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CO2 Extraction - Methods & Devices Used to Create Cannabis Concentrates
Oregon Fire Marshals Association2016 Technical Education Conference
Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
Salem, Oregon
October 18-19, 2016
Andy Joseph - Background
90-96 – US Navy, Nuclear Submarine Mechanic
96-01 – Ohio State University, Bachelors and Masters, Welding Engineering
01-12 – Edison Welding Institute, Director of Welding and Testing Business Units
01-present – Apeks Supercritical, President, janitor, welder, assembly tech…
Apeks Supercritical - History
• Founded in 2001 manufacturing botanical oil extraction systems– Headquartered in Johnstown, Ohio
– Originally designed for natural products, flavorings, essential oils
• 2009(ish) - Medical Marijuana industry discovered Apeks
• 2012 - Introduced Patented Valveless Expansion Technology
• 2013 - 90% of customers in marijuana industry
• 2014 - Opened Denver, CO facility for Sales and Service
• 2015 - Moved to new manufacturing facility in Johnstown Ohio Industrial Park
Apeks Supercritical Expertise and Awards• 29 employees
– 6 US military veterans
– 7 degreed engineers, 2 with advanced degrees • Mechanical, Electrical, Metallurgical, Welding, Food Science
• Backgrounds such as: – ASME pressure vessel manufacturing
– Honda Automotive Production Controls and Automation
– American Welding Society D1 and A5 Code Committees
• Awards– Columbus Business First – Fast 50, 3 years in a row, top 10
– INC 500 – 24th Fastest growing private company in US, 2015 (#236 – ’16)
– 2016 Edison Awards – Bronze winner
– 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year – Ohio Valley Region winner
Step 1 – Raw oil extractionSubcritical CO2
• Low Temp
• Low Pressure
• Slower extraction
• Terpene preservation
Supercritical CO2
• High Temp
• High Pressure
• Faster Extraction
• More wax
C02
Step 2 – Post Processing• Post processing after extraction is required for nearly
every product type:
• Vape Pens • Plant fats and waxes typically separated
• Dilution to reduce viscosity is typical
• Dabbing products – shatter, crumble, honeycomb, wax• Usually done with vacuum oven
• Edibles and Infused Products• Emerging area with huge potential
• Capsules, transdermal patches, tinctures
Step 2 - WinterizationSupplies needed• Rotary Evaporator• Freezer• Ethanol• Vacuum Flask• Filter Paper• Buchner Funnel
Pros• Increases Potency• Works better in vape
pen• Thins the oil• Removes Water
Cons• Loss of Flavor• Use of Solvents
C02
Possible Step 3• May also see a tertiary process
• “The Clear”– Fractional distillation
– Molecular Separation
– Thin film/Wiped film distillation
– Molecular Seive
– Short path distillation
Extraction Fundamentals• Extractions are used to separate oils/waxes from
plant materials
• Sometimes referred to as “concentrates”
• 2 basic types – Mechanical and Solvent
• Mechanical (concentrates per OLCC):– Dry Seive (Kief), Ice water hash, bubble bags
• Solvent (extracts per OLCC):– Common: CO2, Butane/Propane, Alcohol/Ethanol
– Not as common: Hexane, Naptha, Refrigerant gas (R134)
Extraction Fundamentals• All methods are capable of performing extractions. None are
“better” than the rest – just Pros and Cons• Mechanical – Keif, Bubble Hash
• Pros – cheap, low tech• Cons – low yields, labor intensive
• Solvent – Butter, Olive or Coconut Oil• Pros – simple, uses standard kitchenware• Cons – difficult to scale, can’t separate extract from solvent
• Solvent – Ethanol and Hydrocarbons (butane, propane)• Pros – low equipment cost, high yields, faster extraction times• Cons – high facility cost, explosive, chlorophyll, bad perception
• Solvent – CO2• Pros – pure extraction, no residual solvent, selectivity• Cons – high equipment cost, slower extraction times
CO2 System Components
Extraction Vessels
Chiller/heater
Fully Automated PLC
Separation Vessels
Collection Cup
Diaphragm Compressor
CO2 Cylinders
Basics of CO2 extraction• CO2 in liquid or
supercritical state behaves like a solvent
• Subcritical = liquid
• Low press, low temp
• Supercritical = combo properties of gas and liquid
• High press, high temp
How does CO2 extraction work?
