Desenvolvimento e avaliação do rendimento operacional de extratores de óleos essenciais.

Abstract

This work was constituted in the study of the system evaluation and of operational eficiency of a new equipment for extraction o f essential oils. The studies were developed from of the analysis of the results obtained experimentaly, whose principle (steam distillation at atmospheric pressure) was applied to three models of extractores. The proceeding of evaluation was based in analysis in the three models, permiting to establish which one provided, in the same condition o f operation, a greater eficiency of extraction o f essential oils. This study of evaluation involved analysis of parameter that influenced directly in the eficiency o f the process of extraction as: quantity o f water for production of steam, solvent, raw material, time of extraction and the temperature of refrigeration o f the system of condensation. The application o f this study constituted basically in the determination o f the operational possibility o f these equipments of extraction, in the direction to get the model more efficient, at a relatively low cost, with good eficiency and consequently the substitution of classical extractores that involve the same principle - steam distillation - but that present low eficiency in operations in laboratory.