International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT) Volume 2, Issue 4, October 2012

155

Development and Performance Evaluation of Aloe

Vera Distiller from Materials Available Locally

in Nigeria

B.O. Akinnuli, Ajayi E.K. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria

Abstract- In our community today particularly in

Nigeria, Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) has been found

very important for human consumption due to its

medicinal quality but its bitter taste, slimy and smelling

nature inhibit maximum direct consumption of the

plant. There is a need to extract its liquid only since the

pigment that resulted in its bitterness (aloin), slimy and

smelling nature are found in the residue of the Aloe

vera after its moisture content has been extracted. The

glass distillers available are costly, fragile and most

were developed for laboratory experiments not for

commercial purpose. Hence the need to promote

indigenous technology by designing and using local

material to fabricate equipment that is not fragile and

will be able to perform this function at low cost.

Equipment (distiller) was therefore designed and

fabricated using locally sourced materials capable of

removing distillate from aloe vera while still retaining

its beneficial constituents. The equipment contains the

following units: electric stove, heating chamber, heat

exchanger and its frame. Weighted chopped and

blended Aloe vera was heated differently to produce

distillate inside a clean and transparent container. The

distiller performance was tested and evaluated, and

found to produce an average distillate of531.62 ml from

1.0 kg of aloe vera when it went through heating

process for 35 minutes at 120 degree Celcius. The

distillate was found to be colorless, bitter free, requires

no refrigeration and needs no preservatives or additives

even the distillate was kept for over forty weeks and it

maintains its quality as if newly produced. The distillate

was tested to justify reasons for its extraction in the

Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos and

found having body building elements like calcium, iron,

and magnesium at consumable value recommended

internationally by World Health Organization (WHO).

Also, raw aloe vera gel (juice) was extracted by hand

squeezing method and tested in the same laboratory, the

result showed less calcium compared to the distillate

and also contain aloin which made it bitter. The

comparative effectives of this distiller to the imported

glass type are 84.4%. The production cost of this

equipment is N25, 600.00 which is $164.103 using

current exchange rate of N156 to 1$ US in Nigeria, the

cost of the imported one is N75, 350 which is $483.013

US Dollars; this gave cost reduction of 66.025%.

Keywords: Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), Distiller, Development, Local Materials, Performance Evaluation.

I. INTRODUCTION Aloe barbadensis is a stem less or very short

stemmed succulent plant growing up 80 – 100cm

tall spread and root sprouts. The leaves are

lanceolate, thick and fleshy, green to grey green

with serrated margin. The flowers are on a spike up

to 90cm tall, each flower pendulous with yellow

tubular corolla 2 -3cm long. The matured plant

seedlings from the root and detaches from the

plant. It is relatively easy to care for when

cultivated in frost – free climates. The species

require well drained sandy soil and moderate

sunlight. It contains a broad spectrum of free amino

acids, steroids, polysaccharides, saponins, lingnin,

anthraguisine acid and vitamins A, B, B2, B3, B6,

B12, C, E, folic acid and minerals such as calcium,

copper, iodine, iron. Aloe vera has been used

externally to treat various skin conditions such as

cuts and burns [1].

A similar study called „Georges Aloe Vera

liquid‟revealedthatAloe has been used for centuries

to help in maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

Evidence through different studies seems to

indicate that beneficial properties in the Aloe help

in allowing the body to maintain a healthy mucous

membrane system. For optimum results, drinking

56.7 g, (202) of „Georges Aloe Vera liquid‟ in the

morning before breakfast and 56.7 g in the evening

before bedtime was recommended by [2]. The Aloe

Vera Barbadensis Miller plant has over 200

beneficial components. Although it is believed that

mucopolysaccharides have beneficial elements, this

molecular chain is very large making it difficult for

the body to utilize. The complete

mucopolysaccharide chain is also the cause of rapid

spoilage and breakdown of the product; this is why

most other brands contain unhealthy preservatives.

