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Discover a custom-built 300L stainless steel fractional distillation system for a Spanish essential oil manufacturer, featuring a 4m packed column and PLC control.
Valuen Industrial has successfully completed testing of a custom-built 300L stainless steel fractional distillation system for an essential oil manufacturer in Spain. Designed for pilot-scale distillation and purification, this system integrates a five-section distillation column, precise temperature control, condenser cooling, high-vacuum operation, and an advanced PLC control system.
With its customized configuration and automated process monitoring, this stainless steel fractional distillation equipment is designed to help essential oil producers improve process control, achieve consistent separation results, and optimize production efficiency.
The customer required a fractional distillation system suitable for essential oil processing, with particular attention to separation performance, temperature stability, and automated operation.
To address these requirements, Valuen Industrial supplied a 300L stainless steel distillation system featuring a tall packed column and integrated heating, cooling, vacuum, and PLC control units.
Key equipment specifications:
Nominal vessel capacity: 300L
Distillation column configuration: Five-section column
Packed column dimensions: 4 meters high × 200 mm diameter
Heating system: 38 kW heating circulator
Condenser cooling: Integrated water chiller
Vacuum system: 30 L/s high-vacuum pump
Control system: PLC-based automated control and process monitoring
The equipment was custom-configured to meet the customer's project requirements, providing an integrated solution for pilot-scale fractional distillation and essential oil purification.
The system features a five-section distillation column with a packed section measuring 4 meters in height and 200 mm in diameter.
The packed column provides vapor-liquid contact that supports the separation of compounds with different volatilities. Its configuration is designed to facilitate fractionation and improve separation performance, depending on the properties of the feed material and the selected operating conditions.
For essential oil and fragrance applications, effective fractionation can help producers separate targeted components and refine the composition of natural aromatic materials.
The modular column configuration also provides flexibility for equipment integration and maintenance.
Stable temperature control is important in fractional distillation, particularly when processing heat-sensitive aromatic compounds.
This 300L fractional distillation system is equipped with a 38 kW heating circulator to provide controlled heating during operation. Combined with the PLC control system, the heating unit allows operators to manage process temperatures according to the requirements of the distillation procedure.
Appropriate temperature management can help reduce unnecessary thermal exposure and support more consistent processing of essential oils and other natural extracts.
The heating configuration can be adapted to the customer's process requirements, including the desired operating temperature and heating medium.
To support condensation and reduced-pressure distillation, the system incorporates a water chiller and a high-vacuum pump rated at 30 L/s.
The cooling system supplies the condenser with cooling capacity, helping condense vapor generated during distillation. Meanwhile, the vacuum system enables operation under reduced pressure when required by the process.
Lower operating pressure can reduce the boiling temperatures of certain compounds, making vacuum-assisted distillation useful for processing selected heat-sensitive materials.
The actual operating pressure, cooling temperature, and distillation performance depend on the feed composition, system configuration, and operating conditions.
One of the key features of this custom-built stainless steel fractional distillation system is its integrated PLC control system.
The control system supports the management of key operating parameters, including:
Stirring control: Manage agitation during processing.
Reflux ratio control: Adjust reflux operation according to the distillation procedure.
Heating control: Monitor and regulate heating conditions.
Vacuum control: Support vacuum operation and monitoring.
Data recording and export: Monitor process data curves and export recorded data for review.
Over-temperature protection: Provide alarms and automatic heating cut-off when the configured protection threshold is reached.
Vacuum alarms: Alert operators to relevant vacuum-system abnormalities.
These functions help simplify operation, improve process visibility, and support more repeatable batch processing. The availability and behavior of individual control functions depend on the final PLC configuration.
Fractional distillation equipment is used in applications where separation of volatile compounds and control over product composition are important.
Depending on the feed material and process requirements, this type of stainless steel distillation system may be suitable for processing:
Essential oils and selected aromatic extracts
Fragrance ingredients and natural aromatic compounds
Terpene-rich fractions
Selected flavor ingredients
Other liquid mixtures requiring fractional separation
For producers working with natural aromatic materials, the ability to adjust temperature, pressure, and reflux conditions can help achieve the desired fraction composition while managing thermal exposure.
The final product quality and separation efficiency depend on factors such as feed composition, component volatility, column packing, reflux ratio, operating pressure, and process optimization.
A 300L pilot-scale distillation system can bridge the gap between laboratory research and small-batch production. It provides greater processing capacity than typical laboratory equipment while allowing manufacturers to evaluate process conditions before considering larger-scale installations.
Key advantages of a customized system include:
Application-specific configuration: Vessel capacity, column dimensions, heating, cooling, and vacuum systems can be selected according to project requirements.
Integrated process equipment: Heating, condenser cooling, and vacuum operation are combined into one coordinated system.
Automated process management: PLC-based control supports operating parameter management and process data review.
Stainless steel construction: Provides a durable equipment platform, with material grade and wetted-part specifications selected according to the application.
Pilot-scale process development: Supports process evaluation and small-batch production before potential scale-up.
At Valuen Industrial, we provide customized distillation solutions for customers in the essential oil, flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical, chemical, and other processing industries.
Whether you need a laboratory distillation unit, a pilot-scale fractional distillation system, or customized stainless steel distillation equipment for production, Valuen Industrial can help you evaluate a suitable configuration based on your process requirements.
Our team can discuss vessel capacity, column height and diameter, heating and cooling requirements, vacuum level, automation, and material compatibility to develop an equipment solution for your application.
Contact Valuen Industrial to discuss your project.
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.valuenequipment.com/
Tell us about your raw materials, target fractions, required processing capacity, and operating conditions, and our team will help you evaluate a suitable fractional distillation solution.
