CHICAGO – Kason Corporation and ABM Equipment together have introduced two fluid bed drying systems tailored to different levels of cannabis processing volumes.
The new Biomass Drying System units are designed around the cannabis drying method deployed with the Kason VIBRO-BED system. The first is a single-stage fluid bed dryer used for smaller 1,000 pound/hour facilities; the second unit is deployed for larger-scale systems as high as 8,000 pound/hour environments.
The larger system uses a powerful patent-pending 2-stage drying approach that deploys precise temperatures throughout the process, resulting in a premium biomass end-product, with minimal CBD loss and lower energy costs.
Ideal for batch or continuous drying of cannabis biomass, the VIBRO-BED Circular Vibratory Fluid Bed Dryer addresses the shortcomings of extreme-flash-dry units. Drying at higher temperatures can run the risk of burning the product or degrading its CBD content, while processing at lower temperatures can result in wet spots and molding of product, if not prolonged sufficiently.
Columbia Hemp Trading Company Founder Billy Tosheff, one of the earliest users of the new 2-stage drying method, pointed to the partnership between his company, Kason and ABM as a critical competitive advantage for him in the market.
“We’ve made dramatic improvements in throughput, cost-efficiency and most importantly the quality of our premium product,” noted Tosheff. “None of our progress would have been possible without ABM; they intuitively understand what it takes to dry any type of organic product. Mixing that with the Kason fluid bed drying technology is truly a win-win for the company.”
Kason’s patent-pending 2-stage approach is able to use higher temperatures on wet product, remove unwanted stalks and stems, then finish the process with low temperatures for the dryer product. The first stage removes up to 50% moisture content, while the second stage relies on a longer dwell time and less heat to complete the process down to 4-12% moisture.
“Cannabis processors are not a one-size-fits-all industry,” explained ABM Equipment Owner Jeff Walling. ABM is representing Kason in the market as its exclusive system integrator for cannabis. “Our customers represent a wide variety of processing operations with varying crop acreages and square footage facilities that demand a more customized approach to fitting a solution just to their volumes.”
“Kason’s 2-stage cannabis drying solution has been proven to be reliable in both batch and continuous processing applications for all levels of cannabis processing facilities,” said Henry Alamzad, Senior Vice President of Advanced Materials Processing, the parent organization for Kason Corporation. “Our VIBRO-BED fluid bed dryers have become quite popular among premium cannabis producers that are seeking rugged, stainless steel systems that are consistent with the most rigorous food-grade and pharmaceutical environments in the country.”
To learn more, visit www.abmequipment.com or www.kason.com
