Research on Pilot Plant Level of Continuously Extraction Process of Derris (Derris elliptica Benth)

Abstract

Pilot plant of Derris elliptica Benth. extract is settled in the area of the Department of Agriculture, Bangkok, Thailand. It is designed to be a continuous processing unit and controlled by electronic equipment. The raw materials of dried roots soaked with methanol in an explosion proof mixing extractor. After soaking, the extract is sent into the part of vacuum evaporator for concentration. This vacuum evaporator was designed by using the multitubes falling-film technique. The heating source for the part of vacuum evaporator is come form boiler. The optimized pressure and temperature in evaporator part for derris extraction are -0.5 bar-gauge and 42- 50^๐ C. Respectively. For the study of efficiency of the pilot plant to extract rotenone form derris plant done in 3 different treatments of raw materials. The results is shown that the pilot plant can reproduce the process of derris extract for the material that treated to have moisture content lower than 10%. Average yield of solid crude extract were 891.72 g. And rotenone content in solid crude determined by HPLC is 14.94% wt/wt.