| Distillation is a method of separation of substances | | | | equipment used is a little costlier. |
| based on differences in their volatilities. Distillation is | | | | Steam Distillation. |
| used in aromatherapy to capture the essential oils | | | | Steam distillation produces the maximum yield and is |
| from garden flowers and herbs. Once you have | | | | used for extraction of aromatic essential oils on a |
| extracted the essential oil from the parent plant you | | | | large-scale commercial basis. The equipment used is |
| can use it 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 are | | | | popular commercial method for distillation of essential |
| Enfleurage, Water distillation, Steam distillation and a | | | | oils from plants. |
| combination of both which is known as Water and | | | | Equipment. |
| Steam distillation. Water distillation is the most common | | | | Now that we know about the various processes of |
| method practiced by home users. The other two | | | | distillation, let us look at some of the kinds of distillation |
| methods are slightly more laborious and involve the | | | | equipment that are available. Distillation equipment is |
| use of highly specialized equipment, and are as such | | | | available in a variety of materials. The common ones |
| used more on a commercial level. | | | | are glass, aluminum, iron, stainless steel, and copper. |
| Enfleurage. | | | | The vessel into which the raw material is placed is |
| Historically this is probably the first method used to | | | | called the still. The still body is designed depending on |
| obtain the essential oils from plants. In this process, the | | | | the type of distillation process that it is to be used for. It |
| flower petals are placed on fat in layers. The essential | | | | can be designed to hold water, to have steam |
| oils are transferred from the petals to the fat. Then | | | | pumped into it or have perforated plates upon which |
| the fat is be removed by solvents. The solvent is then | | | | the materials sit, etc. |
| removed by rectification and further processes | | | | The sophistication of the equipment will depend on the |
| re-dissolve the essential oils in alcohol. This is a very | | | | type of distillation process that you will utilize, and on |
| laborious and time consuming way of obtaining the | | | | the scale on which you wish to carry out your |
| 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, the | | | | consist of a boiling flask, a receiving beaker, a copper |
| 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 plant's | | | | Choose your equipment wisely so that you can get |
| aromatic sacs through heat and pressure and | | | | the best out of extracting your favorite essential oils |
| transforms them into a liquid essence. The process is | | | | from aromatic herbs and flowers. |
| slightly more complicated than water distillation and the | | | | |