Distillation is the most commonly used method for extracting aromatic plant essential oil. 95% of aromatic plant essential oil is extracted by distillation.

This method is to put the plant parts containing aromatic substances (flowers, leaves, sawdust, resin, root bark, etc.) into a large container (distiller), at the bottom of the container, heating combustion or entering steam. When hot vapor fills the container, it evaporates the aromatic essential oil components in the plant along with the vapor, and as the vapor passes through the condensation tube above, it is finally introduced into the condenser. The condenser is a spiral tube surrounded by cold water to convert steam cooling into the oil-water mixture and then flow into the oil-water separator. The oil that is lighter than water floats on the surface, oil that is heavier than water sinks to the bottom, and the remaining water is pure dew. Next, the essential oil and dew are stored separately by a separating funnel.

Distillation can be divided into water distillation, Distillation in Water and steam distillation. Distillation methods should be selected according to the characteristics of different materials.

Over Water distillation

Water distillation is to place the material that needs to be distilled on the sieve plate in the distillation pot and pour clear water under the sieve plate. The liquid level of clear water should not touch the material. The water in the pot can be directly heated by fire, the water into the high-temperature steam heater, and the water in the pot heated by the electric jacket so that the steam can be produced to achieve the purpose of distillation.

Distillation in Water

Distillation in water is to put the materials that need to be distilled into a distillation pot, which is filled with clear water. The proportion of clear water and materials varies with the material. Specific methods such as “water distillation”.

Steam distillation

Steam distillation is to place the material that needs to be distilled on the sieve plate in the distillation pot. Under the sieve plate, saturated water vapor is introduced to achieve the purpose of distillation.