Wednesday, January 12, 2022

CO2 Extraction of Cannabis Oil: A Guide

The process of CO2 extraction is used to make many food and other products and, these days its popularity is highly in demand as it extracts top quality cannabis oil high in cannabidiol. In the medical cannabis and therapeutic hemp industries, supercritical as well as subcritical extraction is highly used with large commercial operations. Through this content journey, we may come to know about the CO2 extraction for cannabis oil. 

 

Safer, cheaper, and greener solvent:

Cannabis oil uses on a commercial scale either through the use of hydrocarbon solvents such as hexane, butane or via other supercritical or subcritical carbon dioxide processes. The extraction based on carbon dioxide is considered more environmentally friendly. Additionally, this solvent is safer, cleaner, and less toxic than fossil-based extraction.  



What is supercritical CO2?

In simple words, a supercritical carbon dioxide is a pressurized form of CO2 having critical temperature and, critical pressure is 31 °C and 73 bar. This liquid form of carbon dioxide is known as supercritical CO2. Supercritical CO2 extraction enables directing maximum productivities of cannabidiol reliant on the type and quality of cannabis material being used.

 

Supercritical carbon dioxide: cannabis oil extraction

  • First of all, the extraction chamber is filled with ground material, which is known as trim. 

  • After that, a pump forces highly pressurized CO2 at optimum temperature into the extraction chamber.

  • In the extraction chamber, liquid carbon dioxide acts as a solvent and interacts with cannabis. 

  • The highly pressured form of carbon dioxide carries the oil particles of cannabis and, the pressure inside the separator is lower and, the CO2 and cannabis oil separate out. 

  • The liquid carbon dioxide increases and is running scared back to the CO2 tank for recycling in the case of a closed-loop system.

  • The cannabis oil, waxes, and resins incline in the separator where they are seized by a collection container.

  • The resultant material is treated further into numerous products, such as cannabis oil, free of any solvents.

 

Cannabidiol oil yields with supercritical CO2

While talking about yield oil with supercritical carbon dioxide, it produces approx.10% true cannabis oil and, it depends on trim weight. On the other side, if you add in the resin and waxes that are essential for some application and the final product may be from 18 to 25% of the product. 

 

Costs of supercritical CO2 extraction equipment:

The equipment used for the carbon dioxide extraction process is too much expensive. And, it varies from tens of thousands of dollars for small units and thousands of dollars for cutting edge having a capacity of 60 liters.

 

Wrapping up

In the end, we can say Supercritical CO2 extraction is nothing without carbon dioxide, or also can say that supercritical carbon dioxide is the backbone for many extraction industries. Hopefully, the information shared through this informative post will help you a lot regarding the role of highly pressurized CO2 in the extraction process. Thanks!

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