Consolidated Workflow
One page for the operating sequence and output-per-gallon strategy.
This workflow combines the step-by-step Perma Cool pre-chiller process with the extract, strain, re-chill, and repeat method that helps each gallon of ethanol do more work before recovery.
Perma Cool Ethanol Pre-Chiller
Step-by-step process before the output-per-gallon loop.
The core operating rhythm is simple: chill ethanol, move it through the centrifuge, strain the tincture, return it to the chiller, and repeat the cycle once it is back at the target temperature.
1. Chill
Bring the ethanol down to the target cold operating range before it enters extraction.
- Chill ethanol to −40 °C (−40 °F).
- Pump chilled ethanol into the centrifuge.
2. Extract
Use the centrifuge to contact cold ethanol with biomass and separate the tincture solution.
- Process biomass in the centrifuge.
- Spin out the ethanol tincture solution.
3. Strain
Move tincture through the strainer before it returns to the chiller.
- Pump tincture with the diaphragm pump.
- Pass tincture through the biomass strainer.
4. Re-Chill
Return the filtered tincture to the Perma Cool chiller and pull it back down to target temperature.
- Return filtered tincture to the chiller.
- Re-chill from the extraction temperature rise back to −40 °C (−40 °F).
5. Repeat
Reuse the re-chilled tincture on fresh biomass so each gallon of ethanol carries more extracted value.
- Run the re-chilled tincture through fresh biomass.
- Repeat until the target material-to-ethanol ratio is reached.
Pro Tip: The five stages match the image above. The bullets inside each stage show the operating actions that used to be listed as separate steps.
In cold ethanol extraction, solvent recovery is often the slowest part of the process. The extractor may be ready for more biomass, and the chiller may be able to keep ethanol cold, but the evaporator still has to remove and recover every gallon of ethanol that gets sent downstream.
That makes every gallon matter.
The Workflow
Use the same ethanol harder before recovery has to touch it.
One way to improve the return on each gallon is to use an extract, re-chill, and re-run workflow. Instead of running cold ethanol through biomass once and immediately sending that ethanol to evaporation, the same ethanol can be re-chilled and run again across fresh biomass.
This cycle can be repeated until the ethanol reaches a heavier loading ratio, with operators working toward as much as three pounds of biomass extracted per one gallon of ethanol.
- Extract with properly chilled ethanol.
- Strain the ethanol before it returns to the chiller.
- Re-chill the same ethanol back to the target temperature.
- Re-run that ethanol through fresh biomass.
- Repeat until the desired biomass-to-ethanol ratio is reached.
Protect the Chiller
The straining step matters.
When ethanol is being reused through multiple extraction passes, biomass particles and fines need to be kept out of the Perma Cool. A 50-100 micron strainer helps protect the system by catching unwanted solids before the ethanol returns to the chiller.
Perma Cool makes a strainer specifically for this application. It is not a disposable consumable or a generic filter bag. It is a durable process component designed for the way cold ethanol extraction actually runs in production.
Recovery Efficiency
Each gallon entering recovery should carry more extracted value.
If one gallon of ethanol is only used on a light biomass load, the recovery system still has to spend the time and energy to evaporate and recover that full gallon. But when that same gallon has been used across multiple biomass passes, it carries more extracted value into recovery.
For facilities where evaporation and recovery are the bottleneck, this can improve overall production efficiency without immediately increasing recovery capacity. The goal is not simply to move more ethanol. The goal is to make each gallon of ethanol do more work before it reaches the slowest stage of the process.
Why reliable chilling makes it practical
After each extraction pass, ethanol needs to be pulled back down to the correct cold operating range before it is reused. If it warms up too much, the extraction process can lose the selectivity and performance that cold ethanol is used for in the first place.
Perma Cool ethanol pre-chillers are built around that production reality: keeping ethanol cold, recoverable, and ready to run again.
Less lightly loaded ethanol going to recovery.
More extracted value per gallon of ethanol.
Better throughput through a common recovery bottleneck.
Full Sequence
Re-chill and re-extract to get more value from each gallon.
Pumping, straining, returning, and repeating the cycle helps operators use cold ethanol more effectively before it moves to recovery.
The Electric Advantage
Advantages of using electricity with the Perma Cool Ethanol Pre-Chiller.
Switching from liquid nitrogen (LN2) to electricity with the Perma Cool Ethanol Pre-Chiller delivers major benefits in cost, efficiency, safety, and reliability.
Cost Savings
- Electricity is significantly more economical than LN2, eliminating ongoing consumable costs.
- The Perma Cool units often pay for themselves within the first one to two months through LN2 savings alone-before factoring in the cost of LN2 chillers themselves.
Workflow Efficiency
- Extraction Efficiency: Each gallon of ethanol can be used to extract at least two pounds of material. Ethanol that has already gone through extraction can be reused, maximizing efficiency.
- Optimized Ethanol Usage: Re-washing material with previously extracted ethanol maintains the proper ethanol-to-material ratio for centrifuge operation, while also allowing larger ethanol batches to be chilled at once. This speeds up overall throughput.
- Consistent Temperature Control: The system quickly re-chills ethanol back to −40 °C (−40 °F) after extraction. Because the ethanol only needs to be cooled from a small temperature rise, chilling is faster, and overall productivity is higher.
Reduced Labor and Hassle
- LN2 requires constant deliveries, tank handling, and storage management. A missed delivery or supply shortage can halt production.
- Electricity removes these issues, reducing labor hours and eliminating supply chain risks.
Safety
- LN2 handling can introduce serious lab safety risks, including cryogenic burn and oxygen-displacement hazards.
- By reducing LN2 dependence in the large-scale chilling process, the Perma Cool system can lower handling risk for staff and simplify the operating environment.
Additional Advantage: Concentrated Tincture
- A higher-saturation ethanol tincture also improves downstream efficiency.
- With less ethanol per pound of material, evaporation requires less energy and time, further streamlining production.
Summary
Using electricity with the Perma Cool Ethanol Pre-Chiller lowers costs, increases workflow efficiency, enhances safety, and simplifies operations. The result is faster processing, higher productivity, and a safer, more reliable extraction environment.