Project Report On Extracting Geraniol From Palmarosa
Introduction :
The Palmarosa Oil Is An Essential Oil Which Is Used In Various Industries Like Aromatics And
Pharmacy And So On. And This Project Consists Of Two Phases Which Are Given Below.
1. Cultivation Of Palmarosa And Extract Crude Oil.
2. Distilling The Crude Oil And Extract The Geraniol.
Phase L:
Cultivation Of Palmarosa:
(Cymbopogon Martinii [Roxb.] Wats. Var. Motia Burk.)
1. Name Of The Plant
1.1. Scientific Name: Cymbopogon Martinii [Roxb.] Wats. Var. Motia Burk. (2n=20) (Family:
Poaceae)
1.2 Local Name: Rosha Grass, Rusha Ghas (Hindi); Rauns, Rosdo
(Gujarati); Rohisha, Rohisa (Sanskrit)
2. Plant Part Used In Aromatic Oil Extraction
Floral Shoots And Above Ground Parts Of The Plant Are Used For Distillation Of Essential Oil.
3. Characteristics Of The Plant
Palmarosa Is An Aromatic Tall Perennial Grass, Which Contain A Sweet Smelling Oil Of Rose Like
Odor In Its Flowering Tops And Foliage. It Grows To A Height Of 1.5 - 2.5 M, Roots Are Shallow And
Fibrous, Culms Erect And Nodes Swollen. Leaf Sheath Is Glabrous, Ligule Membranous, Blades Linear
And Flat. Inflorescence Is Large Compound Panicle Up To 80 Cm, Spatheate Beneath Racemes Up To
1.5 Cm. Racemes With Several Spikelets Hermaphrodite, Oblong, Elliptic And Awned. Mature Seeds
Are Brown, Fine, Hairy And Easily Disposed By Air. It Is A Best Natural Source Of Geraniol (75-90%).
4. Major Production Areas
This Plant Is A Native Of India And It Grows Wild In Forests Of Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh And Odisha. It Is Also Found In Lesser
Frequency In Karnataka, Tamil Nadu And In Some Parts Of Uttar Pradesh. There Is Now Expansion In
Cultivated Area Which Is Spread Over In The States Of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat And Tamil Nadu.
5. Characteristics Of Cymbopogan Varieties
Palmarosa (C. Martinii) Is One Among 140 Species Of The Genus Cymbopogon And It Has Two
Cultivable Varieties;
C. Martinii Var. Motia - Palmarosa
C. Martinii Var. Sofia - Ginger Grass
C. Martinii Var. Motia Yields An Essential Oil With High Geraniol Content (60-90%) Which Is Also
Called As East Indian Geranium Oil Or Russa Oil. It Has Dark Green Leaves, Which Are Leathery,
Prominently Mid Ribbed, Roundish At The Base And Form An Obtuse To Right Angle With The Stem. It
Is A Diploid (2n=20) And The Oil Is Rich In Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate And Linalool.
C. Martinii Var. Sofia Called As Ginger Grass Is Also Grown Widely In India And It Yields Oil Of
Lower Geraniol Content. It Has A Dense Tufts And More Luxuriant Growth But With Shorter
Inflorescence And Curved Leaf Base Attached At An Acute Angle To The Stem. It Is Tetraploid (2n=40).
Its Oil Is Known As Ginger Grass Oil Is Of Inferior Grade And Fetches Much Less Price Than The
Palmarosa Oil. The Oil Contains Less Of Geraniol And More Of Other Components Like Perillyl
Alcohol, Carnecol, Carvon, Dipentene Etc.
Proper Identification Of The Species Is Very Important And Expert Advice Can Be Taken To Avoid
Mistakes In Species Identification. Government Recognized Herbariums Can Be Used To Verify The
Correct Species. Cultivation Of Inappropriate Species/Varieties (Eg. Var. Sofia) May Deteriorate The Oil
Yield And Quality.
Varieties Like Iw-31243, Iw-31245, Prc-1, Trishna, Tripta, Vaishnavi, Cim-Harsha Have Been Released
By Different Institutes In India.
