CBD Extraction

Technical Consultation • Product Development • Filtration Systems

Overview

Interest in medicinal uses for Cannabidiol (CBD) in neuroprotection, seizure suppression, anxiety mitigation, and chronic pain management has led to increased legalization of hemp and cannabis agriculture and processing. In turn, effective, application-specific filtration media and equipment expertise are in high demand.

What We Offer

Filter Products Company has provided technical consultation, product development, and filtration solutions to customers that are producing equipment for this rapidly developing industry, as well as the licensed producers of CBD and other essential oils.

Our essential oils customer base uses all of the established solvents, including ethanol, butane (BHO), propane (PHO), and CO2 (SCFE), medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oils, as well as solvent-based and solvent-free extraction methods that are in development for commercial-scale application.

We can provide complete filtration systems, including:

  • Biomass containment bags used in the first stage of extraction and centrifugation for bulk plant matter retention (50- to 200-micron)
  • Coarse filtration bags and housings for capturing plant residue (10- to 100-micron)
  • Bulk filtration aids including loose activated carbons, diatomaceous earth and perlite
  • Fine filtration (0.45- to 10-micron) systems
  • Polishing filtration (0.30- to 3-micron) systems
  • Activated carbon filtration elements for color correction, impurity stripping, and odor mitigation, available in several grades

Please see the case studies below for examples of how Filter Products Company has helped customers in the hemp and cannabis extraction industry increase process efficiency and throughput, as well as reduce down-time and operational cost. Customer names are sometimes not mentioned to maintain confidentiality but we will be happy to discuss details and provide references when you call.

Whether you are processing 50 gallons or 5,000 gallons of extract per day, Filter Products Company can deliver a filtration solution for you. Contact us today to discuss your filtration needs.

Case Studies & Articles

CBD Filtration Systems Design Guidelines and Consulting

This article discusses general guidelines and procedures FPC recommends for post-extraction filtration. Best practices for filtration following ethanol, hydrocarbon, CO2, and MCT extraction techniques are covered.

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FPC Creates Cryogenic Filter Bag for Pinnacle Stainless

Pinnacle Stainless needed a strainer that could withstand the cryogenic environment of their process reactors, but the limitations of stainless steel mesh made it unsuitable for their applications. Filter Products Company delivered.

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FPC Enhances Post-Extraction Filtration System

A BHO processor’s brand new filtration system was experiencing significant down-time, and sometimes failing and letting unfiltered feed stock through. Filter Products Company took on the challenge.

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Essential Oil
(CBD) Extraction

One of the largest CBD oil extraction centrifuge and Hydrocarbon extraction equipment manufacturing OEMs needed help designing a custom strainer bag for their equipment.

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Cannabis Processor Realizes Significant Savings with FPC

A large cannabis processor contacted Filter Products Company to redesign a custom strainer bag used in the centrifugation stage of an ethanol extraction process. Our engineering team worked with their process engineer to design a zipper-closure centrifuge liner that provides a manifold increase in strainer bag life.

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CBD Filtration Systems Design and Consulting

Filter Products Company provides consulting services for your CBD extraction process and design services for CBD filtration systems. As part of the consulting offering, FPC will visit your facility, analyze the current process and equipment, and conduct extensive on-site lab testing to provide recommendations on the filtration media and processes you need to produce high-quality, refined CBD extract.

FPC offers filtration system solutions for ethanol extraction, CO2 extraction, hydrocarbon extraction, and MCT extraction. Following is a summary of general guidelines for each process. Since each process is different, we strongly suggest that you speak with our applications specialists to tailor a filtration solution to your exact needs.

FPC offers pre-configured filtration skids for your cannabis extraction application, whether it be pre-filtration, dewaxing, clarification, decolorization, or final fine particulate removal. We will work with you to understand your problem and tailor a skid solution to your needs.

Filtration Skid Data Sheet

Ethanol Extraction

Four stage ethanol process cbd extract filtration diagram

For ethanol extraction, FPC recommends a four-stage process and associated equipment. For batch processing (rather than continuous flow), this system is most effective with re-circulation. Batch re-circulation allows for single-tank operation where the filtered liquid is re-circulated back to the same tank until the desired end-state is achieved.

  1. Bulk Particulate Filtration – For the first stage, FPC recommends a sanitary polished bag filter housing that uses coarse filtration media to catch loose biomass and adsorb semi-solid free waxes and lipids resulting from winterization.

