IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE) e-ISSN: 2278-1684,p-ISSN: 2320-334X, Volume 17, Issue 6 Ser. III (Nov. – Dec. 2020), PP 01-08 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/1684-1706030108 www.iosrjournals.org 1 | Page Geothermal Energy System for Honey Extraction Process Njuguna, M.*, Keraita, J. & Ongarora, B. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Private Bag, Dedan Kimathi, Nyeri - Kenya. Abstract In the age of renewable energy, geothermal energy is playing a pivotal role in society. This resource can be utilized either directly or indirectly. Some of the common direct application areas of this resource include agriculture, aquaculture, and balneology, among others. Honey processing has emerged as a critical area where geothermal energy can be applied for societal benefits. This study sought to determine how geothermal energy can be used in honey extraction process. The inspiration came from the honey extraction challenges faced by the bee farmers in Menengai area in Kenya, which leads to wastage and poor quality. The designed system uses geothermal energy and its deployment in honey extraction processing would help to reduce wastage. The simulation of specific flow rates of the geothermal water (fluid) and air flow across the heat exchanger indicated that the desired temperature at which honey is extracted from honeycombs can be achieved. Similarly, fine-tuning the parameters realised the temperatures for the preservation of the extracted honey via denaturing of yeast. This system will help to improve honey extraction process and promote large scale honey production. Keywords: Geothermal Energy, HMF, Honey Processing, Lindal diagram, Simulink, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 27-11-2020 Date of Acceptance: 11-12-2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Accessibility to reliable, affordable, and clean energy is necessary for the attainment of improved standards of living across the world. According to Boon and Kankam (2009), shifting to reliable energy production, and the way the energy is utilized is of great importance. Besides being a clean form of energy, geothermal energy is also sustainable since it is generated from the earth (Johnston et al., 2011). This energy has been used for ages dating back to early 1900. The first application of geothermal energy dates back to Italy between 1904 and 1905, where it was used for the production of power with the experimental projects of Prince Gionori Conte. Since then, geothermal technology started spreading gradually to other countries. Currently, the resource is utilized in many countries in different parts of the world. Different applications of geothermal energy depend on the chemical composition and thermodynamic properties of the resource. The major applications include aquaculture, spas, and pools, greenhouses heating, milk pasteurization, food drying, timber drying, among other uses. An emerging area where geothermal heat is applied is honey production. Over the years, honey producers have been faced with challenges in honey extraction processing. The common problem faced by the honey producers over time is the loss in honey quality and wastage due to overreliance on poor honey processing methods (Musinguzi, Bosselmann, & Pouliot, 2018). In the quest for improvement in honey quality and reduction in honey losses during extraction processing, geothermal energy has been identified as a potential alternative since it allows for regulation of temperatures during honey processing (Radtke & Lichtenberg-Kraag, 2018). In this regard, there have been efforts to design an efficient system that utilizes geothermal energy for honey processing. The system will help to promote honey production activities in the Menengai area, Nakuru, a city in Kenya with a high geothermal potential. II. Literature Review Geothermal Energy Applications Geothermal technology has gained tremendous growth in the recent past. Geothermal energy is clean and renewable energy, which can be used either to generate electricity or for direct applications and has a high potential for growth. According to Shere (2010), within 10,000 meters in the earth’s surface, the amount of heat is approximated to be about 50,000 times the heat contained in gas and oil. Therefore, it implies that geothermal energy has a huge potential to offer a significant solution to the energy crisis in the future. As of 2010, geothermal technology was popular in over 79 countries globally, with the leading users being the USA, Norway, Iceland, China, Japan, Turkey, Germany, and France (Wang et al., 2018). By 2016, the total installed capacity of geothermal energy stood at approximately 901 megawatts (MW) globally. With the