Retort for essential oil distillation

Retort for essential oil distillation is often referred as tanks. It is a vessel where the contact between the plant substances with steam takes place and then it vaporizes the volatile compounds. Its simple form is a cylindrical with a diameter equal to its height or slightly smaller, and equipped with a lid that can be raised and can be attached with a clamp on the cylindrical body.
The lid should be attached strong and tight enough with vessel so that no moisture can loose during the refining process takes place. At the top of cylinder was placed a kind of swan neck that can flow the vapor to the condenser. In the water distillation method (WD), liquid H2O and plant material is filled into the retort, and then heated. The steam along with essential oil will evaporate together, then head to the goose neck and condense.
In the water and steam distillation method (WSD), an open container is stationed in the form of plates with holes (can also be a coarse sieve from metal) on the bottom inside the retort for essential oil distillation, which is used to hold plant material above the water surface.
During the processing of seed (whole or have been grinded), this container should be covered with cloth or others so that the seed do not pass down. This container must be sufficiently far above the bottom so that the liquid H2O can be filled pretty much into the vessel without any contact with the material and drought does not occur during the processing. As an illustration, for the retort which has 60 cm height, the container should be 20 cm above the bottom.
In WD method, the tank should be wider so that the raw plant parts can be submerged in liquid H2O. It will produce more yield and better quality. Height and diameter of the tank on the WSD are approximately equal. If you have more quantity of the material, so the tank height must be adjusted. All you need to know is it must be maintained so that it is not too dense to allow the steam move freely toward the top through them. In addition, it should also be made an instrument that can detect the water level in the vessel to avoid drought during the processing. To prevent heat lost, it would be good if the entire surface of the retort for essential oil distillation is coated with heat-resistant layer, such as asbestos.

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Essential oil raw material optimization

Optimization of raw material quality for essential oil extraction need to be done because it will affect the yield. Qualityof raw materials is influenced by the quality of cultivation which include the appropriate agro-climate requirement, varieties, cultivation technology applied and the proper harvest age. All of that must meet the Good Agriculture Practices (GAP). Harvest handling can affect the yield and completeness of its components.
Research Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (Balittro) of Indonesia has obtained four superior patchouli clones with patchouli alcohol levels above the required quality (more than 30%). They are Cisaroni, Lhoksumawe, Sidikalang, and Tapak Tuan. The clones can be used as reference in the selection of patchouli clones. In addition to forms or clones of plants, optimization of raw material quality for extraction of essential oil can be done by setting the age of harvest. Patchouli plants can be harvested after the age of 6-8 months and subsequent harvests can be done every 3-4 months. When the leaves are too young, the possibility of secondary metabolites which are formed is less than perfect so that it affect on final product quality.
Vetiver essential oil, distilled from the young rhizome, having low specific gravity, optical rotation and is difficult to soluble in alcohol, mostly consists of terpenes and sesquiterpenes. The older rhizome produce vetiver oil which has higher specific gravity and optical rotation, is soluble in alcohol and more intensive smell. At the extraction of jasmine oil, the flowers are picked at the optimum level of aging. In the case of white jasmine oil (Jasminum sambac), the milky white flowers are chosen to be picked, while at the case of gambier jasmine (Jasminum officinale), the flowers are picked at the young age of purple flowers. Optimization of raw material quality for essential oil extraction can also be done by shortening the time gap between the harvest and the processing or distillation, so there will be less volatile substances lost during handling of raw material.

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Essential oil extraction using microwave

