Calamus
Calamus
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey roots / husk distillation plants for Calamus. We supply the complete machinery to process Calamus into an essential oil configured to the client’s target specification for fragrance, aromatherapy, flavour, cosmetic and related ingredient applications. Calamus oil is distilled from Acorus calamus husks and is characterised by asarone, β-asarone and sesquiterpenes, which are valued in pharmaceuticals and perfumery.
Mechotech’s Calamus distillation plant is configured around the raw material and the target oil. It is built in SS 316L with integrated condensers and oil–water separation, PLC-based automation and full documentation, and is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system. The distillation mode is selected during process development. Calamus is a root-and-husk feedstock, so the line is built around cleaning off soil and dust and reducing the dense material before distillation. The legacy listing characterises the oil by asarone, β-asarone and sesquiterpenes, so the target specification, including any limits on individual constituents, is set with the buyer.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Calamus Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Acorus calamus |
| Raw Material | Calamus |
| Plant Part | Husk (as listed in the catalogue) |
| Marker Compound | Asarone (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for Calamus Distillation) |
| Product Category | Roots / Husk Distillation Plants |
| Extraction Method | Steam distillation (catalogue listing); final route confirmed during process development |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L |
| Condensation | Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation |
| Oil–Water Separation | Stainless-steel Florentine flask |
| Finishing | Polish filtration; drying over anhydrous sodium sulphate or by vacuum |
| Automation | PLC-based |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Final Product Form | Calamus essential oil; aromatic hydrosol as co-product |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Raw Material Throughput | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Configured to your feedstock and trial plan | Product development, parameter validation |
| Semi-Commercial | Configured between pilot and commercial scale | Scale-up trials, contract manufacturing |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply, confirmed buyer volume and investment timeline; a pilot plant is recommended to validate parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Preparation
Calamus husk (as listed in the catalogue) is cleaned of soil and dust and reduced in size so that steam reaches the oil-bearing tissue; the feed form and particle size are set during process development.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared Calamus charge is loaded into the SS 316L still and distilled by steam, hydro (hydrodistillation), vacuum, or pressure distillation — selected for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil.
Condensation
Vapours pass through an efficient multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation, condensing the volatile oil and hydrosol.
Oil–Water Separation
Condensate is separated in a stainless-steel Florentine flask; the essential oil is collected while the hydrosol is drawn off (and can be recovered as a co-product).
Polishing & Drying
The crude oil is polish-filtered and dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate (or by vacuum) to remove residual moisture.
Quality Control
Each batch of Calamus oil is verified by GC-MS and physical parameters (specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation) before release.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning and sorting system
- Size-reduction unit (where required)
- SS 316L distillation still / extractor
- Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation
- Stainless-steel Florentine flask (oil–water separator)
- Polish filtration system
- Drying unit (anhydrous sodium sulphate or vacuum)
- CIP system
- PLC-based automation and instrumentation
Plant Output
From Plant to Product
Calamus Distillation
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Aromatherapy and diffusers
- Perfumery
- Hair-care and skin-care formulations
- Natural pest-deterrent products
- Pharmaceuticals
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
All product-contact surfaces are SS 316L for corrosion resistance and product purity, with CIP capability between batches.
Efficient Condensation
High-surface-area multi-tube condensers with chilled-water circulation condense the volatile oil and hydrosol.
Root-and-Husk Distillation
The still is configured for dense, size-reduced root and husk charges, with the distillation mode set during process development.
Hydrosol Recovery
Integrated separation allows the aromatic hydrosol to be recovered as a co-product.
Scalable Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Calamus?
What specification can the Calamus plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Calamus plant?
Which industries use the Calamus plant?
Which part of Calamus is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Calamus oil produced in the plant?
Which related Mechotech plants are listed with this one?
Which constituents characterise calamus oil?
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