| llation is a method of separation of substances based | | | | distillation and the equipment used is a little costlier. |
| on differences in their volatilities. Distillation is used in | | | | Steam Distillation. |
| aromatherapy to capture the essential oils from | | | | Steam distillation produces the maximum yield and is |
| garden flowers and herbs. Once you have extracted | | | | used for extraction of aromatic essential oils on a |
| the essential oil from the parent plant you can use it | | | | large-scale commercial basis. The equipment used is |
| in any form that you like. | | | | expensive and suitable mainly for commercial |
| There are essentially four different methods that you | | | | purposes. As of now, steam distillation is the most |
| can use to distil aromatherapy oil from plants. They | | | | popular commercial method for distillation of essential |
| are Enfleurage, Water distillation, Steam distillation and | | | | oils from plants. |
| a combination of both which is known as Water and | | | | Equipment. |
| Steam distillation. Water distillation is the most | | | | Now that we know about the various processes of |
| common method practiced by home users. The other | | | | distillation, let us look at some of the kinds of |
| two methods are slightly more laborious and involve | | | | distillation equipment that are available. Distillation |
| the use of highly specialized equipment, and are as | | | | equipment is available in a variety of materials. The |
| such used more on a commercial level. | | | | common ones are glass, aluminum, iron, stainless |
| Enfleurage. | | | | steel, and copper. The vessel into which the raw |
| Historically this is probably the first method used to | | | | material is placed is called the still. The still body is |
| obtain the essential oils from plants. In this process, | | | | designed depending on the type of distillation process |
| the flower petals are placed on fat in layers. The | | | | that it is to be used for. It can be designed to hold |
| essential oils are transferred from the petals to the | | | | water, to have steam pumped into it or have |
| fat. Then the fat is be removed by solvents. The | | | | perforated plates upon which the materials sit, etc. |
| solvent is then removed by rectification and further | | | | The sophistication of the equipment will depend on |
| processes re-dissolve the essential oils in alcohol. This | | | | the type of distillation process that you will utilize, and |
| is a very laborious and time consuming way of | | | | on the scale on which you wish to carry out your |
| obtaining the essential oil. | | | | operations. Keep in mind that equipment that is just |
| Water Distillation. | | | | right for home use, could prove to be ineffective, if |
| This process involves the distillation of aromatic herbs | | | | used on a commercial basis, and so on. The simplest |
| and flowers over water to extract their essential | | | | sort of distillation equipment for home use would |
| aromatic oils. Prior to carrying out water distillation, | | | | consist of a boiling flask, a receiving beaker, a copper |
| the plant is finely powdered. The equipment used is | | | | distillation tube and a condensing cover. Ideally an |
| relatively simple and low priced. However, the yield | | | | alcohol based burner should be sued as a heat source. |
| from water distillation is not as high as that from the | | | | For commercial purposes you may want to utilize a |
| other two. | | | | commercial capacity steam distiller. These are large |
| Steam and Water Distillation. | | | | gas-fired distillers with built in automation and safety |
| This method uses a combination of water and steam | | | | features. |
| to liberate the essential oils contained within a | | | | Choose your equipment wisely so that you can get |
| plant’s aromatic sacs through heat and | | | | the best out of extracting your favorite essential oils |
| pressure and transforms them into a liquid essence. | | | | from aromatic herbs and flowers. |
| The process is slightly more complicated than water | | | | |