Energy Analysis of Cashew Nut Processing Agro Industries: a Case Study

S. DHANUSHKODI¹, V. H. WILSON² and K. SUDHAKAR^3
1 PRIST University, Vallam, Thanjavur – 613403, Tamilnadu, India
² Toc H Institute of Science and Technology, Arakkunnam, Ernakulam, Kerala, 682313 India
³ Energy Centre, National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, M. P., 462003 India

Abstract

DHANUSHKODI, S., V. H. WILSON and K. SUDHAKAR, 2016. Energy analysis of cashew nut processing agro industries: a case study. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 22: 635–642

The study was conducted to investigate the energy consumption pattern in small scale cashew nut processing industries located in Panruti taluk, Cuddalore district, Tamilnadu, India (Latitude 15°11′ and 12°35′; Longitude 78°38′ and 80°0′) . Three different small cashew processing industries based on the fuel used for drying of cashew kernel are considered for this study. The study compares the energy utilization, specifi c energy consumption and energy intensity of processing raw cashew nut. The energy input for drying of raw cashewnut, steaming, cooling and tempering, cutting and separation, drying of cashew kernel, kernel cooling, peeling of kernel and grading and packing were quantifi ed using standard equation available in the literature. The total energy consumption for processing 1000 kg of raw cashew nuts were 5866.2 MJ, 5911.69 MJ, 6897.36 MJ for electrical drying, steam drying and biomass drying industries respectively. It was observed that 95% of energy is used for cashew kernel drying, raw cashew nut drying and steaming of raw nut. Energy intensity of cashew processing varied from 1.5 MJ/kg to 3 MJ/kg.

Key words: cashew processing unit, hybrid drying, energy cost, energy intensity, specifi c energy consumption
List of abbreviations: K – Effi ciency of electric motor; P – Electric power consumed for particular operation; te – Time taken by electricity for a particular operation; I^sc – Average solar energy availability; A – Open sun drying area; T^s – Time taken for open sun drying; N – Number of persons involved in a particular operation; t^m – Manual time taken; C^f – lower heating value of fuel used for particular operation; W^f – quantity of fuel used for particular operation; Ec – Energy consumption (kw-hr); Pr – Production (kg); SEC – Specifi c energy consumption; EI – Energy intensity; PC – processing cost; E^DR – energy requirement for raw cashew nut drying; E^SR – energy requirement for steaming of raw cashew; E^CT – energy requirement for raw cashew nut drying; E^CS- energy requirement for cooling and tempering of steamed cashew nuts; E^DK – energy requirement for drying of kernel; E^CK – energy requirement for cooling of kernel; E^PK – energy requirement for peeling of kernel; E^GP – energy requirement for grading and packaging

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