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Comparison of (A) peppermint oil contents and (B) spearmint oil contents of laboratory hydrodistillation extraction vs. oil extracted from the portable experimental steam distillation unit.
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An experimental steam distillation unit has been designed, built, and tested for the extraction of essential oils from peppermint and spearmint. The unit, using a 130-gal (510-liter) distillation tank, is inter-mediate in size between laboratory-scale extractors and commercial-sized distilleries, yet provides oil in suffi-cient quantity for industr...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... materials extracted by hydro- distillations. Essential oils were ana- lyzed with a Varian 3700 Gas Chro- matograph, equipped with a FID and a Varian electronic 4270 integrator (Varian, Walnut Creek, Calif.), as de- scribed previously ( Charles and Simon, 1990). In each case, peppermint and spearmint terpene profiles and per- centages were similar (Fig. 4 A and B ) . Whether this is true for other essential oils from other aromatic plants awaits study. The color of the mint oil ex- tracted using the portable distillation unit also compared favorably with those of commercially distilled mint ...
Similar publications
Introduction: Mentha spicata, commonly known as spearmint, is the most common and popular cultivated mint, and is used in food, perfumes and pharmaceutical products. Objective: To determine the yield, composition and properties of essential oil from M. spicata grown in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Methods: We used steam distillation, gas chromat...
Citations
... The results show that the biomass combustion and air-cooled condensation can make an extraction process autonomous in water and energy. This autonomy can find an industrial application in mobile extraction units [16][17][18]. ...
... This shows that the combustion of plant material waste generated by an essential oil extraction process is able to provide the necessary heat process. This part of the work consists of evaluating the possibilities of substituting water as a cooling fluid by air in existing mobile extraction units [16][17][18]. In the case of a steam flow rate of 100 Kg/h at 100 ° C, an air-cooled condenser has been designed according to equations and theory given in the literature [28] using the software Ache 2.0 developed by Hudson Products Corporation [29]. ...
... All measurements and calculations that were developed show the possibility of conceiving an extraction unit which is autonomous of energy and water consumption. The mobility of the existing extraction units [16][17][18] is ensured by their size, generally similar to a 45' standard container (Length: 13.70m, Width: 2.40 m, Height: 2.60m). These dimensions provide a roof area of 32 m 2 higher than PV modules area of 26 m 2 , ( fig. 3 and fig. ...
This paper presents an essential oil extraction process in accordance with sustainable development and environmental protection. The idea is to use vegetal plant after extraction as a source of energy for steam production and the condensation of steam containing essential oil is ensured by an air-cooled condenser. In this prospect, a biomass burner was designed and its efficiency was evaluated and compared to an electrical heating system. From the experiments it was found that biomass could supply the energy needed to produce steam for essential oil extraction process. The essential oil yield and composition are comparable to those obtained by a classical method using an electrical heating system and a water-cooled condenser. The industrial projection and innovation lays in the integration of renewable energy in existing mobile extraction units by using solid waste as a source of energy for steam production. The condensation of steam containing essential oil can be ensured by an air-cooled condenser with fans powered by photovoltaic solar energy. Possibilities of clean energy integration and water economy in such process unit are the major technological advance in this alternative approach for energy and water savings especially in agro-based industries.
... Essential oil yields from the plant population study were achieved using a pilot-scale 500 liter portable steam distillation unit (Alkire and Simon 1992). The essential oil of catnip is difficult to recover as the oil can elute in two fractions, one lighter and the other heavier than water, requiring differential oil collectors. ...
Catmint (Nepeta spp., Lamiaceae) contains about 150 species and is largely in the horticultural trade as an ornamental. Catnip (N. cataria L.), a short-lived perennial herbaceous plant, is perhaps the best-known species, long recognized as the plant that induces a state of euphoria and stupor in domesticated cats (Clapperton et al.
