Potential of Renewable Energies Integration in an Essential Oils Extraction Process

Abstract

This paper presents an essential oil extraction process in accordance with sustainable development and environmental protection. The idea is to use vegetal plant after extraction as a source of energy for steam production and the condensation of steam containing essential oil is ensured by an air-cooled condenser. In this prospect, a biomass burner was designed and its efficiency was evaluated and compared to an electrical heating system. From the experiments it was found that biomass could supply the energy needed to produce steam for essential oil extraction process. The essential oil yield and composition are comparable to those obtained by a classical method using an electrical heating system and a water-cooled condenser. The industrial projection and innovation lays in the integration of renewable energy in existing mobile extraction units by using solid waste as a source of energy for steam production. The condensation of steam containing essential oil can be ensured by an air-cooled condenser with fans powered by photovoltaic solar energy. Possibilities of clean energy integration and water economy in such process unit are the major technological advance in this alternative approach for energy and water savings especially in agro-based industries.

Technical-economic analisys of the solvent-method optimization of Origanum vulgare essential oil extraction based on technical and quality criteria

“…Nowadays, the constant technological advances and industrial needs maintain the constant search for new processes that minimize the problems associated with the extraction of essential oils or essences, with lower costs and higher yields. In this sense, it has been shown that in order to carry out the essential oil extraction process it is necessary to analyze production costs, solvent selection based on the final extract ratio, energy synergy (in reactions and separation), redistribution of flows, besides studying the intimate relationship with the availability of ethereal extract of the different vegetative species [1]. On the other hand, these percentages can be significantly affected due to the use of different solvents whose polarity ratio is variable, consequently, the extraction processes differ in their productivity results despite applying similar methodology.…”