Executive Summary
A leading essential oil manufacturer required a fully automated, GMP-compliant Citronella Essential Oil Distillation Plant capable of producing premium Citronella Essential Oil, Citronellal-Rich Oil, Citronellol-Rich Oil, Citronella Hydrosol, and high-value natural ingredients for mosquito repellents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and personal care products.
The customer required a turnkey processing facility capable of maximizing essential oil recovery, preserving volatile aldehydes and alcohols, minimizing steam and utility consumption, and consistently manufacturing export-quality products complying with ISO 3848, ISO 9235, GMP, WHO-GMP, HACCP, FSSC 22000, USFDA, and international quality standards.
MECH O TECH LLP successfully designed, engineered, manufactured, supplied, installed, and commissioned a 35 TPD Citronella Essential Oil Distillation Plant integrating automated raw material preparation, continuous steam distillation, high-efficiency condensation, Florentine oil separation, vacuum polishing, PLC-SCADA automation, and energy recovery systems.
The facility consistently produces premium Citronella Essential Oil with high citronellal content, superior aroma retention, excellent stability, and exceptional manufacturing efficiency.
Customer Background
The customer supplies botanical ingredients to Mosquito Repellent Manufacturers, Pharmaceutical Companies, Cosmetic Manufacturers, Personal Care Brands, Aromatherapy Companies, Agrochemical Manufacturers, Household Product Companies, and International Essential Oil Exporters. Growing worldwide demand for natural insect repellents, herbal disinfectants, clean-label cosmetics, and eco-friendly household products encouraged investment in a modern automated distillation facility.
Customer Challenges
Before modernization, the customer experienced:
- Low essential oil recovery
- Loss of volatile citronellal
- High steam consumption
- Long distillation cycles
- Manual process variability
- High operating costs
- Inconsistent oil composition
- Limited production capacity
- Difficulty meeting export specifications
Project Objectives
MECH O TECH LLP developed a turnkey solution capable of:
- Processing 35 MT/day of Fresh Citronella Grass
- Producing premium Citronella Essential Oil
- Maximizing citronellal and citronellol recovery
- Producing pharmaceutical-grade hydrosol
- Reducing steam consumption
- Improving energy efficiency
- Meeting ISO 3848, GMP, WHO-GMP, HACCP, and international standards
- Supporting future expansion up to 150 TPD
Raw Material
- Botanical Name
- Cymbopogon winterianus / Cymbopogon nardus
- Common Name
- Citronella
- Plant Parts Used
- Leaves, Stems
- Major Bioactive Components
- Citronellal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellyl Acetate, Elemol
- Daily Processing Capacity
- 35,000 kg/day
Finished Product
Available Options
Applications
- Mosquito Repellents
- Household Insect Repellents
- Personal Care Products
- Soaps & Detergents
- Aromatherapy
- Pharmaceuticals
- Agrochemical Formulations
- Candles & Fragrance Products
Process Flow
Process Description
Raw Material Preparation
Fresh citronella grass is cleaned and chopped into uniform lengths to improve steam penetration and maximize extraction efficiency.
Steam Distillation
Prepared citronella grass is processed in specially designed stainless steel steam distillation vessels. Controlled steam efficiently vaporizes volatile aromatic compounds while preserving citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol.
Advantages include:
- High essential oil recovery
- Excellent citronellal retention
- Uniform steam distribution
- Low thermal degradation
- Consistent product quality
Condensation
Essential oil vapors are rapidly condensed using high-efficiency shell-and-tube condensers to preserve volatile aromatic compounds.
Florentine Oil Separation
Condensed liquid is separated into:
- Premium Citronella Essential Oil
- Citronella Hydrosol
Precision separation minimizes oil loss and improves product quality.
Vacuum Polishing
The essential oil undergoes vacuum polishing to remove moisture and improve clarity while maintaining its natural chemical profile.
