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Author Topic: Essential Oil Dissitilation  (Read 2631 times)

snowman18

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Essential Oil Dissitilation
« on: November 09, 2019, 02:37:59 AM »
I'm starting off with a 30 gallon still, the top has been opened up by removing the top a stainless steel ring will be welded to the tank.

The wide mouth will make emptying the tank and reloading a simple operation, I have cut two identical plates that will bolt onto the top of the tank, One plate is fitted with a simple outlet for the steam leading to a condenser.

The other plate has a taller stainless tank affixed to it which will be used as a re-flux column for processing spirits.

The tank has a threaded inlet near the bottom, when its being used to distill essential oils steam will be injected on this port. For spirits a threaded electrical heater element will be in inserted into the port.

A friend gave me a wood heater, the top will have a hole cut into it then a home made steam boiler attached. Very similar in construction to the type of steam boiler you would see powering a steam engine.

The only difference is that I do not need a head of steam, a few psi coming off an open boiler is all that is needed.

I live rural and have a well that does not produce much water, I have a refrigerated are dryer that was intended to remove the moisture from compressed air. Instead it will be used to cool my condenser water which will be recycled.

The local butcher shop has a basement full of coal briquettes that are free for the taking, then there's plenty of wood available from newly purchased farm land then also I'll have my own waste to use for fuel.

I have thought of using the Petter generator to supply the electrical needs of the still and cooling of the condenser water. With everything trailer mounted I could take the while unit into the woods to process logging waste.

A simple spark arrestor attached to the exhaust system would satisfy forestry officials.

If the 30 gallon still shows promise of a profit this operation is easily expanded.







https://youtu.be/GD58B4O9Hm0




snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2019, 02:48:32 AM »
Bits and pieces.

Sight glass for the steam generator next are the stainless steel tank the larger one will be used for the reflux.

Holes have been drilled into the bottom to allow spirits free passage.

Steam generator shell, this will be cut to length then have the boiler tubes installed before its placed onto the wood heater.












snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2019, 02:52:17 AM »
The silage chopper as found, $75.00 later I own it.








snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2019, 03:01:23 AM »
Another $75.00 for the complete swather, the VG4D had four stuck open exhaust valves which are now freed up. I heated the valve heads and stems just to a temperature to be uncomfortable to the touch.

Let them cool then hit them again with the heat, over a period of a couple of day the constant expansion and contracting enough penetrating oil made it way down into the guides.

This engine will be used to power the silage chipper.

Pictures below the Wisconsin showing how the old gasoline had turned to bitumen.






snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2019, 03:09:14 AM »
The Natives at Bella Coola BC operate a small essential oil still, they were kind enough the send me some literature along with a few pictures.

The distillation is done with steam and the large vessel is emptied via a hand cranked gear reducer to tip the contents out.

In these pictures they're distilling cedar oil.





« Last Edit: November 09, 2019, 03:11:41 AM by snowman18 »

gadget

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2019, 06:57:18 AM »
Snowman, this is very interesting. Are you going to be distilling cedar also? Keep the pics coming.

snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2019, 07:12:12 AM »
Snowman, this is very interesting. Are you going to be distilling cedar also? Keep the pics coming.

The province I currently reside is predominantly black spruce, I'm kinda annoyed at myself for delaying this project. Sidetracked with a Petter.

I've missed out on so many yard trimmings and tree removals and now Xmas is near I fear I'll miss out on the discarded trees.

I need to have that top ring tig welded onto the large vessel and don't have access to one, as for the rest of the parts have used silver solder and brazing with brass rods .

The stainless steel pipe was purchased as used from an outfit that installs dairy parlors, and my tri clamp stuff off of flea bay.

snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2019, 04:14:12 PM »

What sort of yield of oil do you get per Kg or 100KG of raw material and what sort of price can you get for it?

Still is not ready for work, but I would expect 250 milliliters of oil from 100 kg of cedar boughs have no idea what black spruce will give for returns.

I'm of an age where I'm much too old to be in this for the money.

I do these things as hobby's to keep my over active mind occupied.


snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2019, 11:32:29 PM »

I know the yields from distalation can be low but that sure is a hard earned return.  Never tried anything like this but I have cut down a lot of Gum trees and always thought I'd like to try and get the eucalyptus oil from them. I'll add i to the list of projects.  Shouldn't be a problem getting to it when I'm about 138 years old.
 
Are you going to use the oil yourself or have something else in mind for it?

From 250 ml you would have sixteen 15 ml bottles of oil with a gross value of $200.00 USD.

Aromatherapy using essential oils is becoming very popular, I'm not a practitioner but working with rose hips rubbing the pulp between the palms of my hands did relieve arthritis from my thumb on my left hand.

The outer shell of the rose hip is used to make tea while the seeds are pressed for their oil.

The still I'm building is multi purpose a reflux column can be attached  for the distillation of spirits.

Spirits evaporate at 176 degrees f these vapors have to pre heat the reflux before they'll pass over to the condenser and tag along water in the form of steam coming into contact with a column heated to 176 re-condenses and returns to the boiler.

A thermostat located near the top of the tower will monitor temperature changes, when the temp begins to rise above 176 you know steam has now made it through the column and your spirit run has been completed..

In theory that is how its supposed to work.




snowman18

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Re: Essential Oil Dissitilation
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2019, 11:43:25 PM »
I put the hips through this old meat grinder, then air dried to pulp for a couple of days, after drying the seeds were easily liberated by rubbing the pulp between the palms.

I've given the pulp away to those nearby who wish to make tea from it, the seeds are waiting to be pressed for their oil.

I did purchase a hand cranked oil seed press that I'm going to modify by adding a gear reduction drive to.