6. Cultivation Methods
6.1 Soil
Palmarosa Can Be Grown In Poor Sandy Loam To Heavy Fertile Soils. A Well Drained
Loamy Soil With Ph 6 To 7 Is Ideal. Although It Grows Best On Soils Having Neutral Ph, It Survives
And Gives Economic Yield On Alkaline Soils Of Ph Up To 9. A Rise In Ph Above 8.5 Is Found To
Decrease The Plant Growth And Oil Yield But Has No Adverse Influence On The Quality Of Oil
Produced. But, If The Soil Is Not Well Drained After Heavy Irrigation, Standing Water During Summer
Seasons Can Affect The Growth Of The Grass.
6.2 Climate
Palmarosa Grows Well In Warm Humid Areas With High Temperature And, Plenty Of
Sunshine During Its Growing Period. The Ideal Elevation For Its Cultivation Is Up To 300 M. Annual
Rainfall Of 90-150 Cm And A Temperature Of 15 To 35ºc With Ample Sunshine Is Congenial For Its
Cultivation. It Is Susceptible To Frost And Hence Frost-Prone Areas Are Not Suitable For Its Cultivation.
6.3 Propagation
The Crop Can Be Propagated By Both Seeds And Slips. For Commercial Cultivation,
The Crop Is Propagated By Seeds. It Is Always Better To Use Fresh Seeds That Were Harvested During
The Previous Season, Which Are In Good Condition And Free From Pests.
By Seedlings:
The Best Method For Large Scale Propagation Is By Raising Seedlings In Nursery And
Transplanting In The Main Field. Raised Nursery Beds Of 5 × 1 M Should Be Prepared With 50 Cm
Height During Mid May – June. Seed Beds Should Be Well Pulverized And Add 2 Baskets Of Cow Dung
Manure, 100 G Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, 150 G Super Phosphate And 50 G Muriate Of Potash In
Each Bed. As Seeds Are Very Small And Light In Weight They Are Usually Mixed With Fine Sand Or
Soil In A Ratio Of 1:10 For Even Distribution And Ease In Sowing. Lines Of 3 Cm Deep And 10 Cm
Apart Are Made And The Seeds Are Uniformly Sown In Lines And Covered With Soil And Manure
Mixture. The Beds Are Irrigated With Rose Can On Alternate Days. The Seeds Start Germinating Within
3-4 Days And In About 4-6 Weeks Seedlings Are Ready For Transplanting In The Main Field. About 2.5
To 3 Kg Seeds Are Enough To Transplant One Hectare Of Land.
By Slips:
Plants Producing High Yield And Better Quality Oil Are To Be Selected For Taking
Slips. Clumps Are Trimmed From 20-25 Cm Above Ground And Dug Out Without Injuring The Roots.
The Individual Slip Or A Group Of 2-3 Slips Having Enough Healthy Root System Are Separated Just
Before Planting To Minimize Drying And Loss Of The Roots.
6.4 Planting Time: Jan To March.
6.5 Land Preparation
The Land Is Ploughed 2-3 Times To Produce A Fine Tilth Before The Seedlings Or
Slips Are Transplanted. It Is Then Laid Into Beds After Applying The Required Dose Of Manures And
Fertilizers.
6.6 Planting / Transplanting
Seeds Are Sown Or Seedlings Are Transplanted During The Onset Of Monsoon (June
To August). Ensure Correct Spacing Between Plants And Rows. Healthy And Established Seedlings Or
Slips Of 20-25 Cm Long Are Planted During The Onset Of Monsoon (June End To August) In Rows Of
30-60 Cm Apart With Plants Spaced At 30-60 Cm Within The Rows. In Fertile Areas, Spacing Should Be
Increased. Planting May Be Done On Ridges In Areas Receiving High Rainfall To Avoid Waterlogging.
Seedlings/Slips Are Planted Firmly But Not Very Deep In To The Soil. Transplanting Is Done Usually In
The Evening Hours To Avoid Transplantation Shock. The Plots Are Given Light Irrigation After
Transplanting. Gap Filling Should Be Done Within 8-10 Days Of Planting. It Is Advisable To Plant Two
Seedlings/Slips Per Hill To Avoid Seedling Mortality.
6.7 Crop Nutrition
As The Palmarosa Grass Is Perennial And Whole Herb Is The Economic Part, It Is
Necessary To Frequently Replenish The Soil. Farm Yard Manure / Compost Are Applied At 10 T/Ha
Before Planting. The Recommended Dose Of Fertilizer To Palmarosa Is 100:50:50 Kg/Ha Of N:P2o5:K2o.
