Using CO2 liquefied gas in the supercritical extraction machine has proved to offer benefits in production input as well as output. CO2 is non-polar meaning it does not dissolve in water hence not easily contaminated. Due to its inert nature, CO2 does not support combustion, therefore, fire accidents caused by the generation of heat during production is avoided. CO2 has no known health hazards risks associated with it and therefore it is both user-friendly and environmentally friendly. However, to use the supercritical extractor machine can be a bit challenging and care should be taken. Here are some of the few tips you should consider when using one:
- Prepare the genetic plant as early as nine months before. The genetic plant that you decide on should be properly analyzed before starting the production. It helps one figure out when the plant will have a high yield, when is the active component ready for extraction and which part of the plant has the highest concentration, for maximum output. Cannabinoids are highly concentrated on the trim unlike the roots and the stems. The plant is harvested, dried and ground to increase surface area for the extraction process.
- Put the ground plant in the extractor. CO2 is used to pump in at regulated pressure and temperature to dissolve the active cannabinoids from the trim. The supercritical co2 extraction machine is able to maintain the CO2 at liquid state due to the high pressure and temperatures which in turn ensures increased solubility of cannabinoids.
- The viscous fluid flows down into the downstream vessel. The function of the downstream vessel in this chamber is to obtain an extract saturated with cannabinoids. The extract has dissolved active components and also wax and it is therefore oily. At the downstream vessel, the pressure and temperature are gradually reduced to obtain the extract and to allow cooling.
- Collect the oil extract from the containment system. At this stage, the waxy oil extract is passed through a water bath to make it viscous. The water bath acts also as a preventive measure to avoid clogging or blockage of the pipes that may be brought about by solidification of the wax. The viscous liquid is collected in containers mixed with ethanol. The ethanol is able to dissolve most of the wax.
- The final process is winterization. This is when the waxy oil liquid collected in the containers is deep into a freezer to remove the wax with ethanol, leaving behind a pure extract that is ready to be converted into finished products. The CO2 remaining in the extract is of negligible amount since most of it evaporates under low pressures.
For a clean final product free from contaminants, the CO2 is the best solvent to use in the supercritical extraction machine. The use of this machines is easy and there are professionals all over the world willing to assist in the operation. Whether for large scale or small scale, the output for this extraction machines is high using CO2 and the production is economical.
