Research Information System
Journal of Tekirdag Agricultural Faculty, vol.22, no.1, pp.151-161, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
In this study, essential oils of Laurel plant (Laurus nobilis), 90% of the world trade supply of which is realized from our country, are obtained by using a new industrial-type microwave-assisted distillation (MWAD) system designed together with the traditional steam distillation system. When examining the studies in the literature on MW-assisted distillation from medicinal and aromatic plants, it is seen that the distillation process is carried out either with a small-scale laboratory device or by adding clevenger to conventional microwave (MW) ovens. However, since the penetration of electromagnetic (EM) power into the plant decreases with increasing plant size, these small-scale MW-assisted systems will remain far from being a one-to-one model for industrial-type distillation processes. For this purpose, in this work, a new MWAD system is designed and tested in order to accurately model the effect of MW power on distillation processes in large-scale systems, as a novelty. In each test, 5 kg of plant can be distilled and 12 magnetrons are used in the designed MWAD system. The operation of these magnetrons at different powers is ensured by a control circuit and the effects of MW power on essential oil yield (%) and essential oil components are observed. As a result of the tests, radical changes are observed in some components in the distillation processes performed with MW support. Compared to the traditional steam distillation (BD) system, a 10-24% increase in essential oil yield is achieved, and the time is reduced from 100 min to 50 min. 26-35% less energy is consumed and in return for all this, essential oil is obtained at standard values on a component basis. Essential oil analysis as a result of distillation is chemically analyzed by GC-MS analysis and 64 different components are obtained. In the evaluation made by grouping 29 of them, it is determined that oxygenated monoterpenes are 55.68%, hydrocarbon monoterpenes are 27.96%, and the remaining part consisted of oxygenated and hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes and phenolic components. In tests where low MW power is applied, it is determined that oxygenated monoterpenes decrease and MW power ability increases to a certain extent, while the opposite situation is observed for hydrocarbon monoterpenes. Linalool and linalyl formate components have become the most economical solution with MW power. Evaluations indicate that MW support will yield positive results in the industrial distillation spectrum and reduce costs.