Optimization Design of Separation Process of Crude Citronella Oil Using Vacuum Fractionation Distillation Pilot Plant Scale Safira Kanza, Sukardi
Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
Abstract
Crude citronella oil contains a mixture of components such as a group of hydrocarbon monoterpenes compounds, oxygenated monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes so that it has low economic value and low functional value. To obtain a single component with high purity can be done through chemical and physical properties. Based on physical properties of the constituent components of citronella oil, the boiling points of each component are quite adjacent so that a single component can be separated by the fractionation distillation process. This study aims to determine the optimum condition (temperature, pressure and reflux ratio) of pilot plant scale fractionation column with the capacity of 200kg (height of column: 8m- packed column packing- temperature range 115-118 C and 118-121 C), and compare it with the laboratory scale fractionation column with a capacity of 20kg (height of column: 2m- raschig ring packing- temperature range 115-118 C- and 118-121 C). The best result is given by varying the temperature range of 115-118 C and 118-121 C, pressure range 4000-5333 Pa and reflux ratio 2:1. The result from pilot plant scale is the purity of citronellal is increased 67% and rhodinol 29% from the raw material. Meanwhile, for the laboratory scale, the result is the purity of citronellal is increased 40,17% and rhodinol 23,20% from the raw material. And also, under greater reflux ratio conditions can increase the purity of citronellal and rhodinol compared to conditions without reflux ratio. It can be noted that the pilot plant scale of fractionation distillation is more effective to produce high purity single compounds of citronella oil.
Keywords: Citronella oil, single component, separation, fractionation distillation, pilot plant
