Kinetic Modelling of Oil Extraction from Neem Seed

The suitability of three different types of extraction kinetic models (one- step, two –step and three – step models) for neem oil was investigated in this study. Solvent extraction using n-hexane at temperatures range between 303K and 323 K ; 360minutes of extraction time were experimented and the oil yield calculated. The three models were fitted to the experimental data obtained. The oil yield increased from 31.80 % to 41% at 303K and 323 K, respectively and the equilibrium was reached at 300 minutes. The saturation extraction capacity (Cs) increased from 35.0631 gL-1to 42.9698 gL--1303K and 323 K, respectively for one step model and the R2 ranged between 0.9874 and 0.9998. The washing mass transfer coefficient (CeW) of oil yields at equilibrium accounts for about 60% of the extraction in the two-step model and the R2 ranged between 0.9840 and 0.9960. The first coefficient of diffusion (wed1) in the three-step model had is higher value than the second (wed2) and R2 ranged between 0.9920 and 0.9980. The three-step model best fitted the experimental data.Keywords: Extraction, kinetic, equilibrium, diffusion, saturation