As stated in the problem statement there is need for a distillation unit for lemongrass that can run without the involvement of firewood. We have built a prototype that does exactly this using solar power. In this chapter we shall discuss the alternative energy sources we considered and the targets we’ve set for the distillation unit. Then we will walk you through the whole process of producing the prototype.
-
Article
Targets
Our primary concern is to construct an energy source that is not dependent on firewood. We have considered energy through sustainable sources as water, sunlight and wind and decided that solar energy is our best option. How and why will be discussed in the paragraph on solar power. As said in the problem statement there was one productive lemongrass still in Valaramkunnu before the project began. -
Article
Prototype Distillation Unit
The prototype must contain a sustainable energy source, increase the efficiency of the distillation process and increase the quality of the oil. The heat source was selected to be solar energy. It was the most reliable, sustainable and powerful energy source for this region according to our rough calculations. Wind energy didn’t have the right power capacity for the heat generation and there were… -
Article
Final design
The prototype was not to be finished during the time we were in India, due to difficulties with the manufacturer. This was quite a setback for the project. However it is very important when the prototype will be finished, the following actions need to be proceeded. After finalizing and building the prototype there are several experiments that should be performed to determine the optimal values… -
Article
Still calculations
To distillate the oil out of the lemongrass, the moisture from the lemongrass has to evaporate from the bone-dry material. This means the lemongrass has to be heated to 100 degrees Celsius, to cook the water. We assume the average temperature in Valaramkunnu is T 1 = 25 °C, and the cooking temperature of water is off course T 2 =100 °C. With these numbers we can calculate how much heat is needed… -
Collection
Every part of the prototype
The prototype consists of different parts that are all connected to create a continuous flow. Each part will be explained separately, including calculation done to decide the dimensions of the prototype design.