Design of an effective automated machine for quality palm kernel production (original) (raw)

Design and Development of an Improved Palm Kernel Shelling Machine and Separator

Physical Science International Journal, 2017

A palm kernel processing (Cracking and Separating) unit was developed to crack effectively various sizes/diameters of palm kernel as well as to separate the palm kernel from the shell with the aim of reducing the challenges encountered during the production of palm kernel Oil. This machine was fabricated and designed with locally available materials for the ease of maintenance and it was designed the the aims of easing the pain, stress involved, intensive labour, time consuming, unduly cost and cumbersome operation encountered in the traditional/existing process of manually cracking and separating palm kernel from the nut. After the fabrication of this machine, the machine was tested to ascertain its performance and efficiency. The efficiency of the machine was discovered to be 98% with a processing rate of 95 nuts per second. This is an improvement over existing ordinary palm kernel machine that has an efficiency of 90% with a processing rate of 87 nuts per second wiithout separation. A 5 hp Prime mover was selcted based on the power that was needed to effectively operate the machine. This project has catered for the various challenges encountered in the manual process of shelling palm kernel and separating the kernel from the shell.

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A MOVABLE PALM KERNEL CRACKING MACHINE FOR RURAL APPLICATION

International Journal of Novel Research in Engineering and Science, 2023

This developed and produced palm kernel cracking and separating machine. This is geared towards eliminating the drudges involved in cracking and separating palm kernel by the rural farmers. The machine was modeled with solidworks version 2010. Mathematical design was carried out to help select materials that will be adequate to withstand the stress during operation. The machine was produced by following the standard procedure for fabrication processes. The produced machine was surfaced finished to improve on the aesthetics. The machine was produced with locally sourced materials for cost effectiveness. The cost evaluation gave a total cost of production of five hundred and seventeen thousand, five hundred and eighty five naira (N 517,585) only. The performance evaluation carried on the machine gave processing capacity (PC) of 60 Kg/hr, throughput efficiency of 83%, shelling efficiency of 75.25%, separation efficiency of 89.75% and a breakage efficiency of 12.38%. Hence the machine is suitable for use by farmers in rural areas.

Performance modelling and validation of palm kernel cracking and separating machine

2021

The main objective of this work is to develop simplified palm kernel cracking and cleaning models for the simulation, design and preliminary evaluation of palm kernel cracking and separation machines. The model equations were developed using empirical data obtained from performance evaluation carried out on a motorized palm kernel cracking and separating machine. The factors investigated were shaft speed, feed rate and moisture content of palm nuts, while cracking efficiency, machine performance efficiency and cleaning efficiency constituted the response variables. The models have been validated using experimental data showing good agreement between experimental and predicted data. Experimental results show that the developed models described the performance parameter of the machine adequately at 95% prediction interval. ANOVA revealed that the main effects of all the factors influence the three responses variables significantly.

Geometric Design of a Table Top Palm Fruit Milling Machine (Ofe-Aku Machine)

This paper shows the preliminary design of a table top palm fruit milling machine. It is observed that the palm kernel soup in Nigeria especially in the eastern part of the locally called “OFE AKWU” is very popular and it is commonly prepared both for domestic consumption and for commercial purposes by the food vendors. But owing to the stress required in this extraction process, we aim at alleviating this by designing this simple machine that could be easily operated by both the young and the adult, literate or illiterate. This is a simple device aimed at reducing drudgery and stress involved in milling digested palm nut (removing the flesh portion of the nut from the boiled palm nut). The removed flesh is then manually squeezed to extract the oil. Similarly, the nuts are separated manually from the chaff. It is expected that future modification will incorporate a digester, a press and a separating mechanism. Keywords: Ofe-Aku, Table top, Palm fruit, threshing, drudgery

Design Analysis of a Locally Fabricated Palm Kernel Shells Grinding Machine

The technological advancement of any nation have been influenced and uplifted by the extent to which it can usefully harness and convert its mineral and local resources into household products and as such, the need to design an implements for their production. Design analysis of a fabricated palm kernel shells grinding machine using locally sourced materials was carried out. The machine was designed and fabricated from locally available materials for grinding palm kernel shell and likely limestone as well as animal bones into small particle size of less 425µm or greater than. The grinding process was achieved by the use of hammers in the grinding chamber with a three phase 75hp motor as prime mover. The design analysis carried out on the palm kernel shells grinding machine showed that the machine has a grinding efficiency of 97.9%, grinding capacity of 625kg/hr., percentage recovery of the material (palm kernel shell) is 92.6% and fineness modulus of 0.39.

