Essential oil distillation unit

Abstract

The utility model provides an essential oil distillation unit. The essential oil distillation unit comprises a support frame, and a distillation unit, a heating unit and a cooling separation unit which are arranged on the support frame, the distillation unit comprises a distillation kettle; a raw material inlet and a steam outlet are formed in the top of the distillation kettle; the heating unit comprises a heat conduction oil tank and a heating barrel which are communicated; the distillation kettle is sleeved in the heating barrel; the heating barrel is fixedly connected to the supporting frame through supporting legs, an electric heater and a first temperature sensor are further arranged in the heating barrel, and the electric heater and the first temperature sensor are both electrically connected with the controller; the cooling and separating unit comprises a condenser, a cooler and an oil-water separator which are sequentially communicated in the material flowing direction, and the steam outlet is communicated with the condenser through a steam pipe. According to the essential oil distillation unit provided by the utility model, the temperature of the distillation kettle can be accurately regulated and controlled, so that the phenomenon of loss of effective components in a product caused by decomposition of essential oil components due to over-high heating temperature is avoided, and the essential oil distillation and extraction efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of essential oil extraction technology, and in particular to an essential oil distillation unit. Background Technology

[0002] Plant essential oils are natural volatile compounds extracted from different parts of herbs. They have small molecular weights, strong permeability, and unique biological activities. Based on their chemical composition, plant essential oils can be divided into four main categories: terpenes, aromatic compounds, aliphatic compounds, and nitrogen and sulfur compounds. As a basic raw material for multiple applications, essential oils are not only used in the manufacture of skincare products, perfumes, and other daily chemical products, but also as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients in the pharmaceutical field, and as natural flavorings in the food industry. For example, peppermint oil is used for flavoring candies, and tea tree oil is used in disinfectant preparations, demonstrating their wide range of applications.

[0003] In the extraction of essential oils, steam distillation is the most common method. This method involves heating a mixture of raw materials and water to induce the essential oils to volatilize, followed by condensation to separate the oil and water mixture. However, in current technologies, high-temperature steam is generally used for heating the raw material system during distillation. This heating temperature is difficult to control, and excessively high temperatures can lead to the decomposition of essential oil components, resulting in the loss of their effective components. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides an essential oil distillation unit to solve the problem of temperature control when heating essential oil extraction raw materials in the prior art.

[0005] This utility model provides an essential oil distillation unit, including a support frame on which a distillation unit, a heating unit, and a cooling and separation unit are mounted. The distillation unit includes a distillation kettle with a raw material inlet and a steam outlet at its top. The heating unit includes a heat-conducting oil tank and a heating barrel connected to each other. The heating barrel has a hollow structure, and the bottom of the distillation kettle is fitted inside the heating barrel. The bottom of the heating barrel is fixedly connected to the support frame by support legs. An electric heater and a first temperature sensor are also installed inside the heating barrel, and both the electric heater and the first temperature sensor are electrically connected to a controller. The cooling and separation unit includes a condenser, a cooler, and an oil-water separator connected sequentially along the material flow direction. The steam outlet is connected to the condenser through a steam pipe.

[0006] Optionally, a second temperature sensor is also provided between the steam outlet and the steam pipe, and the second temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller.

[0007] Optionally, the upper part of the side wall of the heating tank is provided with a hot oil overflow port and the bottom is provided with an oil outlet. Both the hot oil overflow port and the oil outlet are connected to the hot oil cooling tank. A solenoid valve is also installed on the pipeline between the oil outlet and the hot oil cooling tank. The hot oil cooling tank is connected to the heat transfer oil tank through an oil pump. A third temperature sensor is also installed in the hot oil cooling tank. The solenoid valve, the oil pump, and the third temperature sensor are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0008] Optionally, the oil-water separator has an essential oil collection port at the top, a condensate inlet connected to the cooler at the upper part of the side wall, and a drain port and a return water outlet at the bottom of the side wall.

[0009] Optionally, a glass viewing window is also provided between the cooler and the condensate inlet.

[0010] Optionally, a reflux port is provided on the side wall of the distillation vessel, and the reflux port is connected to the reflux water outlet; a slag discharge port is provided at the bottom of the distillation vessel, and a slag discharge pipe is connected to the slag discharge port, which passes through the bottom of the heating tank and is connected to the waste collection unit.

[0011] Optionally, the distillation vessel is provided with an observation window, which is made of high borosilicate glass.

