What equipment must work together for steam distillation?
The system does not consist only of a steam generator. The distillation vessel in which the plant is placed, the steam distribution section, the line carrying steam and volatile components, the condenser, and the oil-water separator work together. The generator is the heat source in this chain; product yield and quality are the result of the entire process.
Why is vessel volume alone not sufficient?
Two vessels with the same volume may have different steam demands due to differences in the plant, filling density and moisture. The actual plant mass per batch, fresh or dry condition, target cycle time, steam inlet condition, line length and the number of batches per day are the main inputs for preliminary sizing.