1CAET, Dr. B.S. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, 415712, Maharashtra, India
2Department of Renewable Energy Sources, CTAE, MPUAT, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
The different unit operations involved in small-scale cashew nut processing industry in the context of Konkan region of Maharashtra, India (70o172 to 74o312 E Longitude 15o372 to 20o202 N Latitude) was elucidated by conducting the randomised sample survey of registered 122 small scale cashew processing industries in the region. The survey covered the unit operations performed, level and pattern of energy consumption and technologies in use for cashew nut processing. Three readily defined smallscale cashew-processing industries were studied using maxi energy audit tool to estimate the processed cashew nut shells. The proximate analysis and calorific value of cashew shell waste was carried out using ASTMD 73–75 and ASTME 711 method, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the cashew nut shell was carried out using TG-FTIR with 10°C/min heating rate.
The study revealed that the cashew nut shell waste generated in small-scale cashew processing industries was found to be 676 kg/1000 kg of raw cashew seed, which can be utilised as fuel for thermal energy supply. The proximate analysis of the cashew nut shell was found to be 6.47% moisture content, 72% volatile matter, 1.05% ash and 20.48% fixed carbon. The average higher calorific value of the cashew nut shell was found to be 4890 kcal/kg. The TGA revealed its suitability for the gasification. The availability and fuel analysis of the cashew shell as a fuel revealed its suitability as a supplementary fuel for thermal application through gasification in the industry.
Cashew nut shell, unit operations, energy, proximate analysis, TG analysis
