Groundnut product demand is on the increase and the application is largely dependent on the cleanness of the nuts. The separation process is usually an energy-sapping task that requires a lot of time.
In order to separate the nuts from its shell effectively a shelling machine was developed. The machine employs an auger screw as a means of breaking the groundnut pod. The machine basically comprises of shelling chamber, separating chamber and a motor (1HP). The arrangement of these parts is connected by a compound belt of type B standard V-belt of pitch length 1694mm. With the Von-mises equation, the material for the shelling shaft is taken to be mild steel. The materials used in the fabrication of the machine are sourced locally so as to ensure that it is cheap, affordable and easily maintained by the peasant farmers. The shelling efficiency and material damage are 84% and 14% respectively for groundnut seeds of 86.5% dry.
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 Materials
2.2 Description of the Groundnut Shelling Machine
2.3 Design Analysis and Calculation
2.3.1 Determination of Crushing Power to Break the Pod
2.3.2 Determination of the Pulley Diameters
2.3.3 Determination of the length of the belt
2.3.4 Determination of Tension in the Belt
2.3.5. Determination of the bending moments acting on the shaft
2.3.6 Determination of the shaft diameter for auger
2.3.7 Determination of the shaft material
2.3.8 Determination of the size of power to drive the fan
2.3.9 Determination of auger capacity
2.3.10 Determination of a size of the key
2.4 Fabrication Process
2.5 Operation of the shelling machine
2.6 Performance Evaluation
3.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary goal of this research is to design and fabricate a cost-effective groundnut shelling machine that utilizes an auger shaft mechanism to improve upon existing designs, thereby reducing the labor and time intensity associated with traditional shelling methods for local farmers.
- Design of a mechanical shelling system to replace manual labor.
- Use of locally available materials to ensure affordability and maintenance ease.
- Implementation of an auger shaft design for effective pod breaking.
- Performance evaluation based on shelling efficiency and material damage percentages.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Description of the Groundnut Shelling Machine
Various components were put together in the fabrication of this machine. These parts are: the frame, hopper, seed discharge outlet, shelling chamber, fan and chaff outlet.
Frame It holds the hopper, shelling, and separating unit as well as the prime mover (electric motor). Being the main support for the machine, it must be able to withstand stresses and loads and have good welding properties. Hence, mild steel in form of angle bar was used.
Hopper It contains the unshelled groundnut before and during the shelling operation. It must be able to withstand the vibration loads and stresses, have good strength and good corrosion resistance. Hence, the material is mild steel sheet of 2mm thickness.
Shelling Chamber It houses the auger and the shelling drum. The shelling operation is done inside it. Therefore, it must be able to withstand load and stresses, good weld ability and corrosion resistance. The diameter of the shelling drum is 206mm and pitch of the anger screw is 100mm.The active length of the drum is 500mm. So, mild steel of 2mm thickness was selected.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides the background on groundnut production, identifies the limitations of traditional shelling methods, and outlines the research objective to develop a mechanical alternative.
2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS: This section details the physical construction of the machine components and provides the comprehensive mathematical design analysis, including power requirements and structural calculations.
3.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents the data gathered during the machine's testing phase, confirming the achieved shelling efficiency and material integrity results.
4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This final section summarizes the success of the machine in outperforming manual methods and provides operational guidelines for farmers to maximize machine lifespan.
Keywords
Groundnut, pods, shelling machine, design methodology, efficiency, fabrication, auger shaft, mechanical engineering, material analysis, mild steel, agricultural processing, power transmission, vibration loads, shelling capacity, rural development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this project?
The research aims to design and fabricate a groundnut shelling machine that is affordable and efficient, specifically intended to assist small-scale farmers by replacing labor-intensive traditional shelling methods.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
The work focuses on machine design, material selection based on local availability, structural analysis, and performance testing under specific operational conditions.
How is the effectiveness of the machine measured?
The performance is evaluated by calculating the shelling efficiency and the percentage of material damage, compared against the initial weight of the groundnuts processed.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes mechanical design principles, including the Von-mises equation and ASME code for shaft design, alongside empirical performance testing in a workshop environment.
What does the main body of the work encompass?
The main body details the engineering design calculations (pulley diameters, belt tensions, shaft bending moments) and the fabrication steps taken at the mechanical workshop.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include groundnut, shelling machine, design methodology, fabrication, efficiency, and mechanical engineering.
Why was an auger shaft chosen for the design?
An auger shaft was selected to replace existing spike-based designs to improve the efficiency of the shelling process and to optimize the crushing action against the pod.
What recommendations are made for the maintenance of the machine?
The authors suggest keeping groundnut moisture levels below 16%, limiting daily use to 10 hours, ensuring proper ventilation, and performing consistent lubrication and maintenance.
How were the construction materials selected?
Materials were selected based on their durability, cost-effectiveness, availability, strength, rigidity, and welding properties, with a focus on local sourcing in Nigeria.
- Quote paper
- S.O. Ejiko (Author), J.T. Adu (Author), Osayomi Peters (Author), 2015, Design and Fabrication of Groundnut Shelling Machine, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/306848
