A Study of Energy Consumption for Essential Oil Distillation: A Case Study of Citronella
Keywords:
distillation of essential oils, citronella, energy consumptionAbstract
This research explores using energy to distil essential oil from lemongrass, comparing energy consumption and cost-effectiveness between using thermal energy from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electrical energy. The experiment utilized a 20-litre distillation pot with a diameter of approximately 30 cm. The distillation temperature ranged from 90 to 102°C over 2 hours, with the raw material prepared by cutting it into small pieces. The thermal energy from LPG was adjusted at a gas burner pressure of 1 lb/In², while the two types of electric stoves consumed 1800 W. The electric coil stove was set to adjustment level 7, whereas the induction stove was capable of reaching a temperature of 550°C. The electric coil stove and induction stove had about 26 cm and 23 cm diameters, respectively. The results showed that the average thermal energy values for the LPG stove, the electric coil stove, and the induction stove were 15.07 MJ, 9.14 MJ, and 10.67 MJ respectively, with corresponding energy costs of 10.91, 10.72, and 12.50 baht per use. It was found that the average thermal energy from the LPG stove was higher than that of both electric stoves, while the production cost was lowest for the electric coil stove. Additionally, the amount of essential oil obtained depended on several factors, including (1) the freshness of the lemongrass, (2) the preparation of the raw materials, and (3) the size of the heating area of the stove providing thermal energy.
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