Citronella
Citronella
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey leaves oils distillation plants for Citronella. We supply the complete machinery to process citronella grass into an essential oil configured to the client’s target specification. Citronella oil comes from two lemongrass species, Cymbopogon winterianus (Java type) and Cymbopogon nardus (Ceylon type); it has a lemony aroma and is used in natural insect repellents, aromatherapy, cosmetics and household products. A delivered citronella distillation plant is described in the case study linked on this page.
Mechotech’s Citronella 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. Citronella grass is a bulky, fibrous leaf-and-stem feedstock, so the line is built around chopping the grass, charging a large-volume still and, where the project calls for it, returning the distillation water to the still (cohobation).
Technical Specifications
| Product | Citronella Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Cymbopogon winterianus (Java type) or Cymbopogon nardus (Ceylon type) — per the Mechotech citronella article and case study; the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue lists Cymbopogon winterianus; the species is confirmed with the client |
| Raw Material | Citronella |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Leaves and stems of the grass, chopped before distillation (per the Mechotech citronella case study); exact feed form confirmed with the client |
| Marker Compounds | Citronellal, geraniol and citronellol; for Java-type oil the Mechotech article gives citronellal 32–45%, geraniol 18–22% and citronellol 11–15% (typical values; the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue lists 30–45% citronellal) |
| Product Category | Leaves Oils Distillation Plants |
| Extraction Method | Steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation — selected for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil |
| 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 | Citronella 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
Citronella grass (leaves and stems) is cleaned and chopped; consistent chopping improves oil extraction efficiency and batch-to-batch consistency (per Mechotech’s citronella article).
Charging & Distillation
The prepared Citronella 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 is checked by GC-MS against the citronellal, geraniol and citronellol marker profile and the buyer’s specification, together with physical parameters, 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
Case Study
Citronella Essential Oil Distillation Plant
See how this plant was engineered and delivered for a real project.
From Plant to Product
Citronella Leaves Distillation
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Mosquito and household insect repellents
- Personal care products
- Soaps and detergents
- Aromatherapy
- Pharmaceuticals
- Agrochemical formulations
- Candles and fragrance products
- Cosmetics
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.
Grass-Charge Distillation
The still is configured for a chopped citronella grass charge; cohobation of the distillation water can be configured, as described in Mechotech’s citronella article.
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 Citronella?
What specification can the Citronella plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Citronella plant?
Which industries use the Citronella plant?
Which part of Citronella is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Citronella oil produced in the plant?
Which citronella species does the plant process, and why does it matter?
Has Mechotech delivered a citronella distillation plant?
What is cohobation and why is it used in citronella distillation?
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