Phosphate And Potash Fertilizers Are Applied In Two Split Doses As Basal And After First Harvest,
While Nitrogen Is Applied In Four Equal Splits As Basal Dose, One Month After Transplanting And Two
More Doses After Each Harvest. Npk Application Should Be Repeated Each Year At The Time Of
Appearance Of Fresh Leaves. Application Of Micronutrients Like Ferrous Sulphate And Manganese
Sulphate Improve The Plant Growth, Herbage And Oil Yield. However, It May Be Applied If Soil Is
Deficient Of Iron And Manganese.
6.8 Irrigation
Water Requirement Depends Up On The Climatic Conditions. With An Ample Supply
Of Water, Growth Is Luxuriant, But If Drought Prevails
The Growth Is Arrested, Leaves Wither And The Oil Content Gets Reduced. The Crop Is Highly
Sensitive To Water Logging, Where The Plant Becomes Stunted And Dies At Later Stages And Proper
Drainage Should Be Provided To Prevent Water Logging. In General, The Field Is To Be Irrigated At 10-
14 Days Interval During Summer. Apply Mulches To Conserve Soil Moisture. Irrigation Should Be
Discontinued 7-10 Days Before Harvesting.
6.9 Intercultural Operation
Keeping The Crop Weed Free During Early Establishment Period Is Essential To Get
Good Harvest. Manage Weeds Before They Start Competing With The Main Crop For Nutrients And
Light. It Needs 3-4 Hoeing And Weeding During The First Year, Which Can Be Restricted To Two In
The Subsequent Years. Use Of Mulches Not Only Maintains Soil Moisture But Also Inhibits Weed
Growth.
6.10 Plant Protection
Palmarosa Is A Hardy Crop And Is Resistant To Many Pests. Pest And Disease Problems
Should Be Managed By Using Botanical Pesticides Made From Locally Available Resources Or
Registered Product From Reputed Manufacturer Or Institution. Use Chemical Pesticides As Last Option
And Maintain Sufficient Time Between Applications And Harvest (Pre Harvest Interval / Safe Waiting
Period) So That The Chemical Cannot Be Detected In The Harvested Plant Material.
A. Insect Pests
Sucking Pests Aphids: Adults And Nymphs Of Aphis Gossypii Suck Sap From
Inflorescence. The Infestation Is Maximum During January April.
Thrips: Adults And Nymphs Of Thrips (Haplothrips Sp.) Are Yellowish Brown In Colour. They Damage
Young Shoot Tips, Leaves And Floral Parts Affecting Seed Setting. Attack Is More Severe During
February-April And July-August Months.
Management: These Sucking Pests Can Be Managed By Spraying Azadirachtin 1% (10,000 Ppm) @ 5
Ml/L
White Grub: Grubs Of Holotrichia Consanguinea Feed On Roots Of Palmarosa. Grub Is Dirty White
To Brown Coloured And Severe Infestation Occur During June – November Months.
Management: Flooding With Irrigation Water Kills The Grubs
Termite:Microtermis Sp. Is The Major Termite Attacking Palmarosa. Whitish Coloured Adults Damage
The Crop Throughout The Year. Newly Planted Seedlings Are More Vulnerable And Termites Eat The
Fibrous Roots Leading To Death Of Plants.
Management: Flooding The Soil With Irrigation Water. In Severe Cases, Add Chlorpyriphos 20 Ec In
Irrigation Water And Use For Flodding.
B. Diseases
Ellisiella Blight: It Is One Of The Serious Disease Of Palmarosa Caused By Ellisiella
Caudate. This Disease Appears In Epiphytic Form During Rainy Season And Causes Considerable Loss
In Production Of Leaves And Essential Oil. Initially, Small Grey Necrotic Spots Appear Symptom On
The Surface Of Infected Leaves. In Severe Cases Lesions Get Enlarged And Coalesce Resulting In
Premature Drying Of Infected Leaves. Fungus Sporulates On Dried Necrotic Lesions.
Management: Disease Can Be Effectively Managed By Foliar Spraying Of Bordeaux Mixture 1% At 15
Days Interval.
Curvularia Blotch: This Disease Is Caused By Curvularia Andrographis And C. Trifolii.
Disease Occurs In Epiphytotic Form During August And October. Small Eye Shaped, Orange / Brick Red
Necrotic Lesions Appear And Coalesce Together Resulting In Premature Drying Of Leaves.
Management: Foliar Application Of Bordeaux Mixture 1% Or Mancozeb @ 0.3% At 15 Days Interval At
Initial Stages Of Infection Effectively Controls The Disease.
