethanol extraction for cannabinoids

Ethanol has been widely used in plant extraction for centuries, producing food colorings, perfumes, medicinal bases, and essential oils. It is less toxic than other alcohols, making it the second most popular solvent after water. As a result, several extraction methods have been developed over the years:

Maceration

A traditional approach to ethanol extraction, maceration involves soaking the plant material in ethanol. Then, the material is filtered to separate the solids and liquids and processed using evaporation to remove the solvent.

Soxhlet Extraction

This extraction method is used primarily for botanicals. First, the plant material; is packed into a column where ethanol is heated to produce vapor. Then, as the steam interacts with the material, extraction occurs, and the resulting solution is collected into a boiling flask.

Cryogenic Extraction

This is a relatively new extraction method involving cold ethanol. First, the alcohol is cooled from -20°C to -40°C. Then, plant material like cannabis is placed inside an extraction chamber, allowing it to soak in the liquid.

After extraction, the solution; is separated into the ethanol containing the cannabinoids and the biomass using centrifugal force. And finally, the extracted product is distilled and ready for use in edibles, oils, and other goods.

The benefits of cryogenic ethanol extraction for cannabinoids

Cryogenic extraction is slowly becoming one of the best and most popular ethanol extractionmethods for cannabinoids. The process is highly reliable, offering numerous advantages you won’t find anywhere else:

Speed

Cryogenic extraction is a high-speed method that can be completed in hours. In addition, the process does not require extra steps, such as winterization, saving much time.

Safety

Cryogenic extraction has a lower explosion risk than other methods. It does not involve high-pressure systems, only utilizing ethanol, which has a relatively low boiling point.

Scalability

Cryogenic extraction is easily scalable and adaptable for any business. You can find extraction equipment in various sizes, allowing you to swap into a larger unit as your operations grow.

The cannabis industry is going nowhere but up, with the market size expected to reach over $38 billion in 2028.There are many business opportunities to explore in the field. However, there are also high entry barriers and a lengthy list of regulatory problems to conquer. Thus, it makes sense to seek the help of expert cannabis extraction consultants before entering the market.

What extraction consultants can do for you:

Cannabis extraction consulting services will help you succeed even before your business opensofficially. They can provide expert advice at every step, from pre-production to the eventual sale of products.

Here is a quick overview of what they can do for you at each stage:

Pre-production

Build a value creation strategy and guide cannabis extraction plant setup

Submit government proposals in compliance with the local cannabis laws, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Conduct return on investment (ROI) analysis and study the market to craft a reliable project feasibility report

Production

Spearhead facility design and URS formulation to create a customized layout and plan for your extraction plant, resulting in a fully personalized system

Supply high-quality extraction equipment, including cryogenic and carbon dioxide ethanol solutions, according to your desired scale

Provide documentation and production support for 21 CFR, EU-GMP, CE, ASME, and other global compliance standards

Provide ongoing support for cultivation, greenhouse planning, and material flow

Post-production

Conduct training and provide access to resources for efficient knowledge transfer and capability building

Optimize your processes as you scale the business

Deliver after-sales services for a five-year product evolution plan

Generally, leading extraction consultants will leave no stone unturned as you set up shop.They ensurethat you reach the highest standards of cannabis extraction and production.

Ethanol is a popular solvent for hemp extraction for good reasons. Aside from being easy to use, its versatility enables a range of end-products, making it practical for large-scale and small-scale processors. The hemp ethanol extraction process is ideal for isolating specific cannabinoids such as CBD and THC at scale. Nowadays, the process is further advanced and made reliable to preserve the quality of hemp, particularly by using cryogenic extraction systems.

What makes ethanol safe for hemp extraction?

Carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon are also popular solvents for hemp extraction, but using ethanol generally ensures a more straightforward and safer process. Ethanol is less toxic and explosive, making it safer to use than hydrocarbon extraction. It also provides higher throughput with reduced equipment costs. 

When ethanol is a solvent, it doesn’t have to change phases to deliver successful results. This way, the hemp ethanol extraction process is further simplified without the need for overly intricate systems, equipment, and in-depth training.

Ethanol can be both nonpolar and polar, making it more versatile. It is also a non-viscous liquid at ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressure, so it effectively dissolves easily and quickly.

Ideal for hemp extraction

Hemp oil extraction typically targets cannabinoids like CBD and THC and terpene compounds that are all fat-soluble. Therefore, ethanol dissolves them well. The right ethanol extraction system further simplifies the process.