[0012] Optionally, casters are also provided at the four corners of the bottom of the support frame.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the essential oil distillation unit provided by this utility model are as follows: by connecting the distillation vessel to the heating tank, and then adding heat transfer oil to the heating tank through the heat transfer oil tank, the heat transfer oil is heated by the electric heater, and then the distillation vessel is heated by the heat transfer oil. By adjusting the temperature of the heat transfer oil, the temperature of the distillation vessel can be precisely controlled, thereby avoiding the loss of effective components in the product due to the decomposition of essential oil components caused by excessive heating temperature, and improving the efficiency of essential oil distillation and extraction. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 This is one of the three-dimensional structural schematic diagrams of the essential oil distillation unit provided in the embodiments of this utility model;

[0016] Figure 2 A second three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the essential oil distillation unit provided in this embodiment of the utility model;

[0017] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the distillation vessel and heating chamber provided for an embodiment of this utility model.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0019] 1-Support frame, 2-Distillation kettle, 3-Heat transfer oil tank, 4-Heating tank, 5-Condenser, 6-Cooler, 7-Oil-water separator, 8-Hot oil cooling tank, 11-Universal wheel, 21-Raw material inlet, 22-Steam outlet, 23-Steam pipe, 24-Second temperature sensor, 25-Reflux port, 26-Slag discharge port, 27-Slag discharge pipe, 28-Observation window, 41-Leg, 42-Electric heater, 43-First temperature sensor, 44-Controller, 45-Hot oil overflow port, 46-Oil outlet, 47-Solenoid valve, 61-Glass window, 71-Essential oil collection port, 72-Condensate inlet, 73-Drain port, 74-Reflux water outlet, 81-Oil pump, 82-Third temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are also within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0021] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this utility model provides an essential oil distillation unit, including a support frame 1, on which a distillation unit, a heating unit, and a cooling and separation unit are installed. The distillation unit includes a distillation kettle 2, with a raw material inlet 21 and a steam outlet 22 at the top. The heating unit includes a heat-conducting oil tank 3 and a heating barrel 4 connected to each other. The heating barrel 4 has a hollow structure, and the bottom of the distillation kettle 2 is fitted inside the heating barrel 4. The bottom of the heating barrel 4 is fixedly connected to the support frame 1 by a support leg 41. An electric heater 42 and a first temperature sensor 43 are also installed inside the heating barrel 4, and both the electric heater 42 and the first temperature sensor 43 are electrically connected to a controller 44. The cooling and separation unit includes a condenser 5, a cooler 6, and an oil-water separator 7 connected sequentially along the material flow direction. The steam outlet 22 is connected to the condenser 5 through a steam pipe 23.

[0022] The main components of the essential oil distillation unit include a support frame 1, a distillation unit, a heating unit, and a cooling and separation unit. The functions of each part are as follows: The support frame 1 supports the distillation, heating, and cooling / separation units, providing a working platform for essential oil extraction. The distillation unit, including the distillation kettle 2, is the main site for material separation. The mixed raw materials are heated and distilled in the distillation kettle 2, and the essential oils with lower boiling points evaporate from the raw materials, exiting from the steam outlet 22 for further processing. The heating unit, acting as a heat source, heats the distillation kettle 2, causing the materials within the kettle to separate due to differences in boiling points. It mainly includes a heat transfer oil tank 3 and a heating barrel 4. When heating is required, the heat transfer oil in the heat transfer oil tank 3 is added to the heating barrel 4, and then the heat transfer oil is heated by an electric heater 42. The heating power of the electric heater 42 is controlled by a first temperature sensor 43 and a controller 44. The cooling and separation unit includes a condenser 5, a cooler 6, and an oil-water separator 7 connected in sequence along the flow direction of the material (i.e., the product essential oil). The condenser 5 is used to initially cool the material taken from the steam outlet 22 of the distillation kettle 2. The cooled material enters the cooler 6 for secondary cooling to prevent gas from mixing into the material entering the oil-water separator 7. The oil-water separator 7 separates the condensed material, mainly separating the essential oil and water, thereby obtaining the final essential oil product.

