Curious what those of you who are using a centrifuge or filter press are using to move your alcohol/biomass slurry between your soak/agitation tank and the separator device you are using. Also what size you are grinding your biomass to in order to pump it between process areas
This one’s gonna be interesting…
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We use nitrogen gas
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here’s some light entertainment while you wait…
@farmerj Are you using nitrogen to push a biomass slurry, or just tincture? I use vac or nitrogen for moving solvent. I usually prefer vac, because I have a limitless supply of that. I’ve lost full tanks of N2 to inattentive minions.
It’s also fun the first time you send them off to get you “something for nothing”. Huh? A container than will hold vaccum!
I haven’t had to pump biomass slurry yet. managed to dodge that bullet. just.
When I was told the CUP was not an option, I had a two vat (100gal) system mostly spec’d out. My distillery supplier recommended his hot mash pump. He claimed it could deal with slurries as thick as peanut butter, or near their boiling points. Not sure what it was, only that it wasn’t a chugger. He wanted $2900 for the non-atex rated version built up as a cart. He could have done an atex rated version, but I was only looking to move a water cannabis slurry at the time.
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Use a diaphragm pump. Proper pump selection is key. But these can reliably pump rocks all day long so solids are no issue. Temperature is the greatest concern. Grind depends on how much solvent per pound you are using to a certain limit, and also if you are debucking. Finally, grind also depends on the power of your impeller as you need enough power to make a slurry. Doesn’t take much but there is some math in all this. Just hire someone that know about this kind of stuff that can do the math for you, its cheaper in the end…
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Yes, pneumatic diaphragm pumps are the answer. Explosion proof and handle large chunks of shit. But getting one with materials that can handle your solvent and temperatures is the challenge.
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Ah yes, I wasn’t thinking all the way through… We are using the CUP15. Biomass is retained in the filter bag, so the gas is only moving solvent and tincture… Woops… We do like it though.
Air Operated Double Diaphragm (AODD) pumps can work in the slurry transfer application; however, not all are created equal. Traditional AODD pumps utilize balls as check valves and the small passages are not tolerant to rocks or other large solids. Look for flap check designs that open up and allow solids to pass more easily. We have seen SANDPIPER HDF2 pumps successfully used in Ethanol extraction slurry transfer.
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Does anyone here use slurry pumps for large-scale CBD isolate/pentane separation?
seems like a macerating pump would be worth looking at from a design standpoint
Do you have a link to a good looking one?
no. and I’m not certain I want to spend anymore time looking a sewage transfer pumps 
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I remeber someone saying the eco 633 @Dred_pirate was that you?
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That’s exactly what I use
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Yes. It’ll move cold alcohol, but not a slurry
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Just checked out that pump I have it on my watchlist now. Do you think that pump would be able to pump iso through my 100lb solvent tank condensing coil?
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It should be able to, yes. I’ve seen em used for that
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I do know that some have used the SANDPIPER Heavy Duty Flap Valve pumps with both chilled solvents as well as slurries. It runs on air, not electricity which is attractive to some who are concerned about safety. Sandpiper_CBDOilExtractionPump_R2.pdf (1.1 MB)
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I want to play with a bucket full of these. Apparently it will eat and pump a pair of blue jeans if you ask it nicely.
I wonder about drilling mud style slurry pumps… they might do the trick. Just don’t call them trash pumps in front of a regulator.
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Depending on how cold you need to be, this critter could serve well. The smallest one is claimed to pass up to a 1.7" chunk of stuff, with a 40-60% total solids fraction. EPDM gaskets standard, Viton are a non-standard option.
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