- The size of the column
- The volume of the raw material
- The average oil content of the raw material to be used.
The Column.
The bigger the column the better! For raw materials extracted by water distillation the yield is determined by the size of the boiler. Although there are some exceptions to this rule such as clove buds or coffee beans, (see the chart below). However, for most raw materials destined for essential oil extraction, the size of the column is crucial to consider when choosing your copper distiller.
The Volume.
Since oil content is calculated for the weight of the raw material, it is the volume of 1 kg of any raw material that defines how much you will be able to put into the column, at any one time. For example: 1 lb/1 kg of eucalyptus dry leaves takes 3 to 4 times more space than 1 lb/1 kg of dry rosemary leaves.
To ascertain the volume of any raw material you should get a bucket and fill it with your chosen raw material. You must then weigh the contents, raw material, you have in the bucket. Once you know how much your raw material weighs you can calculate the volume.
For instance:
4 lb (15L) of lavender flowers has a weight of 6.6 lb/3 kg.
To determine the volume of 1 lb/1 kg of this raw material you must divide volume by weight.
So: 4/6,6 = 0,6 lb (15/5 = 5 kg)
Thus - 1 lb of lavender flowers takes 0,6 lb (5L) of volume.
If your raw material has an average 2% essential oil content, you will get 0,6*0,02=0,012 pounds or 0,42 oz from 1g of the lavender flowers (1000 g *0,02 = 20 g of essential oil).
If you have a 0,53 g column you will get 0,53*0,42=0,22 oz from the raw material as demonstrated in the above example.
The Average Percentage Content of Essential Oils in Raw Materials.
The content of essential oil in 1 lb/1 kg of raw material can vary from 5/6 oz (350 ml) of essential oil to 0,08 oz (0,5 ml) - or even less! Below is a chart that indicates the average percentage essential oil yield for different types of fresh raw materials. These oil content percentages are approximate values only. The quality of the raw material influences the exact essential oil percentage yield.
‘Mode’ is the preferred way to extract essential oil.
SD for steam distillation
SW for steam and water distillation
SE for solvent extraction
WD for water distillation
CE for cold expression
|
AROMATIC PLANT |
BOTANICAL NAME |
SOURCE |
MODE |
% YIELD |
|
ALLSPICE |
PIMENTA DIOCA |
GROUND SEEDS |
SD |
4,5 |
|
ANGELICA |
ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA |
RHIZOME |
SD |
0.3 – 1.0 |
|
ANGELICA |
ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA |
SEED |
SD |
0.6 – 1.5 |
|
ANISE |
PIMPINELLA ANISUM |
SEED |
SD |
1.5 – 4.0 |
|
ARNICA |
ARNICA MONTANA |
FLOWERS |
SD |
1,0 |
|
ARNICA |
ARNICA MONTANA |
ROOT |
SD |
1,0 |
|
BASIL, SWEET |
