logo stella close to nature
Stella logo

Molecular distillation

Molecular Distillation Technology

So-called ‘molecular’ distillation differs from conventional distillation:

molecular distillation technology

Operating Principle

This advanced technology is based on the wiped-film principle. Depending on the position of the condenser, two types of equipment are distinguished:

  • The wiped film evaporator, where the condenser is located on the outside; Wiped Film Evaporator (WFE)
  • The short path evaporator, where the condenser is located inside the rotor; Short Path Evaporator (SPE)

Operating Conditions

This type of distillation is carried out under 3 fundamental conditions:

  • A thin wiped film created by an internal rotor equipped with wipers
  • A high surface temperature of up to 300°C via its jacketed shell
  • A very high industrial vacuum, between 10-2 and 10-3 mbar absolute

The objective of these conditions is to separate light fractions (molecules) from heavier ones, while limiting contact and residence time in the evaporator, thereby ensuring the integrity of our customers’ products (no degradation).

stella wiped film technique
iscaguard 5

Product Categories

Due to the drastic operating conditions, this type of distillation is generally used to distill and purify:

  • High molecular weight products
  • Products with high melting points or high boiling points
  • High viscosity products
  • Heat-sensitive products

These products are generally vegetable or animal oils, waxes, or fats, but can also be specialty chemicals (esters, polymers, etc.).

Due to the drastic conditions applied, this type of distillation does not allow for the distillation of products with low boiling points or those distillable at atmospheric pressure.

Molecular distillation therefore makes it possible to distill, concentrate, separate, selectively fractionate, completely eliminate, or significantly reduce molecules or groups of molecules whose composition is very similar to that of the raw product.

Application Examples

Removal of undesirable compounds (pesticides, phytosterols, etc.)

Bleaching, neutralizing, or deodorizing vegetable/animal oils

Concentrate molecules of interest: phytosterols, esters, etc.

Decontaminating raw materials

Laboratory Unit: Short Path Distillation

Stella has a laboratory molecular distillation unit for:

  • Conducting feasibility tests (quality, yield, behavior), the first steps toward industrialization
  • Determining the parameters and operating conditions to be applied to the industrial process
  • Developing new processes or distilling new products
  • Optimizing control or improving existing processes/distillations
  • Carry out small production runs (up to 30 kg).
development service

Industrial Unit

Stella has an industrial molecular distillation unit dedicated to toll manufacturing for its external customers.

toll manufacturing service
slide 4

This distillation unit consists of:

  • A degasser, ensuring efficient distillation in both evaporators
  • A wiped film evaporator (WFE), for distilling light molecules, deodorizing, etc.
  • A short path evaporator, which, thanks to its more advanced operating conditions, meets our customers' objectives

This distillation unit is located in a building:

  • Dedicated to toll manufacturing
  • Equipped with stirred and temperature-controlled tanks
  • Containing FDA-compliant or non-FDA equipment, certified to ISO 9001 and GMP EXCiPACT

The industrial molecular distillation unit allows for:

  • High-performance purification
  • Improving our customers' products or processes
  • Innovating or developing new products
  • Integration into a process scale-up approach.
  • Increasing our customers' production capacities (outsourced production)
  • Continuous production

Do you have a distillation project?

Let’s discuss your needs together! We support you in defining a test plan and establishing a production program tailored to your product

Contact our team