Lemon Grass
Lemon Grass
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey leaves oils distillation plants for Lemon Grass. The product tree lists the feed as grass, and Mechotech’s lemongrass case study names fresh leaves of Cymbopogon flexuosus / Cymbopogon citratus distilled by steam. The plant recovers lemongrass essential oil and hydrosol by distillation for the fragrance, flavour, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, aromatherapy and personal-care industries. The Sureka Life Sciences (SLS) catalogue lists Lemon Grass Leaves Distillation with the genus Cymbopogon as the botanical source and citral as the marker compound. A delivered lemongrass distillation plant is described in the case study linked on this page.
Mechotech’s Lemon Grass plant is configured around a bulky, moist grass feed 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 line is built around cleaning and chopping the grass, as described in Mechotech’s lemongrass case study; the distillation mode and operating parameters are established during process development and pilot validation.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Lemon Grass Essential Oil Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | Lemon grass (lemongrass) |
| Botanical Name | Cymbopogon flexuosus / Cymbopogon citratus (per the Mechotech lemongrass case study); the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue lists only the genus Cymbopogon — the species is confirmed with the client |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Grass (product tree); the Mechotech lemongrass case study lists fresh leaves, chopped before distillation. Exact feed form confirmed with the client |
| Marker Compound | Citral (geranial and neral, per the Mechotech lemongrass case study; the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue lists citral with an offering grade of 40–75% — a catalogue figure for that product, not a delivered plant specification) |
| Product Category | Leaves Oils Distillation Plants |
| Extraction Method | Steam distillation, as used in the Mechotech lemongrass case study; hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation can be configured and the mode is selected 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 |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air and power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Lemongrass essential oil (citral-bearing); lemongrass 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
Fresh lemongrass is cleaned, inspected and chopped into uniform lengths to improve steam penetration, as described in Mechotech’s lemongrass case study.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared lemongrass charge is loaded into the SS 316L still and distilled by steam, selected during process development together with hydro, vacuum or pressure options for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the oil. The case study describes steam passing through the charge in stainless-steel distillation vessels.
Condensation
Vapours pass through a multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation, condensing the oil and hydrosol.
Oil–Water Separation
Condensate is separated in a stainless-steel Florentine flask; the oil is collected and 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 for citral content by GC-MS and for physical parameters — specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation — against the client’s specification. The Mechotech lemongrass case study also lists moisture, colour and organoleptic checks.
Major Plant Equipment
- Raw material cleaning, sorting and conveying system
- Chopping machine for the fresh grass
- Perforated basket or false-bottom charge support
- 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
Lemongrass Essential Oil Distillation Plant
See how this plant was engineered and delivered for a real project.
Applications
- Perfumery
- Cosmetics
- Soaps and detergents
- Aromatherapy
- Pharmaceuticals
- Herbal products
- Food flavouring
- Household cleaners
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Product-contact surfaces are SS 316L for corrosion resistance and product purity, with CIP capability between batches.
Efficient Condensation
Multi-tube condensers with chilled-water circulation condense the volatile oil and hydrosol and limit loss of volatile top-notes.
Chopped-Grass Distillation
The line is configured for a chopped fresh-grass charge, with steam distribution through the biomass, as described in Mechotech’s lemongrass case study; other distillation modes can be configured during process development.
Hydrosol Recovery
Integrated oil–water separation allows the aromatic hydrosol to be drawn off and 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 Lemon Grass?
What specification can the Lemon Grass plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Lemon Grass plant?
Which end uses are listed for the Lemon Grass plant?
Which part of Lemon Grass is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Lemon Grass oil produced in the plant?
Has Mechotech delivered a lemongrass oil distillation plant?
Which lemongrass species and marker does the plant process?
How does Lemon Grass differ from the Citronella page?
Which other aromatic-grass pages and routes does Mechotech list?
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