Material and Energy Balance Calculations for Commercial Production of Whole Neem Fruit Powder Using Particle-Size Distribution and Energy Models

Neem-based pesticides are well known to reduce agriculture pollution. It was earlier found that free flowing fine powder of whole dry neem fruits (called PNF-powder neem formulation) of size range 300 μm to 390 μm, i.e. (−44 + 60 mesh) was the optimumsize range. Azadirachtin which is a key ingredient of neem is quite stable in PNF. This article delineates material and energy balance to produce 1 tonne of PNF on a commercial level by using hammer mill. The particle size distribution models and classical energy consumption models were used to fit the experimental data generated by changing the hammer millscreen.