Continuous flow cold water extraction

A method of separating trichomes from cannabis plant flowers (CPF) comprising the steps of:

• delivering CPF to a hopper (14);
• continuously conveying the delivered CPF from the hopper (14) to an open end of a perforated horizontal drum (20) having internal helical flights (22), with a conveyor (16);
• introducing the continuously delivered CPF through the open end of the perforated horizontal drum (20) and into an interior thereof, the perforated horizontal drum (20) being at least partially submerged in a tank (24) partially filled with a chilled water bath at a temperature of less than 36° F., the perforations of the horizontal drum (20) being sized to permit trichomes to pass therethrough;
• rotating the perforated horizontal drum (20) to agitate and move the CPF through the perforated drum, causing the trichomes to separate from a residual portion of the CPF by exposing the CPF to the chilled water and agitation;
• continuously flowing chilled water into the tank (24) and through the perforated wall of the perforated horizontal drum (20), causing separated trichomes to flow out of the interior through the perforated wall of the perforated horizontal drum (20);
• continuously passing chilled water containing separated trichomes that has passed through the perforated wall, through a pipe (35) leading from the chilled water bath, and through a first filter unit (36a) including at least three consecutive filters (38a, 38b & 38c) of decreasing pore size, decreasing in the direction of flow and at least one of which is sized to capture the separated trichomes;
• and
• continuously passing the residual portion of the CPF through an outlet at an opposing end of the rotating perforated horizontal drum (20) opposite to the open end.