[joeyjojo]

Hello,

I am trying to arrange my equipment at home for essential oil distillation.

Boiling flask connected below biomass flask with organics feeding into a condenser and feeding into another flask (please help me with the name) which can separate oils from the hydrosol.

My second question is that if these flasks and beakers are food safe right out of the manufacturer as long as they have never been used for anything un food grade.  For example, I could use a beaker as a coffee mug if I were so inclined?

[curiouscat]

Boiling flask connected below biomass flask with organics feeding into a condenser and feeding into another flask (please help me with the name)

A Soxhlet?

My second question is that if these flasks and beakers are food safe right out of the manufacturer as long as they have never been used for anything un food grade.  For example, I could use a beaker as a coffee mug if I were so inclined?

I assume they are glass? If so, yes, most borosilicate glass is food safe. Though depends what you've handled previously in them. If anything really nasty then I wouldn't recommend it.

In any case an intermediate wash with detergent or something stronger should help you get glass super clean again.

[joeyjojo]

No, not a soxhlet.  This flask is ovular but with a tip at the bottom with a knob for dispensing the bottommost liquids.  In this way you can separate the different layers of liquids into different flasks.

I have seen a soxhlet on youtube but I do not understand how it differs from my setup, are they also used to extract oils?

[joeyjojo]

Oh I found it, separatory funnel!

So... does that seem ok or would you suggest a more efficient setup?

Would it also be possible to forgo the biomass flask and instead of steaming the organics just boil them in the boiling flask or would that run a risk of burning?

Another question now that I have watched a few videos of soxhlet extractors on youtube.  What I am doing is steam distillation but what would be the difference between the two?  I notice there is no hydrosol with the soxhlet extraction like there is with the steam disillation but are they basically both means to the same end?