Influence of heating loss in distillation systems

Hey guys,

in my laboratory tests (SPD, Spinning band etc.) i often recognized that cannabis extracts respectively the cannabinoids are very sensitive to parts of a technical system such as pipelines (while distillation) which are not heated or isolated enough.

In my long spinning band distillation column for example, which is now heated by a heating tape (200°C) i get the extract/oil into the vapor phase. Without the heating tape it was not possible to get the oil into vapor phase.

After the column of my spinnind band system there is a midsection, which is not heated but vacuum isolated and silver coated. In the midsection i have a vapor temperature measuring unit. In the midsection the vapor temperature is at 70, 80°C. But from the heated column the steam keeps coming and coming. I think the hot vapor from the heated column will condense at the unheated midsection.
Thats because the vapor temperature is at 70°C not 160 - 180°C?

Do you have any expierience how important isolated and heated parts of technical installations are, to prevent a crash of vapor temperature?

Thank you for your help.

Do you understand reflux as it pertains to distillation?

Yes, if you have sections of your still below the bp of your target, your target will condense. Sometimes this is a good thing…it’s absolutely deliberate in a reflux still, not so much in the case of your spinning band.

Sounds like you need more heat tape unless the plan is to condense in that section.

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