Dill
Dill
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey seeds & berries distillation plants for Dill (Anethum graveolens). We supply the complete machinery to process Dill (seeds) into an essential oil configured to the client’s target specification. The catalogue describes dill seed oil as dominated by carvone (30–60%) and limonene (30–45%); Indian (Sowa) dill seeds tend to carry more phellandrene than European varieties.
Mechotech’s Dill 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.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Dill Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Anethum graveolens |
| Raw Material | Dill |
| Plant Part | Seeds |
| Marker Compound | Dillapiol (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for Dill Seed Distillation) |
| Product Category | Seeds & Berries Distillation Plants |
| Key Constituents (catalogue) | Carvone 30–60%, limonene 30–45%, α- and β-phellandrene |
| Extraction Method | Steam distillation |
| Still / Steam Supply | Controlled steam injection (catalogue range 0.5–1.5 bar) into an SS 316L jacketed still with perforated false bottom |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L |
| Condensation | Shell-and-tube condenser |
| 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 | Dill 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
Dill raw material is cleaned, sorted, and (where required) comminuted to the optimal particle size to maximise oil release during distillation.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared Dill 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 Dill 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 jacketed distillation still with perforated false bottom
- Shell-and-tube condenser
- 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
Dill Seed Distillation
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Pickled food industry — dill pickles, gherkins, sauerkraut, and brined vegetables flavouring
- Pharmaceutical digestives — gripe water for infant colic, antispasmodic carminative formulations
- Scandinavian and Eastern European food flavouring — rye bread, aquavit, gravlax, and cheese
- Cosmetics and personal care — toothpastes, mouthwashes, and soap fragrances
- Food processing — meat products, sausages, and ready-meal seasoning blends
- Aromatherapy and massage products (as listed by Sureka Life Sciences)
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.
Distillation Still / Extractor
The still (extractor) is configured for the distillation mode best suited to the feedstock, protecting heat-sensitive aroma compounds.
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 Dill?
What specification can the Dill plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Dill plant?
Which part of Dill is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Dill oil produced in the plant?
What is Dill oil and what does the catalogue say it contains?
Which related plants does the catalogue list with Dill?
Which marker does the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue list for dill seed oil?
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