[0023] The specific operating procedure of the essential oil distillation unit is as follows: Check the pipeline connections between all parts of the unit to ensure that the connections are sealed and intact. After the check is completed, add the raw material through the raw material inlet 21 of the distillation vessel 2. After the raw material is added, close the raw material inlet 21. Then, inject heat transfer oil into the heating tank 4 through the heat transfer oil tank 3 and set the heating temperature through the controller 44. After the above preparations are completed, start the electric heater 42 to heat the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4, and then heat the raw material in the distillation vessel 2 through the heat transfer oil. After the materials in the distillation vessel 2 are heated, since the boiling points of essential oil and water are low, these two materials change from liquid phase to gas phase, and then are discharged through the steam outlet 22 and enter the condenser 5 for condensation through the steam pipe 23. The gas phase materials (essential oil and water) are first initially condensed in the condenser 5, and then enter the cooler 6 for secondary cooling to avoid incomplete condensation and reduced product yield. After being condensed twice, the gaseous material becomes a liquid material and enters the oil-water separator 7 for final separation. Since water and product essential oil are two immiscible components with different densities, they can be separated in the oil-water separator 7 based on the difference in their properties, thus obtaining the final product essential oil.

[0024] It should be noted that, except for the heating tank 4 which is fixed to the support frame 1 by the support leg 41, the other components can be fixed to the support frame 1 by the bracket or directly, which will not be described in detail here. In addition, each component pipeline is equipped with relevant valves as appropriate, which is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0025] The essential oil distillation unit provided by this utility model connects the distillation vessel 2 inside the heating tank 4, and then adds heat transfer oil to the heating tank 4 through the heat transfer oil tank 3. The heat transfer oil is heated by the electric heater 42, and then the heat transfer oil heats the distillation vessel 2. By adjusting the temperature of the heat transfer oil, the temperature of the distillation vessel 2 can be precisely controlled, thereby avoiding the loss of effective components in the product due to the decomposition of essential oil components caused by excessive heating temperature, and improving the efficiency of essential oil distillation and extraction.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, a second temperature sensor 24 is further provided between the steam outlet 22 and the steam pipe 23, and the second temperature sensor 24 is electrically connected to the controller 44.

[0027] A second temperature sensor 24 is installed at the steam outlet 22 of the distillation vessel 2, and is electrically connected to the controller 44. During operation, the second temperature sensor 24 detects the temperature of the steam extracted from the steam outlet 22 and transmits the detected temperature value to the controller 44. If the detected temperature is too high, the controller 44 reduces the power of the electric heater 42 to prevent the material temperature inside the distillation vessel 2 from becoming too high and causing decomposition of the effective components in the product.

[0028] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the heating tank 4 has a hot oil overflow port 45 on the upper side wall and an oil outlet 46 at the bottom. Both the hot oil overflow port 45 and the oil outlet 46 are connected to the hot oil cooling tank 8. A solenoid valve 47 is also installed on the pipeline between the oil outlet 46 and the hot oil cooling tank 8. The hot oil cooling tank 8 is connected to the heat transfer oil tank 3 through an oil pump 81. A third temperature sensor 82 is also installed inside the hot oil cooling tank 8. The solenoid valve 47, the oil pump 81, and the third temperature sensor 82 are all electrically connected to the controller 44.

[0029] A hot oil overflow port 45 and an oil outlet 46 are provided on the heating tank 4, and these two outlets are connected to the hot oil cooling tank 8. The function of the hot oil overflow port 45 is to prevent the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 from overflowing: when the heat transfer oil level in the heating tank 4 reaches the height of the hot oil overflow port 45, the excess heat transfer oil will enter the hot oil cooling tank 8 through the hot oil overflow port 45, thereby preventing overflow.

[0030] A solenoid valve 47 is installed on the pipeline between the oil outlet 46 and the hot oil cooling tank 8, and the solenoid valve 47 is electrically connected to the controller 44. When the distillation kettle 2 is heated, if the first temperature sensor 43 and the second temperature sensor 24 detect that the temperature of the heat transfer oil and steam is too high, the signal is transmitted to the controller 44, which then controls the solenoid valve 47 to open, allowing the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 to enter the hot oil cooling tank 8 for cooling. At the same time, room temperature heat transfer oil is injected into the heating tank 4 through the heat transfer oil tank 3, thereby lowering the temperature of the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 and thus reducing the heating temperature of the distillation kettle 2. After the essential oil distillation extraction is completed, the solenoid valve 47 is opened to guide the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 into the hot oil cooling tank 8 for cooling, thereby preventing the distillation kettle 2 from dry burning.

[0031] The hot oil cooling tank 8 is also equipped with a third temperature sensor 82 that is electrically connected to the controller 44. When the heat transfer oil in the hot oil cooling tank 8 is cooled to the set temperature, it is detected by the third temperature sensor 82 and the temperature detection value is fed back to the controller 44. The controller 44 then controls the oil pump 81 to start and re-inject the cooled heat transfer oil into the heat transfer oil tank 3.

