Distillation Equipment for Essential Oils.
We can design and manufacture a complete unit for the production of essential
oils. The one shown here contains a 400 litre capacity perforated stainless
steel basket to hold the ch
arge of product for extraction. The basket is usually lined with fine
muslin to prevent small particles falling into the water; the raw material for
extraction (e.g. lavender) is then placed within, and the muslin folded over
the top. The basket is then lowered into the vessel, the stainless cone etc.
attached and the heating applied. As the water boils, the steam then passes
through the product which is suspended above the liquid and then passes up the
cone. The vapour then travels through the stainless steel water-cooled
condenser where liquification occurs and the essential oils separate from the
distillate.
A set of special glass cylinders fitted with
take-off taps allows removal of the essential oil during the distillation,
whilst the aqueous part of the distillate returns to the still for further
processing.
The
heating can be provided by incorporating either single or 3-phase electric
heating elements, or by using gas burners; in this case the base of the still
is heavy gauge stainless steel to withstand prolonged heating if the
gas-heating method is used.
The still shown on the left has been well
insulated and operates on 4 x 3kWatt single phase elements since it is located
on a remote off-shore island where 3-phase electricity is not available.
It carries a 400 litre basket and requires just
6kWatts to keep it operating once boiling point has been achieved. A
tremendous range of essential oils has already been produced including some
that are definitely new to the perfumery scene - how about samphire oil for
starters!
This still, recently installed, is situated on a Lavender Farm that is open to the public. It is part of a conducted tour and is very much on show so has been manufactured in a polished format. It works efficiently to produce Lavender Oil that is sold in the farm shop, together with many other products that contain home-produced oils. A vast number of different types of Lavender are grown on this farm and the characteristics of each oil can be determined by distilling them separately.
Here is a still
(complete with it’s smart Lavender-coloured cone insulation jacket!) being
commissioned on a farm in Devon. This one has a 450 litre basket with solid
walls and a perforated stainless steel base. It is equipped with a central
lifting eye to enable it to be raised and lowered into the steam vessel.
This photograph was taken as the still was
being erected in a farm outbuilding. It was being assembled and installed as
part of the tour so that the public can watch the essential oils being produced
before then buying the products that have incorporated them.
New for 2008
We can now provide smaller stills,
manufactured mainly from Pyrex glass, to suit the smaller essential oil
producer. They are also suitable for pilot plant or trial work, with the glass
charge column holding far smaller quantities of plant material than the stills
outlined above. Typically this could be 10 or 20 litres 
although it can be expanded to suit the exact
requirements of the distiller.
In addition, we are now supplying inexpensive
laboratory sized distillation equipment to enable the grower to determine the
exact time to harvest his crop to therefore optimise the yield and/or quality.
This small set-up comprises a heating mantle and the glassware necessary to
measure accurately the oil extracted, all supported with a stand and clamps etc.
Please enquire for further information.
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