Jatropha Oil Extraction

Since the recognition of jatropha as an alternative energy sources and the primary ingredient required in the production of biofuels, the methods of jatropha oil extraction have gained due importance in the market and the optimization of existing methods of extracting the oil have become significant.
Jatropha oil extraction methods are still being researched. The goal of such researches is to discover methods to extract a greater percentage of jatropha oil from the seeds than the current procedures allow.

Jatropha Oil Extraction Methods

There are two methods that are usually being used for the jatropha oil extraction:
1. Traditional Methods: Traditional methods by which the oil is extracted from the seeds by hand using simple implements are still practiced in rural and less developed areas.
2. Modern Concepts: Methods like ultrasonication have been discovered to be effective in increasing the percentage of jatropha oil that can be extracted using chemical methods like aqueous enzymatic treatment. The optimum yield for such methods has been discovered to be around 74%.

Jatropha Oil Extraction machinery 

1. Oil Expellers: Different kinds of oil expellers are used for the purpose of jatropha oil extraction. The most commonly used ones are the Sayari oil expeller (also called the Sundhara oil expeller) and the Komet Expeller.
The expeller is a diesel-operated oil extraction device that was originally developed in Nepal. It is now being developed for use in Tanzania and Zimbabwe for the purpose of jatropha oil extraction and oil cake preparation. The prototype included heavy parts made of cast iron. The lighter version has the cast iron replaced with iron sheets. A model driven by electricity is also available. The expeller is a single-screw oil expeller that is often used for extracting jatropha oil from the seeds and also for the preparation of oil cakes.
2. Oil Presses: Oil presses have been used for the purpose of oil extraction as simple mechanical devices - either powered or manually driven. Among the different oil presses that are used for jatropha oil extraction, the most commonly used presses include the Bielenberg ram press. The press involves the traditional press method to extract oil and prepares oil cakes as well as soaps. It is a simple device that yields around 3 liters of oil per 12 kg of seed input.