Wiped Film Apparatus & Short Path Distillation

Operators working with thermally sensitive or high-viscosity compounds often face bottlenecks in purification. Traditional distillation setups struggle with heat distribution, residence time, and product degradation. The Wiped Film Apparatus (WFA), paired with Short Path Distillation (SPD), solves these issues by enabling continuous, low-pressure, high-efficiency separation—especially in pharmaceutical, chemical, and cannabis applications. 

This infographic breaks down how the system works, what makes it effective, and where it fits in your process design. 

What’s inside the infographic 

• System overview: Visual breakdown of the WFA and SPD setup, including heating zones, condenser placement, and feed input/output. 

• Process flow: Step-by-step depiction of how compounds move through the apparatus, highlighting evaporation, condensation, and collection. 

• Performance metrics: Comparative data on throughput, purity levels, and thermal efficiency vs. conventional distillation. 

• Use cases: Examples from pharma and botanical extraction workflows where WFA-SPD integration improved yield and reduced downtime.  

Key advantages 

• Minimal thermal degradation: Short residence time and controlled temperature gradients protect sensitive compounds. 

• High separation efficiency: Thin film formation and vacuum conditions allow precise fractionation. 

• Scalable design: Modular components support lab-scale and industrial-scale operations. 

• Continuous processing: Reduces batch variability and increases throughput.