We need to breakdown the mucopolysaccharide

chain and extract the sugars in order to eliminate

adding any preservatives and increase shelf life. A

distillate is a liquid that consists of pure

components of a plant in its most basic form. It is

unique in that a distillate is comprised of a low

molecular weight thereby enabling the body to

assimilate its components in the purest form at the

cellular level. This occurs both internally, and

156

through the skin‟ dermal layers, at a much higher

rate than would occur if the plant‟s components

were introduced in any other manner. Most people

begin to see results anywhere from two weeks to

one month. Remember, our bodies are continually

shedding cells. It is very important to continue with

the use even after you might have attained the

results you are looking for. Most Aloe Vera

products are slimy and have a very bitter taste. We

removed the chemical antagonists such as the

aloins and Anthraquinone that are mildly toxic. As

a result, our product has no adverse flavor. Georges

is fractionally distilled, meaning it is broken down

into various parts, with the undesirable elements

removed. It is then re-assembled. We know of

many consumers of George's Aloe who drink more

than 113.4 g (402) daily. To our knowledge, there

are no ill effects of drinking more than the

suggested "56.7 g twice daily", [2].

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is one of the

natures wonder plants and it has no adverse effects

[3]. A review of recent literature indicates that an

ingredient of Aloe has potent immunostimulatory

activity [4] that has implications for wound healing

and immunotherapy, perhaps providing greatest

efficacy in combination with drugs where

synergism could take place. And Aloe leaf pulp

extract showed hypoglycemic activity with type I

(Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Meslitus) diabetic rats

[5]. Diabetes Mellitus is a complex metabolic

disorder in which the pancreas produces

insufficient amounts of insulin, or in which

individual‟s system fail to respond appropriately to

insulin. In people with diabetes, glucose levels

build up in the blood and urine, causing excessive

urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and

protein metabolism. The disease is ranked seventh

among the leading causes of death and third in

terms of its complications and is a major health

problem in developed and developing countries [6].

The number of diabetic patients is increasing

globally because of diverse changes in diets in all

cultures. It has been predicted that the number of

diabetic patients will double from 143 million in

1997 to about 300 million by 2025 largely because

of dietary intake and other lifestyle factors [6].

In the developing countries where majority of

diabetic patients cannot afford effective but

expensive drugs, the use of medicinal plants

becomes an alternative therapy. A wide range of

medicinal plants have been used by various

cultures to treat diabetes mellitus because of their

hypoglycaemic properties. Some of these medicinal

plants include unripe fruit of Carica papaya [7] and

Aloe barbadensis [8].According to [6]. Aloe vera

gel proved effective in the control of

dermatophytes causing skin diseases. The likely

according to them included the likelihood for Aloe

vera gel to work well under body temperature and

may be more fungicidal to pathogens on human

skin than on those causing yam rot. It could also be

that the gel does not have a fungicidal effect but a

fungistatic effective the growth of the pathogenic

fungi on the skin while the body immune system

destroys them thereby repairing the skin [9].

In the recent time, there is development of rapid

micro propagation method of Aloe Vera L [10] and

[11]. There is a lack of production of aloe leaf to

meet the industry demand [12]. So, it is necessary

to undertake large-scale cultivation of aloe. Natural

propagation of Aloe vera is primarily by means of

auxiliary shoots and it is rather a slow way of

multiplication to meet the growing demand [13].

Vitro technique offers a possibility to solve these

problems. Several reports have been noticed

reporting the rapid development in vitro

propagation of Aloe Vera [14], [15], [12] and [16].

Scientists obtained different results applying

different formulation of plant growth regulators.

The hormonal requirement for in vitro

differentiation differs for different genotypes [17],

[18] and [19].

The objective of this research after considering

the greater importance of Aloe vera to human

health are to: design, identify locally available

material, fabricate and test the performance of the

fabricated equipment as well as analyzing the

elements identified in the distillate to determine

their possibility of usefulness to human health.

This study will facilitate the production of a

health nurturing product which when used will

provide good health for human beings, create a

business opportunity for the jobless as source of

income, make cost of procuring the equipment

affordable by using locally sourced materials, bring

about longevity of the equipment by not being

fragile, and no doubt this benefits the society as it

reveals a different means of taking aloe vera with

no preservatives or additives. Because of the vast

importance of the distillate as it affects health, there

is a need to design and fabricate equipment

(distiller) for extracting the distillate for human

consumption. Also, it will contribute to knowledge

by enlighten the society another means of

consuming aloe vera as distillate and its

production.

II. METHODOLOGY

The Aloe vera distiller Fig.1 was developed at

the Department of Mechanical Engineering of The

157

Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo

State in Nigeria used fresh Aloe vera leaves as raw

material to produce the liquid (distillate) obtained

from chopped and blended Aloe vera undergo

clinical and laboratory tests and yielded

appreciable results as obtained from the

Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos

using AAS (Atomic Absorbance

Spectrophotometry) and Essential Oil tests.

