Essential Oil Still

The still holds 30 gallons, any species of conifer branch will produce an essential oil, the still is filled with branch mulch then steamed to drive off the oils.

The oil vapours are condensed back into a liquid at the water cooled condenser.

The column on the unit now is a reflux, filled with broken glass or stainless steel wool, the volatile oils coming off first preheat the internals of the reflux. Once that temperature has been reached the full length then only the oils pass, water steam finds the internals to cold to pass and these are refluxed back into the boiler.

Refluxing gives you a near perfect product, saves on water.

Most everything came from local landfills, the trailer was an old RV that I dragged home, stripped the frame clean, I purchased the clamps, bit of silver solder and the generator came from Thunder Bay Ontario.



The generator equipped with a spark arrestor would be able to work in the forest processing logging waste left behind. I have most of the stuff needed to make a wood fired steam boiler which can be used at home.

These old Lister and Petter diesel engines will run ll day on waste veggie oil, and i have steady supply of that.

Inside the still not shown is a heating coil threaded near the bottom of the vessel.

Very cool. Always nice to repurpose stuff from the trash. If you end up with an abundance you could always sell to someone with a vehicle or other equipment that runs on cooking oil.

Agreed. Even if it's not useful in your current situation. In the end, it is still useful. So repurposing a thing is a very good idea.