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Plant Oil Extraction

January 23, 2020

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One of the oldest medicinal technologies still in use today is essential oil extraction. The process of removing oils from plants started thousands of years ago…likely when an early human squished an olive in their fist.

Essential Oils: A History

The ancient people of Mesopotamia won the award for the first civilization to record the use of essential oils. The practice of extracting oils from plants evolved as it was picked up by the Egyptians and the Chinese mainly for aromatherapy. According to Utah-based essential oil manufacturer Young Living, Greek explorers brought oil extraction to Europe from Egypt. The practice of medicinally using herbs and oils eventually spread through many cultures around the world.

Plant oil extraction survived the Dark Ages, and grew in popularity throughout the Renaissance. Early German immigrants to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries brought their Christian folklore with them, which included their knowledge of herbs and oils used in healing the mind and body.

Medical needs in both World Wars helped establish essential oils as a truly pharmaceutical resource for healing battle wounds. However, the mass production of extracting essential oils didn’t really take off until the 1980’s. Consumers began looking for more holistic treatments for diseases and injuries via aromatherapy. Since then, manufacturing plant-based essential oils has become a multi-billion dollar industry.

Essential Oil Extraction

According to doTERRA, another Utah essential oil manufacturer, distilling is the best process to extract essential oils.

“Essential oils are produced by plants naturally and collected by different processes including, hydro-distillation, steam distillation, cold pressing and others. A very common method of extracting essential oils is a low-heat steam distillation process. In this process, pressurized steam is circulated through plant material. The steam carries the volatile aromatic compounds from the plant into a collecting tube, where the steam is cooled and condensed back into water. Because essential oils are lipid soluble, they are easily separated from the water. Steam distillation requires careful control of time, temperature and pressure, based on each plant. Too little heat or pressure and the oil will not release: too much, and the oil’s composition and potency will be affected.”

Each specific oil has its own set of extraction processes. In general, mass produced extraction happens when heat is added to coax oil out of seeds, producing more oil than any other form of extraction. Smaller businesses that extract oils often choose another route, however, since using heat during extraction results in darker colors of oils, as well as a “burnt” flavor in edible oils.

Cold press oil extraction doesn’t use heat. Instead, oils extracted from the seed are filtered over and over again through a strainer. This method takes longer and results in lower quantity but much higher oil quality. Cold press extractions create oils that are nearly 100% pure and preserves edible nutrients that burn away with heat extractions.

CBD Oil Extraction

One essential oil that is rapidly increasing in use and popularity is CBD oil. CBD is extracted from hemp in a different way from other essential oils. SC Botanicals, a South Carolina CBD oil manufacturer, uses a method called supercritical CO2 extraction to ensure the highest quality product.

“Supercritical CO2 extraction in our opinion is cleaner but it’s much more expensive. At the end of the day – as long as each facility and extraction manager is ensuring proper protocols – patients and customers will get high quality products.”

In this method, CO2 is added to extracted crude oils from cannabis plants. The release of the CO2 into the air takes impurities and unwanted chemicals such as THC with it, resulting in virtually pure CBD oil.

Extraction Byproducts

Cold extraction also produces byproducts that can be sold in addition to the essential oils. Pressed plants that have had their oil extracted are often sold as “cake” to other industries. For example, the agricultural industry uses pressed plant cake as a common ingredient in animal feed. Some oil manufacturers separate lavender oil from lavender water in large vats. After the water is drained it is sold to other companies for further use.

Powerblanket Essential Oil Solutions

In all methods of plant oil extraction, temperature control plays a critical role. Essential oils should never be stored at temperatures above 80°F or below 45°F. That’s why Powerblanket provides heating control solutions in the form of warming blankets that keep essential oils at the right temperatures during extraction and in storage. When combined with the Beacon smart controllers, you have full access to temperature adjustments and heating data monitoring from your mobile device or laptop.

For more information, call Powerblanket’s essential oil product experts at 855.389.4792 or by email at [email protected].

When you need a custom temperature control solution, Powerblanket is the company to call. With over 30 years of experience, we can solve any heating dilemma you have.