The distiller has a capacity of producing

of distillate from one kilogram of

Aloe Vera put into the heating chamber in

. The maximum temperature

attained in the heating chamber was measured to be

. The heating chamber containing the Aloe

vera sample was heated, the hot Aloe vera split into

vapor and residue. The hot vapour so emitted from

Aloe vera in gaseous state was passed through the

heat exchanger of the Aloe vera distiller (Fig. 1)

which converted the gaseous state into a liquid

state called distillate and left behind in the heating

chamber the solid part of the Aloe vera called the

residue.

Design Consideration

The design analysis of the various units; electric

stove, heating chamber, condenser and conveying

tube of the distiller are stated below:

(1) Design Consideration of Electric Stove:-surface Area of the electric stoveis

676mm2, it‟s heating element is of 1500W with

240V while it‟s distillation period is 45 minutes

and the energy dissipated is 4050 J.

(2) Design Consideration of Heating Chamber:- Circumference of the

Cylindrical chamber is 597.14mm, surface area

is 28,364.29mm2. The volume of the heating

chamber is 3,261,893.35mm3 while the lid for the

heating chamber has circumference of 565.71mm,

surface area of 25,457.14mm2 and volume of

509,142.86mm2.

Exit tube on the lid: It has circumference of

88mm, surface area of 1232mm2 and volume of

55,440mm.

(3) Design Analysis of Condenser: Surface area is 57600 mm2 and volume is 13,824

mm3, The cold water inlet tube was designed to

have a circumference of 94.24mm, surface area of

707.14 mm2 and volume of 70714.29 mm2.

(4) Design Analysis of Conveying Tube: Circumference is 100.57 mm, the surface

area is 804.57 mm2 and designed volume of

32987.43 mm3

Equipment Description (1) Electric Stove: This is a heat source

capable of heating the material (Aloe vera) inside

the heating chamber indirectly. (2) Heating Chamber: The heating chamber

is designed to contain the chopped aloe vera where

the heating of the material took place. There are

varieties of metals suitable to be used for this

purpose by considering the following properties:

heat conductivity, price, availability, durability,

reactivity and maintenance. Metals such as

stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum and copper are

good materials.Aluminium is preferred to others

because of its low cost and availability. Aluminum

is used in approximately 50% of all cookware

manufactured today because of its excellent heat

condition. (3) Condenser: The condenser is a close

water bath designed to hold water for the cooling of

the steam inside the conveying tube that passes

through the condenser. The condenser is designed

to contain water inlet pipe and a discharge tap. The

condenser can be produced of mild steel but to

avoid corrosion aluminum has been used. (4) Tap: A tap fastened to the lower level of

the condenser makes it possible to drain the

condensate when necessary. Since the water in the

condenser is not in constant circulation, the water

can be changed from time to time with the aid of

the tap importantly when getting warmed. There

are varieties of taps available in the market such as

pure water tap, single handle water tap, single lever

wash basin water tap, new cheap water tap, LED

tap, automatic water tap and brass water tap, the

brass water tap was used in this research due to it‟s

ability to withstands corrosion and low cost. (5) Cold Water Inlet Tube: With the

provision of water inlet tube on the top of the

condenser, water is easily refilled into the

condenser. This is also made of aluminum based on

the reasons stated under heat chamber.

(6) Conveying Tube: The conveying tube is

designed to convey the steam from the heating

chamber through the exit hole on the lid. It is

designed to pass through the cooling chamber

where the change of state from steam to liquid will

take place and the distillate collected. A rubber

hose is used to connect the exit hose of the heating

chamber to the embedded pipe inside the condenser

while rubber hose is also used at the other end of

the conveying tube to pass out the dripping

distillate.

Fig 1: Units of distiller Isometric Drawing of the Equipment

Fig. 2: Assembly Drawing of the Distiller Fig. 3: Condenser Frame

2

Fig. 4: Electric Stove Fig. 5: Condenser Equipment Exploded Engineering Drawing

Fig.6: Heating Chamber and Electric Stove Fig.7: Condenser and its Frame

Production Cost of the Equipment The production cost of the equipment is as

summarized in table 1.Table 1: Summary of Production Cost

S/N Particular Naira Value(N)

Dollar Equivalent($)

1 Bought-out components

3,750 24.03846154

2 Cost of Materials 1,050 6.730769231

3 Machining Job Nil Nil

4 Non-Machining Job

20,800 133.33333

Total Cost 25,600 164.1025641

3

Note: The present conversion rate of 156 Naira per

dollar in Nigeria is hereby used.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results of the distillate collected from the various samples of Aloe vera and a control test

of raw Aloe vera gel (extracted by squeezing)

obtained from the Department of Chemistry,

University of Lagos are as shown in tables 2 and 3,

which are tables for oil essential test and heavy

metal available respectively.

