Extraction of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid from Cashew Nut Shell

CNSL has many applications such as friction linings, paints, laminating resins, rubber compounding resins, cashew cements, polyurethane based polymers, surfactants, epoxy resins, foundry chemicals, and intermediates for chemical industry. Liquid from Cashew Nut shell is generally extracted by three methods are mechanical, roasting and solvent extraction which contains oil of about 20 to 25%. Solvent extraction (expeller) process of oil extraction is more feasible. CNSL using solvent extraction by different solvent. For solvent Petroleum Ether, Hexane and Ethanol shows the % yield 42%, 25% and 40% resp. Petroleum Ether can easily separate after extraction and has higher yield than other with low cost. Size of cashew nut shell has influence on the recovery of oil and recovery of oil large size cashew nut shells is more than small size. By the Experimental analysis the moisture content of the shell at the time of oil extraction has a great influence on the extraction recovery of the oil. The average recovery of CNSL at shell moisture of 8-10 on wet basis was 80 – 85 %. The highest recovery of when the shell moisture content at 10 % wet basis. The ration of feed to solvent also important factor to be consider for extraction process which effect on the yield of CNSL. Optimum value for feed to solvent is 1:4.