Development of an NCAM motorized GRAIN GRUEL (Soy Bean) sieving machine

A survey carried out on conventional or traditional method of sieving wet grains showed that the method consumes time, energy, has low output and efficiency and is also hazardous to health due to low level of hygiene involved. A motorized grain gruel machine was developed at the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin Nigeria. The machine consists of four major units which are hopper, seiver, separator and the discharge unit. The machine’s performance was evaluated at different water volumes (16.5, 18.5 and 20.5 liters) and at three different operating speeds namely 65.3 rpm, 115.0 rpm and 126.0 rpm. The parameters evaluated are; sieving efficiency, through put and output capacity. The data were analyzed using the New Duncan multiple range test (Post Hoc Test) method and linear regression model was used to establish the relationship between the independent variables with the dependent variable, which was optimized using pulp in python version 2.9 frame work. Results show that the machine performed higher at 20.5litres and 126 rpm to a maximum sieving efficiency of 85.08% and 86.48% respectively, but was optimized to the range of 88.35-92.5% in sieving efficiency and 19.42-23.42kg/hr in output capacity. Also the analysis showed that water volume used had more significant effect on the efficiency and other variables such as the throughput and the output capacity respectively, than the operation speed. It was concluded from the results that the machine saved time and energy, reduced material wastage and hazards and therefore is more efficient than the conventional method. It is recommended that further evaluations should be carried out on the machine using a wider variety and species of grains samples.

Performance Evaluation of a Rice (Oryza sativa) Thresher

A paddy thresher supplied to the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Bayero University, Kano Nigeria as part of its takeoff equipment for teaching and learning was evaluated to determine its performance indices in terms of threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency, output capacity, mechanical damage and scatter loss. The variables used were two levels of moisture content (20% and 14%), two levels of speed (500 rpm and 700 rpm) and feed rate at two levels (100 kg/hr and 150 kg/hr). The factorial experiments were run in a complete randomized design in three replications. Two local Rice varieties Sipi (variety 1) and Jemila (variety2) were used. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and LSD were used to assess the effects of the independent variables on the performance indices of the paddy thresher. The mean values for cleaning efficiency, mechanical damage, scatter loss and output capacity ranges from 59.28 – 87.82%, 0.02 - 0.23%, 0.02 - 0.05% and 25.26 - 58.82 kg/h respectively. ANOVA results showed that moisture content, feed rate and speed significantly affected cleaning efficiency, mechanical damage and the output capacity at 5% probability for the two paddy varieties. Keywords— Efficiency, output capacity, performance, rice, threshing machine.

Adaptive Performance Evaluation of IAR-Sorghum Thresher for Two Varieties of Wheat

With the aim of providing a multi-crop thresher to local farmers, the IAR-sorghum thresher was evaluated using varieties of wheat. Among the factors which were varied in the randomized complete block design experiments used in the evaluation were 2 levels of moisture content, 2 levels on feed rate, 3 levels of cylinder speed and 3 replications of each treatment. The indices used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the thresher to process wheat were threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency, scatter loss from thresher and its output capacity. The fuel consumption rates of carrying the tasks out were also determined for the 2 moisture contents of each variety. These indices translate into the economics qualities and quantities which would influence the acceptance or other of the thresher by targeted farmers. It was found that the thresher could thresh the crop to a threshing efficiency of 95%, cleaning efficiency of 82%, scatter loss of 10% achieved by the thresher was rather high, and the output capacity of 9 kg hr-1 was not satisfactorily. Hence, the recommendation on how to improve on the thresher performance and the rate of fuel consumption were provided.

Improvement Of Engine Driven Sorghum Thresher By Incorporating Grain Cleaning System

The improved engine driven sorghum threshing machine was designed and produced at Fedis agricultural research center with the objectives of solving the critical threshing and cleaning problems of sorghum produce the farmers’ and subsequently, to reduce the drudgery of the farmers’, grain loss and cost of threshing, in comparison with traditional methods of manual threshing by using wood log. The developed machine was tested in east Hararghe Zone, Haramaya district, Horo Kebele. The variables considered includes two sorghum varieties (muria and fandisha), three levels of cylinder speed (500,700 and 900 rpm), three position of cylinder-concave clearances (13, 18 and 23 mm) and three feed rates of the un-threshed sorghum head (10 kg/min, 15 kg/min and 20 kg/min). The experimental design was split-split plot design with three replications. The result obtained indicated 87.28-95.30% threshing efficiency, 7-10 qt/h output capacity and 74%-88% cleaning efficiency at constant grain moisture contents of 15-17% for both varieties.

