Essential Oils ideas and concepts...

[JM]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, Palatino, P22 Hopper Josephine, Times]⇒ Steam Distillation

Most common essential oils, including lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus, are distilled. Distillation is used for fresh plant material, especially those that have a high boiling point such as seeds, roots and woods. Most oils are distilled in a single process. One exception is Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) which takes 22 hours to complete through fractional distillation.
In Steam Distillation, raw plant material (consisting of the flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seeds, or peel) is placed in an alembic (distillation apparatus) over water which is heated and steam forced through the material.

​

Figure 3. Typical Steam Distillation Process

The steam releases and vaporizes the aromatic molecules from the botanical material, while being very carefully regulated to impart only sufficient heat to force expulsion of the aromatic molecules while not exceeding burn temperature. These vapors are then passed through a cooling coil where they condense back into liquid which is then collected and separated into it's constituent components (see Hydrosol).
The pressurized steam increases rates of condensed liquid separation while, simultaneously, raising it's boiling point and, thus, reducing the requisite processing temperature sufficiently to prevent damage to the resulting oil. Some thermolabile oils, like Lavender, are protected using this Extraction Method. Optimum oil characteristics are maintained while it's key compound (Linalyl Acetate) is not separated into it's constituent components of Linalool and Acetic Acid.
[/FONT]

 

[JM]

above excerpt from:
http://store.scent-works.com/oilexme.html



ding ding ding ding ding!!!!!! winnner!!!!!

[FONT=arial, helvetica, Palatino, P22 Hopper Josephine, Times]• Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction

Supercritical carbon dioxide (“CO2”) extraction combines the best aspects of steam distillation and solvent extraction. When carbon dioxide is put under high-pressure of at least 72.9 atmospheres of pressure at a temperature as low as 31.1°C (the “critical point”), it becomes a supercritical fluid with the permeation properties of a gas but the solvation properties of a liquid.
Consequently, the process extracts a wider range of volatile aromatic elements; is unaltered by heat or the CO2 solvent which is inert and will not chemically interact with the aromatic compounds; is easily and completely removed by returning the CO2 to normal atmospheric pressure where it return to it's natural gaseous form; and, thus, yields a richer, more intensely-scented oil with greater therapeutic qualities than those produced by any other extraction method to -date. However, the equipment required is expensive, and, thus, reflected in the price of essential oils obtained by this process.
Two types of oils are obtained using this method of extraction:
⇒ CO2 Selects

Selects are oils which are extracted at lower pressures and contain only the volatile, CO2 soluble components. The heavier waxes, resins, and color compounds are left behind. The viscosity of a CO2 Select oil is generally thick but pourable. These oils closely resemble steam-distilled oils by composition but they may contain more volatile components that are not extracted during steam distillation.
⇒ CO2 Totals

Totals are oils that are extracted at higher pressures and contain both the volatile and non-volatile CO2-soluble components of a plant. These oils contain the essential oil of the plant plus the heavier waxes, resins, and color compounds making them very similar to the raw plant itself. CO2 Totals are generally thick and pasty but are soluble in essential oils and vegetable oils (although some may need gentle warming).
Back to Top
[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, Palatino, P22 Hopper Josephine, Times]
[/FONT]

 

[KindredSpirit]

:beast::beast:

Came across this article the other day while doing some research. The guy is trying to come up with a DIY way of doing supercritical CO2 extraction on a somewhat reasonable budget. Seems like the process involves some pretty serious machinery, but damn effective if you have access to the technology.

DIY CO2 Extraction?

:group::group:

 

[JM]

I dont think you need much for the low pressure... even the high pressure i only 1100 lbs or so... the question is... does it all need t be stainless?cuz that ups the cost.... otherwise you're only handling co2 at 1200 psi....

 

[JM]

edit... now i see link... great writeup!!! :gthumb: hmmm totally buildable...

 

[gearbear2]

Kindred, that dude is way above my head on his writing level. He's on another plane of communication and you can tell even in his over stated and careful wording to responses. So if this guy is giving accurate info (I would bet yes), he probably has about a dozen devices that work great for our purposes. Being he is not only accurate but precise, it's just not perfected in it's "aiming" capabilities in gettting just the right oils and being able to selectively obstruct/ not include the others. I would take one of his toss out/ failures any day.

CO2 seems cool but until I see the simplified homebrew edition. Alcohol, glycerine, oil/ fat ectracts it is.

JM or Kindred will ya have us a homebrew edition soon?

 

[BUSHDOKTER]

I do have a alembic made some oils of diff plants have a good bit to try out when I get the time...but I would like to use a full grow and distill it to see what I get.
You can do in fats. Or alcohol freeze alcohol to separate oils..a ill list of the different types.
Expressed - are pressed from the skins of fruits like orange, lemon, lime citrus fruits etc.

Steam distillation - as explained above... Alembic old school ones are made out of copper, there are also some made out of steel and glass. Great thing with steam distilled oils is you are left with the distilled water after separation of oils which is floral water or hydrosol...what you could call homeopathy of aromatherapy. Have the me properties of essential oils. Less concentrated but equally effective. Not to be confused with water mixed with oils.

Solvent extraction - using oil soluble solvents like hexane, di-methylene chloride, acetone.

CO2 - as above not always used for all plants. Sometimes the harder to distill oils usually more expensive.

Absolutes - not really essential oils more like essence. Can be made from grain alcohol extracted from a concrete (solid waxy residue from extraction of diff plant material, usually flower petals) used when fragrance and therapeutic properties can only be solvent extracted..common absolutes Jasmine and neroli.long list of absolutes.

And then Enfleurage (French) meaning "to saturate with perfume of flowers" Flower petals from rose, jasmine, or other are placed into fat like goose, goat etc. the essential oils are pulled from the petals into the fat. Then the fat is processed to separate e.o. from fat, by adding fat to alcohol to make a pomade. Then to use the alcohol you would freeze this mixture the fat will become solid and you separate, leaving the perfumed oils in the alcohol. You could also leave it in the fat and make a solid perfume. This is the oldest form of extraction. Prob most expensive. This has been replaced by supercritical, co2, & solvent extractions.
Hope this helps some...