Harvest Palmarosa At The Right Stage To Get High Oil Yield. The Essential Oil Is
Present In All Parts Of The Grass, Viz. Inflorescence, Leaves And Stems Of Which The Inflorescence
Contains The Major Portion. Hence, The Crop Should Be Harvested At Full Flowering To Seed
Production Stage In Order To Obtain Maximum And Good Quality Oil. Harvesting Is Usually Done With
A Sickle At 15-20 Cm Above The Ground Surface. Harvest The Crop In Dry Weather Or During The Hot
Hours Of The Day And Do Not Harvest The Crop When It Is Raining, Or Early In The Morning When
There Is Dew On The Ground.
The Number Of Harvests Depends Upon The Climatic Condition Of The Place, Where
It Is Grown. Generally During The First Year, Only One Harvesting Can Be Done During October-
November, Whereas 3-4 Harvests Can Be Obtained During The Subsequent Years. The Crop Remains
Productive Up To 4-5 Years Depending Upon The Management Practices Followed. However, Both
Herbage And Oil Yield Start Decreasing From The Fourth Year Onwards. It Is, Therefore, Recommended
To Keep The Crop For Only 4-5 Years.
6.12 Processing
Post Harvest Processing Is Usually The Most Critical Stage In Determining The End
Quality Of The Palmarosa. Immidietly After Harvesting, Transport The Plant Part For Futher Processing.
To Obtain Maximum Yield Of Essential Oil And To Facilitate Easy Release Of Oil,
Harvested And Cleaned Palmarosa Grass Is Chopped Into 5-10 Cm Length (Communition). Chopping
The Grass Has Further Advantages That More Grass Can Be Filled Into The Still And Even Packing Is
Facilitated. For Economical Production Of The Oil, It Is Advisable That The Harvested Material Is
Allowed To Wilt In Shade For 24-48 Hours. From Quality Point Of View, The Grass Should Be Distilled
As Fresh As Possible. Oil Obtained From Dry Or Fermented Grass Is Of Inferior Quality.
Palmarosa Can Be Distilled Either By Hydro-Distillation Or Steam Distillation Methods.
Steam Distillation Results In Maximum Yield Of Better Quality Oil. Distillation Unit Should Be Clean,
Rust Free And Free
Of Any Other Odour. The Oil, Being Lighter Than Water And Insoluble, Floats On The Top Of The
Separator And Is Continuously Drawn Off. The Oil Is Then Decanted And Filtered. The Distilled Oil Is
Treated With Anhydrous Sodium Sulphate Or Common Salt At The Rate Of 20 G Per Litre To Remove
The Moisture. The Oil Should Be Stored In Sealed Amber Coloured Glass Bottles Or Containers Made
Of Stainless Steel, Galvanised Tanks, Aluminium Containers And Stored In A Cool And Dry Place. All
Processing Activities Should Be Documented In A Diary.
6.13 Expected Yield
Herbage Yield And Essential Oil Content Of Palmarosa Depend Upon Many Factors Such
As Soil And Climatic Conditions, Crop Nutrition, Management Practices, Harvesting Time, Maturity
Stage Of Grass, Extent Of Wilting And Distillation Process. Fresh Herbage Yield Of 30-40 Tonnes Can
Be Obtained Per Hectare Per Year. An Oil Yield Of About 220-250 Kg/Ha May Be Obtained From
Second Year Onwards From An Irrigated Crop. Oil Yield Is Low In First Year And It Increases During 2-
4 Years Of Planting But Gradually Decreases Thereafter. All Parts Of The Plant Contain Essential Oil,
The Maximum Being Present
In Inflorescence And The Least In Stem. On An Average, Oil Content In Various Plant Parts Is As
Follows:
Plant Part Essential Oil Content
(%)
Whole Plant 0.1-0.4
Stalks 0.01-0.03
Inflorescence 0.45-0.52
Leaves 0.16-0.25
7. Quality Evaluation Of Essential Oil
According To Is-526-1988, Palmarosa Oil Should Have The Following Specifications
Colour And Appearance : Light Yellow To Yellow
Odour : Rosaceous, With A
Characteristic Grassy
Background
Specific Gravity At 27º C : 0.8762 To 0.8882
Optical Rotation : (-) 2º To 2º
Refractive Index At 77º C : 1.4702 To 1.4747
Acid Value, Max : 3
Ester Value After Acetylation : 266 To 280
Total Alcohols, Calculated As : 90.0
Geraniol, Per Cent By Mass
(Using About 1 G Of The
Material)
Solubility : Soluble In 2 Volumes Of
Ethanol (70% By
Volume)
7.1 Gas Liquid Chromatography Composition Of Palmarosa Oil:
The Constituents Of Palmarosa Essential Oil Are Geraniol (70-85%), Geranyl Acetate (8-
12%), Linalool (2.4%), ß-Caryophyllene (1.3%), Geranyl Formate (1.5%), Geranyl Butyrate (1%), Nerol
(0.22%), 6,7 Geranyl Epoxide (0.5%), 2,3 Geranyl Epoxide (0.2%), Geranyl Hexanoate (0.5%), Geranyl
Octanoate (0.5%), Limonene (0.5%), Prenyl-Isovalerance (0.4%), Amyl Hexanoate (0.3%), Neryl
Formate (0.2%), And Trace Amounts Of ß - Pinene, Myrcene, D-Hexanol, Geranial, Prenyl Otonoate,
Caryophyllene Epoxide, P-Menthal Etc.