Currently, the essential oil extraction using microwave is studied intensively to replace conventional technologies such as steam distillation (hydrodistillation), isolation with fat (enfleurage), etc. The primarily advantage of this method is the less time of volatile compounds extraction than previous methods.
Electromagnetic waves transmitted through radiation will penetrate the transparent substances like glass as a container of the raw material. It is able to achieve the gland and vascular system in the plant material. Moisture content and other components, including volatile compounds in plant parts absorb the radiation and it will turn it into heat energy. This leads to an increase in temperature in the raw material rapidly. Temperature increasing continues until the internal pressure exceeds the expansion capacity of cell wall. In this condition, the walls will rupture and the substances inside, including volatile substances will come out freely.
After the aromatic compounds went out of the wall, it will be mixed with moisture which is also contained in the raw material. These mechanisms facilitate the the evaporation of volatile compounds and water through a hydrodiffusion mechanism.
Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE)
MAE is a simple technique for the essential oil extraction using microwave. This technique can be applied both in the liquid phase (which liquid is used as a solvent) or gas phase (gas is used as a medium for extracting).
The first technique is based on the principle of differences in the ability to absorb microwave energy at each of the compounds contained in plant parts. Parameters commonly used to measure the physical properties are referred as the dielectric constant.
MAE technique also depends on the dielectric constant of the solvent used. Alfaro et al (2003) said that the ethanol produces the best yield of ginger oil than the other solvent such as hexane, petroleum ether, and dichloromethane. Further in his research said that the use of MAE can reduce the processing time to 60 seconds instead of using the soxhlet extraction.
Microwave-Assisted Hydrodistillation (MAH)
This method is basically a combination between the essential oil extraction using microwave radiation with dry distillation system. Therefore, the MAH are not required additional solvents such as MAE. To ensure ongoing process of diffusion of volatile compounds and water, so the raw material must be fresh (containing moisture).
In general, the method is as follows: plant parts put in the distillation flask made of glass that can be penetrated by radiation so that those materials will absorb it then it reach the gland and vascular systems in the cell wall. These mechanisms generate heat so that the walls will rupture and the aromatic substances inside can freely come out. Water in the raw substance will also become hot due to the absorption of electromagnetic energy and diffuse into the volatile oil causing hydrodiffusion. Aromatic substances and moisture evaporate together based on the principles of distillation and then condensed.
Finally, essential oil extraction using microwave needs to be further studied, especially its composition or its contents, whether there is a change of natural substances in the essential oils or not.

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Solvent extraction for essential oils from flowers

What is extraction?
Solvent extraction in principle is the separation (separation) that exploit the differences in solubility properties of the individual components of a mixtures in certain types of solvents.
Examples are: a mixture of A and B would be separated using the X solvent. From the data of solubility properties, component of A is very soluble in X, while component of B is slightly soluble or even insoluble. If the X is added to the mixture of A and B which are different in nature of polarity, then the component of A will dissolve in the X, while B does not. So it will get a new mixture of A and X. The next stage is how to separate the A and X? One method is evaporation.
Extraction techniques are typically used to produce essential oils that are easily damaged by heat, in this case is the volatile oil of flowers such as jasmine, or rose. To dissolve the essential oils, then a chemical compound is required which is typically and non-polar. Why do non-polar? Fresh flowers naturally contain water. In the concept of chemical bonding, the water is polar. Well, if you use a polar compound such as alcohol, of course, water also contained in the raw materials will dissolve into the alcohol and thus require a more complex separation process. But if used non-polar compound so water will not dissolve into it.
There are many types of non-polar organic compounds, but the most commonly used is hexane (C6H14) although you can also use benzene (C6H6) or also petrol / gasoline. There are several criteria in choosing a solvent for extraction of flowers in addition to its non-polar. Among them are its ability to dissolve fragrant substances in the raw material perfectly, has a low boiling point and uniform, are "inert" or do not react with aromatic substances that will be extracted, the lowest price possible and easy to obtain.
The final product using the this type of extraction are of two kinds, namely concrete and absolute. Concrete is an essential oil which is mixed with a wax / resin and the residual solvent. When the extraction process takes place, not only essential oils are dissolved, but also wax / resin come into it. Concrete shaped like a semi-solid fat or butter. While the absolute is a pure essential oil without impurities such as wax / resin and the residual. Absolute is the most expensive price.
There are also other concepts that are not less important, ie vacuum evaporation. Vacuum conditions are defined as conditions under atmospheric pressure (below 1 atm / normal pressure). So the combined meaning is the process of solvent evaporation on the conditions under normal pressure.
Why should a vacuum?
The ultimate goal is to reduce the boiling point of the solvent so that the overall process temperature become low. The lower pressure, so the temperature of process is also lower. For example; hexane at normal pressure (1 atm) has boiling point at 68 Celcius degree, at a pressure of 0.7 atm, its boiling point is 58 Celcius degree, and at a pressure of 0.2 atm, its boiling point 25 Celcius degree. These conditions are expected in the extraction of essential oils from flowers in order to obtain good quality oil. It means the damage caused by essential oils of high temperatures can be avoided. While other purpose vacuum conditions is to assure that the solvent can be separated as much as possible. To maintain the vacuum needed a tool to support the vacuum pump. The most common problem emerging from this method is the stability of vacuum pump performance.