[0032] Through the cooperation of the various components mentioned above, the efficiency of temperature control in the distillation vessel 2 is further improved.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the oil-water separator 7 further includes an essential oil collection port 71 at the top, a condensate inlet 72 connected to the cooler 6 at the upper part of the side wall, and a drain port 73 and a reflux water outlet 74 at the bottom of the side wall. As also shown, the distillation vessel 2 has a reflux port 25 on its side wall, which is connected to the reflux water outlet 74. The bottom of the distillation vessel 2 has a slag discharge port 26, to which a slag discharge pipe 27 is connected. The slag discharge pipe 27 passes through the bottom of the heating tank 4 and connects to the waste collection unit.

[0034] An essential oil collection port 71 is provided at the top of the oil-water separator 7. Since the density of essential oil is less than that of water, the separated essential oil can be collected through the essential oil collection port 71 at the top of the oil-water separator 7. The drain port 73 at the bottom of the side wall of the oil-water separator 7 is used to drain the residual liquid after oil-water separation, and the return water outlet 74 is used to discharge the collected water.

[0035] A reflux port 25 is provided on the side wall of the distillation vessel 2. The reflux port 25 is connected to the reflux water outlet 74. When it is necessary to perform secondary distillation on the water separated from the oil-water separator 7 to further improve the yield of the product essential oil, the separated water can be discharged through the reflux water outlet 74 and sent back into the distillation vessel 2 through the reflux port 25 for distillation. If secondary distillation is not required, the separated water is discharged through the drain port 73.

[0036] After the distillation process is completed, the remaining material in the distillation vessel 2 can be discharged to the waste collection unit (not shown in the figure) through the slag discharge port 26 and the slag discharge pipe 27 for collection and treatment.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, a glass viewing window 61 is further provided between the cooler 6 and the condensate inlet 72. Furthermore, an observation window 28 is provided on the body of the distillation vessel 2, and the observation window 28 is made of borosilicate glass.

[0038] A glass window 61 is provided between the condensate inlet 72 of the cooler 6 and the oil-water separator 7 to observe the state of the material entering the oil-water separator 7, so as to adjust the power of the electric heater 42 according to the state of the material, thereby improving the efficiency of essential oil extraction.

[0039] An observation window 28 is installed on the body of the distillation vessel 2, which allows for full monitoring of the distillation process, facilitating the adjustment and optimization of process parameters.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, casters 11 are further provided at the four bottom corners of the support frame 1.

[0041] Casters 11 are installed at the four corners of the bottom of the support frame 1, so that the entire essential oil distillation unit can be moved, making it convenient for use in small places such as laboratories.

[0042] The complete working process of the essential oil distillation unit provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0043] like Figure 1-3 As shown, when using the essential oil distillation unit, the support frame 1 is moved to the work position and fixed using the casters 11 at the bottom of the support frame 1. Then, the pipelines in the unit are connected, and their airtightness is checked after connection to ensure that the connections between all parts of the unit are sealed and intact. After the unit connection check is completed, the raw material is added through the raw material inlet 21 of the distillation vessel 2. After the raw material is added, the raw material inlet 21 is closed. Then, heat transfer oil is injected into the heating tank 4 through the heat transfer oil tank 3, and the heating temperature is set through the controller 44.

[0044] After the above preparations are completed, the electric heater 42 can be started to heat the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4, and then the raw material in the distillation kettle 2 can be heated through the heat transfer oil. During heating, the essential oil and some water are vaporized and evaporated from the raw material, and then discharged through the steam outlet 22 of the distillation kettle 2. After being detected by the second temperature sensor 24, the steam enters the condenser 5 through the steam pipe 23. The material entering the condenser 5 first undergoes preliminary condensation. After the preliminary condensation, the material enters the cooler 6 for secondary condensation to ensure that the steam is completely condensed. After complete condensation, the material enters the oil-water separator 7 through the glass window 61 for oil-water separation. During the distillation process, the distillation process can be observed and monitored through the observation window 28 set on the body of the distillation kettle 2 and the glass window 61 between the cooler 6 and the oil-water separator 7.

