DESIGN OF ESSENTIAL OIL

EXTRACTION PLANT AND

CONDUCT FEASIBILITY FOR ITS
OPERATION
Supervisor:
Members:
Dr. Bhupesh Adhikari
Lama(41068)

Group

Nurbu

Santosh Nepal(41069)
Sujan Shrestha(41088)

Acknowledgement
Dr. Bhupesh Adhikari (Supervisor)
Dr.Dharmatmalal Shrivastav(Ministry
of soil and forest conservation)
Mr.Kancha Maharjan(General
Mechanical Workshop)
ANSAB
Trade and Export Promotion Centre
Khaptar Aroma Pvt.Ltd

Contents

Introduction
Objective
Literature survey
Existing plants
Limitations of existing plants
Site visits on other organization
Raw materials
Technology
Equipments of steam distillation
Selection of technology
Market survey
Work completed
Work remaining
Materials and methodology
Conclusion
Gantt Chart
References

Introduction
Volatile oils -distillation process
Used in medicinal, perfumers and
cosmetics
Steam distillation -effective extraction
Small scale -not profitable at present price
of raw material
High scale- financially difficult
Medium size -favorable for Nepal
increase public demand - low priced
product

Objective
To design the essential oil extraction
plant.
To conduct out the feasibility of its
operation in Nepal.
To estimate the budget on
constructing a plant.

Literature survey
The chemistry of essential oil
Treatment of plant material before
distillation
1.Communition of the plant
2. Storage of the plant material:
3. Loss of essential oil in the plant material
prior to distillation
4. Change in the properties of essential oils
during plant drying.
Theories of distillation- methods and types

Existing plants
Herbs production and processing
company limited(HPPCL)/(Jadibuti)
Processing lemongrass, citronella, palmarosa,
mentha, chamomile, sayapatri.
steam distillation unit
Batch production type
International market based company
Production based on market demand
Shipping done in a epoxy-coated big metal
container or aluminium containers

Distillation unit of
HPPCL
Vessel

Capacity -1500 liters

Type cylindrical (vertical) field
type
Size-dia.1.2m 1.4m height

Condenser
Capacity - 3 sq.m
Type
- vertical shell and
tube type

Receiver
Capacity - 50 liters
Type - cylindrical and top
conical
Size- diameter 300 mm* 600
mm
Metal - 2 mm thick SS 304

Boiler
Capacity - 250 kg/h
Type
- wood fired
Steam pressure - up to 2
Kg/cm2

Distillation unit

Khaptar Aroma, Godavari

Distillation- 4-5hrs
operated
Processes-Jatamasi
plant.
Residue removed
manually
Residue Export to
India
rate -Rs.250/kg
used for making
incense stick

Drying of Jatamasi before processing

Distillation unit
Vessels (3units of
total 550kg capacity)
Vessel 1-150kg
Vessel 2-100kg
Vessel 3-300kg

Condenser
Type
- vertical shell
and tube type

Boiler
Wood fired (uses firewood
of 2500kg/day)
Located at a distance 15
meter apart from other
units

Oil separator
Water tanks (3nos.of
1000ltr capacity each)

Distillation unit of Khaptar Aroma

Utilization and Pilot

Section, Godavari
Distillation and extraction unit
available
small manufacturers bring the raw
material and process
raw materials- not specific

Distillation
unit
Vessel

Capacity-1500litres
Materials-Stainless steel2 inch thickness
Indian unit

Condenser
Spiral type

Boiler
Type Oil-fired boiler
Units -2
German boiler of
capacity 1500kg/hr
Indian boiler of 300 kg/hr
Kerosene oils (use
20lt/hr)

Vessel in utilization and Pilot section

General Mechanical
Workshop (Gwarkho)
Fabricator of distillation
unit
Has send many distillation
unit whole over Nepal
Also works as a
manufacturer of essential
oil in small scale.
Vessel-capacity 1000lt
Condenser- shell and tube
receiver -8 ltr. capacity
fire tube boiler

Natural Flowers Pvt.Ltd.

Plant location: Basamadi-5, Hetauda

extraction unit
Vessel- 2000lt
processes medicinal herbs only
Sell to local and international market

Limitations of existing
plants
retort height 3-4 times diameter
slow oil recovery
steam flow rates - experience based
More steam produced resulting more
fuel consumption
Optimum capacity boiler not choosen

Site visits on other

organaisation
National Productivity and Economic
Development Centre Limited (Balaju) feasibility study
information regarding the previous works carried out

Trade and Export Promotion

Centre(Pulchowk) statistical data about the import and export

Asia Network for sustainable Agriculture

And Bioresources (ANSAB,Bhemsengola)
Study and availability of herbs
promotion for essential oil

Raw materials
Herbal plants
Cultivated in Mid hilly and Terai regions of
central dev.regions
Economic importance
Pamaroja,Lemongrass,Citronela,Mentha,Fr
ench
basil,Chamomaile,Syapatri,Indrayani

Technology
Types of Technology

Distillation

Extraction

Soxhlet Extraction

Water
Distillation

Water and Steam Distillation

Steam
Distillatio
n

Percolation
Extraction

Equipments in Steam
Distillation unit

The retort
The condenser
The receiver
Boiler

Units components
Retort

Condenser

Oil separator

Selection of technology
steam distillation
high rate of distillation
temperature can be controlled

Estimated specifications of equipments

Vessels
Total capacity 2000litres of 1 vessels
material-stainless steel304

Contd..
Condenser
vertical condenser-shell and tube type,
counterflow.
GI pipe inside
material stainless steel 304

Oil separator
14 litres capacity
Material-Aluminum

Boiler fire tube- 300kw (low cost, availability).