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How to make essential oils

This post describes how to make essential oils from certain part of aromatic plants. Extraction of essential oils can be done in three ways: (a) distillation, (b) pressing (expression), (c) by using the solvent extraction (solvent extraction), and (d) adsorption by the solid fat (enfleurage). Among the four modes which are widely used by the essential oil industries are the the first and third way.
Distillation is the oldest method of the essential oils production. This method is suitable to produce volatile compounds that are not easily damaged by heat, such as clove oil, patchouli, citronella scented, nutmeg, vetiver and ginger.
Pressing is done by putting pressure on the material using a device called a hydraulic or expeller pressing. Several types that can be separated by pressing are the oil of almond, lemon, orange peel, and other types.
Using solvent extraction is suitable to produce flower oils which is less stable and can be damaged by heat. Solvents which can be used for this purposes, among others, chloroform, alcohol, acetone, ether, and fats. While enfleurage used specifically to separate the oil of flowers, to make essential oils with high quality and oil yield.
Distillation is a process of physical separation of a mixture of two or more products that have different boiling points by first boiling component having a low boiling point separated from the mixture. To simplify that process, the raw materials can be treated firstly (materials handling) by some means such as drying, washing and sliced.
Drying can accelerate the extraction process and improve the quality of the essential oils, but during the drying some of the oil might be lost due to evaporation and oxidation by air. Several types of raw materials do not need to be dried, such as ginger, and other materials that are refined in a fresh condition to prevent loss of aroma which is desired.
Washing is usually done to materials derived from the soil such as fragrant roots, and rhizomes. The goal is to clean the material from dirt, preventing the oil so as not to dirty, and the efficiency of loading of materials in the kettle flute.
Slicing will facilitate the evaporation of essential oils from the material, expand the flute surface properties of materials and reducing the Kamba. In general, slicing performed on the size of 20-30 cm.
In the essential oil industry, it is known about three kinds of distillation methods to make essential oils : (1)distillation with water (water distillation), (2)with water-vapor (water and steam distillation), (3) direct steam distillation.
In the distillation, pressure, temperature, and flow rate depend on how old is the distillery and type of commodity. Old distillery varies from 3-5 hours to citronella scented, 5-8 hours for patchouli and clove oil, 10 - 14 hours to nutmeg oil, and 10-16 hours for vetiver oil depends on the type of raw material (wet / dry ), the use of pressure and temperature. High vapor pressures can cause decomposition of the oil, therefore it is better refining begins with low pressure, then increased gradually until the end of the process.
During the distillation process, vapor condensed and fell to the bottom of the boiler must be removed periodically through the disposal to prevent the porous submerged steam pipes, as this can impede the flow of steam from the boiler to the boiler flute.
In the cooling process, the temperature of cooling water into the tube or the ideal cooling pond about 25-30 degrees C, and the maximum temperature of the water out 40-50 degrees C. Outgoing water temperature can be regulated with the zoom in / out discharge cooling water into the tube / cooling pond.
Separation of oil from the separator tube should "not arrested" (taken with a scoop), because it will cause the oil separated from the water will re-dispersed in water and difficult to separate again, thus resulting in loss (loses).
The result still looks cloudy because small amount of water and dirt are dispersed in oil. They can be separated by filtering the oil using Teflon fabric / silk screening. That separation can also be done by adding a water-binding substances in the form of Sodium Sulfate Anhydrous (Na2SO4) by 1% then stirred and filtered. This is also the important step of process to make essential oils.

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