Vacuum Distillation - A Brief Overview

Vacuum distillation is a method of reducing the pressure of the mixture in order to cause evaporation at a lower temperature. This method is especially important when processing solvents with a high boiling points above 230°F/110°C or when the vapors have a density heavier than air, which severely hinders processing at atmospheric pressure.

Vacuum distillation also helps prevent degradation due to reduced pressure and temperature on the still bottoms. This is very helpful when processing nitrocellulose based waste.

Solvents that generally require a vacuum generator are naptha, MAK (Methyl n-Amyl Ketone), mineral spirits, and some laquer thinners.

Oregon Environmental Systems' solvent stills, namely the OES-20, OES-30, OES-60, and OES-200 are turn-key batch distillation systems and are completely compatible with our vacuum generators for utilizing the benefits of vacuum distillation.