Water (Bubble Hash)
C02Hydrocarbon
4 Step Process
• Filling• Pressurizing
• Extracting
• Recovery
How does CO2 extraction work?
Water (Bubble Hash)
C02Hydrocarbon
Water (Bubble Hash)
C02Hydrocarbon
4 Step Process
• Filling
• Pressurizing• Extracting
• Recovery
Safety for CO2 Extraction Systems• CO2 is non flammable – no explosion risk
• Eliminates need for evacuation system, room, hood, etc
• Building code requires ventillation
• Minimal facility requirements• CO2 monitoring/alarm
• Placarding – “oxygen deficient environment”
• Venting of relief points to outside
• Safe storage/handing of compressed gas cylinders
Safety for CO2 Extraction Systems• CO2 does operate at high pressures
• Apeks employs 4 levels of safety protection
• Proper design per ASME, NFPA and IFC
• Electrical control system
• Backup mechanical pressure relief valves
• Operator training
ASME Pressure Vessel Design
• ASME allows an exclusion for marking of pressure vessels• Less than 6” in diameter
• No limit on length or pressure
• Generally, ASME manufacturers will only mark if customer or governing body requires it due to additional costs
• OLCC does not specify marked vessels• …built to codes of recognized and generally accepted good engineering
standards, such as those of:• (i) American National Standards Institute (ANSI);
• (ii) Underwriters Laboratories (UL); or
• (iii) The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• Engineering Peer review covers pressure ratings in detail!
ASME Pressure Vessels
• 2 methods to determine pressure rating• Calculations
• Burst Testing
• Burst testing showed failure point is always gasket seals – no rupture, shrapnel, etc
• Nothing goes “boom”
UL Listed – 508A
• Standard for Industrial Control Panels
• Requires assessment and surprise audits
• Peer review does not undergo thorough assessment of electrical components
• UL recommended by OLCC
• Note: UL Listing of equipment is not as comprehensive as EPR/UL 508A combination
Mechanical Relief Valves
• Provided in the event of a power failure or component malfunction
• Protects pressure containing portions of the system
• Non-isolable
• ASME requires setting at 10% above working pressure
Other CO2 Extraction Systems• Repurposed analytical testing
instruments– Wide parameter control for R&D– Struggles with production output
demands– Generally operate at high pressures
and temps
Other CO2 Extraction Systems• Manually operated systems
– Simple, no electrical controls
– Not easy to use. Skilled operator must monitor continuously
– Operator key element of safety
Other CO2 Extraction Systems• New Entries
– Nearly half of CO2 extraction equipment suppliers are less than 2 years old or have no cannabis experience
– Generally lack certifications, engineering documentation, support
Other Types of CO2 Extraction Systems
• Foreign manufacturers
– Generally well built systems
– Long lead times and lack of support in US
Other Types of CO2 Extraction Systems
• Value priced systems
– Low priced
– Questionable understanding of the process
Opportunities in OLCC regs…
• Definitions:• …A chemical extraction process using the hydrocarbon-
based solvent carbon dioxide, if the process uses high heat or pressure.• Unlikely to see extraction process for botanicals operating
above 180F• CO2 is not a hydrocarbon
• …If using carbon dioxide in processing, use a professional grade closed loop carbon dioxide gas extraction system where every vessel is rated to a minimum of six hundred pounds per square inch. • More appropriate to refer to ASME
Thank You
740-809-1160
www.apekssupercritical.com