Distilling oil from plants, a common method for producing essential oils, primarily involves using steam to extract the volatile aromatic compounds.
The Steam Distillation Process
This technique relies on heating the plant material using steam to release the desired oils. Based on the process, the steps involve:
- Using a large container called a Still, which is typically constructed from stainless steel, to hold the plant material.
- Introducing steam into this Still.
- Through an inlet, steam is injected through the plant material containing the desired oils.
- This injected steam works to release the plant's aromatic molecules.
- As the aromatic molecules are released by the steam, they are simultaneously turned into vapor.
The vaporized aromatic molecules, now mixed with steam, are then typically condensed back into liquid form where the oil and water separate, allowing the pure plant oil (essential oil) to be collected.
