Project Abstract

Abstract
Steam distillation is a widely used technique in various industries, including essential oil extraction, food processing, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. This project focuses on the construction of an open steam distillation column for the extraction of essential oils from aromatic plants. The design and implementation of the distillation column involve several key components, including a boiler for steam generation, a condenser for vapor cooling, and a collection vessel for the separated oil and water. The construction process includes assembling the column using high-quality stainless steel components to ensure durability and efficient heat transfer. The column is designed to allow the passage of steam through the plant material, facilitating the release and extraction of essential oils. The steam is generated in the boiler and passed through the plant material in the column, carrying the volatile compounds with it. The condenser plays a crucial role in the distillation process by cooling the vaporized steam, causing it to condense back into a liquid state. This condensed mixture of essential oil and water is then collected in a separate vessel, where the oil naturally separates and floats on top of the water due to differences in density. The collected essential oil can be further processed and purified for various applications. The construction of the open steam distillation column involves careful attention to detail to ensure proper sealing and insulation to prevent steam leaks and heat loss. The efficiency of the distillation process is influenced by factors such as steam flow rate, temperature control, and plant material preparation. By optimizing these parameters, the project aims to achieve high yields of quality essential oils from the distillation process. Overall, the construction of an open steam distillation column provides a cost-effective and sustainable method for essential oil extraction, allowing for the production of natural and pure oils without the use of chemical solvents. The project contributes to the advancement of green technologies in the industry and promotes the utilization of renewable resources for valuable products. Through experimentation and optimization, the project seeks to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the steam distillation process for various applications in the field of plant extraction and essential oil production.

Project Overview

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Distillation is a separating technique in which two liquids are separated at essentially the same temperature and pressure.  It is also the term used to describe the operation where the vaporization of a liquid mixture yields a vapor phase containing more than one constituents and it is desired to recover one or more of this constituents in a nearly pure state.

It would probably be beneficial to define the terms that describe the process and related properties.  Let us begin by describing the process by which a substance transformed from the condensed phase to the gas phase.  For liquid, this process is called VAPORIZATION and for a solid it is called SUBMIATIN, both processes requires heat.  All substances regardless whether they are liquids or solids are characterized by a vapor pressure.  The vapor pressure of a pure substance is the pressure exerted by the substance against the external pressure which is usually  atmospheric pressure. Vapor pressure is a measure of the tendency to escape.  When the vapor pressure of a liquid substance reaches the external pressure the substance is observed to Boil.  If the external pressure is atmospheric pressure, the temperature at which a pure substance boils is called the NORMAL BOILING POINT.  Solid substances are not characterized by a similar phenomena called BOILING.  They simply vaporize directly into the atmosphere.

Generally speaking, distillation, stripping, absorption, humidification are industrial stage wise operations which involves the contact of two phases in various apparatus.  Completion of separation depends upon certain properties of components involved and the arrangement of the distillation process.

The properties involved are:

–                     Mode of temperature and process control

–                     The relative volatility between the liquid and vapor phases

–                     The production capacity of the distiller

–                     The type of distillation involved

However, the importance of distillation in commercial process is the purification of a large variety of material and petroleum industries.  It is applied in the production of hot drinks in chemical industries.  Also, applied in oil companies for the separation of petroleum into its various components e.g kerosene, diesel, gasoline, petrol, fuel, oil, lubricating oil, paraffin wax, aliphatic etc.  Lastly, it is equally applied in pharmaceutical industries for the production of ethylated spirits and many other medical strubs.