A closed loop extractor is an extraction method wherein the entire process occurs within a closed vessel. in this process, the hydrocarbon solvent used to extract never comes in contact with the outside atmosphere. The solvent is recycled or looped repeatedly through the system in order to extract as much cannabinoid as possible. Closed loop extraction is extremely efficient, and, when operated properly, is exceptionally safe. Because this process is very efficient, less solvent is used, and a higher greater percentage of desired chemical compounds are separated for further refinement.

As a truly closed system, all extraction and solvent recovery processes are operated within the confines of the coded and rated tanks and lines. In this new solvation extraction process whereby the plant material is saturated with an adequate volume of a chosen solvent until all the target chemical compounds are dissolved at which time they are carried away from the plant matter using a specific flat micron size filter. When the plant matter is filtered away and the solvent is recovered for reuse using a passive process in a closed system, the process is completed.

The system is not only safer, but faster because its tanks hold all the solvent and a complete extraction could be performed in a single pass. This larger solvent tank allows much faster extraction speeds as well as being able to hold all the required solvent that allows much greater control over the contact time, contact temperature, contact pressure, and polarity of the solvent as it passes through the plant material. As the density of the plant material column can be increased as well, the production per extraction is increased as well. In that case, more plant matter could be extracted in a smaller extractor.

01. High pressure food grade hoses: the tube used to transfer liquid phase butane
02. Solvent tank: the container used to contain solvents
03. Product tubes: the tube used to transfer production
04. Collection chamber: the container used to collect oil
05. Recovery pump:used to provide pressure to recover the solvents
06. Material column: the reactor that cannabis gets extracted

• Closed Loop Extraction is Safe: This is one of the most obvious advantages of LeDab closed loop extractors. It provides higher safety than the earlier method of open blasting. BHO extraction is risky when it comes to open extraction. Many inexperienced people have tried open extraction and ended up blowing themselves up. With the help of closed loop extraction, no butane can escape as it is completely sealed off, thus providing much greater safety.

• It Is More Efficient: Closed loop systems are naturally under greater pressure when compared to the open systems as they increase the time between butane and raw cannabis. This increased interface time doesn’t affect the solubility directly in any meaningful way. It just allows for a more complete extraction. This makes closed loop extraction much more efficient.

• Closed Loop Extraction Product Is of Highest Quality: The most flavorful, strongest, and most cosmetically pleasant concentrates of cannabis have been produced using closed loop extraction systems. Closed loop extraction systems aren’t just efficient, but provide a properly controlled environment specifically designed for cannabis extraction. Due to this reason, their concentrates are of highest quality.

• They Are Easier to Be Set Up: When it comes to open extraction, you need a well ventilated room with protection masks so that you don’t accidentally inhale butane. But, with the help of closed loop extraction, all you need is closed loop extractor and a vacuum pump. This means that you don’t need a specific room setup or any other kind of hassle for establishing your cannabis extraction setup.

A closed-loop extraction system can seem daunting at first when you look at all of the components. Bear in mind that it’s a professional setup and requires a basic understanding of things like maintaining pressure and operating control valves. In general, a closed-loop system is made up of a large tank and attached tube, which is where the confined “blasting” occurs; a recovery tank; a recovery pump; a refrigerant pump; and a refrigerant scale to measure the weight of the recovery tank.

Finally, when making BHO, you will also need an oven and a pump, which are used in combination with each other, creating a vacuum oven. This “cleansing” system ensures that your product is purged of any residual solvents. However, for our purposes here, we will discuss only the extraction and not the purging process.

Here’s a quick thumbnail sketch of how the system works: Ground-up cannabis material is packed into the extraction tube—but not too tightly, since that will decrease potential yields. (It is also recommended that you use fresh-frozen buds or just-harvested plants, as they contain the most terpenes.) A tank of pressurized solvent is then attached to the tube, using a series of lock-down clamps and valves to ensure that the solvent stays under pressure throughout the process.

As the liquid solvent passes over the compacted cannabis material, the trichomes—or resin glands, which cover the buds and contain most of the plant’s cannabinoids—are stripped away and deposited in the basin of the extractor. The residual solvents are collected separately in the recovery tank and can be stored for later use.

Even though the closed-loop technique is safer, it’s still important to have tremendous respect for the system and the process, since any small faults (such as a blown gasket) can mean big trouble. For this reason, frequent and regular safety checks on your equipment are a must. It is also important to set up your blasting facility like a true lab, meaning proper ventilation and fire-safety controls.