Quality Standardization
Each production batch is analyzed for:
- Citronellal
- Citronellol
- Geraniol
- Specific Gravity
- Refractive Index
- Optical Rotation
- Moisture
- Color
- GC-MS Fingerprint
- ISO 3848 Compliance
Major Equipment Supplied
- Raw Material Conveyor
- Grass Chopper
- Stainless Steel Steam Distillation Vessels
- Steam Distribution System
- Shell & Tube Condensers
- Florentine Oil Separators
- Essential Oil Filters
- Vacuum Oil Polishing Unit
- Essential Oil Storage Tanks
- Hydrosol Storage Tanks
- PLC-SCADA Automation Panel
- Electrical MCC
- Instrumentation Package
- Automatic CIP System
Automation Features
The plant incorporates intelligent PLC-SCADA automation featuring:
- Automatic Recipe Management
- Steam Flow Control
- Distillation Cycle Automation
- Temperature Monitoring
- Pressure Monitoring
- Condenser Performance Monitoring
- Oil Separator Automation
- Batch Traceability
- Alarm Management
- Utility Monitoring
- Production Analytics
- Remote Diagnostics
- Industry 4.0 Connectivity
GMP & Safety Features
The facility is engineered according to international pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care manufacturing standards. Features include:
- SS 316L product-contact surfaces
- Hygienic sanitary piping
- Closed processing system
- Food & pharmaceutical-grade seals
- Automatic CIP cleaning
- Validation-ready engineering
- GMP-compliant layout
- HACCP-ready design
- Low-contamination operation
Plant Utilities
- Steam Boiler
- Cooling Tower
- Chilled Water System
- Air Compressor
- RO Water System
- Soft Water System
- Electrical Power
- Instrument Air
Sustainability Features
The plant incorporates environmentally responsible engineering through:
- Heat recovery from condensate
- Energy-efficient steam utilization
- Water recycling systems
- Utility optimization
- Biomass utilization after distillation
- Reduced emissions
- Sustainable manufacturing practices
Customer Benefits
Following successful commissioning, the customer achieved:
- Higher essential oil recovery
- Superior citronellal retention
- Excellent batch consistency
- Reduced steam consumption
- Lower operating costs
- Increased manufacturing capacity
- Enhanced export competitiveness
- Reliable international product quality
- Reduced environmental footprint
- Excellent return on investment
Plants Used In This Project
Why Mech O Tech LLP?
MECH O TECH LLP is a globally recognized manufacturer of turnkey essential oil distillation plants, botanical extraction systems, nutraceutical processing equipment, pharmaceutical machinery, and aromatic ingredient manufacturing facilities. With over 30 years of engineering expertise, our advanced steam distillation technologies, intelligent PLC-SCADA automation, energy-efficient engineering, and GMP-compliant manufacturing enable customers worldwide to produce premium essential oils with exceptional productivity and international quality standards.
Conclusion
The Citronella Essential Oil Distillation Plant from MECH O TECH LLP provides a complete turnkey solution for manufacturing premium Citronella Essential Oil, Citronellal-Rich Oil, and Citronella Hydrosol. Through advanced steam distillation, intelligent PLC-SCADA automation, energy-efficient engineering, and GMP-compliant manufacturing, the facility delivers world-class product quality, lower operating costs, and sustainable manufacturing performance.
Key Technical Highlights
- Raw Material
- Cymbopogon winterianus / Cymbopogon nardus
- Plant Capacity
- 2–150 TPD (customizable)
- Finished Products
- Citronella Essential Oil, Citronellal-Rich Oil, Citronella Hydrosol
- Technology
- Steam Distillation + Florentine Separation + Vacuum Oil Polishing
- Automation
- PLC-SCADA with Industry 4.0 Integration
- Construction Material
- SS 304 / SS 316L
- Compliance
- ISO 3848, ISO 9235, GMP, WHO-GMP, HACCP, FSSC 22000, USFDA-ready, EU-GMP-ready, CE-compliant equipment
- Applications
- Mosquito Repellents, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Personal Care, Aromatherapy, Agrochemicals
Why Global Manufacturers Choose MECH O TECH LLP
- 30+ years of engineering excellence in essential oil distillation and botanical processing
- Complete turnkey solutions from 100 kg/day pilot plants to 150 TPD industrial facilities
- High-efficiency steam distillation for maximum essential oil recovery
- Intelligent PLC-SCADA automation with complete production traceability
- GMP-compliant hygienic engineering for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and personal care industries
- Energy-saving heat recovery and utility optimization systems
- Complete installation, commissioning, validation, operator training, preventive maintenance, spare parts supply, and lifetime technical support
- Proven expertise in essential oils, herbal extracts, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, oleoresins, natural colors, and specialty botanical processing plants
Want Results Like This For Your Plant?
Mechotech engineers are ready to assess your process and design the right plant for your target output.
Get a Free Consultation
