B/R Blog

Compare Spinning Band Distillation With Wiped Film Distillation

Spinning Band Distillation Spinning band distillation offers a high efficiency distillation column that can produce 90+% cannabinoid distillate in a single pass. A single pass distillation means you’ll spend a lot less time distilling.   Operation is streamlined. The spinning band acts as dynamic packing.  Condensed oils are pumped back down the column while pure vapors rise […]

Cannabinoid Distillation - What Comes Out of the Spinning Band System?

Spinning band distillation separates the cannabis oil extract according to the boiling points of the components.     Mono-terpenes have the lowest boiling points, so they are collected first.  They can be found in the cold trap receiver due to their low boiling points. Residual ethanol is collected next in the fraction collector followed by […]

What are these "things" on my spinning band distillation column?

Those “things” near bottom of the spinning band distillation column are called bellows.  They function as a flexible expansion joint.  Glass is normally anything but flexible and these bellows are engineered to allow the expansion and contraction over the length of the column. Distillations start at room temperature and goes up to the distillation temperature […]

Why is the spinning band distillation column silver?

The spinning band distillation column has a vacuum jacket (like a thermos) to minimize heat loss through the distillation column wall.  The evacuated jacket disrupts heat conduction due to the lack of air (only 10-7 mmHg !). The vacuum jacket has a silver coating on the inside to reflect any radiant heat. Combined with the […]

Spinning Band Distillation - High Purity THC Distillate

Spinning band distillation can produce distillate with very high THC/CBD concentrations.  Over 90% THC concentration is typical for a first pass. Some customers are routinely producing 98%+ cannabinoid distillates! How does the spinning band do it?   Distillation separates components by their boiling points.  This is commonly referred to as the “efficiency” of a distillation […]

Decarbing Cannabis Oil: THCA to THC

Decarboxylation, AKA Decarbing, is the process of spontaneously converting THC-A to THC with heat (approximately 80-90 C).  During decarbing THC-A is converted to THC when the carboxylic acid group on THC-A is removed liberating a CO2 molecule leaving THC behind. Decarbing is important because THC-A is not psychoactive, but THC is. Other cannabinoids like CBD […]

Winterization and Filtration of cannabis extracts

Why Winterize? Proper winterization is an important step in creating a high purity extract. Winterization is the removal of lipids from crude extract. Lipids are fatty acids that are also extracted from the plant. It is typically the next step after extraction. Why winterize to remove lipids? Fats dilute the cannabinoid fraction, lowering the purity […]

No degradation with Spinning Band Distillation

Spinning band can distill THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids at greatly reduced temperatures. The distillation rate also prevents material from staying at temperature for extended periods of time. Above certain temperatures or after many hours of being hot, isomerization can occur. Wiped film manufacturers would have you believe cannabinoids degrade easily with time exposure to […]

CBN and Cannabis Oil Extracts

CBN is a cannabinoid that is less psychoactive than THC. It is an oxidized form of THC that is known for its sedative effects. We get many questions about the presence of CBN in distilled oil. CBN naturally occurs in cannabis.  Typical concentrations in refined oils are 1.5% or less . Concentrations of 4% or more […]

O-Ring joints eliminate vacuum leaks and vacuum grease

  B/R spinning band systems are equipped with o-ring joints.   O-ring joints are awesome! They make vacuum tight seals without the use of vacuum grease. Finding vacuum leaks is time consuming and frustrating. O-ring joints make such good seals that having a vacuum leak will be rare. The o-ring sits in a polished grove on the […]