Pengaruh Glasswool Heat Insulator Pada Reaktor Terhadap Hasil Destilasi Minyak Atsiri Daun Galam

This research investigates the effect of using glasswool as a thermal insulator on a reactor in relation to the distillation yield of essential oil extracted from Melaleuca (galam) leaves. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of glasswool in minimizing heat loss from within the reactor. The reactor used in this study has a diameter of 58 cm and a height of 171 cm, and is insulated with 10 cm thick glasswool to reduce thermal losses. The heating process utilizes steam from a boiler, which is forcibly circulated into the reactor. Heat transfer occurs through forced convection from the steam to the inner reactor wall, followed by conduction through the reactor wall, and finally convection from the outer wall to the surrounding environment. The rate of heat transfer is calculated based on the heat transfer coefficient, surface area, and temperature differences between the inlet steam, outlet steam, internal reactor space, and the outer reactor
wall. The results of the analysis indicate that the thermal resistance of the reactor with 10 cm thick glasswool insulation is 7.234 × 10⁻⁴ K/W. The use of glasswool
insulation proves effective in reducing heat loss, thereby maintaining a stable temperature within the reactor and enhancing the efficiency of the essential oil distillation process from Melaleuca leaves.