200L drum still idea

[lysergic25]

Hi all, I'd like to run my idea by you all and see what people think.

I have a 30L "Vevor" still which I've run a few times for essential oils and I get basically no oils, just a feint layer on the surface of the hydrosol. I assume because the condenser doesn't cool it down enough?

I want to build a still using a 200L steel drum for distilling essential oils. The drum is the clamp on lid kind so I can add my plant material and remove easily. I plan to "plumb" the 30L vevor still into the center of the bottom of the 200L drum to provide steam.
The plant matter would be suspended above the steam intake by 10cm or so and the steam would leave at the top center of the drum to run into a condenser.
I am concerned about the paint on the 200L drum, would anyone know a way to seal this safely? I was thinking a layer of silicone? I found heat proof food grade silicon I could dilute and spray or paint on.
Any suggestions or flaws seen in this design? And any recommendations for a condenser?
Thanks heaps for any help .

[Salt Must Flow]

I imagine the first thing everyone is going to say is that a 30 gal boiler is max size to discuss on this forum. I know you're not distilling liquor, but I have a feeling the rule may still apply. I understand you're doing essential oils, but do you really need a boiler that size?

I have a feeling that 30 liter vessel would be way too small and wouldn't hold enough water to produce enough steam without needing refilled. There are some recent steam related threads here that explain how much water would be needed.

Painted steel drums are a problem. Even if you remove the paint, you'll still have an issue finding any treatment that would be considered appropriate, even silicone. A stainless boiler is always preferable for obvious reasons.

[Yummyrum]

I think in this case we can consider the 200litre drum to be a Botanical basket

You wouldn’t be the first so light a fire inside it and cook all the paint off it . There are a lot of old 44gal drums used as fire drums . Although it is probably not considered environmentally sound .
Only problem is it is likely to rust out a lot quicker.

I agree that long term you’d be better off with a SS drum although they are pretty expensive .

Regarding a condenser , it will need sizing to match how much heat ( power) you are putting into the Vevor 30liter . But I’d be guessing you probably wouldn’t be using much more than 2400w . A simple liebig made from fittings from bunnings would be big enough for the job iff’n you wanted to make your own . Otherwise you might wantbto look at SS triclamp options from Stilldragon Australia or the likes .

https://stilldragon.com.au/products/2-s ... onnections

They also sell a fitting that can attach to a hole in the lid so all the triclamp buts can easily attach or be removed .

[Yummyrum]

I remember seeing a really simple condenser for Eucalyptus oil once . It was just a pipe that went to bottom of a drum of water . Oil just floated to top as it bubbled up . I guess you can’t collect hydrosol that way but great for collecting the oil .

[lysergic25]

Ok thanks guys, perhaps I will work on the condenser first and run the still as is to see if I can get it to actually collect the oils.
Can a condenser be too big? I was thinking an oversized condenser should ensure everything even the lightest oils aren't lost. When I smell the outtake of the current coil condenser there are lovely smelling light oils floating away that I'd love to bottle.

I do also have a tall skinny stainless milk container, not sure on volume, maybe a 40L "basket"? This would work pretty well, it's quite a bit smaller than the drum and I've not had much experience with stainless. The lid has no latch or way to hold it down either. There is a local metal working shop, that might be the best way.

I'm gonna heat the steam with a fire so not sure on equivalent watts.

[Saltbush Bill]

I remember seeing a really simple condenser for Eucalyptus oil once . It was just a pipe that went to bottom of a drum of water . Oil just floated to top as it bubbled up . I guess you can’t collect hydrosol that way but great for collecting the oil .

That simple method is pretty much how they do the Tea tree oil around here Yummy.
WIW From what I'm told not all Eucalyptus are suitable for oil production, from memory ,out of the many hundreds of varieties on half a dozen or so are used.

[lysergic25]

I remember seeing a really simple condenser for Eucalyptus oil once . It was just a pipe that went to bottom of a drum of water . Oil just floated to top as it bubbled up . I guess you can’t collect hydrosol that way but great for collecting the oil .

That simple method is pretty much how they do the Tea tree oil around here Yummy.
WIW From what I'm told not all Eucalyptus are suitable for oil production, from memory ,out of the many hundreds of varieties on half a dozen or so are used.

I was thinking of distilling a variety of eucalypt species as they have quite the varied smell profile. I wonder if by "not suitable" they mean not a high yield or if it's something else.
I do love the simplicity of that kind of condenser!

[shadylane]

I have a 30L "Vevor" still which I've run a few times for essential oils and I get basically no oils, just a feint layer on the surface of the hydrosol. I assume because the condenser doesn't cool it down enough?

As normal, I'm confused.
Are the botanicals being boiled or only being steamed?
Why is the condenser size suspect?
Making essential oil, it would seem to me a lot of water and only a film of oil would be the norm.
Is there something I'm missing?

https://diydistilling.com/how-to-make-e ... ete-guide/

On a side note and just guessing.
If I was making essential oil, only SS would be used. Ya don't want iron to oxidize your valuable oil.

[Yummyrum]

Think he’s doing it something like this Shady .
Little 30litre Vevor boiler provides steam to big drum loaded with leaves . The oil is steamed out and travels with the steam to the condenser .

[lysergic25]

I have a 30L "Vevor" still which I've run a few times for essential oils and I get basically no oils, just a feint layer on the surface of the hydrosol. I assume because the condenser doesn't cool it down enough?

As normal, I'm confused.
Are the botanicals being boiled or only being steamed?
Why is the condenser size suspect?
Making essential oil, it would seem to me a lot of water and only a film of oil would be the norm.
Is there something I'm missing?

https://diydistilling.com/how-to-make-e ... ete-guide/

On a side note and just guessing.
If I was making essential oil, only SS would be used. Ya don't want iron to oxidize your valuable oil.

A small amount of oil would be the norm but I'm getting less than that. From roughly 20L of fresh sticky Clary sage I collected less than 1ml which I couldn't separate from the hydrosol with a separatory funnel as the layer was so thin.
The botanicals would only be steamed in the design I am thinking of.
The condenser is questioned as I smell the oils coming out but collect very little, I even let it settle for days to see if more settled on top.
I'm seeing people with much smaller chambers of plant material getting a collectable and separable volume of oil. So I figure it must be lost as a gas.

How Yummyrum has drawn it is essentially the idea, thanks!