[0045] During distillation, when the first temperature sensor 43 and the second temperature sensor 24 detect that the temperature of the heat transfer oil or the emitted steam has reached a specified value, a signal is transmitted to the controller 44. The controller 44 then adjusts the power of the electric heater 42 to stop heating the heat transfer oil. When the first temperature sensor 43 and the second temperature sensor 24 detect that the temperature of the heat transfer oil or steam is too high, a signal is transmitted to the controller 44. The controller 44 then opens the solenoid valve 47, allowing the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 to enter the hot oil cooling tank 8 for cooling. Simultaneously, room-temperature heat transfer oil is injected into the heating tank 4 through the heat transfer oil tank 3, thereby lowering the temperature of the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 and consequently reducing the heating temperature of the distillation kettle 2.

[0046] The hot oil cooling tank 8 is also equipped with a third temperature sensor 82 that is electrically connected to the controller 44. When the heat transfer oil in the hot oil cooling tank 8 is cooled to the set temperature, it is detected by the third temperature sensor 82 and the temperature detection value is fed back to the controller 44. The controller 44 then controls the oil pump 81 to start and re-inject the cooled heat transfer oil into the heat transfer oil tank 3.

[0047] After the essential oil distillation is completed and the oil is cooled and separated, the essential oil can be collected through the essential oil collection port 71 located at the top of the oil-water separator 7. The remaining water can be discharged and collected through the drain port 73 as needed, or discharged through the reflux outlet 74 and sent into the distillation kettle 2 through the reflux port 25 for secondary distillation.

[0048] After the entire distillation process is complete, the remaining material in the distillation vessel 2 can be discharged to the waste collection unit for collection and treatment through the slag discharge port 26 and the slag discharge pipe 27. At the same time, opening the solenoid valve 47 can introduce the heat transfer oil in the heating tank 4 into the hot oil cooling tank 8 for cooling, thereby preventing the distillation vessel 2 from dry burning.

[0049] It should be noted that when condenser 5 and cooler 6 cool the material, a cold fluid is required. This cold fluid can be cooling water or other cold fluids from public utilities, which will not be elaborated here.

[0050] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it; although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. An essential oil distillation unit, characterized in that, Includes a support frame (1), on which a distillation unit, a heating unit, and a cooling separation unit are installed; The distillation unit includes a distillation vessel (2), and the top of the distillation vessel (2) is provided with a raw material inlet (21) and a steam outlet (22); The heating unit includes a heat-conducting oil tank (3) and a heating barrel (4) that are connected to each other. The heating barrel (4) has a hollow structure. The bottom of the distillation vessel (2) is fitted inside the heating barrel (4). The bottom of the heating barrel (4) is fixedly connected to the support frame (1) by a support leg (41). An electric heater (42) and a first temperature sensor (43) are also provided inside the heating barrel (4). The electric heater (42) and the first temperature sensor (43) are both electrically connected to the controller (44). The cooling and separation unit includes a condenser (5), a cooler (6) and an oil-water separator (7) connected in sequence along the material flow direction. The steam outlet (22) is connected to the condenser (5) through a steam pipe (23).

2. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second temperature sensor (24) is also provided between the steam outlet (22) and the steam pipe (23), and the second temperature sensor (24) is electrically connected to the controller (44).

3. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating tank (4) has a hot oil overflow port (45) on the upper side wall and an oil outlet (46) at the bottom. Both the hot oil overflow port (45) and the oil outlet (46) are connected to the hot oil cooling tank (8). A solenoid valve (47) is also installed on the pipeline between the oil outlet (46) and the hot oil cooling tank (8). The hot oil cooling tank (8) is connected to the heat transfer oil tank (3) via an oil pump (81). A third temperature sensor (82) is also installed in the hot oil cooling tank (8). The solenoid valve (47), the oil pump (81), and the third temperature sensor (82) are all electrically connected to the controller (44).

4. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil-water separator (7) has an essential oil collection port (71) at the top, a condensate inlet (72) communicating with the cooler (6) at the upper part of the side wall, and a drain port (73) and a return water outlet (74) at the bottom of the side wall.

5. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, A glass window (61) is also provided between the cooler (6) and the condensate inlet (72).

6. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, A reflux port (25) is provided on the side wall of the distillation vessel (2), and the reflux port (25) is connected to the reflux water outlet (74); The bottom of the distillation vessel (2) is provided with a slag discharge port (26), and a slag discharge pipe (27) is connected to the slag discharge port (26). The slag discharge pipe (27) passes through the bottom of the heating barrel (4) and communicates with the waste collection unit.

7. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distillation vessel (2) is provided with an observation window (28) on its body, and the observation window (28) is made of high borosilicate glass.

8. The essential oil distillation unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame (1) is also equipped with casters (11) at the four bottom corners.

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