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPROVED PALM KERNEL CRACKING MACHINE

IUKL, 2021

Mankind around the globe gets to indulge in tasty cookings, thanks to the palm oil industry predominantly. Nevertheless, it would not be possible to garner palm-based cooking oil without the accommodation of a palm kernel cracking machine, among the plethora of machineries in the palm oil mill which are designed to perform specific manufacturing processes. This write-up proffers an ameliorated palm kernel cracking machine that will cater to the shortcomings of the conventional ones based upon the popular needs of the target market from small to medium-scale factories which will need to run it for at least up to 10 hours. In order to enhance the performance of shelling operations, we studied, appraised, and designed a horizontal-shaft palm kernel cracking machine theoretically. In implementing the project, we collected, analyzed, and synthesized the data obtained from a variety of samples of existing palm kernel cracking machines. The design and specification requirements are met as we conducted numerous calculations by using mechanical engineering theories and formulas. The innovation will be able to crack the various sizes of palm kernels of both the Tenera as well as Dura variants effectively, with less useful kernel damage. The machine which is modelled as a CAD by using SolidWorks comprises of fundamental parts, namely horizontal shaft, hopper, cracking chamber, V-belt and pulleys, bearings with housings, Archimedes' screw, channeling conduit, electrical motor, discharge outlet, and other standard components; and its sturdy structure and frames are mainly made of mild steel. The centrifugal cracking drum is driven by a set of V-belt and pulleys connected to a 300 hp, 1800 rpm prime mover which is optimal to operate the machine. The conventional palm kernel cracking machines which typically deploy long rotating hammer for cracking was discovered to be less efficient since it misses any nuts that are not in its line of action. Contrarily, our proposed design is capable of achieving a 90-95% nut-cracking work efficiency with a throughput capacity of approximately 30,000 kg full fruit bunches (FFB) per hour, in which the nuts are rotated and pushed by the vanes of the impeller in the direction of the vanes motion, thereby imparting sufficient mechanical energy to the nuts which move radially outward at relatively high velocity. Overall, our October 2021Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur Research JournalVol. 1 No. 1 1 improved palm kernel cracking machine is intuitive, reliable, energy-efficient, easy to maintain, transportable, with several safety features being incorporated.

Design and Development of an Improved Palm kernel Shelling and Sorting Machine.

This paper presents a design and development of an improved palm kernel shelling and sorting machine. The varying physical and mechanical properties of the identified species of palm kernel nuts during fracture, as a means of determining the critical load required to cause fracture on the palm kernel nuts, without damage on the nut meat within were considered. The necessary evaluation of the cracking and sorting units were properly achieved through a wide range of design criteria; basically load estimation, kernel size, moisture content of shells and motion resistance of shells/kernels. These design considerations were used to calculate the required momentum necessary to achieve the needed force of cracking, and to determine the effective sorting approach. The velocity and kernel-shell characteristics evaluation are the significant factors used in the design of the optimal configurations of the shelling impeller and the sorting technique respectively. The machine optimum shelling-sorting efficiency was found to be 90 percent, throughput capacity was 59kg/h, and whole kernel recovery was 70 percent, with ease of operation, low costs of production and maintenance.

PALM FRESH FRUIT BUNCH THRESHING MACHINE DESIGN

ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2022

In the view of obtaining a small-scale palm oil mill in rural areas with probably no electrical energy, the major bottleneck in some small-scale palm oil processing industries is the stripping (separation) of palm fruits from bunches. Therefore, it is very important to have an efficient small threshing machine. This paper depicts the design of a palm bunch threshing machine which requires less human effort and very efficient. We selected Functional analysis tools (to express our need, show the relationship between our machine and its environment, and to express the logical relationship between the functions of the machine), geometric dimensioning to determine the various sizes of each component of our threshing machine and CAD software in 3D computer modelling and simulation of our palm bunch threshing machine. At the end, we obtained a design plan of an efficient threshing which requires less human effort and adapted to the rural environment.

Design and Construction of a Palm Kernel Oil Extraction.pdf

Nigerian Journal of Engineering Science Research (NIJESR), 2018

Palm kernel oil production in Nigeria is not fully exploited due to nonmechanization of the production process. Large percentage of palm kernel oil in Nigeria market is processed from the traditional method which is not only unhygienic but is equally labourious and time consuming. This research work is focused on the design and construction of a palm kernel oil extraction machine. The machine was designed and fabricated using locally available materials. The machine was evaluated for performance and the results obtained show that the mechanical method is more efficient (66.07%) than the traditional method (37.69%). Also, shorter processing average time of 17.66minutes, improved palm kernel oil of 17.48kg, and average machine throughput capacity of 1.5887kg/minutes were recorded against traditional method average processing time of 165.82minutes and average mass of palm kernel oil of 10.16kg. Thus, with this new designed, more palm kernel oil can be produce at a short possible time.

Design and Development of Stirring and Cooking Machines for Palm sugar

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2019

The production process of palm sugar is carried out by farmers or craftsmen with very simple equipment, namely cauldrons, stirrers and firewood stoves. Products was produced using this method are not good, short durability, require a long time, so it is inefficient and effective. The purpose of this study was to overcome worker fatigue, minimize work accidents and increase the production capacity of printed palm sugar and palm sugar. The research method that will be carried out is designing and making a stirrer and cooking machine for palm sugar palm, an electric motor drive system with several stages, namely the preparation stage in the form of a field survey of the conditions and production capacity of palm sugar, and preparation of materials and equipment required, the assembly phase of equipment components that have been made or purchased, and the Testing phase of the assembled equipment are tested. This testing phase will be repeated over and over until the data about the correct rotation is obtained to get the optimal amount of production. Specifications of the stirrer and cooking sugar ants are 155 cm high, 80 cm long, and 65 cm wide, stirring shaft diameter 1 inch and the power of the motor drive 1/2 hp, and a capacity of 29 kg per day.