Table 2: Results of the Essential Oil Test

4

Table 3: Results of the Test of Heavy Metals

Components Detected

Sample A Quantity (Mg/L)

Sample B Quantity (Mg/L)

Sample C Quantity (Mg/L)

Recommended Daily Intake

Over Dosage

Cadmium (Cd) 0.003 ND ND 120 µg Doses larger than 200 µg are toxic and may cause concentration problems and fainting

Chromium (Cr) 0.009 ND ND 120 µg Doses larger than 200 µg are toxic and may cause concentration

problems and fainting Zinc (Zn) 0.986 0.834 1.007 15 mg Doses larger than 25 mg may cause

anemia and copper deficiency Iron (Fe) 1.487 0.161 0.158 15 mg Doses larger than 20 mg may cause

stomach upset, constipation and blackened stools

Copper (Cu) 0.011 0.071 0.048 2 mg As little as 10 mg of copper can have a toxic effect

Magnesium (Mg)

2.861 0.451 0.338 350 mg Doses larger than 400 mg may cause stomach problems and diarrhoea

Manganese (Mn)

0.846 0.062 0.236 5 mg Excess manganese may hinder iron adsorption

Calcium (Ca)

3.801 6.791 5.112 1000 mg Doses larger than 1500 mg may cause stomach problems for sensitive individuals

Sodium (Na) 0.186 0.791 0.737 2400 mg No information found Potassium (K) 0.242 0.451 1.880 3500 mg Large doses may cause stomach

upsets, intestinal problems or heart rhythm disorder

Lead (Pb) ND 0.009 ND Not detected in samples A and C but in small traces in B

Silver (Ag), Nickel (Ni) and Cadmium (Cd)

ND ND ND Not detected

Recommended Daily Intake Source: [20]

Sample A = Chopped Aloe vera Sample

Sample B = Blended Aloe vera Sample

Sample C = Squeezed raw Aloe vera gel Sample

ND: Not detected

The distiller has a capacity of producing

of distillate from one kilogram of

Aloe Vera put into the heating chamber

in . The maximum temperature

attained in the heating chamber was measured to be

.One of the major findings of this study is

an alternative means of consuming aloe vera in the

form of distillate as dietary supplement with the

undesirable element removed. The distillate

consists of pure components of the plant in its most

basic form. It is unique in that it comprised a low

molecular weight thereby enabling the body to

assimilate its components in the purest form at the

cellular level. This occurs at a much higher rate

than would occur if the plants components were

introduced in any other manner. The distillate is

bitter free unlike most aloe products which are

slimry and have a very bitter taste and the chemical

antagonists such as the aloins that are mildly toxic,

which can cause stomach cramping; diarrhea and

likely vomiting have been removed in this research.

As beneficial as polysaccharides of the aloe vera is,

also some portions of it cause rapid fermentation

and break down of the products, as a result of this,

there is need for preservatives to be added.

However, these negative portions of the

polysaccharides were removed in this study in

order to eliminate adding any preservative or

additive.

IV. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The development of aloe vera distiller for

producing distillate as dietary supplement was

successful. The laboratory tests conducted on the

distillate shown that it contains body building

elementslike calcium, iron, and magnesium at

5

consumable value recommended internationally

while the essential oil test revealed Phthalic acid

and 2-Cyclohexen-1-one as the active compounds

which are useful in making body perfume. The

study has positive impact in the health industry.

The outcome of the design is quite relevant in

small, medium and large scale industries

internationally by producing an alternative means

of Aloe vera in distillate for health treatments. The

distillate is colourless, bitter free, requires no

refrigeration and needs no preservatives or

additives even the distillate was kept for over forty

weeks and it maintains its quality as if newly

produced. Further laboratory tests can be conducted

on the distillate to justify the use. Heating process

should not exceed 35 minutes in this heating

chamber else, there will be dark brown smoke

coming out of the residue. This shows that the

residue is burning. If not avoided the dark brown

gas coming out may react with the collected

distillate by dissolving in it and form another

chemical compound which may affect the expected

results of this research negatively.

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