Development of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid Expeller

Abstract

The shell of the cashew nut in its natural state is leathery and contains thick vesicant oil called Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) which is known for its innumerable applications and its ability to undergo all the conventional reactions of phenols. Maintenance of an oil expeller calls for machinery and equipment which are rarely found in small repair shops and so, local manufacturer of expellers would be unlikely available at rural areas. A machine for expelling CNSL using locally available materials was developed which consists of a frame, compression chamber, perforated cylinder, hopper and funnels. The cashew nut shells were sampled, cleaned, and prepared for tests. The mass of liquid extracted was 4.1 kg with extraction efficiency of 82%, machine capacity was 0.41 kg/min with highest percentage liquid recovery of 20.5% at pressing duration of ten minutes and moisture content 14.00- 16.99% wet basis. The pressing duration of 2 minutes and moisture content of 14.00-16.99%, machine capacity was highest.