OCIMUM BASILICUM |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
0.5 – 1.5 |
|
BAY LEAF |
LAURUS NOBILIS |
LEAVES |
SD |
3,0 |
|
BENZOIN |
STYRAX BENZOIN |
RESIN |
SE |
? |
|
BERGAMOT |
CITRUS BERGAMIA |
YOUNG FRUIT |
CE/SE |
3.0 – 5.0 |
|
CAJEPUT OIL |
MELALEUCA CAJEPUTI |
LEAVES & TWIGS |
SD |
? |
|
CALAMINT |
CALAMINTHA OFFICINALIS |
FLOWERING TOPS |
SD |
0,5 |
|
CALAMUS ROOT |
ACORUS CALAMUS |
RHIZOME |
SD |
1,5 |
|
CAMPHOR TREE |
CINNAMOMUM CAMPHORA |
LEAVES & TWIGS |
SD |
2,0 |
|
CARAWAY |
CARUM CARVI |
SEEDS & FRUIT |
SD |
3.2 – 7.4 |
|
CARDAMOM |
ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM |
SEEDS |
SD |
8 |
|
CARROT, WILD |
DAUCUS CARROTA |
SEEDS |
SD |
0.1 – 7.1 |
|
CASCARILLA |
CROTON ELEUTERIA |
BARK |
SD |
3,0 |
|
CASSIA BARK |
CINNAMOMUM CASSIA |
LEAVES & BARK |
SD |
1,5 |
|
CASSIE |
ACACIA FARNESIANA |
FLOWERS |
SE |
1,9 |
|
CEDARWOOD |
JUNIPERUS VIRGINIANA |
WOOD CHIPS |
SD |
4,5 |
|
CELERY SEED |
APIUM GRAVEOLENS |
SEED |
SD |
3,0 |
|
CHAMOMILE, GERMAN |
MATRICARIA RECUTITA |
FLOWERS |
SD |
0.3 – 1.0 |
|
CHAMOMILE, ROMAN |
CHAMAEMELUM NOBILIS |
FLOWERS |
SD |
0.3 – 1.0 |
|
CINNAMON |
CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM |
INNER BARK |
SD |
0,1 |
|
CLARY SAGE |
SALVIA SCLARIA |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
? |
|
CLOVE |
SYZGIUM AROMATICUM |
FLOWER BUDS |
WD |
14 – 21 |
|
COFFEE |
COFFEA Sp. |
ROASTED BEANS |
WD |
0,12 |
|
CORIANDER |
CORIANDRUM SATIVUM |
SEEDS |
SD |
1,0 |
|
DILL |
ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS |
SEED |
SD/WD |
2.5 – 4.0 |
|
DILL LEAF |
ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS |
YOUNG PLANTS |
SD/WD |
0.3 – 1.5 |
|
EUCALYPTUS |
EUCALYPTUS Sp. |
ALL PARTS |
SD |
1.0 – 7.0 |
|
FENNEL |
FOENICULUM VULGARE |
SEED |
SD |
4.0 – 6.0 |
|
FRANKINCENSE |
BOSWELLIA CARTERI |
RESIN |
SD |
? |
|
GALANGAL |
ALPINIA Sp. |
RHIZOME |
SD/SE |
? |
|
GARLIC |
ALLIUM SATIVUM |
ROOT BULBS |
SD |
0,1 |
|
GERANIUM |
PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS |
LEAVES |
SD |
0.3 – 2.0 |
|
GINGER |
ZINGIBER Off. |
RHIZOME |
SD |
3,0 |
|
HOPS |
HUMULUS LUPULUS |
STROBILES |
SD |
1,0 |
|
HYSSOP |
HYSSOPUS Off. |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
1,0 |
|
IRIS (ORIS) |
IRIS PALLIDA |
AGED RHIZOME |
SD/SE |
0,2 |
|
JUNIPER BERRIES |
JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS |
FERMENTED BERRIES |
SD |
1,5 |
|
JUNIPER LEAVES |
JUNIPERUS Sp. |
NEEDLE LEAVES |
SD |
1.0 – 2.5 |
|
FLOWER TOPS |
SD |
0.5 – 1.0 |
||
|
LEMON BALM |
MELISSA Off. |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
0.015 |
|
LEMON PEEL |
CITRUS LIMON |
FRUIT RIND |
CE/SD |
2,0 |
|
LEMON VERBENA |
ALOYSIA TRIPHYLLA |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
1,5 |
|
LEMONGRASS |
CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS |
