Wiped Film Distillation - Powder Residue

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Hi all!

We need some troubleshooting assistance with our Wiped Film Distillation Equipment. Over the last two months, we have noticed a ton of powder residue build up on the inside of the wiper barrel, the condenser, and all the way into the pumps and pump seals. It is becoming so thick that it is no longer able to be cleaned by an ethanol rinse and must be cleaned by hand now. When it combines with the bottoms residue, it clumps it up and turns it rock solid. We cannot get a full run because it loses vacuum so quick. We take our terpstripped material to this equipment to create wiped distillate.

I am attaching images of the powder in question. Could it possibly be accumulated dead mold spores? That is the only thing we can think of. We would love some insight if anybody has any. Thank you in advance!

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does it dissolve in water?

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No, it settles to the bottom as residue.

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could it be literal dirt? What’s your extraction/filtration process look like

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Are you CERTAIN that it doesn’t dissolve in water?

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Extraction is cold ethanol, filtered through 150um, then winterized and filtered through 25um.

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Sounds like you need more filtration…

I filter down to 1um on the way into the wiper.

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I agree but cannot get more filtration approved without proving what it is unfortunately :/.

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Only some of it does, but not all of it. But in ethanol it does not dissolve at all.

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Its a dirt/soil sample

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Do you have any ideas on labs I can send it to just to confirm that? I appreciate the help

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Looks like plant matter.
Let’s see it at 50-100x magnification.

No need to prove what it is if you can prove filtration will remove it.

Process not working. WILL work if you get this gone.

Filter paper is fucking cheap.

Anyone who says you can’t throw $100 at solving this is a fucking moron (looking at your damn boss)

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I get you, thank you for this.

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Last sentence made me laugh, exactly how I’m feeling at this moment.

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Do you filter your oil, pre-crude, or crude down to 1um?

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Tell who ever is in charge of approvals that they’re an idiot.

You cannot make a particulate-free product only filtering down to 25um. 1um minimum

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Thank you all for confirming my thoughts.

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$400-500 to send it out and be told it’s cannabis & dirt. Or worse “dunno it doesn’t dissolve so we can’t run it”

Essentially $0 to try filtering to 5um or 1um using filter paper.

I initially used 1um paper filter in here. Then spent ~$100 on a stainless/PTFE 1um trclamp gasket.

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Warm it up, push it through with N2. The 15psi prv is not optional

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Perfect, thank you. I guess the bigger question would be, we have not seen this stuff the last year we have been using the wiped film, but the last few months we’ve seen a big increase. Any ideas as to why? Is it mold/mildew build up?

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Is it the same farm? It could be related to how they harvest/handle bulk material.

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