Eden Labs 20L Cleanup run

Hash and Stuff Extraction
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Good morning,
I’ve been reading on this forum for months and want to start off by saying thank you to everyone providing information about anything and everything related to cannabis and the business. I look forward to contributing my knowledge to future posts.
So I’m making this post asking for help about cleaning out the lines and system on a Eden Labs Hi-FLO 20L CO2 Extraction machine.
I normally do 2 weeks of runs that range from 2 - 12 hrs depending on the end product. Then, I’ll do a quick dry run and break down some of the lines and rebuild the pump. After that ill refill the accumulator (I degas it after the dry run) and proceed with the runs again. I’ve found no matter what, ill always get more gunk out especially if im extracting terpenes. So the first 10gs terps on the first run are always contaminated with crude. It’s not a big issue as i can just throw that in a centrifuge and separate the crude from the terpenes.
I’ve seen people put ethanol (roughly 150ml) in a clean empty Extraction Vessel and do a normal run, extracting the ethanol out of the separator (I’m assuming). I’ve tried this a few times with most of the ethanol remaining in the EV , bypassing the separators, and ending up in the accumulator. I’ve tried different parameters for this;
1800psi 34C (EV) 80C (separators)
1800psi 45C (EV) 70C (separators)
and I’ve even worked my way down in temperature and pressure during a run down to
1600psi 35C (EV) 70C (separators)

I’m thinking it could be the separators are too hot and keeps the ethanol in vapor phase only to condense again in the accumulator. I just wanted to see if anyone had any input on this issue and what’s the best cleaning method in your opinion.

Sorry if this is in the wrong topic section. Thank you.

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I do clean runs with about 300-500mL ETOH and recover 90%+ in the separators. I also dump gas in the entire system post clean run to ensure removal and evaporation of any residual ETOH in other vessels.

Try EV temperature ranges of 43-50c
Try separator temperatures of 32-43C or lower

EV pressure does not necessarily need to hit 1800 in my experience. I conduct clean runs anywhere in the 1200-1400 PSI range just fine.

When I am ready to end the run I also isolate the feed valve from the accumulator to the extraction vessel and keep running for 5-10 minutes. I do this to allow the pump to potentially push out any remaining ETOH in the EV into the separator.

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Thanks for the feedback. Very helpful for my next cleaning run.
Can you give a little more details when you say " Isolate the feed valve from the accumulator to the extraction vessel"?

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It has been a minute since I have seen process circuit of the eden unit (I use a different manufacturer that pretty much copied Eden/Critical Solutions systems).

I have a ball valve at the outlet of my accumulator prior to my liquid pump which then feeds into the extraction vessel. I close this valve and continue operating the pump to push out any remaining solvent from the extraction vessel into the separators (at least that is my theory). When I did not do this I always had residual ETOH at the bottom of my EV.

If you conduct a clean run and just halt the system, there is going to be residual ETOH throughout the system as well as a bunch in the separators. You need to effectively evacuate the entire system to remove the ETOH from the rest of the system.

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Accumulator line —>X I X = Ball valve
,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.I
CO2 Tank line ------>X I
,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,. I_____(Pump)_____> Extraction Vessel

Ok so tried draw out the diagram for my question.
If i close the accumulator line, wouldn’t the pump not function if it was closed off from all sources or do you pump from the CO2 source to purge out any residual. Sorry, Just trying to clarify because this was my thought process when i think about closing the accumulator line.
(I had to use ,.,.,., for spacing)

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Instead of messing with the feed line I would start with those different temperature and pressure parameters. I have a Maximator L25 (you probably have a L60) but the pump should be able to continue stroking with the ball valve closed. A gas pump would stall/not operate though.

The other key component is to completely vent the system. Every valve, every tube, everything.

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