The popularity of cannabis concentrates has skyrocketed over that last few years. As demand from consumers has increased, so too has their standards for what constitutes a quality concentrate. Not only are consumers increasingly picky about the quality of flower used in their concentrates, they are picky about the purging process itself.
If you are serious about the large scale production of cannabis extracts and concentrates, then a vacuum purge oven is necessary.
A legitimate cannabis concentrate is not finished until solvents used to harness the essential cannabis oils from the plant material have been eliminated from the final product. When removing solvents from cannabis extracts and concentrates, two forces play an integral role: heat and pressure.
Removing solvents is much easier to do when an extract has been heated. Heating causes the solvent to boil down during the early stages of the purging process. When the solvent boils down, it changes states into a gas. The application of low pressure via vacuum allows the solvent to evaporate or off-gas.
A large vacuum purge oven is integral to this process, especially when dealing with a solvent like butane. Butane requires a large surface area to off-gas properly and vacuum purge ovens provide the necessary space for a complete butane off-gassing. Even a small oven generally provides space for multiple Pyrex dishes.
The efficient and uniform heating provided by a vacuum purge oven results in a high quality homogenous purge, no matter what solvent was used, be it butane, alcohol, or propane. Without uniform heating, you may end up with temperature spikes in your purge that ruin your end product.
For all of the benefits offered by vacuum purge ovens, it is crucial that you take proper safety precautions when operating one. Prolonged exposure to butane gases can cause cardiac and central nervous system damage. Pregnant women should never operate a vacuum purge oven as just a single exposure to high levels of butane gas can cause severe brain damage and underdeveloped organs in a fetus.
To mitigate these risks, you should never operate a vacuum purge oven in a confined space with limited airflow. If you are going to be using the vacuum purge oven indoors, a proper mechanical ventilation system is a MUST. It would also be wise to consider implementing a warning system and exit procedure in the event that your ventilation system fails. Safety goggles, face shields, and a respirator should also be utilized during the purge.
When proper safety procedures are followed, a vacuum purge oven will yield the highest quality cannabis concentrates on the market. If you want to take your production of consumer-grade cannabis concentrates to the next level, consider investing in a proper vacuum purge oven. This is vital for ensuring a safe extraction process, the removal of any mystery oils, and making the most utilization of your production capacity.
References
Levels, C., Toxicology, C., Toxicology, B., Studies, D. and Council, N. (2018). Butane: Acute Exposure Guideline Levels. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201460/
Labour.gov.on.ca. (2018). Ventilation and Purging | Ministry of Labour. [online] Available at: https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/confined/cs_13.php
