Hjchem designs and manufactures continuous short path molecular distillation systems for laboratory development, pilot-scale processing, and industrial production.
Our wiped-film short path systems range from 0.06 m² glass laboratory units to 10 m² stainless steel industrial systems, with standard and customized configurations for heat-sensitive, high-boiling, and difficult-to-separate materials.
Available options include single-stage, two-stage and multi-stage systems, continuous feeding and discharge, SS316L wetted parts, different vacuum configurations, and customized heating, cooling and process control.
- Evaporation Area: 0.06–10 m²
- Scale: Laboratory · Pilot · Industrial
- Materials: Borosilicate Glass · SS316L
- Standard No-Load Vacuum: 0.1–1 Pa
- High-Vacuum Option: 0.01–0.1 Pa
- Configuration: Single-Stage · Two-Stage · Multi-Stage
Molecular Distillation Systems by Production Scale
LABORATORY
Laboratory Glass Molecular Distillation
0.06–0.50 m²
Borosilicate Glass
Up to 20 kg/h*
For R&D, feasibility testing, and process development.
PILOT SCALE
Pilot Stainless Steel Molecular Distillation
0.06–0.50 m²
SS316L
Up to 50 L/h*
For process scale-up, validation, and pilot production.
INDUSTRIAL
Industrial Wiped Film Molecular Distillation
1–10 m²
SS316L
Up to 600 L/h*
For continuous industrial production and higher throughput.
For R&D and feasibility work, a laboratory molecular distillation system allows process conditions to be explored with relatively small feed quantities.
When continuous feeding, longer operation, and scale-up data are required, a pilot molecular distillation system is normally the next step.
For validated production processes, industrial molecular distillation equipment provides larger evaporation areas and continuous feed/discharge configurations.
Compare Laboratory, Pilot and Industrial Molecular Distillation Systems
| Feature | Laboratory Glass | Pilot Stainless Steel | Industrial Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical Purpose | R&D / Process Development | Scale-Up / Pilot Production | Continuous Production |
| Evaporation Area | 0.06–0.50 m² | 0.06–0.50 m² | 1–10 m² |
| Construction | Borosilicate Glass | SS316L | SS316L |
| Feed Rate* | 0.05–20 kg/h | 0.3–50 L/h | 5–600 L/h |
| Feeding | Manual / Gear Pump Optional | Continuous Gear Pump | Continuous Gear Pump |
| Discharge | Manual / Gear Pump Optional | Continuous Gear Pump | Continuous Gear Pump |
| No-Load Vacuum | 0.1–1 Pa Standard | 0.1–1 Pa Standard | 0.1–1 Pa Standard |
| Higher Vacuum Option | 0.01–0.1 Pa | 0.01–0.1 Pa | 0.01–0.1 Pa |
| Typical Configuration | Single / Multi-Stage | Single / Multi-Stage | Single / Multi-Stage |
| Primary Role | Feasibility & Optimization | Scale-Up & Validation | Production |
*Feed rate is application-dependent. Actual throughput varies with feed density, viscosity, composition, volatile content, operating temperature, vacuum level, and separation target.
Evaporation area alone should not be used to select equipment. System sizing should also consider feed properties, required purity, operating vacuum, and expected throughput.
Actual operating vacuum may also differ from the no-load vacuum shown above because feed volatility, feed rate, temperature, leakage rate, and vapor load affect system pressure. HJCHEM vacuum specs distinguish no-load vacuum from actual operating pressure, which varies with feed and process conditions.
Feed viscosity can significantly affect achievable throughput. For materials that thicken or lose flowability when cooled, temperature control may also be required along the process path. See how high-viscosity feeds affect molecular distillation equipment selection.
If you are still comparing system scale, materials, vacuum configuration, number of stages, and auxiliary equipment, these molecular distillation equipment selection criteria can help you define the right system before requesting a quotation.
Complete Short Path Molecular Distillation System Configuration
A complete molecular distillation system normally includes more than the short path evaporator itself. Hjchem can configure the process system around the feed material and separation target.
