Obtaining N Butane other SOLVENTS and Mixing Solvents
ACQUIRING QUALITY PURE BUTANE AND OTHER SOLVENTS.
There are many companies that supply solvents but the one I recommend for small quantities such as for the TE175 and TE700 and maybe the TE3000 is Xtane.
I recommend them due to the fact that they offer a wide selection of proven solvent choices while stream lining the process for you.
Tamisium Extractors does not supply solvent. We can only refer you to other sources. Solvent purchases are paid for separately than Tamisium Product purchases.
The only primary volatile solvent choices I recommend in a Tamisium System for extracting NON POLAR targets are Butane, IsoButane or DiEthyl Ether. You can use other POLAR solvents such as Acetone, Ethanol to extract POLAR targets and even some non polar targets but you have to be aware of excessive waste extracted which will have to be removed in a post process and how it may effect the seals in the safety quick disconnects. If using polar solvents such as acetone or ethanol you may need to knock out the Safety nipple on your QDs rendering them just a quick disconnect without a safety. Do that at your own risk. Reason you have to knock out the safety when using acetone or ethanol is because the seals in the safety swell, come out of the groove and get lodged into the orifice which will block flow. In addition to the safety seals waste will be excessive when using polar solvents. It is more common to use the solvents as a co solvent to butane in which the polar solvent accompanies the butane in the extraction rather than taking its place. As small as a 5-10% addition of polar solvent is all that is needed. This is hard to find information so I hope you appreciate it.
Do not use propane or a blend of butane and propane in a Tamisium Extractor. Butane and Propane have the same polarity and mixing them provides no other benefit other than the added pressure from the propane which makes passive recovery very difficult. You would be forced to blow it off or use a unsafe recovery pump process. Most people cannot recover all the propane and butane when they are mixed and end up leaking it into the air to get rid of it. A lot gets trapped in the plant matter is this solvent exits into the air once the column is removed and emptied. This is unsafe and not recommended. If you need extra pressure use a little heat up to 120F on the butane. Dont worry about heating the butane. It will be long gone before it ever absorbs the heat so long as you allow it to leave when the head pressure reaches the pressure desired to make it leave which should be no more than 60 psi. 60 psi is way over kill.
It is more common to use even less head pressure such as 10 psi to get flow to move quickly.
Head pressure is created way faster than heat can be absorbed into the butane. As a matter of fact you may see just a 5 degree (Fahrenheit) increase in temperature with as much as a 25 psi increase in pressure.
Dont let anyone tell you that you have to use propane to do fast cold extractions. They just dont understand the physics behind it. Most people using propane dont understand that the result they get is attributed to faster flow and lower contact time and not the propane itself. This can all be done with butane much more safely and easily without all the headache.
I can recommend the following companies for your butane and other solvent needs.
Following that, information will be provided on how to order from some of the other major suppliers of butane which can be difficult due to their resistance to selling butane to the public.
You can obtain 99%, 99.5% or 99.9% pure N (normal) Butane from most any Specialty Gas Supplier. I suggest trying any one of the many supppliers such as Matheson, PraxAir, Air Liquide or Amerigas. There are dozesn of alternatives for filling your solvent needs. Setting up an account may not be as easy as clicking the link above. Please consider using the company I reccommend via the paypal link offered.
- A word of advice. If you go to a gas supplier and expect them to sell you a flammable solvent in bulk form I highly suggest you act professionally and set up a legitimate account. They will not hesitate, and in fact it is thier obligation, to not provide solvents if they feel you are not going to be using them safely for a legal use. Most of these companies are nationally publically traded on wallstreet and cannot take the risk.
- Another word of advice. Most gas suppliers are used to dealing with a standard product that they have dealt with for years. If you request a gas that they will have to research in order to obtain it for you, they will most likely just tell you they cant get it. A lot of this can be bypassed if you already have an account with them and AND, you ask them for their "SPECIALTY GAS DEPT" PHONE NUMBER. These are guys that are used to being asked for specialty gases that are not commonly stocked or available to the regular service center for that company. START BY ASKING FOR THE SPECIALTY GAS DEPT PHONE NUMBER AND expect a wait period to fill the order.
When you do find butane you may find the following information useful.
- You must request a LIQUID SIPHON on the tank ordered.
- The most common size tank for supplying Normal or N Butane is a LP5. Just like a barbeque propane tank but for a TE12000 they have much larger purchasable or rentable tanks. Any tank you place butane in must never have been filled with any other solvent or gas that contained odorants (mercaptans). Once they get into the metal, they are hard to remove if not impossible. So the Tanks will have to be a new specialty gas tank which may cost more. Ask for Mercaptan free tanks.
PART OPTIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS for Tanks, N-Butane, and Connections
LP5 Tank Cylinder - WITH LIQUID SIPHON PREFILLED WITH 99%, 99.5% or 99.9% PURE N-BUTANE. Mercaptan Free 99% is more than pure enough and will purify more as you use it.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET A LIQUID SIPHON ON YOUR TANKS TO GET OUT THE LIQUID INSTEAD OF VAPOR GAS
Repeat this over and over when ordering from any GAS/SOLVENT SUPPLIER.
Below are the common terminology that gas suppliers may use for ordering parts. These describe the different tanks, fittings and levels of purity of N Butane.
LP5 4.5 Gallon Tank with LIQUID SIPHON TUBE
22 lbs Chemically Pure 99% pure N-Butane (Mercaptan Free)
4.5 gallons
** Prices for 4.5 gallons of 99% pure N-Butane start at: $150.00 and vary with suppliers and your locations due to shipping cost and DOT permits and other fees associated with transporting across state lines etc.
LP5 4.5 Gallon Tank with LIQUID SIPHON TUBE
22 lbs Instrument Grade 99.5% pure N-Butane (Mercaptan Free)
4.5 gallons
** Prices for 4.5 gallons of 99.5% pure N-Butane start at: $200.00 and up
LP5 4.5 Gallon Tank with LIQUID SIPHON TUBE
22 lbs Ultra High Purity 99.9% pure N-Butane (Mercaptan Free)
4.5 gallons
** Prices for 4.5 gallons of 99.9% pure N-Butane start at: $750.00 and up.
The above prices are estimates you could expect to pay for the specified tank filled with the specified solvent.
The prices do not include the rental cost or purchase price of the empty tank.
If you want to rent the tank I am sure there is an additional charge.
Most gas suppliers offer the option of purchasing the tank to avoid renting.
Rent or Purchase the Tank for Exchange and only pay for the solvent added.
** LP5 Monthly Cylinder Rental - Charges vary.
** Outright sale of LP5 Cylinder which is refillable - Purchase Prices Start at: $125.00 and up.
There are other tank sizes available.
TANK FITTINGS TO CONNECT TO YOUR TAMISIUM EXTRACTOR
* You will need a 1/4" male pipe thread stem coming out of your dispensing tank if you want to hook our lines to your that tank.
For large tanks this is commonly called a CGA510 fitting for the large dispensing tanks used for the TE3000 and 12000. This fitting will need to have a 1/4" male pipe thread to attach quick disconnects and valves to so you can use our lines to dispense solvent.
For the smaller TE175 and TE700 tanks we supply / include a Teflon Adaptor to allow you to use smaller disposable canisters with a tip that fits into the adaptor.
Please remember that most solvents are flammable. When opening and closing any of the extractors, please safely purge the units and do so in a well ventilated, spark free environment. The smaller units can be taken outside. Know the properties of the solvents being used for any process of any extraction with any apparatus. Accessory Safety Purge lines are available for each extractor.
All of the prices on this site are in USD and are subject to change.