1994; Herron 2003). Research has shown that the essential oil of catnip, containing nepetalactones, is largely
responsible for the plants biological activities including its application as a cat attractant, insect pheromone, and insect repellent (Peterson and Coats 2001; Peterson et al. 2002; Baranauskiene et al. 2003; Herron 2003; Peterson and Ems-Wilson 2003, Chauhan et al. 2005; Amer and Mehlhorn 2006). Limited commercial crop area of catnip has been centered in the Western US and Canada with most dedicated to the production of essential oils or for seed production; while smaller farms have been focused on
the production of dry leaves for catnip toys and herbal uses. Despite the increased interest in this plant as a natural source of insect repellent activity, few studies have documented the horticultural attributes and yield potential. As a source of essential oil, the production of catnip on a large-scale presents numerous challenges in that the available varieties are relatively low biomass producers and produce low yields of essential oil which is difficult to efficiently separate and recover. Catnip is also sensitive to winter injury, handling and cutting and has been observed in many locations to re-grow poorly after the first season. As a result, catnip is also grown horticulturally as an annual rather than a perennial. We report on field studies that were conducted to: (1) evaluate the yield potential of catnip in New Jersey, and (2) ascertain yield differences from available sources or lines of catnip relative to their growth and essential oil yields. We also report on our ongoing selection program that was initiated in 1996 to identify and develop new novel types of catnip and higher yielding lines rich in nepetalactones.
... Essential oil yields from the plant population study were achieved using a pilot-scale 500 liter portable steam distillation unit (Alkire and Simon 1992). The essential oil of catnip is difficult to recover as the oil can elute in two fractions, one lighter and the other heavier than water, requiring differential oil collectors. ...
Limited commercial crop area of catnip has been centered in the Western US and Canada with most dedicated to the production of essential oils or for seed production; while smaller farms have been focused on the production of dry leaves for catnip toys and herbal uses. Despite the increased interest in this plant as a natural source of insect repellent activity, few studies have documented the horticultural attributes and yield potential. As a source of essential oil, the production of catnip on a large-scale presents numerous challenges in that the available varieties are relatively low biomass producers and produce low yields of essential oil which is difficult to efficiently separate and recover. Catnip is also sensitive to winter injury, handling and cutting and has been observed in many locations to re-grow poorly after the first season. As a result, catnip is also grown horticulturally as an annual rather than a perennial. We report on field studies that were conducted to: (1) evaluate the yield potential of catnip in New Jersey, and (2) ascertain yield differences from available sources or lines of catnip relative to their growth and essential oil yields. We also report on our ongoing selection program that was initiated in 1996 to identify and develop new novel types of catnip and higher yielding lines rich in nepetalactones.
... The lavandin inflorescences were subjected to steam distillation (Alkire and Simon, 1992) (Figs. 1-4). ...
... Assembly drawing of the stainless steel 510-liter steam extraction vessel (from Alkire and Simon, 1992 ...
... ). Figure 3 -Design of the aluminum multitubular condenser for the distillation unit, which is mounted vertically on the trailer, adjacent to the steam vessel (from Alkire and Simon, 1992). Figure 4 -The portable steam distillation unit used in the present work. ...
Essential oils that derive from aromatic plants are typically obtained by steam distillation (Simon, 1990), a simple and relatively inexpensive process in which the essential oils are removed from the plant by a stream of water vapor, and then both phases are separated easily (Charles and Simon, 1990; Alkire and Simon, 1992; Vieira et al., 2000). During distillation, part of the essential oil components become dissolved in and remain in the distillation water and the 'product' is called hydrosol, which is also known as the distillate water (Rajeswara Rao et al., 2003). At present, there are no legal definitions of a hydrosol per se nor grades and standards set forth by industry and the scientific community, nor are there specifications of natural hydrosols as defined by international standardization boards and associations internationally recognized such as ISO, FEMA or ANFOR. Typically, the distillate water, which includes minor amounts of the essential oil that remains in the water fraction, is highly aromatic and its composition is often different than the prime essential oil, which forms as a separate and distinct layer following distillation and represents the essential oil of commerce from a plant species. The amount of essential oil remaining in the distillate water, and the composition of the oil found in the distillate is a function of many factors including the distillation process and the plant species.
