Even a Dead Fish Looks Like it is Making Progress in a Fast Moving Stream

A contributing journalist for Synergistic Technology Associates web site for Processes Education

Where are the predictions about the scientific advances in cannabis (all classes five current classes of cannabis) processes? I do see many manufacturers describing their operations on the web, at tradeshows and social media. These are excellent products and have been evaluated by professional engineering companies as well as their internal staffs. It has come a long way over the past decade.

But the majority of presentations that I hear about are the recommendations of people’s favorites based on their experiences with small scale facilities. Many of these early ones did not have to comply with the growing number of regulations that are common in the dietary nutritional supplements manufacturing sites.

Scaling is going to be a significant issue as the demand for cannabidiol has increased over the last years across the world. Scaling in good growing practices are outlined in the regulations. These regulations are going to have more and more regulations as the general population does not have the expertise or common knowledge of the hundreds of compounds in the most simple cannabis plant that does not have the euphoric attributes of THC but does have CBD – hemp.

Scaling to greater productivity usually involves larger processes and more automation and feedback controls. The scaling will typically transition from chemists to chemical engineers. Engineers with the all the letters behind the names as they accumulate the essential certification – just like we want our accountants to be CPA – Certified Professional Accounts – not that they know how to use accounting software.

Back to cannabis extraction and separation processes.

Over the next few weeks, I will explore the individual processes that involve solvent rich and solvent-less practical principles and process. I will be light on theory (but give you references) and higher on a quick review of them. Of great interest are the combinations (hyphenations) and sequential (hybrids) of the technologies in the full process.

I look forward to the feedback and where YOU see the different processes. I do not have a bias, though I first learned on the sub and supercritical fluid processes. I hope you do not forget that gaseous hydrocarbons and other volatile mixtures are sub and supercritical fluid processes. I do not have a bias of the liquid solvents, let’s put them all on the table and discuss them.

Two things to remember:

1. There are NO dumb questions or comments. Though comments about a person and not the subjects are not tolerated.
2. Listening to others ideas, saying TWO positives about their opinions BEFORE providing another direction to consider is the RULE of open-minded human beings.

And the last: Even a dead fish in a fast moving stream looks like it is making progress.