Browsing by Author "Koliyabandara, P.A"

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Open Access
Optimization of Essential Oil Extraction Using Pomelo Peels as the Raw Material: A Process Study
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2025-01) Perera, W.P.S. N; Arachchige, U.S.P.R; Koliyabandara, P.A
Essential oils are natural extracts known for their versatility, capturing widespread interest due to their diverse applications and the increasing consumer preference for safe and efficient health solutions. Their inherent natural properties make them valuable in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and textiles. In that respect, this research focuses on optimizing essential oil extraction using waste pomelo peels as the raw material. There two extraction methods, water distillation and Soxhlet, were employed to investigate the feasibility of utilizing pomelo peels for essential oil extraction. The main objectives that were meant to be achieved in this research included comparing the efficiency of water distillation and Soxhlet extraction methods, optimizing the essential oil extraction process by adjusting vital physical parameters, and determining the most effective pomelo peels. The waste pomelo peels required for oil extraction were collected around the Colombo district (Sri Lanka). Two distillation setups were used for water distillation: industrial-scale water distillation and lab-scale water distillation apparatus. The investigations revealed that Fresh-Grind pomelo peels exhibited notably higher efficiency for water distillation, with a yield of 0.8%. There the oil extraction yield for the industrial and laboratory extraction setup was reported as 0.5% and 0.8%, respectively. The Soxhlet experiments were conducted using various solvents: toluene, acetone, n-hexane, methanol and acetonitrile. However, based on the experiment results, n-hexane emerged as the most effective, yielding an efficiency of 7.1%. So, the Soxhlet extraction method was selected to optimize the process followed in essential oil extraction by waste pomelo peels.
Open Access
Rice Husk Derived Biomass Briquettes for Boilers: Ingredient-Based Product Quality Study
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2025-02) Lakshika, H.N.M.; Arachchige, U. S.P.R; Koliyabandara, P.A
This research investigates the feasibility of repurposing rice husk waste into sustainable biomass briquettes, addressing environmental and economic challenges associated with conventional biomass sources in Sri Lanka. The study involves a comprehensive analysis of rice husk utilization, focusing on three size fractions: original size, particles less than 5mm, and powder form. Rice husks less than 5mm was observed to have a composition of optimal fixed carbon content (11.63% ± 0.215), moisture content (10.53% ± 0.013), volatile matter (80.72% ± 0.005), and ash content (7.65% ± 0.004). The binding agents, namely starch, dummala tree resin, and wastepaper pulp, were used for briquette production. The optimal compositions for briquettes made with rice husk particles less than 5mm were determined as follows: rice husk with starch (1:6), rice husk with tree resin (1:7), and rice husk with wastepaper pulp (1:5). The calorific values of these optimum briquettes were found to be 15.446 MJ/kg for starch-based briquettes, 15.278 MJ/kg for paper pulp-based briquettes, and 15.323 MJ/kg for tree resin-based briquettes. In addition, briquettes made with an equal ratio (1:1) of binders showed calorific values of 14.175 MJ/kg for starch, 14.227 MJ/kg for paper pulp, and 15.275 MJ/kg for tree resin, with tree resinbased briquettes exhibiting the highest calorific value. In the product quality evaluation study carried out with these results, the proximate and ultimate analyses were conducted to characterize the briquettes and the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted to characterize the rice husk and to examine the physical properties of the produced briquettes. The findings indicate that repurposing rice husk waste with various binding agents offers a sustainable solution for biomass fuel production. Accordingly, natural tree resin briquettes exhibited the highest density, compression ratio, and shatter resistance. These results suggest that utilizing natural tree resin can effectively address waste management challenges and create an environmentally friendly and economically viable industrial sector in Sri Lanka.