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Shelby Thompson

Shelby Thompson is the head of standard product sales for Powerblanket. He has a distinguished military career, having served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. In his time in the Marines, Shelby acquired an impressive skillset that he now uses in his current role. When he's not working, Shelby loves spending time outdoors with his wife, son, and daughter. He is also a semi-keen hunter, fair weather fisherman, and shooter. Unfortunately, Shelby also has something of an unlucky streak when it comes to Fantasy Football at the company.

Heating Wax: Tips for Making Beautiful Candles

by Shelby Thompson

October 17, 2019

Barrel Heater Bucket Heater

Manufacturing candles is a fairly simple process; however, there are a few things to keep in mind before getting started. This is especially true when it comes to heating wax and keeping it at the right temperature.

Although candle making involves just a few relatively simple steps, the end product can be disappointing without a few crucial pieces of knowledge. Some issues new candle makers may encounter are wicks that drown in wax, a scent that quickly disappears, and containers that overheat and break. Let’s take a look at a few things every candle maker, new or seasoned, should keep in mind.

To maintain even heat and prevent overheating, we highly recommend investing in a wax melting solution designed specifically for candle making. This will prevent many headaches and help you efficiently produce quality candles. An option we love is wax melting blankets; they provide even, controlled heat to melt wax right in its container.

Take Care in Selecting a Wax

Today, candle makers have over 60 choices for wax! Each type of wax has specific advantages. To make selecting a wax type easier, we recommend thinking about what you want your finished candle to be like and working backward from there.

For example, if you are making a pillar, taper, or molded candle and aren’t adding fragrance, beeswax might be a great choice. Beeswax is hard when solid and emits a naturally sweet scent that alters, or masks added fragrances.

If you’re crafting a container candle with added aroma and want your candle to contain “all-natural” ingredients, soy wax is a great option. It’s fairly soft and carries aromas much better than beeswax.

On the other hand, soy wax — which has increased in popularity in recent years — is fairly soft and, therefore, best suited for container candles. This wax is generally better at throwing aroma than beeswax, but it’s not as good as paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax is widely known for being the best at throwing scents; however, according to the US Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) it t “may possess some carcinogenic properties.” While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not consider paraffin wax to be toxic, fumes may cause irritation to the eyes and skin.

Other common choices are palm wax, coconut wax, or a blend of two or more popular waxes.

Know How to Add Scent

Effectively adding fragrance (fragrance that lasts and isn’t too soft or too strong) requires a bit of know-how.

The two most popular choices for candle fragrance are (1) essential oils and (2) fragrances made specifically for candle making.

Some argue that essential oils don’t hold up as well when exposed to the heat of a candle, and the fragrance won’t last as long.

Many candlemakers recommend adding fragrance to wax when it’s at its hottest; this will ensure that the scent blends well.

Start Small

If you’re new to candle making, we suggest starting with smaller candles. This means when an inevitable mistake is made (don’t worry, it’s a learning experience!), it’s not an expensive loss.

Test Your Color

When adding color to candles, you’ll use dyes specifically for coloring wax. It’s important to note that different waxes will display the colors differently. This may mean you will need to experiment a bit when playing with a new type of wax. Colors will typically look the same whether the wax is melted or cooled; however, if you want to double-check the color of your cooled candle, you can smear a small amount of melted wax onto a piece of paper and let it cool. You can then adjust the color as necessary before allowing the rest of the wax to cool.

Carefully Select a Wick

Different types of wicks will react differently to different types of wax. Factors like color, size, scent, and wax type will all affect what type of wick is required. Each factor alters how the wax melts and, therefore, how big the flame needs to be.

When a wick is too small, the flame won’t be hot enough to burn the entire candle (you’ll just end up with a pit in the middle of your candle with plenty of unused, solid wax around the sides). Alternatively, a wick that is too small could quickly drown in melted wax.

A flame that’s too large will likely create smoke and soot. It could also create excess heat, causing the container to crack.

To select the proper type and size of the wick, we suggest you consult with your wick provider; they will know which types of wax will best work with the wicks they provide.