LEAVES |
SD |
1,0 |
|
LIME |
CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA |
FRUIT RIND |
CE/SD |
? |
|
LOVAGE |
LEVISTICUM Off. |
ROOT |
SD |
0.5 – 1.0 |
|
MACE |
MYRISTICA FRAGRANS |
ARILS |
SD/WD |
17.0 – 25.0 |
|
MANDARIN |
CITRUS RETICULATA |
FRUIT RIND |
CE/SD |
0,5 |
|
MARJORAM, SWEET |
ORIGANUM MAJORANA |
LEAVES |
SD |
0,9 |
|
MUSTARD, BLACK |
BRASSICA NIGRA |
SEEDS |
SD/WD |
1,5 |
|
NEROLI |
CITRUS AURANTIUM |
BLOSSOMS |
SE/SD |
0,1 |
|
NUTMEG |
MYRISTICA FRAGRANS |
SEED |
SD |
15.0 – 25.0 |
|
ORANGE PEEL |
CITRUS Species |
FRUIT RIND |
CE/SD |
1.5 – 5.0 |
|
OREGANO |
ORIGANUM VULGARE |
FLOWERS |
SD |
1,2 |
|
PARSLEY |
PETROSELENIUM SATIVUM |
LEAVES OR SEEDS |
SD |
0,5 |
|
PATCHOULI |
POGOSTEMOM CABLIN |
LEAVES |
SD |
2.0 – 4.0 |
|
PENNYROYAL |
MENTHA PULEGIUM |
LEAVES |
SD |
1,5 |
|
PEPPER, BLACK |
PIPER NIGRUM |
PEPPERCORNS |
SD/SE |
2,5 |
|
PEPPER, CUBEB |
PIPER CUBEBA |
FRUITS |
SD |
2,0 |
|
PEPPER, WHITE |
PIPER NIGRUM |
POWDERED SEEDS |
SD |
1,5 |
|
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
1.0 – 2.5 |
||
|
PETIGRAIN |
CITRUS AURANTIUM |
LEAVES & TWIGS |
SD |
0,5 |
|
PINE SAP |
PINUS Species |
RESIN |
SD/WD |
15.0 – 35.0 |
|
PINE NEEDLES |
PINUS Species |
NEEDLES |
SD |
0.5 – 3.0 |
|
ROSE, DAMASK |
ROSA X DAMASCENA |
FLOWERS |
SD/WD /SE |
0.02 – 0.03 |
|
FLOWERING TOPS |
SD |
2,0 |
||
|
SAGE |
SALVIA OFFICINALIS |
LEAVES |
SD |
2,5 |
|
SANDALWOOD |
SANTALUM ALBUM |
ROOT WOOD |
SD |
4,5 |
|
SASSAFRAS |
SASSAFRAS ALBIDUM |
ROOT BARK |
SD |
4,0 |
|
SAVORY, SUMMER |
SATUREJA HORTENSIS |
LEAVES & STEMS |
SD |
0,1 |
|
SPEARMINT |
MENTHA SPICATA |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
2,0 |
|
STAR ANISE |
ILLICIUM VERUM |
SEEDS |
SD |
3,0 |
|
STYRAX |
LIQUIDAMBAR ORIENTALIS |
CRUDE RESIN |
SD/SE |
? |
|
TANSY |
TANACETUM VULGARE |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
0,7 |
|
TARRAGON |
ARTEMISIA DRACUNCULUS |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
0.08 – 1.5 |
|
TEA TREE |
MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA |
LEAVES & TWIGS |
SD |
? |
|
THYME |
THYMUS VULGARIS |
LEAVES & TWIGS |
SD |
2,5 |
|
TUMERIC |
CURCUMA LONGA |
ROOT POWDER |
SD |
5,0 |
|
VALERIAN |
VALERIANA OFFICINALIS |
RHIZOME |
SD |
1,0 |
|
VANILLA |
VANILLA FRAGRANS |
CURED PODS |
SE |
0.5 – 3.0 |
|
VETIVER |
VETIVERIA ZIZANIOIDES |
ROOT |
SD |
0,9 |
|
VIRGINIA SNAKEROOT |
ARISTOLOCHIA SERPENTARIA |
RHIZOME |
SD |
1,2 |
|
WINTERGREEN |
GAULTHERIA PROCUMBENS |
LEAVES |
SD |
0,6 |
|
WORMWOOD |
ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD/SE |
0.5 – 2.0 |
|
YARROW |
ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM |
LEAVES & TOPS |
SD |
0,15 |
|
YLANG YLANG |
CANANGA ODORATA |
FLOWERS |
SD |
2,0 |
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