EXTRACTION OF 8000 TONS/YEAR OFAVOCADO OIL FROM AVOCADO PULP RONALD MANYAMA SUPERVISED BY MR E MAHOFA .RESEARCH PROBLEM The intention of this research is to design a process for the production of 8000 tons/year of avocado oil in Zimbabwe To identify the best avocado oil extraction process for the Zimbabwean context. 2013) This prompts the need to design and investigate a viable process for the production of avocado oil in Zimbabwe .BACKGROUND Currently the estates in Zimbabwe are producing 31000 tons of avocadoes per year which are exported to Europe via the Netherlands with France being the major importer The government of Zimbabwe identified excess avocado as a potential area of innovation in their economic blueprint “ZimAsset” by realizing the need to plant more avocado trees and establishing a plant for producing 14000 tons/year of avocado oil thereby increasing revenue generated from exports of avocado oil (zim-asset. Low cost process( less than 5 million dollars initial capital investment) A ready market in Zimbabwe and the export market .JUSTIFICATION Zimbabwe presents a perfect viability of the project since there will be continuous supply of the raw material. To carry out an economic cost analysis of the design plant .OBJECTIVES To provide an economical and effective method for producing avocado oil from avocado pulp. To design the selected process for the pharmaceutical avocado oil production. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Is the process economical? What is the quality of the oil produced? How much profit can be made? Which extraction process is the best? . involves minimal processing and requires less capital investment. Israel. solvent extraction and hydraulic pressing. The recently developed cold pressing method appear to be the most suitable and beneficial method to extract the avocado oil.LITERATURE REVIEW Only a few countries are actually involved in the production of oil namely Mexico. USA. . It utilizes low temperatures which help retain the healthful composition of the oil. South Africa and New Zealand Avocado oil is used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry Various methods used in the past for the extraction of avocado oil are tube press. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Experiment for the smashing of avocado pulp Experiment for the mixing of avocado pulp and water Experiment for the separation of avocado cake. solids and water using a centrifugal sedimentation tank . virgin oil and water in a decanter Experiment for the separation of avocado oil. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN Cold press method will be used to extract avocado oil from avocado oil Detailed design of the centrifuge will be carried out. Seeds Skins Water STONE REMOVER SKIN REMOVER DISINTEGRATOR MIXER pulp pulp Solids DECANTER Water virgin oil CENTRIFUGE Water Cake . EXPECTED OUTCOMES A new process for producing avocado oil A model for the process A solution to a practical problem . This will prompt an increase in agricultural output from plantations and pharmaceutical industries will benefit from a local supply of the commodity. Establishing an avocado processing plant for avocado oil has the potential to increase the country’s export revenue . Avocado stones or seeds can be further processed into fabric dye and ink. .SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH This research project is aligned with Zim-Asset’s value addition and beneficiation matrix by processing avocado fruits into oil thereby adding value. the waste avocado flesh and skins can be further processed into organic fertilizer. INNOVATION Recycling of waste water from the decanter and centrifuge to the mixer .
Report "Extraction of Avocado Oil From Avocado Pulp"