Say “No” to Flammable Materials

A Common mistake that beginner candle makers make is adding components to candles that can catch fire, such as dried flower petals and perfume. It’s easy to get carried away and try to push the limits. It’s fine to experiment if you’re burning in a controlled environment; however, when it comes to candles you’re selling, it’s always best to be as safe as possible.

Take Care When Melting Wax

If you’re a newbie candlemaker or working only in small batches, a simple double broiler pot may do the trick. However, if you’re planning on producing large quantities of candles, you’ll need a reliable way to evenly heat large amounts of wax.

We recommend finding a solution that:

Maintains even temperatures. You’ll need to keep the wax melted while you add any fragrance and/or color. A heating solution that heats wax evenly will ensure even mixing during this process.
Prevents overheating. Overheating can also cause discoloration—along with cracking, poor fragrance throw, poor glass adhesion, frosting, and rough tops—ultimately creating a weakened product.

A great option for large-scale wax melting is malting tanks. Solid wax is added to the tanks where it’s melted. The wax is then dispensed from the tank as needed and taken through the rest of the candle-making process.

We, of course, prefer the convenience of wax-melting blankets. These heated blankets can evenly melt wax in their original storage container. Just think of the time and space that saves! Additionally, wax-melting blankets provide reliable, consistent temperature control.

Whichever wax-melting solution you go with, make sure you consider your needs and do plenty of research.

The Wax Blanket is designed to safely and efficiently melt your wax or glycerin into a usable liquid form with minimal attention on your part.

Explore Wax Blankets

Shelby Thompson

Bucket Heaters

by Shelby Thompson

August 5, 2019

Bucket Heater

The Little Blanket that Could: Powerblanket Bucket Heaters

What can you put in a five-gallon bucket? Five gallon buckets can house everything from soap oils to baseballs for a little league practice. If your bucket stores temperature-sensitive products, a Powerblanket 5 Gallon Bucket Heater could very well be your new favorite accessory. Bucket heaters and pail blankets are excellent solutions for freeze protection, improved viscosity, and general warming.

Actual Amazon Reviews

Consumers use the Powerblanket Bucket Heater for a variety of applications. This is a versatile, safe, and easy heating solutions for buckets and pails.

Warming Water for a Greenhouse

“I actually use this for a very unusual purpose. I raise bonsai, and have to winter some of them in a small vinyl greenhouse. The greenhouse naturally maintains a temperature only about 4 degrees above the outside temp. So far we’ve had a very cold season, and its only January!

Finding a safe, inexpensive way to keep the temp in the greenhouse above freezing, has been a challenge. It’s a very humid environment, so electronics have to be sealed. Gas or propane is not good either. I found this, and to put it around a sealed 5gal pail of water. The heated bucket consistently puts off enough heat that I think my trees my survive the winter. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s the best I’ve found short of building a serious greenhouse.”

Auto Detailing

“Use this on my auto detailing, nice to put hands in warm water when cold out.”

Making Soap

“Love this thing!!! This is for warming my soaping oils, and it’s marvelous. I have it wrapped around my buckets and at around $100 it’s way more cost effective than using the water heated tanks (which are like $800). More of these are in my future.”

Another customer said, “I use this for making soap. My recipe has a large amount of hard betters and I would have to reheat the entire bucket a small pot at a time and mix it all back in to make the oils ready to soap with. Now all I do is plug this in and wait a few hours, while I can do other things, and my oils are ready to go! I love this thing, and will probably buy more. I wrapped it around a 5 gallon bucket I reused from some bulk oil I bought.”

Thawing Frozen Buckets

“This thing is exactly what I have been looking for. My Powerblanket heats up to a perfect temp, and I can go about my day without worrying the shop is going to burn to the ground while leaving the jugs unattended. If you need to thaw a bucket and thaw it fast without loss from evaporation this heater is THE ONE!”

Improving Honey Viscosity

One customer reported, “Really worked great on my bucket of granulated honey. Just enough heat to clarify it in 6-8 hours. this blanket is not hotter than hot water. The honey ends up warm not hot. Even better than a light bulb for even heating.”

