Drying optimization of citronella grass (Cymbopogon winterianus).

Date

2012

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering

Major Course

Major in Agricultural and Bio-Process Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Abstract

The oil that could extracted from citronella grass highly affected by the environmental conditions. The research aimed to optimize the drying condition for the citronella grass. The parameters considered were final moisture content of the grass, drying air temperature, and length of cut. The grass was cut and partly dried until its final moisture content was reached. The size of the grass was reduced for oil extraction process. The crude oil content of the grass was extracted using soxhlet extraction method, and soaking method. The result showed that soxhlet method is significant only in the moisture content wet basis, and not significant in the other responses. The soaking method was highly dependent on the moisture content, and temperature at 95% confidence interval.The length of cut was significant at wet basis at 90% confidence interval. Optimization considered soaking method at dry basis and wet basis, and drying rate. The soxhlet method was not considered since the result is not highly significant due to the temperature's effect on the solubility of the compounds. The results showed that the optimum conditions were 45% final moisture content, 55°C drying air temperature, and 2" length of cut.

Language

English

Location

UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2012 A2 M37

Document Type

Thesis

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