The mass yield of the extraction is influenced directly by the pre-treatment conditions of the raw material. In the case of leaves, drying is required to ensure their biological stability and is a pre-processing step that demands large amounts of thermal energy. In the present study, the oil extraction process was numerically optimized, considering the influence of the pre-heat treatment of the guaco leaves. An operating range between 30 and 70 oC, 1.0 and 5.0 m/s, and recirculation between 0 and 1 was evaluated. The minimum ratio of energy consumption of drying by the amount of oil obtained after extraction (4.05×105 kWh/kg) was obtained under the optimal conditions of 30.02 oC, 1.0 m/s, and 0.129 of air recycling flow rate. With our results, it is possible to guarantee safety in the storage of guaco leaves, in addition to optimizing the extraction process, maximizing the obtaining of the oil mass, and reducing energy consumption in the drying step.
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