Influence of Groundnut and Machine Characteristics on Motorised Sheller Performance

Abstract

Groundnut shelling is a fundamental process in post-harvest management. Manual shelling is inefficient and laborious with low throughput. Motorised shellers experience less than 100% shelling efficiency and varying levels of kernel damage. From the research, throughput per unit power consumption and shelling efficiency increased with reduction in % moisture content (mc), with maximum outputs realized at 6%. Kernel mechanical damage decreased with increase in % mc up to a minimum at between 15% and 18% mc then increased marginally with further rise in mc. Meanwhile, throughput per unit power consumption increased with bulk density of the groundnut variety being shelled. In addition, kernel to pod diameter ratio had a significant influence on the outputs under study. All the three output parameters under review rose exponentially with increase in feed rate. Throughput per unit power consumption and shelling efficiency rose steadily with increase in shelling speed with the highest values obtained at a shelling speed of about 12 m/s. Kernel mechanical damage remained low (less than 4%) for speeds below 8 m/s, and then rose sharply with further increment in speed. All the output parameters increased with reduction in concave clearance with maximum values obtained at 10 mm clearance. Steel and rubber paddles yielded the highest throughput per unit power consumption. At low shelling speeds (less than 8 m/s), rolling rubber and steel pipes resulted in lowest shelling efficiency and kernel mechanical damage but at higher speeds they resulted into both highest shelling efficiency and kernel mechanical damage.

Development and Testing of Indigenous Shea Butter Processing Plant in Nigeria

“…Also the increase in shelling efficiency with increase in beater could be as result of more impact and rubbing actions associated with increase in beaters. This agreed with the results of an earlier study by Wangette et al [28] were increased in speed and beaters of groundnut shelling machine resulted to increase in collision and rubbing actions that generate the forces that result in the shelling of the groundnut pods lead to an increase in shelling efficiency. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA) conducted speed of rotation of the shelling machine on shelling efficiency has more significant effects at the 1% probability level with high F value of 111.15 and P value of less than the number of beaters with F value of 48.93.…”

Design and modelling of the full-feed peanut picking device with self-adaptive adjustable working clearance and feeding rate

“…Research on the threshing device and feeding rate of crop combine harvesters abroad started early, but most of them focused on rice and wheat combine harvesters [9][10][11][12][13] . Research on the feeding rate of peanut harvesters is limited because most foreign peanut varieties are sprawled, peanut seedlings are interwoven together similar to carpets during harvesting, and the feeding rate is relatively uniform and stable.…”