Modelling Energy Consumption and Energy-Saving in High-Quality Olive Oil Decanter Centrifuge: Numerical Study and Experimental Validation

Antonia Tamborrino, Claudio Perone, Filippo Catalano, Giacomo Squeo, Francesco Caponio and Biagio Bianchi
Additional contact information
Antonia Tamborrino: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Claudio Perone: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Food, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis. n.c., 86100 Campobasso, Italy
Filippo Catalano: Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, C.da Fonte Lappone, 86100 Pesche (IS), Italy
Giacomo Squeo: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Food Science and Technology section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Francesco Caponio: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Food Science and Technology section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
Biagio Bianchi: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: In this study, an energy consumption model of a decanter centrifuge was proposed, in particular for a technologically evolved machine equipped with an electromechanical recovery system. This model should be suitably coupled with an auto-adaptive controlling technique used to accurately manage the olive oil process. To achieve this goal, a solid physical and theoretical basis that simple to implement is required. To date there have only been limited scientific studies modelling energy consumption applied to the machines used in olive oil extraction processes. Therefore, the model was developed using fluid dynamic analysis and physical constraints to give it a solid basis. It was then simplified sufficiently for future implementation in automatic machine systems. The empirical model was validated through power measurements conducted in two harvesting seasons under varying operating conditions. The model estimates the power absorbed by the bowl and that produced and recovered by the screw, with high accuracy in each harvesting season. When considering the two harvesting seasons as a single season, the prediction accuracy remains considerable, despite a marginal increase in errors (correlation coefficient greater than 0.90). Finally, the model indicates that the screw conveyor speed is the most important parameter to achieve the desired energy recovery level, while the differential speed, which is a process parameter, has only a negligible impact on energy saving.

Keywords: energy consumption model; food machine; olive oil extraction equipment; decanter machine; machining processes; electrical power; machine settings; olive oil quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/13/2592/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/13/2592/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:13:p:2592-:d:245855

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().