Distillation of tea-tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil. II. Comparison of different fuels for steam generation using a prototype distiller

A. W. Ahmad, P. Mansor and T. A. R. Tunku Kassim

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the appropriate fuel for steam generation at atmospheric pressure in the distillation of tea-tree oil. The evaporator of a prototype distiller was heated using three different fuels, i.e. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene and diesel. A comparison was made between the fuels for parameters such as the oil yield, oil produced at 95% EVE, virtual height of distiller, water flow rate, observed and calculated extraction times, heating time and total extraction time. The mean oil yield for distillation using kerosene and diesel was 0.7% and significantly different compared with 0.6% for LPG. The mean water flow rate and the mean total extraction time for distillation using diesel were 1 140.9 mL/min/m2 and 121.4 min respectively and significantly different from that of LPG which were at 739.7 mL/min/m2 and 145.5 min. The mean total extraction time for distillation using kerosene was 151.7 min and significantly different from that of diesel. These results indicated that the use of diesel as fuel for steam generation in the steam distillation of tea-tree oil was better than that of LPG in terms of oil yield and total extraction time. The results also showed that distillation using diesel as fuel was better than that of kerosene in terms of total extraction time.

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