Cryogenic ethanol technology or cold ethanol extraction helps preserve the purity of hemp to ensure a full-spectrum product. It’s safe and scalable, and it can be standardized. When used as a hemp ethanol extraction process, cryogenic ethanol technology effectively draws out cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, amino acids, lignans, polyphenols, alkamides, and chlorophyll. So, it allows organizations to deliver purer ingredients while ensuring compliance with regulations.

Cryogenic ethanol extraction system

Cannabis oil extraction can be a complicated process when additional processing is involved. But it can be made simple without affecting its integrity. Advancements in the industry have resulted in new technologies such as the CBD extraction machine. It optimizes the extraction process by eliminating the need for extensive processing while protecting the oils from degradation.

There are different CBD extraction machines, and the right choice depends on the process and solvent of choice. One uses cryogenic ethanol, and the other uses food-grade supercritical carbon dioxide. Here’s an overview of each machine:

Cryogenic ethanol extraction system

Cryogenic ethanol technology or cold ethanol extraction reduces processing time from days to hours while ensuring a clean, full-spectrum product. A high-quality cold ethanol CBD extraction machine provides a safe, scalable, and standardized process. It effectively draws out cannabinoids, including CBD, while ensuring pure ingredients.

A cryogenic ethanol extraction system needs to be GMP-compliant and follow the US-FDA and EU-GMP standards. It ensures reliable and consistent temperature control for efficient extraction, with a SCADA system for managing recipes and a data logging feature for analytics. This CBD extraction machine has a closed-loop system to recirculate ethanol for continuous operation. The solvent recovery system uses a vacuum to prevent thermal degradation in oils. There’s a single-pass and multi-pass filtration system to attain desired product clarity.

Benefits to your process

Cryogenic extraction offers a complete, scalable solution for automated solvent cooling and recovery, filtration, decarboxylation, extraction, and de-solventization. The high-capacity system is automated to minimize human intervention while ensuring energy efficiency with heat recovery.

CO2 extraction system

Supercritical carbon dioxide is diffusive like a gas while possessing the solvent properties of a liquid. The result is a powerful extraction medium for natural oils from cannabis and other organic materials. A supercritical CO2 extraction machine applies precise pressure control, ensures consistent flow, and simplifies the collection of low-viscosity and highly resinous products. The CBD extraction machine features a unique extractor closure design to speed up batch changeovers. Moreover, proprietary changeover valves can further hasten the process and isolations, even under high pressures.

Benefits for you

It’s not easy to extract oils from cannabis. Usually, it’s a labor-intensive process that requires many different kinds of equipment. As a result, it can get expensive and confusing, especially when you need to stay up-to-date with compliance rules. Some specialists with years of manufacturing and engineering experience in the cannabis industry came up with advanced equipment to eliminate those issues. Their innovation resulted in ethanol extraction equipment that can automate the entire cannabis oil extraction process.

Skip the legwork in processing

Cryogenic ethanol extraction is a revolutionary process that eliminates; the need for extra processing while increasing cycle times. Also known as Cold Ethanol Extraction, Cryo Ethanol technology gained prominence in 2019; as it reduces the processing time from days to just hours while ensuring the delivery of pristine, full-spectrum results. With the right ethanol extraction equipment, the process is safe and scalable. It can also be standardized.

How it works

Cannabis is a lovely plant rich in compounds from almost every biogenetic class. That makes it versatile with a high potential for treating a range of conditions. Full-spectrum cannabis oil, has multiple molecules, which create the synergic ‘entourage effect’ and surpasses the isolated impact of various compounds.

Using ethanol extraction equipment that facilitates the cryo-ethanol process, cannabinoids like CBD, CBC, THC, CBDV, and CBG; can be drawn out along with lignans, polyphenols, and all eight essential amino acids from the plant. It also draws out the terpenes, flavonoids, alkamides, and chlorophyll.

Cryogenic ethanol extraction is becoming the gold standard for producers looking to meet regulations and the demand for pure ingredients. Technical upgrades should further encourage the trend.

Benefits

Cryogenic ethanol extraction equipment provides a scalable, total solution for automated solvent cooling and recovery, de-solventization, extraction, decarboxylation, and filtration. It’s great for high-capacity and continuous operation while ensuring high-speed operations with 98% ethanol recovery at 350 liters per hour.

Ethanol is a versatile solvent that mixes without separation in organic solvents and water. Also known as ethyl alcohol (EtOH), it is one of the common solvents that closely reproduce chemical ratios under extraction processes. Alcohol lets you extract both oil-soluble and water-soluble components. Ethanol extraction machines simplify the process while allowing you to get the most from it.

