Hemp Processing Equipment Selection Guide
Applies To: Hemp Extraction Facilities (100–1,000 lbs/day throughput)
Link to Hemp Processing Equipment Guide
Summary
This guide helps processors choose the right extraction, filtration, recovery, and post-processing equipment based on throughput, budget, and desired end products (crude, distillate, or isolate). It includes yield projections at multiple scales, cost ranges by process stage, preferred suppliers, and a full step-by-step breakdown of the hemp extraction workflow.
Quick Facts
- Category: Equipment Selection & Process Planning
- Use Case: Hemp extraction (ethanol-based workflow)
- Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Throughput Tiers:
- 100 lbs/day
- 500 lbs/day
- 1,000 lbs/day
- 100 lbs/day
- Outputs Covered:
- Crude oil
- Refined crude
- Distillate
- CBD isolate
- Mother liquor cannabinoids
- Selection Factors: Budget, throughput, extraction efficiency, solvent strategy, and desired purity.
Safety & PPE
While each piece of equipment has its own safety requirements, hemp extraction at scale typically requires:
- Nitrile or chemical-resistant gloves
- Lab coat or solvent-resistant apron
- Safety glasses or splash goggles
- Closed-toe shoes
- Adequate ventilation for solvents
- Explosion-proof or C1D2/C1D1 environments where required
Before You Begin / Preparation
- Define daily biomass throughput (100 / 500 / 1,000 lbs/day).
- Decide target end product: crude only, distillate, isolate, or broad-spectrum THC-free.
- Identify budget range: low, mid, or high tier.
- Confirm extraction method: This guide assumes ethanol extraction.
- Assess utilities: electrical service, chilled water, air handling, and floor space.
Hemp Processing Yields by Throughput Tier
These projections assume:
- 97% extraction efficiency
- 10% flower potency
- 65% crude potency
- 10% winterization loss
- 15% decarb loss
- 95% distillation yield
- 85% distillate potency
- 75% isolate yield
- 99% isolate purity
100 lbs/day Output Summary
|
Stage |
Output |
|
Crude Oil |
9.7 lbs (4,403.8 g; 2,862.47 g CBD) |
|
Refined Crude |
3,368.9 g (2,189.79 g CBD) |
|
Distillate |
7.05 lbs (3,200.46 g; 2,720.39 g CBD) |
|
Isolate |
4.49 lbs (2,040.29 g; 2,019.89 g CBD) |
|
Mother Liquor |
2.55 lbs (1,160.17 g; 700.50 g cannabinoids) |
500 lbs/day Output Summary
|
Stage |
Output |
|
Crude Oil |
48.5 lbs (22,019 g; 14,312.35 g CBD) |
|
Refined Crude |
16,844.53 g (10,948.95 g CBD) |
|
Distillate |
35.25 lbs (16,002.30 g; 13,601.96 g CBD) |
|
Isolate |
22.47 lbs (10,201.47 g; 10,099.46 g CBD) |
|
Mother Liquor |
12.77 lbs (5,800.84 g; 3,502.51 g cannabinoids) |
1,000 lbs/day Output Summary
|
Stage |
Output |
|
Crude Oil |
97 lbs (44,038 g; 28,624.70 g CBD) |
|
Refined Crude |
33,689.07 g (21,897.90 g CBD) |
|
Distillate |
70.49 lbs (32,004.61 g; 27,203.92 g CBD) |
|
Isolate |
44.94 lbs (20,402.94 g; 20,198.91 g CBD) |
|
Mother Liquor |
25.55 lbs (11,601.67 g; 7,005.01 g cannabinoids) |
Equipment Selection by Scale & Budget
100 lbs/day
- Low Budget (~$46k):
- Extraction: Custom system ($15k)
- Filtration: Buchner funnels ($500)
- Winterization: Freezer ($2,500)
- Solvent Recovery: TouchScience 20L rotovap ($7,500)
- Decarb: Hot plate & SS bucket ($500)
- Distillation: LS 10L SPD ($15k)
- Crystallization: Beakers + vac oven ($5k)
- Mid Budget (~$114k): Upgraded CUP 15/Ace Spinner, NBOler filtration, 50L roto, etc.
- High Budget (~$490k): CUP 30 extraction, Beaker & Wrench or Cascade WFE, Delta FFE, filter reactor.
500 lbs/day
- Low Budget (~$186k): Cartridge filtration, multiple rotos, basic decarb, LS short path.
- Mid Budget (~$546.5k): Lenticular stack filtration, Agile FFE, pair of WFEs, filter reactor.
- High Budget (~$864k): Pinnacle RFE, Cascade ovens, upgraded reactors.
1,000 lbs/day
- Low Budget (~$720k): HZB MFG Spinner extraction, cartridge stack filtration, Agile FFE.
- Mid Budget (~$1.25M): Deutsche Process extraction, LS Incon WFE, filter reactors.
- High Budget (~$3M): Precision extraction → Premium wiped film → Premium FFE.
Preferred Suppliers (By Process Stage)
|
Supplier |
Extraction |
Filtration |
Winterization |
Recovery |
Decarb |
Distillation |
Crystallization |
Ancillary |
|
Ace Spinner |
X |
|||||||
|
Agile Stainless |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
Beaker & Wrench |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
|
Cascade Botanical |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||
|
Delta |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
|
Deutsche Process |
X |
|||||||
|
HZB Mfg |
X |
|||||||
|
Lab Society |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
|
NBOler |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
|
Pinnacle |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
|
Precision |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
|
Touch Science |
X |
X |
X |
Process Breakdown (Step-by-Step)
STEP 1 — Extraction
- What: Separate cannabinoids from biomass via solvent (typically cold ethanol).
- How: Soak biomass, then recover solvent with a centrifuge.
STEP 2 — Winterization
- What: Remove lipids by cold crashing + filtration.
- How: Freezer → beakers → filtration or filter reactor.
- Extra: Can be skipped if extraction was sufficiently cold.
STEP 3 — Solvent Recovery
- What: Evaporate solvent from crude.
- How: Rotovap, Falling Film Evaporator (FFE), Rising Film Evaporator (RFE).
STEP 4 — Decarboxylation / Devolatilization
- What: Convert CBDa → CBD using heat.
- How: Heated outside the still; often done in SS buckets or convection ovens.
- Extra: Helps remove volatiles before distillation.
STEP 5 — Distillation
- What: Purify cannabinoids via vacuum-assisted evaporation.
- How:
- Short Path Distillation (SPD) for batch processing
- Wiped film evaporator (WFE) for continuous flow
- Extra: Proper vacuum depth is essential.
STEP 6 — Crystallization
- What: Form CBD isolate crystals.
- How: Beakers + freezer (small scale) or a filter reactor + chiller (large scale).
- Extra: Produces CBD isolate + THC-rich mother liquor.
STEP 7 — THC Remediation
- What: Remove THC via chromatography.
- How: HPLC-based systems like Interchim Puriflash or Biotage.
- Extra: Isolate can be recombined for broad-spectrum products.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Low crude yield: Check extraction efficiency, solvent temperature, and biomass moisture.
- Slow winterization: Ensure temperatures are sufficiently low (–20°C or colder).
- Poor distillate clarity: Confirm vacuum depth, glassware seals, and decarb completeness.
- Crystals not forming: Cool slowly; verify distillate potency ≥ 70% CBD.
- Solvent recovery bottlenecks: Consider scaling from roto to FFE/RFE.
Contact & Support
If you need assistance with equipment selection or process design:
📞 734-855-4890
📧 sales@usalabequipment.com