Proposed schematic flow

diagram of distillation unit

Proposed plant layout

Market
International markets-export and import
to various countries
Domestic market - very meager
used by: ayurvedic hospitals
perfume company
cosmetic items
Mostly produced essential oils - Lemon
Grass, Citronella, Palmarosa, Sayapatri,
Mentha, Jatamasi, Rose, Dhasingre,
Chidepari plants.

contd..
Name of plant

Oil production (in Kg.) per Cost of production (in Rs.) per Cost of oil (in Rs.) per Kg.
hectare

Hectare

Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus Steud)

70

20000

1500

Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt)

100

20000

950

Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini Var.motia)

70

20000

1500

Mentha (Mentha arvensis L.)

100

25000

1550

Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla L.)

60

35000

35000

Sayapatri (Tagetes glandulifera Schrank)

25

20000

1500

Source* HPPCL,Jadibuti Kheti Pustika, 2059 B.S.

Import and export data

Source: Trade and promotion Centre, Nepal

Work completed
Theoretical literature review
Theories of distillation- methods and types
Chemistry of essential oil
Raw materials
Methods of treatment of plant before processing
Market survey
Cost and availability of raw materials
Site visits on

Herbs Production and Processing Company Limited

Utilization and Pilot Section, Godavari
General Mechanical Workshop (Gwarkho)
Khaptar Aroma, Godavari
Natural Flowers Pvt.Ltd.

Study and analysis of distillation unit installed in above sites

Contd..
Comparison of the different companies
Financial Structure of different materials and
equipment
Engineering know how for design phase
Schematic of the whole distillation unit
Foundation for the design phase

Work Remaining
Site visit - if required
Retort
capacity, material to be used in fabricating,
welding type, welding stitch, material thickness

Condenser
pipe inside the condenser and its material, no. of
passes

Oil separator
capacity, diameter of its mounting, material to be
used

Boiler
capacity, flow rate, temperature and pressure to
be maintained, material for fabrication or to be
imported

Contd..
Schematic diagram
pump capacity, steam trap type, control valve, water regulating
valve, water tank capacity, temperature of water at tank

Detail dimensions, Autocad drawings

Economic analysis
visits to 3-4 companies for the real cost of different
materials
Total cost of the plant setup
initial cost, operating cost, cost of civil construction and
infrastructure

the rate of return, breakeven point, profitability ratio

Materials and methodology

Selection of the project

Literature survey

Engineering Know How

Detail Design

Feasibility for operation

Engineering Economy

Gantt Chart
No.

Activity

1.

Selection of the project

2.

Literature survey

3.

Engineering know how

4.

Detail Design

5.

Feasibility for operation

6.

Engineering economy

7.

Final report

Total time (days)

Work Accomplished
Work Remaining

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Feb

March

April

May

June

Estimated Days

32

Conclusion
on the way to successful
accomplishment of the project
progressing to meet its objective
the overall achievement - basic layout,
the theoretical literature surveys
relevant to the project and engineering
knowhow
foundation for further progress
project will be completed in time.

References

Committee, Nepal National SCAMAP. Essential Oils '89.

Kathmandu,Nepal: Bahukendra Offset Press, 1989.
Gurung, Khilendra. Essential Oils in Nepal: A Practical Guide
to Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. Kathmandu,Nepal:
Himalayan Bio Trade Private Limited (HBTL), 2009.
Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils . Vol. 1. Florida: Krieger
Publishing Company, 1972. 6 vols.
Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils . Vol. 3. Florida: Krieger
Publishing Company, 1972. 6 vols.
HPPCL. Jadibuti Kheti Pustika. Kathmandu: Herbs Production
And Processing Co. LTD., 2059 B.S.
Shakya, Mech. Er. Upendra Man. Personal communication
regarding Essential oil plant 8 September 2010.
Shriwastav, Sr. Scientific officer Dharmatmalal. Personal
communication regarding Essential oil plant Kathmandu, 16
September 2010.

Contd.

Giri, Ramesh. Personal communication regarding production cost Kathmandu,

10 November 2010.
Steam Distillation Process - Technical Review. Downloaded from:
http://www.distillation.co.uk/distillation.html [19 September, 2010]
http://www.distillation.co.uk/equipment.html#retorts [19 September, 2010]
http://www.distillation.co.uk/equipment.html#condensers [19 September, 2010]
Centre, Trade and Export Promotion. A Glimpse of Nepal's Foreign Trade,
Statistical Presentation-2009/10. Lalitpur,Nepal: G.M Printing Press, 2010.
Nepal Foreign Trade Statistics. Vol. 1. Pulchowk,Lalitpur: G.M Printing Press,
Kathmandu, F.Y2009/10.
Joshi, Bhawani Bhakta and Binod Bahadur Thapa. A Ginger Oil Distillation Plant
at Nepalgunj. Industrial Services Centre, 1979.
Hardware, Rajesh. Personal communication regarding material cost
Teku,Kathmandu, 11 January 2011
Acharya, Deepa (Khaptar aroma). Personal communication regarding distillation
unit 12 November 2010.
Alam, Asst. Scientific Officer Sajjad. Personal communication regarding
distillation unit 25 November 2010.
Maharjan, Kancha. Personal communication regarding fabrication 25 November
2010.

THANK YOU