Steam Distillation for Essential Oil Extraction: An Evaluation of Technological Advances Based on an Analysis of Patent Documents

Carlos Alberto Machado, Fabricia Oliveira Oliveira, Matheus Antônio de Andrade, Katharine Valéria Saraiva Hodel, Herman Lepikson and Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado
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Carlos Alberto Machado: Postgraduate Program in Industrial Management and Technology, SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil
Fabricia Oliveira Oliveira: SENAI Institute of Innovation (ISI) in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil
Matheus Antônio de Andrade: Post-Graduate Program in Mechatronics, Computer Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Adhemar de Barros Avenue, Salvador 40170-110, Brazil
Katharine Valéria Saraiva Hodel: SENAI Institute of Innovation (ISI) in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil
Herman Lepikson: Postgraduate Program in Industrial Management and Technology, SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil
Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado: Postgraduate Program in Industrial Management and Technology, SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: The most-used method for essential oil extraction is steam distillation due to its simplicity and low investment requirements. Due to the importance of this extractive method, technological updates represent an immense opportunity for improving this component of essential oil production. In order to evaluate how such updates have been applied to essential oil production, in this study, we conducted a technological prospection. A total of 490 patent documents were retrieved and indicators were evaluated, which included publication trends, main applicants and inventors of the prospected technologies, main depositing countries and potential markets for the inventions, and classification codes assigned to the patent documents. The results indicated that steam distillation is used by different sectors and that it is an important industrial process that has been growing in recent years. In terms of associated technological updates, we observed that only some patent documents referred to the application of technological updates, indicating that processes could still be investigated and incorporated into the technology. Thus, the advancement of studies to improve this process could contribute even more to its visible growth, increasing its application potential and process yield.

Keywords: plant oil; essential oil; steam distillation; technological updates; patents; channeling; process duration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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