Diseño de un Modelo a Escala para la Extracción de Aceite de Aguacate Usando dn Reactor de Cavitación

Abstract

Hydrodynamic cavitation is currently becoming a widely used and increasingly frequent technology in the industry, specifically in the food industry, and it is also currently applied for wastewater treatment and microbial disinfection [33]. The purpose of the present project is to approach the hydrodynamic cavitation process from a holistic perspective. Initially, everything related to the technical fundamentals of the hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon is presented, as well as a detailed explanation of the different thermal, chemical, mechanical, electrical and electronic effects of the operation, also analyzing other variables during this process such as the temperature and pressure of the cavitation reactor; a fundamental mechanical device for the extraction of avocado oil. Subsequently, all the necessary equipment to be implemented in the plant that seeks to exercise cavitation in the raw material (avocado pulp) is evaluated, among which the perforated plates and the electronic instrumentation necessary for the control of the plant stand out. Finally, by means of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) the control and supervision of the avocado oil extraction process will be elaborated. An example of the programmed supervision processes is the possibility of analyzing in real time pressure or temperature states in specific points of the plant from a Human-Machine Interface (HMI). On the other hand, the system was provided with the possibility of acting on the process without the need of the operator's intervention in order to guarantee safety conditions in certain critical states, such as clogging near the reactor, which causes peaks in the current demanded by the device, eventually damaging it. Likewise, user roles were defined to avoid manipulation by inexperienced personnel.