Next factors define your yield of essential oil with your copper distiller.
- Size you your column
- How voluminous is your raw material
- What is the average oil content of your raw material?
1. The bigger the column is, the better for you. For those raw materials which are extracted by water distillation, the size of the boiler is determinant. These are clove buds, coffee beans etc (see the chart below). But for most raw materials meant for distillation the size of the column is the thing you have to consider when choosing your copper distiller for essential oil extraction.
2. Since the oil content is calculated for the weight of the raw material, it is the volume of e.g. 1 kg of the particular raw material that defines how much of that you will be able to put into the column. E.g. 1 lb or 1 kg of eucalyptus dry leaves take 3 to 4 times more space then 1 lb or 1 kg of dry rosemary leaves.
To get an idea how voluminous your raw material is, get a bucket and fill it with chosen raw material. Weigh that raw material you have filled into the bucket. Let's say you have got 4 lb (15 l) of lavender flowers and it has a weight of 6,6 pounds (3 kg). To get the volume of 1 lb (1 kg) of you raw material you have to divide volume by weight, so 4/6,6 = 0,6 lb (15/5 = 5 kg), which means 1 lb of lavender flowers takes 0,6 lb (5 l) of volume.
If your essential oil has in average 2% of essential oil content, it means you will get 0,6*0,02=0,012 pounds or 0,42 oz from 1 g 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 stated above.
3. The content of the essential oil in let say 1 lg (1 kg) of raw material could vary from 5,6 oz (350 ml) of essential oil to 0,08 oz (0,5 ml) or even less. Below you can find indicative numbers for oil content in the different types of the fresh raw material.
The oil content given below is only an approximate one. The quality of raw material can heavily influence the oil content in your raw material.
Mode is the preferable 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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