Another said, “I’m just a small amateur beekeeper looking for a good way to warm my 5-gallon pails of honey safely and efficiently. So when I spotted the BeeBlanket on Amazon it looked like something that might work well for me.

My order arrived quickly (thanks Amazon Prime) and after a quick inspection, I put it to use. After 24 hours my honey went from 62°F to a nice 104°F in a room with an ambient temperature of roughly 68°F throughout the process. Also, I placed my cold pail on a chunk of ridgid foam insulation to minimize heat transfer from the cold floor.

Admittedly I haven’t warmed a stone-cold pail of crystallized honey with it, that will be later. Warming and re-liquefying a 5-gallon pail of honey would be a multi-day project in my estimation. Slow and steady like the bees…

So far I’m impressed with the BeeBlanket and it’s working good for my purposes. 104° honey is easy to strain and bottle plus it’s safe for the honey! Using a 120 watt insulated blanket seems efficient to me and it worked quite well. After running my BeeBlanket for a full 24 hours on a cool bucket of honey my Kill-A-Watt meter gave me a daily cost of 0.08/day for an operating cost. (Power rate here is 0.102/kh) Seems like that’s a pretty reasonable way to warm 5 gallons of honey. I’m sold on this!”

Warming Paint

“These Powerblankets have been exactly what we needed to heat up the buckets of paint we have stored in the garage. We’re working on a remodeling project right now that’s taken longer than expected and some of the finish work, like painting, is going into the winter months. We’re not in a position where the buckets of paint can stay inside all the time when not being used, so they frequently go back outside in the garage and into the cold. Rather than having to wait hours for the paint to warm up on its own and thin to a workable temperature each time we bring some in, we just put one of these Powerblankets around the bucket and it works like an electric blanket or heating pad, heating the paint. Works great!”

Warming and Protecting Coconut Oil

“Whether you have a camp, cold storage or outdoor kitchen, this warming blanket is ideal for keeping coconut oil ready to use. My brother belongs to an organization that sponsors dinners throughout the year. This year many of them have been scheduled for the chillier weather in the fall and winter. He donates the oil. First outing they did not account for the time necessary to to heat the oil leading to delays and grumbling. This blanket has remedied that. It is easy to use. the buckle and strap system ensures a snug fit. The thermostat is preset so the oil is heated without getting too hot. Simply position, plug in and use. I would prefer a power button and adjustable thermostat but those niceties are not essential to the usefulness of this blanket. it can be used on any variety of items that solidify when cold. We are completely pleased with its quality and performance.”

The Real Cost Savings

Perhaps you’re thinking: how much is it going to cost me to wrap my buckets in a heating solution? It will cost you much less in the long run. If you use band heaters or crank up the ambient temperature around your buckets and pails, you will lose a lot of energy to inefficiency. With Powerblanket bucket and pail heaters, you get an even distribution of heat without sacrificing efficiency.

Powerblanket bucket heaters are more efficient than the traditional band heater, without running the risk of overheating or burning the product in your bucket. What’s more, with the Powerblanket solution, you have the ease of use that comes with a thermostatic controller. With our Pro Series heaters, the temperature adjusts from ambient up to 145° F. And with the RR Series, you can adjust the heat anywhere from ambient to 100° F. The Powerblanket solution offers both versatility and flexibility.

Features of Powerblanket Bucket Heaters:

The warmers are easy to install and remove.
The full wrap-around design ensures equal heat distribution and proper insulation.
The design prevents product waste to temperature-sensitive materials by maintaining consistent storage temperatures.
Powerblanket® GreenHeat™ Technology uses less energy and saves you money in the long run.

Whether you’re storing paint, water, food, or industrial supplies in buckets, those buckets will need to be protected from the cold. Of course, you can address this problem by keeping your product in a heated warehouse, but if the warehouse is large and you are storing a lot of product, it’s going to cost a lot to keep the temperature of the ambient air high enough that your buckets don’t drop below their ideal range.

Maintain the temperature of your food, water, or industrial supplies with an effective and affordable bucket heater from Powerblanket.

Explore Bucket Heaters

Shelby Thompson

Tag: CBD Oil

Plant Oil Extraction

Essential Oils: A History