Then a diverting valve sends the extract back to the crude tank and the extract recirculates through the coarse filtration stage several times.

  1. Fine Particulate Capture – After the activated carbon filter, FPC recommends fine filtration using cellulose and diatomaceous earth filters, to remove the remaining particulate and lipids in solution and bring the particulate size down even further.
  2. Color & Odor Correction – After bulk filtration, FPC recommends diverting the extract through activated carbon lenticular filters, which are very effective in color mitigation and odor/taste correction.

The extract then returns to the crude tank to be re-circulated through the coarse, activated carbon, and fine filters until the desired clarity, color, taste, and odor profile is achieved.

  1. Polish Filtration – For the final stage, FPC recommends a single pass cartridge polish filter to capture any residual filtration media. This barrier filter ensures that the extract is ready for film ethanol evaporation.

Hydrocarbon and CO2 Extraction

Three stage CO2 or hydrocarbon process cbd extract filtration diagram

Compared to ethanol extraction, these two processes and their equipment produce a much lower volume of extract with smaller particulate size, but with a higher lipids and wax content. FPC therefore recommends a system scaled to the volumetric output of these two processes. Since there is no need to conduct bulk particulate pre-filtration, FPC recommends a three-stage process

  1. Fine particulate Capture – After the activated carbon filters, a fine cellulose / diatomaceous earth media captures small particulate matter.
  2. Color & Odor Correction – For the first stage, FPC recommends a small format filter press with activated carbon filters.

A diverting valve then returns the extract to the crude tank to be re-circulated through the activated carbon and fine filters until the desired clarity, color, taste, and odor profile is achieved.

  1. Polish Filtration – For the final filtration step prior to evaporation, FPC recommends a small cartridge polish filter.

MCT Extraction

Four stage MCT process cbd extract filtration diagram

MCT is another solvent sometimes used, whose benefits may include increased absorption of CBD. FPC recommends a four-stage filtration process with re-circulation for this method as well, with the addition of loose filtration aids in the first stages of filtration.

  1. Addition of Filtration Aids – FPC recommends beginning by combining loose activated carbon and diatomaceous earth with the MCT oil after extraction is complete and the extracted biomass has been removed. Using gentle agitation to thoroughly mix the MCT extract, activated carbon, and DE maximizes exposure between the oil and the filtration aides.
  2. Bulk Particulate Filtration – For the next stage, a sanitary polished bag filter housing uses coarse filtration media to catch remaining biomass particulate, as well as the entrained DE and activated carbon.

Then a diverting valve sends the extract back to the crude tank and the extract recirculates through the coarse filtration stage several times.

  1. Fine Particulate Capture – After the activated carbon filter, cellulose and diatomaceous earth filters provide fine filtration to remove the remaining particulate and lipids in solution and bring the particulate size down even further.
  2. Color & Odor Correction – After bulk filtration, FPC recommends diverting the extract through activated carbon lenticular filters, which are very effective in color mitigation and odor/taste correction.

The extract then returns to the crude tank to be re-circulated through the coarse, activated carbon, and fine filters until the desired clarity, color, taste, and odor profile is achieved.

  1. Polish Filtration – For the final stage, FPC recommends a single pass cartridge polish filter to capture any residual filtration media.

Filter Products Company Expertise

Filter Products Company is standing by to help with all of your filtration needs. Please give us a call to help improve your existing or planned CBD filtration system. We specialize in designing filtration systems which yield pure, highly refined extract.

We have 60 years of filtration experience and we apply a proven 6 step methodology to Filtration Engineering:

  1. Engineering review of the overall process. Identify root sources of debris and contaminants. Addressing issues as far upstream as possible typically saves overall cost and time.
  2. Conceptual design of the target filtration system, and preliminary budget review with the customer.
  3. Lab testing to confirm process and media selection. Verify final product quality for the customer based on lab results. The testing is done at the customer site or FPC lab, based on customer preferences and capabilities.
  4. Final system design, quotations, and report presentation.
  5. Installation and commissioning support.
  6. After-sale service, refinement, and continuous improvement support to ensure further product quality and efficiency improvements as customers’ upstream processes evolve or change.

We Can Help with Your Next CBD Project

Please contact us using the form below for more information.

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