The main components of short path wiped film molecular distillation including:
Feed Tank → Feed Valve or Gear Pump → Short Path Evaporator → Internal Condenser → Light Fraction / Heavy Fraction Collection
Supporting equipment can include heating circulators, condenser chillers, cold traps, vacuum pumps, discharge pumps, temperature and vacuum instruments, and process-control systems.
Laboratory systems can use manual feeding and collection or optional continuous gear-pump operation. Pilot and industrial systems normally use continuous feeding and discharge.
Single-Stage and Multi-Stage Configurations
A single short path evaporator is suitable when one main separation step is sufficient. Single-stage vs multi-stage short path molecular distillation systems can be used when the process requires degassing, removal of light components, further product purification, or several separation cuts.
The required number of stages depends on the feed composition and final product specification rather than nominal equipment capacity alone.
Short Residence Time and Deep-Vacuum Operation
In a wiped-film short path system, rotating wipers continuously distribute the feed into a thin film over the heated evaporation surface. The internal condenser is positioned close to the evaporation surface, reducing vapor travel distance and pressure loss.
This combination of wiped-film evaporation, short vapor travel, and deep vacuum is the basis of short-path molecular distillation. For a clearer explanation of the terminology, separation principle, and how it differs from conventional distillation, our molecular distillation overview covers the fundamentals in more detail.
The wiped film process then explains how film formation, evaporation, internal condensation, and light/heavy fraction collection work step by step.
Molecular Distillation Applications
Hjchem short path molecular distillation equipment can be configured for a wide range of oils, fine chemicals, pharmaceutical intermediates, and other temperature-sensitive or high-boiling materials.
1. Fish Oil and Omega-3
Fish oil molecular distillation can be used for purification and concentration of valuable lipid fractions such as EPA and DHA. Important process factors for fish oil and omega-3 concentrates include feed pretreatment, evaporation temperature, vacuum level, and target concentration.
2. Essential Oils and Natural Extracts
For selected natural products, molecular distillation of essential oils can separate desired fractions while reducing prolonged thermal exposure.
3. Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals
Short residence time and deep-vacuum operation make pharmaceutical molecular distillation applications suitable for selected thermally sensitive intermediates and high-value fine chemicals.
4. Vitamins, Specialty Oils and Fatty Acids
Molecular distillation can also be used for concentration, purification, deodorization, and removal of light or heavy fractions from vitamins, nutraceutical ingredients, fatty acids, esters, and specialty oils.
5. Silicone Oils, Resins and Polymers
For silicone oils and polymers, wiped-film short-path processing can be used for silicone devolatilization and removal of cyclic siloxanes, residual monomers, oligomers, and other volatile fractions.
Related polymer applications include acrylic resin devolatilization and selected epoxy resin purification duties where volatile or fractionable impurities are suitable for short-path separation.
Request a Molecular Distillation System for Your Process
Molecular distillation equipment should not be selected from evaporation area or nominal feed rate alone. Actual system capacity and separation performance depend strongly on the physical properties of the feed and the required product specifications.
For accurate equipment selection and quotation, please provide:
- Feed material and composition
- Required feed rate or production capacity
- Feed density
- Feed viscosity, if available
- Initial concentration of the target component
- Required product concentration or purity
- Expected light and heavy fractions
- Feed or product temperature limitations
- Known boiling point or vapor-pressure information, if available
- Required no-load vacuum, if specified
- Preferred wetted material
- Required number of stages, if known
- Available utilities and power supply
- Any explosion-proof, automation, documentation, or certification requirements
Based on this information, Hjchem can recommend the appropriate short path molecular distillation system, evaporation area, vacuum configuration, number of stages, heating and cooling equipment, and process-control package.
Not Sure Molecular Distillation Will Work for Your Material?
HJCHEM can perform paid laboratory testing with customer-supplied materials if you are not sure your material will work or not.
A feasibility test can help confirm whether molecular distillation can achieve a useful separation. If equipment is subsequently purchased from HJCHEM, the agreed testing fee can be credited toward the equipment order.