Solvent tank sight glasses - Cannabis Concentrates - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

frazierk · 08-18-2017, 07:52 PM

I have been using a couple of solvent tanks with sight glasses for the past 2 months. Today I noticed that the sight glasses on one of the tanks were foggy/filmy on the inside of the tank. The other tanks sight glasses are clear as day. Both tanks have the same gas as I use one for filling and the other for recovery. Any idea what would cause the film?

Gray Wolf · 08-18-2017, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazierk

I have been using a couple of solvent tanks with sight glasses for the past 2 months. Today I noticed that the sight glasses on one of the tanks were foggy/filmy on the inside of the tank. The other tanks sight glasses are clear as day. Both tanks have the same gas as I use one for filling and the other for recovery. Any idea what would cause the film?

Which tank fogged?

frazierk · 08-18-2017, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

Which tank fogged?

The tank that fogged was last used for filling. I used it for recovery today and the fog went away during recovery.

frazierk · 08-18-2017, 11:53 PM

The tank had also not been used for a few days

prune · 08-19-2017, 02:06 AM

I've noticed similar films form in the vac oven when annealing, I'm guessing terpenes or esters?

Gray Wolf · 08-19-2017, 11:35 AM

Glass is a poor insulator, and I would guess that it is acting as a cold finger, condensing the vapors in the tank head space. Stainless isn't either for that matter, and if you could see the inside of the tank, you would likely find the walls coated as well.

Sooo the question is what are those vapors. It could just be LPG, and as Prune notes it could be volatile hydrocarbons that it picked up from the process.

It might also be water. Are you running a dryer?

frazierk · 08-21-2017, 06:10 PM

Not currently using a drier. I'm waiting for some glass wool to come in the mail so I can get a molecular sieve set up.

I recently started recovering the solvent from the column by closing the dump valve, pouring hot water in the dry ice sleeve and connecting the top of the column to the top of the expansion filter. I think this process is carrying over water/terpenes which is causing the film.

Old Gold · 08-21-2017, 07:05 PM

I don't know how I feel about glass wool, it sounds pretty dangerous. Otherwise, I'd probably try distilling thc with it in my column.

How about micron filter papers held in place? Or a micron sock filter with sieve media packed throughout?

frazierk · 08-21-2017, 11:35 PM

Why do you think the glass wool would be dangerous? I got the idea from this post: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread....s+wool&page=41

My plan was to use the glass wool over a 1-3 micron filter paper. I thought using a micron filter paper by itself would get clogged so the glass wool is there to help catch a bunch of the dust before it gets to the filter paper.

I have yet to use a molecular sieve, only read about them. From what I've read it seems like they can get pretty dusty and there is no definite answer for how small the dust particles are.

Old Gold · 08-22-2017, 07:34 AM

The glass wool particles are smaller than the sieve particles, and might cause some health problems if inhaled in quantity..I've heard horror stories of the amount of airborne glass wool can end up in a lab....I've had good luck with stopping minimal sieve dust on a 2-3 micron filter, though I'd like to drop it to 0.5 micron. Some brands seem to leave no dust behind, like what I recently bought from Xtractor Depot. A plastic bag does the best at showing me dust residue.

08-18-2017, 07:52 PM	#1
frazierk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 35	Solvent tank sight glasses I have been using a couple of solvent tanks with sight glasses for the past 2 months. Today I noticed that the sight glasses on one of the tanks were foggy/filmy on the inside of the tank. The other tanks sight glasses are clear as day. Both tanks have the same gas as I use one for filling and the other for recovery. Any idea what would cause the film? Attached Thumbnails
	Quote

08-19-2017, 11:35 AM	#6
Gray Wolf A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: River City, USA Posts: 9,402	Glass is a poor insulator, and I would guess that it is acting as a cold finger, condensing the vapors in the tank head space. Stainless isn't either for that matter, and if you could see the inside of the tank, you would likely find the walls coated as well. Sooo the question is what are those vapors. It could just be LPG, and as Prune notes it could be volatile hydrocarbons that it picked up from the process. It might also be water. Are you running a dryer? __________________ An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it. Believing is seeing and ignorance is bliss until it bites you in the ass! Fervor is the weapon of the impotent. The harder the sell, the poorer the product. Alas, my ignorance abounds; the more I've learned, the less I know that I know.......... Thou shalt seek and respect the opinions of operators, even unto the third helper, for theirs is a wisdom unknown to technicrats. Wise men learn more from fools, than fools from wise men. In my dotage I finally discovered that the secret to putting on pants both legs at a time is sitting down.
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

08-21-2017, 07:05 PM	#8
Old Gold Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: N/A Posts: 743	I don't know how I feel about glass wool, it sounds pretty dangerous. Otherwise, I'd probably try distilling thc with it in my column. How about micron filter papers held in place? Or a micron sock filter with sieve media packed throughout?
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

08-22-2017, 07:34 AM	#10
Old Gold Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: N/A Posts: 743	The glass wool particles are smaller than the sieve particles, and might cause some health problems if inhaled in quantity..I've heard horror stories of the amount of airborne glass wool can end up in a lab....I've had good luck with stopping minimal sieve dust on a 2-3 micron filter, though I'd like to drop it to 0.5 micron. Some brands seem to leave no dust behind, like what I recently bought from Xtractor Depot. A plastic bag does the best at showing me dust residue.
	Quote 2 members found this post helpful.

08-18-2017, 11:53 PM	#4
frazierk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 35	The tank had also not been used for a few days
	Quote

08-19-2017, 02:06 AM	#5
prune Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 551	I've noticed similar films form in the vac oven when annealing, I'm guessing terpenes or esters?
	Quote

08-21-2017, 06:10 PM	#7
frazierk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 35	Not currently using a drier. I'm waiting for some glass wool to come in the mail so I can get a molecular sieve set up. I recently started recovering the solvent from the column by closing the dump valve, pouring hot water in the dry ice sleeve and connecting the top of the column to the top of the expansion filter. I think this process is carrying over water/terpenes which is causing the film.
	Quote

08-21-2017, 11:35 PM	#9
frazierk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 35	Why do you think the glass wool would be dangerous? I got the idea from this post: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread....s+wool&page=41 My plan was to use the glass wool over a 1-3 micron filter paper. I thought using a micron filter paper by itself would get clogged so the glass wool is there to help catch a bunch of the dust before it gets to the filter paper. I have yet to use a molecular sieve, only read about them. From what I've read it seems like they can get pretty dusty and there is no definite answer for how small the dust particles are.
	Quote