8. Comparative Summary Table Of The Characteristics Of
Different Cultivated Varieties / Strains
Prc-1 : Oil Yield 80 Kg/Ha/Harvest; Geraniol 75-80%
Trishna : Oil Yield 77 Kg/Ha/Harvest; Geraniol 78-82%,
Suitable For North Indian Plains
Tripta : Oil Content 0.7-1.0%, Dwarf, Early Maturing
Vaishnavi : Oil Yield 165 Kg/Ha/ Harvest; Geraniol 78-82%,
Self Pollinating Variety
Cim-Harsha : Herb Yield 300 Q / Ha, Oil Yield 243.34 Kg/Ha;
Geraniol
89.5%
Phase Ll: Distilling The Crude Oil And Extract The Geraniol.
Introduction:
Essential Oils Are Plant Based And Generally Produced By Steam Distillation Process.
The Oil Produced Can Be Used As Such In The Preparation Of Various Products For Oral, Pharmacy
And Cosmetic Use. For Producing Quality Final Product, The Raw Material Oil Should Conform To
Certain Specific Parameters. The Crude Essential Oil May Not Conform To Such Standards And Hence Is
To Be Purified By Removing Certain Components From It Thus Enhancing The Content Of The Desired
Component, Which Is Achieved By Fractional Distillation Process. Fractionation Process Generally
Follows Steam Distillation Process.
Market Potential:
The Global Essential Oil Market Size Exceeded Usd 6.0 Billion In 2015. Increasing
Applications In Aromatherapy Coupled With Rising Demand For Fragrances And Flavors In Food &
Beverages And Personal Care Is Expected To Drive Market Growth Over The Forecast Period.
Growing Consumer Preference For Natural Products Has Led To The Development Of
Innovative Applications In Personal Care And Beauty Products. Rapid Industrialization And Increasing
Disposable Consumer Income Are The Other Major Factors Driving The Market Growth, Mainly In
Developing Countries Such As China, India, Vietnam, And Thailand.
Technical Aspects:
Process Of Manufacture:
Steam Distillation Process:
Steam Distillation Is The Most Common Method Of Extracting Essential Oils. Sources
Of Natural Essential Oil Are Generally Derived From One Or More Plant Parts, Such As Flowers (E. G.
Rose, Jasmine), Leaves (E. G. Mint, Lemongrass),Leaves And Stems (E. G. Geranium, Patchouli,
Cinnamon), Bark (E. G. Cinnamon, Cassia), Wood (E. G. Cedar, Sandal), Roots (E. G. Vetiver,
Saussurea, Valerian), Seeds (E.G., Fennel, Coriander, Caraway, Dill, Nutmeg), Fruits (Bergamot, Orange,
Lemon, Juniper), Rhizomes (E. G. Ginger, Calamus, Curcuma).
Essential Oil Represents The Typical Flavour And Aroma Of A Particular Plant.
Since Plants Contain Such A Small Amount Of This Precious Oil, Several Hundred Kilograms Of Plant
Material May Be Needed To Produce A Single Kilogram Of Oil.
Direct Steam Distillation Is The Process Of Distilling Plant Material With Steam Generated Outside.
