Residual Ethanol Issue

Hey, all. We are extracting with supercritical CO2, but use ethanol to winterize crude. Even after roto vape, we are still having excess ETOH left in oil. Test by Botanacor indicated ETOH level >2000ppm. Roto vape is being run at high RPM (120), temps from 50-80C and vacuum is very low (0.9). Any suggestions would be great. We have 50+ kilos that will need to be addressed.

Normally you purge the last bit of ethanol on a hot plate, bf, etc.

I know hot plate is an option. However, I have 50+ kilos (more like 80) that need to be purged…

Theres a SOP to decarb in the rotovap flask. You need special bath fluid, and I think an internal tweak of the bath computer. If you can decarb, you should be able to purge completely before decarb.

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We decarb prior to extraction (CO2 extraction)

0.9 torr? that’s lowish. you could certainly suck harder.

do you have an SPD? 20l?
pulling down to 0.09 torr at 130C in a 20l SPD would get the job done.

Edit: you might even manage it at 100C in a beer keg (double boiler: hot water heater element in a 55gal drum). kind of like this

glacier doesn’t seem to carry them any longer. This looks to be a very similar unit. Stainless steel mash tun beer brewing equipment

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