Winterization & Dewaxing
Plant extracts contain fats, lipids and waxes that cloud the oil, hurt the texture and interfere with distillation. Removing them is called winterization or dewaxing.
Winterization (ethanol)
Crude is dissolved in ethanol and chilled to very low temperatures. The fats and waxes become insoluble, solidify and are filtered out. The ethanol is then removed, often with a rotary or falling-film evaporator. This step usually comes before distillation.
In-line dewaxing (hydrocarbon)
In closed-loop systems, the solvent and oil mixture can be held at very low temperatures in a dewaxing column (often cooled with dry ice or a chiller), so the waxes precipitate and are filtered out before recovery. This yields clean live resin products without an ethanol step.
Filtration media
Filter papers and media beds (for example, CRC filtration media) can further polish color and remove unwanted particulates. Used correctly, they improve the clarity and overall quality of the oil.
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