The Main Components Of Steam Distillation Unit Are:
1. Distillation Tank With Steam Coil
2. Condenser (Usually Multi-Tube Tubular)
3. 0il Separator Or Receiver
4. Boiler
Steam Distillation Exploits The Twin Action Of Heat And Moisture From Steam To Break Down The
Cell Walls Of The Plant Tissues To Liberate The Essential Oil. Steam Is Generated Separately In A
Steam Boiler And Is Passed Through The Distillation Tank Through A Steam Coil. The Plant Material Is
Tightly Packed Above The Perforated Grid. Steam Along With Oil Vapours Is Condensed In The
Condenser And Oil Is Separated In The Oil Receiver. The Crude Oil Thus Obtained Undergoes The Next
Step Of Fractionation To Improve Its Quality.
Fractionation (Vacuum) Distillation Unit
Fractionation Is Widely Employed In Many Branches Of Science And Technology.
Mixtures Of Liquids And Gases Are Separated In Fractional Distillation By Difference In Their Boiling
Point. Since The Value Of Aroma Chemicals Are Based On Their Purity, It Is Essential That The
Products Should Conform To Certain Purity Levels. The Crude Oil Obtained By Steam Distillation At
The Field Level Is The Base Oil Which Cannot Be Used Directly For Certain Valuable Product-As It
Contains Certain Other Undesirable Constituents Which Affect The Odour Profile. It Is Therefore
Necessary To Purify Such Crude Oils To Alter Their Composition To Suit The User Industry To Produce
Tailor Made Products.
This Purification Process Is Called Fractional Distillation. Here The Unwanted Odour
Disturbing Chemicals Are Removed From The Crude Oil And The Purity Of The Wanted Chemicals Is
Enhanced. The Unit Can Fractionate Many Essential Oils. Since The Availability Of All These Essential
Oils Are Seasonal, The Plant Is Designed To Treat All The Major Essential Oils.
The Raw Materials Considered Are Natural Essential Oils Containing 2-3valuable
Components Besides Various Un Wanted Terpenes. The Unit Is Valuable That It Can Separate Or
Enhance The Main Components By Removing The Terpenes Selectively. Depending Upon The End Use,
The Quality Of The Essential Oil Component Varies And Our Unit Is Expected To Ensure The Required
Quality.
The Unit:
The Unit Is Electrically Heated And Suitable For Working Under Vacuum. Twin
Receivers Are Arranged To Enable Distillate To Be Removed While The Unit Is Working Under
Vacuum. In Industry, The Unit Is Available In Vessel Capacity Of 20 To 200 Litres. Here We Are
Proposing A Glass Unit With A Vessel Volume Of 50 Litres.
Construction:
Reboiler Vessel Is Fitted With Electrical Heating Mantle. Fractionating Column Is
Packed With S. S. Wire Mesh. A Condenser Is Fitted On The Head Of The Column Above The Reflux
Divider. Product Cooler Is Provided To Cool The Distillate. The Twin Receivers Are To Collect The
Product.
Function:
The Material To Be Fractionated Is Charged Through The Dip Tube And Heated By The
Heating Mantle. After The Initial Evaporation Of Water From The Material Vacuum Is Applied To The
System. The Liquid Inside Vessel Starts Boiling And Vapour Generation Takes Place. The Generated
Vaporises Through The Packed Column And Meets The Reflux And Thereby Effecting A Change In The
Composition Of The Material. Here High Boiling Vapours Get Refluxed And Fall Back In To The
Vessel.
Other Low Boiling Vapours Rises To The Condenser And Get Condensed. The Reflux
Divider Proportions The Cut To Be Removed From The System And The Material To Be Returned To
The Vessel From The Total Condensate Of The Vapour. By Controlling The Valve Of The Reflux
Divider Required Quantity Of Condensate Flows To Product Cooler And Gathers In The Product
Receiver. During The Initial Stages And Even Afterwards The System Is Put On Total Reflux For Most
Of The Time To Affect A Better Separation Between The Components.
The Condenser Is A Water-Cooled Heat Exchanger Which Condenses The Total Vapour
Coming Out Of The Column. Water-Cooled Exchanger-Product Cooler Unit Cools The Cut Removed By
Reflux Divider. The Cut Removed Is Collected In The Glass Receivers. This Material Is Analysed By Glc
To Determine The Progress Of Distillation. Based On The Analysis The Material Is Segregated For
Further Processing Or If It Is A Product, Then Taken To Product Storage. This Product Can Be Removed
Through The Drain Valve.
