3 Methods for Ethanol Extraction

Ethanol is a popular solvent for BHO, CBD, and THC extraction. Now, I am going to introduce you 3 methods about ethanol extraction.

 

The first one is Maceration:

Soak the dry hemp leaves with ethanol solvent. Waiting for some times, and filter the solvent to separate the solid and the liquid. And then using a falling film evaporation to remove the solvent, so as to collect crude botanical extract.

Features:

In this way, you could extract cannabis easily is a short time with low cost. And this method could be use at a small and large scale. While the extract time is determined by dry plants, proof of ethanol, and the working temperature, the extraction time is hard to control. Also the purity of the extract will be low.

The second one is Soxhlet Extraction

As for Soxhlet Extraction, an equipment like this is necessary:

First of all, put the dry plants into the column between the boiling flask and the condensing column. Ethanol solvent is put in the boiling flask, and water runs into the condensing column and runs out. Heating the ethanol, so that the ethanol will turn into vapor. Vapor will be cooling down by the water and drop into the column that contains dry plants. A mixture of solvent and compounds that are soluble in ethanol at the vapor temperature of ethanol will run into the flask. At last, the ethanol extract solution will be collected in the boiling flask.

Features:

This is also a fast and easy way with low cost. Also there is no need for you to filter the solvent and liquid. And familiar with Maceration, the result is a cannabis extract that is far from pure. As you have to use a Soxhlet extractor, it could not deal with too much dry plants per run.

The third one is Cold Ethanol Extraction

Our closed loop extractor is suitable for cold ethanol extraction. Please refer to the picture below:

First, put the dry plants in the material column. And then turn on the chiller(or start to put the dry ice in to the sleeve if your column is open jacketed). When you start the system, the ethanol solvent in recovery tank will run into the column, soak the dry plants and reaction. Then extract will run into the collection tank. Heat up the collection tank with a heater, and the ethanol solvent will turn into vapor and run out. The vapor turns into liquid again when it pass through the cooling coil. You could also use a falling film evaporation to make ethanol out of your extract.

Features:

This method could help you to get a more pure-cannabinoid extract. And We have different sizes from 45g to 50LB, to meet different people’s needs. While compared with Soxhlet extraction, you need more cost for equipment and more time for extraction.