Energy Utilization and Conservation: An Approach towards Cashew Nut Mill

Food processing industries relies on energy to carry out the desired operations and to obtain high processing efficiencies in conversion processes that create new forms of foods. This work assessed the unit operations performed, pattern of energy consumption and technologies in use for Cashew nut processing; so as to identify and suggest technical measures for improving energy efficiency. This research work was carried out using OLAM Nigeria Limited in Oyo state, Nigeria as a case study. The relationship between the energy consumption and production capacity was analyzed to compute installed capacity (P), production (Pr), percentage production capacity utilization (PPCU), energy (En) and energy intensity (EI), using standard equations. Energy wastage was identified and technical measures for improving energy efficiency were suggested. The result obtained from analysis showed that installed capacity and production were 12 million and 6 million per annum respectively. While the percentage production capacity utilization, energy intensity, energy utilized from electricity, thermal energy from either diesel or cashew nut shells (CNS), manual energy supplied by male and female were 50%, 2.08MJ, 3.10MJ (0.15%), 418.36MJ (20.12%), 573.79MJ (27.59%), 74.85MJ (3.59%), and 1009.84MJ (48.56%), respectively. The different between the total energy utilized from comparative analysis before and after conserved energy were 150,155.32MJ and 2,079.67MJ respectively. It was recommended that the locally fabricated brick mud heating mantle with an enclosed chamber over a suitable grate with a proper opening for primary and secondary channel to generate maximum heat transferred to the steam boiler and the trays for drying kernels should be work on to reduce heat loss and conserved energy.