
Why Processors Value Our Hemp Dryers
With the increase of popularity and mainstream approval of CBD oils and other hemp products, the hemp growing and drying industry is booming. As we continue to understand the uniqueness of hemp, more market opportunities are arising. It’s no wonder hemp processors are developing ways to have more control over the quality of incoming product.
Hemp farmers are experts in growing and harvest, and while the whole process from seed to sale is precarious, the drying process is especially volatile. A lot of crop rots because, without the right equipment, farmers can’t keep up with the drying demand. In our last article we talked about the growing popularity of co-ops and drying facilities to help streamline the process and make it more affordable for the farmers; but, there is another rising trend.
Hemp Processors Are Offering Drying Services
Many hemp processing plants are starting to offer additional services to their farming customers. By adding drying services, for example, they keep their farmers focused on growing more acres of plants while assuring their processing plants produce the best quality products available on the market.
Improving on the hemp drying process means providing a higher quality product while decreasing product loss.
The Right Equipment to Speed Hemp Drying
Louisville Dryer Company is an industry leader in hemp drying solutions. Just like processors want farmers to be able to focus on farming, we want processors to do what they do best. We know that most farmers and processors are not experts in drying equipment, but we are. We support our customers long after they make a dryer purchase because it’s important to us that your equipment operates properly and safely.
10 Benefits Of Our Hemp Dryers
Our hemp clients have improved the efficiency and thoroughness of their drying process by incorporating one of our hemp dryers while also protecting their cannabinoids and profitability. Here are 10 benefits to Louisville Dryer Company’s robust hemp steam dryer system:
#1: Continuous Process
Traditional batch processing is labor-intensive and requires handling the material multiple times. Our hemp dryer continuously dries and discharges material for as long as desired. Materials can be stored for delayed extraction or made immediately ready for the next step in the process.
#2: Size
Natural hemp drying requires a large footprint but our steam tube hemp dryer can replace a plethora of drying barns with the relatively small footprint of the dryer system.
#3 Speed
The chemical process of the hemp plant starts as soon as it is harvested. Hemp needs to be stabilized quickly so it isn’t actively rotting. The plant loses potency and value when you lose speed. With our steam tube dryer, hemp can be dried within minutes instead of days. Residence or dwell-time for materials in the unit is typically less than one hour at our quoted throughputs.
#4: Temperature
By using steam as the heating medium, you can directly control the pressure and set a “do not exceed” temperature to ensure there is minimal to no product degradation.
#5: Consistency
Depending on where you live and how the weather changes, drying times and efficiencies are likely to change a lot. A machine built for hemp drying provides a consistency to your process that you can count on. Even with varying particle size and moisture content, a Louisville Dryer hemp dryer adjusts to deliver consistent uniform material.
#6: Scalability
Our dryer’s production is directly related to the surface area of the tubes and can be easily scaled to match the desired throughput.
#7: Ease of Operation
The Louisville Dryer steam tube dryer is the easiest dryer to operate in the industry.
#8: Efficiency & Processing Rates
Our steam tube dryer has significantly fewer energy losses than a hot gas-fired system. It only uses as much steam as is required to heat and dry the material. Thermal efficiency is 80% in the steam tube dryer compared to 50%-65% in convective systems.
#9: Green/Environmental
Our steam tube dryer has less exhaust than other dryers – which means fewer greenhouse gases are produced.
#10: Process Simplification
Partial decarboxylation of the hemp that takes place within the steam dryer leads to less processing needed downstream. Decarboxylation requires heat and time to unlock the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids. Hemp naturally contains CBD-A, which needs to be activated through decarboxylation to make CBD. It’s a very important process but timing is EVERYTHING. Our hemp dryer puts you in control of the decarboxylation process and prevents significant loss of your crop and profits.
Why Are Processors Choosing Louisville Hemp Dryers?
Processors are thinking ahead towards future growth and they want a machine that makes it possible to grow and process more plants at top quality. They cannot afford to risk ruined products because the hemp farming business demands are growing faster than the farmer’s processing capabilities. A hemp drying system by Louisville Dryer Company is a wise solution to helping processors (as well as farmers and drying facilities) to achieve a level of production needed for their business growth.
Processors need:
- Dry, stabilized biomass
- Moisture levels at 10% or less
- Free of mold or mildew
- No excess fiber which dilutes the CBD numbers
- Finely shredded materials
Louisville Dryer Company’s hemp dryers are manufactured to be easy to use and act quickly and gently on hemp biomass.
Whether you are growing and processing for cannabinoids or using other parts of the plant for various hemp products, our hemp drying technology makes all the difference in the quality of your end-product. Louisville Dryer Company’s hemp dryers are the right choice to grow and scale your business.
Contact Our Hemp Expert
Hank Lawson, Senior Process Engineer at Louisville Dryer, made it his personal mission to learn the best way our company can support hemp farmers, processors, and co-op hosts. He gained his experience first-hand by operating a small hemp farm so he could understand our hemp customers and their unique struggles. We invite you to reach out directly to him for insights into the unique issues involved with growing and drying hemp.
If you’d like to contact Hank or any of our team members about an industrial dryer, please call us at (800) 735-3163 or fill out our online contact form. A more efficient and profitable drying method could change everything for your hemp business.
Hank Lawson, Senior Process Engineer at Louisville Dryer