Silver Fir
Silver Fir
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey needles & twigs distillation plants for Silver Fir. The product tree lists the entry as Silver Fir (Needles), and Mechotech’s legacy page describes steam distillation of silver fir essential oil from the needles of Abies alba. The Sureka Life Sciences (SLS) catalogue lists Silver Fir Distillation with Abies alba as the botanical source and camphene as the offering grade. The exact feed form of the needles is confirmed with the client before the plant is configured.
Mechotech’s Silver Fir 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 and operating parameters are established during process development and pilot validation.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Silver Fir Essential Oil Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | Silver fir needles (Abies alba) |
| Botanical Name | Abies alba (per Mechotech’s legacy page and the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for Silver Fir Distillation) |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Needles, as the product tree and Mechotech’s legacy page list them (the exact feed form is confirmed with the client) |
| Marker Compound | Camphene (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry) |
| Product Category | Needles & Twigs 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 |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air and power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Silver Fir 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
Silver fir needles are cleaned of debris and twig and, where required, cut to a manageable length so that the charge packs evenly in the still and steam can reach the needles; the cut length and the handling of fresh or dried needle are set during process development.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared Silver Fir charge is loaded into the SS 316L still and distilled by steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation, selected during process development for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil.
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 sampled for GC-MS profile and physical parameters — specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation — against the client’s specification.
Major Plant Equipment
- Needle cleaning and cutting system
- 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
Applications
- Aromatherapy and wellness applications
- Respiratory-support products (catalogue use area)
- Muscle and joint-care products (catalogue use area)
- Perfumery and fragrance compositions (per Mechotech’s legacy page)
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.
Configurable Distillation Mode
The still is configured for steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation, selected during process development for the needle charge and the target oil.
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 Silver Fir?
What specification can the Silver Fir plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Silver Fir plant?
Which end uses are listed for the Silver Fir plant?
Which part of Silver Fir is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Silver Fir oil produced in the plant?
What is the botanical source and marker compound of Silver Fir on this page?
How does Silver Fir differ from Siberian Fir and the other fir pages?
Which neighbouring plants does the product tree list with Silver Fir?
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