Why ethanol extraction?

With the correct machine, ethanol extraction is safer and quicker, and the results remain consistent and desirable, even when working with high-volume hemp. Moreover, the solvents and systems involved are more reasonably priced, than other types of extraction equipment.

How to choose the correct ethanol extraction machine

1. Know the options

When choosing ethanol extraction machines, you have to identify the different types of extraction techniques. Here’s a quick overview:

Soxhlet technique – This is a warm ethanol extraction process that boils ethanol in a pot or a flask under a vacuum. Then, the ethanol is re-condensed with a condenser above the biomass column. Ethanol is continuously washed over cannabis to dissolve cannabinoids.

Chilled conditions and room temperature – These methods preserve more cannabinoid acid forms. This can be used for manufacturing; THCA crystals, shatters, and other oral products that are rich in cannabinoids. Room temperature extraction can get more pigments and waxes, and cooled-down extraction may not need additional clarification and dewaxing procedures.

 2. Go for high-end ethanol extraction machines

Rather than using a basic container and manually agitating cannabis and ethanol, look for a piece of automated equipment that can inject the ethanol solvent, control temperature, and conduct inline dewaxing and clarification.

Cryogenic extraction machines are a scalable all-in-one solution. They can also conduct automated solvent cooling and recovery, decarboxylation, de-solventization, and filtration. It ensures 98 percent ethanol recovery at 350 liters per hour and is convenient for high-capacity and continuous operations.

3. Consult with experts

How does the supercritical fluid extraction system work, and what are its applications? The system is designed to operate the supercritical fluid extraction process, one of the most popular green extraction techniques nowadays. The process separates components using an extraction solvent. However, this method uses supercritical fluids instead of the usual liquid used in the traditional pressurized liquid extraction process. 

The supercritical fluid extraction system, is utilized by many industries for various applications. It includes the production of food, cosmetics, textiles, pharmaceutical products, chemistry, and cannabis or CBD because it delivers superb results. The following are just some of the many reasons why this extraction process is better compared to traditional techniques:

Improved selectivity 

The supercritical fluid extraction system separates and removes compounds or molecules at a higher precision rate. The properties can be altered by changing the temperatures and pressure. This allows manufacturers to be flexible and versatile. 

Higher levels of purification 

Fractionation or extraction was done using the system results in purer and cleaner products. It can recover valuable compounds like oils, fragrances, pigments and remove undesirable odor, pollutants, and tastes. That’s why this method is often applied when manufacturing products like vegetable oils, fish oil, polymers, and other organic consumer products such as cannabis. 

Better flexibility 

This technique offers better flexibility and a higher level of control; compared to conventional liquid-liquid extraction processes. This is because the supercritical fluids are maintained at very high pressures. A slight change in temperature and pressure can impact the density and solubility of the solvent. 

Cost-effective 

The cost of setting up a supercritical fluid extraction system is high. Hence, many businesses in the cannabis industry choose to outsource the extraction process to a supercritical fluid extraction plant. This can significantly decrease production costs and risks. 

Using supercritical carbon dioxide is highly recommended to drive costs further down. Reports show that this solvent can minimize capital and energy costs while being non-hazardous. 

Minimize waste generation

Supercritical fluid extraction is a green extraction technique used for many applications, including CBD extraction. Many businesses in the cannabis industry favor it because of its unique advantages. Supercritical fluid extractors are designed to get pure, clean, and safe products with a supercritical fluid extraction solvent. It is different from the liquid used by the pressurized liquid extractor. 

Why is supercritical fluid better? Because this highly-compressed fluid behaves as gas and liquid at the same time. Above the normal critical temperature and critical pressure, the supercritical fluid expands like gas with a similar density to that of a liquid. Because it diffuses like gas and solvates like a liquid, the extractor delivers higher extraction yields from organic materials such as CBD. 

Below are some of the remarkable advantages of using supercritical fluid extractors:

Quick and has greater precision 

The system has a unique extractor closure designed for quick batch changeovers. The supercritical fluid extraction process is not only fast but also precise. It can isolate and remove a molecule or compound at a higher degree of precision. Thus, the extracted natural oils are purer

Cleaner and safer products

During the extraction process, the system is capable of eliminating the contamination in the material. It removes substances such as undesirable odor, tastes, and even allergenic substances, resulting in cleaner and even 100% food-grade products. 

The primary drawback of this extraction technique is that the systems or machines have to operate at high pressures to keep the solvent in a supercritical state.