Various Components Of The Fractionation Unit:
a. Reboiler Vessel-Feed Vessel With Thermometer / Feed Nozzles
b. Heating Element Or Mantle.
c. Fractionating Column With S. S. Wire Mesh Packing.
d. Reflux Divider.
e. Main Condenser.
f. Condensate Line With Reflux Valve.
g. Product Cooler.
h. Product Receivers.
i. Suitable G. I Structure To Hold The Unit.
j. Required Piping, Valves, Instruments, Platforms Etc.,
Gas Liquid Chromatograph (Glc)
Every Essential Oil Is Basically A Mixture Of Different Components / Compounds. The Percentage Of
These Constituents In The Oil Plays An Important Part In Determining Its Quality. The Apparatus By
Which The Fractions And Their Percentage Are Determined Is Gas Liquid Chromatographic Unit (Glc).
Most Of The Oils Being Sold In The Market Today Are Based On Glc Report.Glc Is An Instrument Used
For Analysing Various Essential Oils To Determine The Concentration Of Its Components Based On
Their Boiling Point. The Determination Of The Composition Of The Oil Is Established And A Proe1e For
Future Deliveries Is Ascertained. By Using G. L. C Not Only Can Major Components Of Each Essential
Oil Be Determined, But By Close Examination By An Experienced Analyst The Trace Components Can
Be A Guide To Purity Of The Oil, Always Considering The Variations Caused By Geographic Location,
Altitude, Climate, Time Of Distillation And If Hybrid Or Clone Has Been Used.
The Main Parts Of The Glc System:
1. The Main Instrument: Consisting Of
a. Column: For Normal Analysis To Ascertain The Purity Of The Oil, Single Column Or
Dual Column Is Used. They Can Be Of Packed Type With Less Accuracy Or Capillary
Type With Very High Accuracy.
b. Injector: Single Or Dual Depending Upon The Column.
c. Detector: Single Or Dual Fid Detector
d. Temperature Controller: Oven With Ramps
e. Glc Interface With Software For Showing The Analytical Results.
2. The Accessories: Consisting Of
a. Computer System:
b. A Printer To Take Out The Results Of Selected Oils.
3. Gas System: Consisting Of
a. 3 Nos. Standard Gas Cylinders Of Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Pure Air/
Oxygen.
b. 3 Nos. Dual Pressure Regulators For Controlling The Flow Of Gases To The System
4. Misc. Items: Consisting Of Gas Tubing, Septas, Ignition Monitor, Syringes, Chem. Solvents
Etc.
5. Pollution Control:
No Pollution Control Device Is Required As This Activity Is Non-Polluting.
The Proposal:
This Project (Ie) Production Of Geraniol Can Be Done In Two Ways.
1. We Can Do The End To End Process Which Is Explained In Detailed Above. I.E Cultivate The
Palmrosa Grass And Take Crude Oil And Do Fractional Distillation And Get Geraniol.
2. We Can Buy The Palmrosa Crude Oil From Farmers And Give It To The Aromatics Companies
And Produce Geraniol Based On The Job Work Basis.
In This We Are Proceeding In The Second Way In The Initial Stages.
Already We Are Having A Tie Up With M/S Rc Aroma Naturals From Ranipet. They Are Ready
To Do Job Work For Us At The Price Of 150 Rs Per Kg Of Palmrosa Oil. the batch capacity of their plant
is 150 kgs per batch. The maximum batches can be run in a month is 15 batches.
Financial Aspects :
Palmrosa crude oil cost per kg = 3000.00
Job work cost per kg = 150.00
Cost per batch calculation :
Oil cost : 3000*150 = 450000.00
Job work : 150*150 = 22500.00
Transport : 3000.00
Gc report : 3000.00
Packing : 2000.00
Others : 5000.00
Total : 4,85,000.00 per batch.
Total cost needed to run throughout the month : 485000*15=72,82,500.00
The output calculations are :
Geraniol 85% @ 96 % purity.
Tops 7 %
Residiues 5%
Vapour wastage 3 %
Final Cost calculations :
Geraniol production cost : (4,85,000/85)= 3803.9( rounded off to 3800.00 per kg)
Profit @ 20% = 3800+1560 = 4560.00
Net profit per kg = 1560 ( rounded off to 1500)
Net profit per batch = (1500 * 127.5) = 1,91,250.00
