What are the characteristics of MD molecular (short-range) distillers
MD molecular (short-range) distiller is a special distillation equipment designed for the separation and purification of "high boiling point, thermosensitive, and easily oxidizable materials". Its core relies on "molecular distillation technology" (using the difference in average free path of different substance molecules to achieve separation), combined with "short-range" structural optimization
MD molecular (short-range) distiller is a special distillation equipment designed for the separation and purification of "high boiling point, thermosensitive, and easily oxidizable materials". Its core relies on "molecular distillation technology" (using the difference in average free path of different substance molecules to achieve separation), combined with "short-range" structural optimization (the distance between the evaporation surface and the condensation surface is extremely close, usually 5-10mm). Its characteristics can be developed around four dimensions: separation efficiency, material adaptability, operational advantages, and structural design, as follows:
1、 Core features: high separation efficiency, excellent purification accuracy
1. Separation based on molecular free path differences, without boiling process
Different from traditional distillation that relies on "boiling and vaporization of materials", molecular distillation uses heating to allow material molecules to escape from the evaporation surface (without reaching the boiling point), and utilizes the different free paths of light and heavy molecules (light molecules have a longer free path and can reach the condensation surface for liquefaction; heavy molecules have a shorter free path and fall back to the evaporation surface) to achieve separation. It can effectively separate "near boiling mixtures" that are difficult to handle by traditional distillation (such as isomers and thermosensitive impurities), with a purification purity of over 95%, and in some scenarios (such as pharmaceutical intermediates), it can exceed 99.5%.
2. Short evaporation condensation distance and high mass transfer efficiency
The equipment adopts a "built-in condenser tube" design, with a distance of only 5-10mm between the evaporation surface and the condensation surface, far less than the average free path of light molecules, which can reduce the loss and side reactions of molecules in the vaporization process. The separation speed is 3-5 times faster than traditional distillation, especially suitable for efficient purification of small batches and high-value materials.
2、 Key features: Suitable for thermosensitive/high boiling point materials, no secondary pollution
1. Low operating temperature to protect thermosensitive components
Due to the fact that separation does not require boiling, the operating temperature of molecular distillation is much lower than the boiling point of the material (usually 50-100 ℃ lower than traditional distillation). For example, vitamin E (boiling point 350 ℃) can be separated at 120-150 ℃ to avoid oxidation, decomposition, or discoloration of components caused by high temperatures. It is suitable for "heat sensitive materials" in the fields of medicine, food, and cosmetics (such as enzyme preparations, essential oils, natural extracts).
2. Operating in a high vacuum environment to reduce oxidation and pollution
When the equipment is running, the system vacuum degree is relatively high (usually up to 0.1-1Pa), which can further reduce the vaporization temperature of the material and isolate the air to avoid oxidation of the material during the separation process; At the same time, the internal components of the equipment (evaporation surface, condensation surface) are mostly made of 316L stainless steel or Hastelloy, with a smooth and corrosion-resistant surface, no material residue or metal ion leaching, in compliance with hygiene standards such as GMP and FDA, suitable for pharmaceutical and food grade material purification.
3、 Practical features: simple operation, low energy consumption and pollution
1. The device has a compact structure and is easy to operate and maintain
The short-range design makes the equipment volume much smaller than that of a traditional distillation tower with the same processing capacity, occupying only one-third to one-fifth of the traditional equipment area. The core components (evaporator and condenser) can be disassembled and cleaned, reducing the cross contamination of residual materials on subsequent batches; High degree of automation, temperature, vacuum degree, and feed rate can be adjusted through PLC control system to achieve continuous or batch production.
2. Low energy consumption and strong environmental friendliness
Due to the low operating temperature and short heat transfer distance, the energy consumption of the equipment is only 1/2-1/3 of traditional distillation, and the separation process does not require solvent addition (some scenarios can replace extraction processes), without a "solvent recovery" step, reducing wastewater and exhaust emissions, which is in line with the trend of green chemistry and clean production.
4、 Structural features: Modular design, adaptable to multiple scenarios
1. There are various forms of evaporation surfaces that are suitable for different material forms
The evaporation surface of the equipment can be divided into "scraping film type", "falling film type", and "centrifugal type": the scraping film type forms a uniform thin film of material on the evaporation surface through a scraper, suitable for high viscosity materials (such as resin and grease); Falling film type relies on gravity to form a thin film, suitable for low viscosity, flowable animal materials (such as essential oils, solvents); Centrifugal membrane formation is strengthened by centrifugal force, resulting in high separation efficiency and suitable for deep purification of high-value and trace impurities.
2. Flexible processing capacity, from small-scale trials to industrial coverage
The equipment specifications can range from "laboratory trial type" (processing capacity of 50-500L/h) to "industrial production type" (processing capacity of 10-1000L/h), and modular design can add or remove components according to production needs (such as adding preheating systems, solvent recovery systems), adapting to different scales of production scenarios such as pharmaceutical research and development, chemical industry, food additives, etc.