Centrifugal Extractors for Cannabis Oil Extraction
The hemp centrifuge utilizes centrifugal force to efficiently extract desired compounds from hemp biomass. This advanced technology shortens processing time and enables higher production. Within the cannabis industry, the centrifuge is a crucial tool for CBD extraction.
Hemp Centrifuge Series
Allcentrifuges offers an array of hemp centrifuges for maximum CBD extraction. Our diverse range caters to the varying needs of the industry, ensuring high-quality performance. We provide customized processing capacities for small or large-scale CBD production, meeting the specific demands of our clients.
Features
- Utilizing an automated CIP cleaning system for efficient maintenance.
- The components that come into contact with the material, such as wear parts, seals, and lubricants, are compliant with food and pharmaceutical industry regulations.
- The surface finish has been polished to a hygienic level, with a maximum unevenness of 0.8 μm.
- The machine’s design incorporates a no dead angle approach to eliminate hard-to-clean gaps and areas where fine particles can collect.
| Model | Speed (rpm) | G Force | Capacity (m3/h) | Dimension (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWY250 | 5000 | 3500 | > 1 | 2600 × 800 × 1200 |
| LWY350 | 4000 | 3136 | 3 ~ 5 | 3750 × 1040 × 1350 |
| LWY450 | 3500 | 3087 | 5 ~ 10 | 4200 × 1140 × 1450 |
| LWY520 | 3200 | 2982 | 10 ~ 15 | 5050 × 1285 × 1550 |
| LWY580 | 3000 | 2948 | 15 ~ 20 | 5600 × 1400 × 1655 |
| LWY650 | 2800 | 2854 | 20 ~ 30 | 6000 × 1550 × 1800 |
Centrifuge for Ethanol Extraction of THC
The extraction of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) from the cannabis plant is the main objective of all extraction methods. This process yields a concentrated oil containing the extracted cannabinoid (THC from Cannabis) found in the plant’s biomass.
Ethanol and hydrocarbons are commonly used by THC processors in the cannabis industry for extraction, as they are able to dissolve the precious oil easily. This is due to the oil’s solubility in these substances and their effectiveness in extraction.
Biomass Separation Process
The proper equipment for extracting the biomass from the solvent post-extraction is a low-rpm, basket-type centrifuge with low g-force. This type of centrifuge is ideal for batch processing in ethanol extraction, providing efficient separation.
While it may be a time-consuming and inefficient method, its lower initial cost is its main advantage. However, when used for large volumes, the losses of solvent in this batch process can quickly accumulate.
Centrifuge Operation
The cannabis extraction centrifuge is a type of industrial centrifuge that separates the biomass from the solvent while retaining the THC oil it contains, in a continuous process.
Utilizing a horizontal decanter centrifuge, the gravity force is increased to over 3,000 times its normal amount in order to effectively separate solvent from depleted cannabis cuttings. With a high performance flow-through system, this centrifuge can recover up to 95% of solvent from the plant matter.
Advantages
Hemp Centrifuges provide numerous benefits compared to traditional basket centrifuges. Listed below are a few advantages of these advanced machines.
- High Centrifuge Efficiency: This decanter centrifuge generates a high centrifugal force of over 3,000 Gs, making it highly efficient. However, an open bowl with a low RPM centrifuge is unable to produce the same level of efficiency.
- Continuous Process: The flow-through design of decanter centrifuges allows for continuous separation of hemp biomass. As the centrifuge operates, water is continuously discharged via a designated outlet, leaving behind clear centrate.
- Wide Range of Sediment Capture: The decanter-type centrifuge relies on centrifugal force to efficiently separate sediment ranging from 50 µ to over 10 mm. Its basket centrifuge uses an insert with a specific pore size to effectively limit the amount of sediment in the final output.
- Compact Size: Decanter centrifuges are designed to be small and efficient, taking up minimal space. A perfect illustration of their compact design is the 40-GPM Hemp Centrifuge, which has a 3′ x 7′ x 45 (H) footprint.
- Continuous Solids Ejection: The disc-stack centrifuge for decanting hemp biomass operates continuously, eliminating the need to pause and eject separated materials.
- Durability: The Allcentrifuges decanter centrifuges are known for their exceptional durability, with key bowl components constructed from 316 Stainless Steel. The centrifuge frame is also incredibly sturdy and can often last for several decades of use.
- Low Operating Cost: The hemp centrifuge has a low operating cost as it only requires electricity for the drive motor. This is due to its ‘self-cleaning’ and fully automatic design, eliminating the need for recurring material or manual labor costs.
Benefits
Decanter & Disc-Stack Centrifuges provide superior advantages compared to basket (washing machine) style centrifuges and downstream filtration of the separated ethanol. These benefits include:
Continuous Processing
Utilizing decanter centrifuges, the ethanol cannabis biomass slurry can be continuously separated from the cannabis biomass. This efficient and quick process is ideal for handling large quantities of plant matter.
Higher Separation Efficiency
Conventional basket centrifuges, similar to washing machines, generate approximately 1,000 Gs of centrifugal force. However, due to the limitations of their basket design, these centrifuges may experience balance issues when operated at higher speeds.
The decanter centrifuge’s flow-through design allows it to achieve a significantly higher centrifugal force, exceeding 3,000 Gs, making it a powerful tool in industrial applications.
Higher Ethanol Recovery
Industrial centrifuges are able to generate a greater centrifugal force and are equipped with specialized design characteristics that enable them to efficiently remove a majority of the ethanol from the slurry. The decanter centrifuge can result in residual biomass with only 5% ethanol and significantly reduced moisture levels in the remaining cannabis biomass.
Moreover, the dryness level of the biomass can be easily adjusted through mechanical means on the centrifuge. The downside of having drier biomass is an increase in ethanol cloudiness and an increase in fine particles from the plant material.
Lower Operating Cost
Decanter centrifuges are a type of continuous process separator that eliminates the need for manual labor and stoppage in order to extract biomass bags. These centrifuges are almost entirely self-regulating and can operate for extended periods without any intervention from an operator. This makes them highly efficient and helps to reduce the amount of labor needed compared to traditional basket-type centrifuges.
The flow-through design eliminates the need for biomass carrier bags, saving the additional cost associated with basket-type centrifuges.
Clean and Safe Operation
The process of manually removing the used biomass bag from the centrifuge basket is necessary for basket-type centrifuges. However, this exposes both the operator and facility to ethanol and potential spills. In contrast, decanter centrifuges have a fully enclosed and continuous design that eliminates the risk of ethanol exposure and spills.
THC Solvent Polishing Centrifuge
The decanter centrifuge effectively separates cannabis plant matter from adsorbents, but does not completely eliminate suspended particles.
A disc-stack centrifuge generates significant centrifugal forces, effectively separating small suspended particles from un-clear fluids.
The clarifying centrifuge effectively separates the THC-carrying solvent from the cannabis plant matter, as well as any remaining waxes and lipids from the biomass separation process.
This centrifuge is a professional-grade piece of equipment that utilizes the force of gravity, up to 10,000 times, to efficiently and effectively remove organic particles as small as half a micron in size.
This high-speed Alfa Laval centrifuge, which falls under the disc-stack type, is incapable of processing fluids below 32 F. However, it can effectively remove up to 80% of unwanted wax, lipid, and chlorophyll from solvents when operated at 32~35 F due to its high g-force.
The removal of waxes and lipids from the product leads to various advantages for downstream processing machinery. Specifically, it decreases the required amount of filtration following the solvent’s winterization process.
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