Hemp Extraction Process
The details of the hemp extraction process depend on what part of the plant you’re extracting from and the product or chemical you’re seeking to extract. For example, if you’re looking to execute a hemp fiber extraction process, you’ll be using the entire plant biomass and a physical process to separate the tough, woody exterior from the softer inner portion. After that the fibers are combed out of the interior.
On the other hand, if you’re seeking to get access to the cannabinoids, like cannabidiol (or, CBD), you’ll often be using a chemical process in which you soak the extraction-bound hemp flowers in a solvent - like liquid carbon dioxide or ethanol.
Finally, if you’re in the hemp seed extraction business you’re likely looking for the hemp seed oil that’s often used in dietary supplements or cooking products.
Extraction Technology
Hemp extraction technology isn’t fundamentally complex or exotic. It usually relies on a combination of chemical extraction techniques with readily available solvents and physical agitation or processing. That said, the processes have been refined a great deal over the last few decades. These days, pressurized and refrigerated carbon dioxide is often used as a chemical extractor - rather than the more toxic ethanol or hydrocarbons - and the physical agitators used to collect hemp fibers have undergone quite a few upgrades as well.