The good news is that companies are offering supercritical fluid extraction systems and other CBD extraction systems for businesses. You can essentially outsource the extraction process to them. They provide turnkey solutions, delivering products ready for immediate use and helping minimize production time and expenditures. 

In the business of CBD extraction, there are a lot of alternatives as far as extraction is concerned. Deepening on the operation size, the technician’s skills, and the product you wish to make, you have many options to select from.

One popular alternative is cryogenic extraction. It is an easy-to-scale and relatively safer option for the extraction of CBD. It has turned out to be a major force in the processing industry. Here are some of the advantages of the cryogenic ethanol extraction process.

Faster process

One of the major advantages of cryogenic extraction is that it is a faster procedure and thus more efficient compared to other extraction procedures. It is finished in just a few hours rather than days, as it can evade steps such as winterization.

Lower risk of explosion

Since no high-pressure system is needed, cryogenic extraction probably has less risk of explosion than other CBD extraction forms, which can be difficult to use. Cryogenic extraction uses ethanol; a solution that is far better safety-wise compared to butane due to its lower boiling point and does not need as many security restrictions in its storage and use.

Easily scalable

Cryogenic extraction is an easily scalable solution for any growing business. Centrifuges can come in various sizes, and it is quite easy to add extra units or exchange to a bigger unit if the business develops and you require scaling. Besides, ethanol solvent is relatively inexpensive compared tobutane, and it can be stored easily with fewer safety precautions and restrictions which helps reduce the licensing complexity.

Mechanism

Supercritical CO2 extraction might sound very exotic, however, when you take a closer look, you will realize the impact it has had on your everyday lives .From natural aromas of herbs and spices, to decaffeinated coffee, or even pharmaceutical applications, there are numerous utilities of this extraction method.

Supercritical fluids

They are fascinating substances that are neither gas nor liquid, made once a particular critical pressure and temperature have been surpassed. They are nearly as dense as liquids, however, they contain a similar viscosity as that of gas. Supercritical CO2 caffeine extraction provides you with clear benefits, since carbon dioxide is readily available, non-toxic, inexpensive, non-explosive, and allows gentle product treatment at fair temperatures with separation of the extract and solvent.

Supercritical extraction

It plays a vital role in producing first-class products from natural raw materials such as spices or herbs. The spices or herbs are dried, ground, filled into a basket, and then placed inside the extractor. CO2 is supplied into the extractor through a high-pressure pump, where it starts to dissipate the extract from the product. High pressure enhances the substance solubility that needs to be dissolved. Once the procedure is over, the CO2 can be condensed again for reuse in subsequent extractions.

Wide range of applications

Extraction with supercritical fluids has many applications in the cosmetics, food, and pharma industries. Utilizing this technology to extract substances offers you everyday products like essential oils, decaffeinated coffee, color pigments, and flavors. The pharma applications are even more interesting. With the help of supercritical fluids one can produce or modify nano or micro-sized particles with a clear particle size distribution; procedures that are making drugs with controlled and exact properties possible. Aerogels, high-performance insulation materials with exciting new properties, are another high-tech application where supercritical CO2 acts as a uniquely advantageous extraction solution.

Verdict

One of the best methods of extracting the ingredients of cannabis yield is Cryogenic Ethanol Extraction. In this process, the closed extraction system has excellent features complying with regulatory standards that are mandatory to follow.

Features of Cryogenic Ethanol Extraction

·         This process offers a closed-loop system where ethanol is re-circulated for repeated and continuous operations.

·         The process also enables a manufacturing unit to recover solvent used in extraction under vacuum conditions. No thermal extraction process is utilized in order to protect the essential oils present in the extracted products.

·         The entire extraction infrastructure is developed to follow the GMP, EU-GMP, and USFDA regulatory clauses in order to protect the best benefits of the users. Moreover, following these industry protocols will also lead to the proper extraction of ingredients of cannabis and the permitted extent.

·         The Cryogenic Ethanol Extractionmethod also needs to have an excellent temperature control system so that the sensitive biochemical ingredients do not get decomposed. It aids in retaining the medicinal value of the extracts.

·         Semi-automatic and automatic analytics system to control and manage recipes are also there in the extraction process.

·         Desired clarity of the products needs to be maintained in order to ensure purity and to follow the industry standards.

Benefits of Cryogenic Ethanol Extraction

·         The service providers offer an excellent scalable infrastructure that enables manufacturers to focus on the purity and concentration of the ingredients in extracts.

·         Recovering solvents enable manufacturing units to save on resources and time.

·         It is a continuous operation yielding a high volume of extracts within a short period of time.

Seek solution consultants and providers