Kinetic Studies on Extraction of Essential Oil from Lemongrass Leaves (Cymbopogon citratus) by Steam Distillation Industrial Scale

Study on kinetics and modeling of the essential oil steam distillation are required for the optimization of the energy requirement, parameters and the process scale-up. In this study, hydrodistillation for extraction of essential oils from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) steam distillation was investigated. The recovery of essential oils was carried out on an industrial scale instrument and with with different material quantities. The experimental results are determined by the integral method of analysis. The kinetic parameters were evaluated from experimental data, which were generated at the different weights of the lemongrass. The extraction rate constant explaining the extraction efficiency achieved from this study is found to be k2 of 0.0661 min-1 in 710 kg using a second-order kinetic model. The GC/MS results revealed that 14 components were identified in Cymbopogon citratusoils. The oil is extremely rich in citral (69.775%), which obtained in 180 min.