Uji Kinerja dan Evaluasi Kelayakan Prototipe Separator Penyulingan Minyak Nilam

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct performance test and feasibility evaluation of patchouli oil separator prototype with flow of distillate more than 1.4 liters/minutes and maximum oil loss at 0.5%, and to compare it with the performance of separators used in an SME (small medium enterprise). Distillation vessel used has a capacity of 380 kg raw material . Performance test of a prototype separator is divided into two groups, i.e. group-A with rate of distillate flow below 1.5 liters/minutes and group-B with above 1.5 liters/minutes. Average distillate temperature is 32 °C in group-A and 38 °C in group-B. Average rate of distillate flow in group-A is 1.3 liters/minute and in group-B is 1.7 liters/minute. The total volume of the prototype separator is 180 liters, volume of the inner cylinder is 10.6 liters, and the holding time of group-A is 8.2 minutes and group-B is 6.2 minutes. The performance test of the SME separator resulted in average distillate temperature of 36 °C, and average distillate flow of 1.5 liters. The total volume of the SME separator is 80 liters, volume of the inner cylinder is 7 liters, and the holding time is 4.7 minutes. Average oil loss during the performance test for separator prototype group-A, group-B and the SME separator is 0.20%, 0.48% and 1.46% respectively. The performance of prototype separator is better than SME separator. The clearness of distillated water from prototype separator is better than from SME separator. Separator prototype is still shows good performance distillate flow of 1.7 liters/minute and distillate temperature below 45 °C.