Drudgery reduction in operation of cleaner-cum-grader: An ergonomic intervention

A pedal-operated cleaner-cum-grader having common bicycle chain-sprocket mechanism to get the speeds of 240 and 720 rpm of eccentric shaft and blower shaft, respectively for the desired cleaning/grading of grains was developed earlier by CIAE, Bhopal. Also, in order to utilize the human energy in more efficient way through pedalling mode, CIAE has recently developed a dynapod. The dynapod is a pedal operated rotary device, which can be used as an interface between human worker and any rotary-type machine. The developed dynapod was used to operate the cleaner-cum-grader to assess the drudgery reduction in its operation in comparison to original pedalling mechanism. The dynapod was interfaced with the cleaner-cum-grader by carrying out minor modifications in the original unit. Eight male agricultural workers with mean stature and weight as 168.4 cm and 54.4 kg, respectively participated in the study. The cleaner-cum-grader was used for cleaning and grading of soybean grains. Heart rate of the workers was measured during operation of cleaner-cum-grader using the dynapod as well as the original pedalling mechanism. Mean working heart rate during operation of machine with original pedalling mechanism was 114 beats min-1 as against 108 beats min-1 in case of pedalling with dynapod. The work pulse (ÄHR) with the original pedalling mechanism was 35 beats min-1 as against 29 beats min-1 during pedalling with dynapod. The output capacity of the machine increased from 303 kg h-1 in case of original pedalling mechanism to 345 kg h-1 with dynapod. Considering the cardiac cost as well as output of the machine, the drudgery reduction by using dynapod with cleaner-cum-grader was about 25.4% as compared to the original pedalling mechanism.

Performance Optimization of Groundnut Shelling Using Response Surface Methodology

This study evaluated the influence of drum speed, moisture content, and feed rate on the performance indices of groundnut sheller using Ex-Dakar groundnut variety. Response surface methodology was used to study the influence of input variables and optimize the processing conditions. The developed second-order polynomial model adequately described the performance responses, including output capacity, shelling and cleaning efficiencies, and kernel damage. The input variables indicated significant influences on performance responses. The optimized processing variables for the responses were drum speed of 210 rpm, moisture content of 8%, and feed rate of 350 kg∙h−1. The optimum responses obtained were output capacity of 302.52 kg∙h−1, shelling efficiency of 97.61%, cleaning efficiency of 53.16%, and kernel damage of 4.04%. These performance responses were validated experimentally and were close to the observed results.

Intervention of Dynapod in Cleaner-cum-Grader for Drudgery Reduction

An ergonomic evaluation cleaner-cum-grader with original cycle mechanism and ICAR-CIAE developed dynapod was conducted. The study was conducted with 15 male subjects aged between 20-40 years, mean stature of 1640 ±40 mm and mean weight of 54 ±5 kg. The maximum aerobic capacities of the subjects were determined using sub-maximal exercise protocol. The mean working heart rate of the subjects in operation of machine with original cycle mechanism was 157 beats min-1 as against 125 beats min-1 with dynapod. The work pulse (ΔHR) of 57 beats min-1 and 31 beats min-1 was observed for pedaling with cycle mechanism and dynapod, respectively. The output capacity of machine increased by 41 kg h-1 with use of dynapod compared to pedaling with cycle mechanism. Using dynapod in operation of cleaner-cum-grader resulted in drudgery reduction by 51.6 % as compared to the original cycle mechanism.

A Study on the Development Ability of Economic Zones Above Provincial Level in Anhui Province -Based on Principal Component Analysis

This paper uses the principal component analysis method to measure the output capacity, input capacity and comprehensive development capacity of development zones in 2017, taking nine indicators reflecting the economic development capacity of 11 development zones above the provincial level in Anhui Province as the research object. The results show that the development level of 11 development zones in Anhui Province is not high on the whole, and the output capacity and comprehensive development capacity show a trend of polarization; the input capacity has three obvious levels, and the location advantage plays an important role in the development o economic zones.