DESIGN, FABRICATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF PEA MILLING MACHINE

Abstract

To enhance shelf life, prevent spoilage, and preserve nutritional value, processing pulses is very essential and critical. Milling pulses is the removal of grain coat to produce polished grain and cleavage of the two cotyledons to produce split grains. The grain coat is hard and reduces the palatability of pulses. To alleviate problems associated with the processing of pea grains, engine engine-driven pea milling machine was designed, manufactured, tested, and evaluated. The prototype milling machine has a hopper, splitting unit, cleaning unit, outlet unit, supporting frame, and transportation wheels. The machine was tested and evaluated in terms of splitting capacity, splitting efficiency, cleaning efficiency, dehulling efficiency, percent damage, and fuel consumption. The tests were carried out at drum speeds of 500.00, 600.00, and 700.00 rpm and feed rates of 6.00, 8.00, and 10 kg/min. The maximum splitting capacity of 589.91 kg/hr was recorded when the drum speed was 700.00 rpm, and the feed rate was 10.00 kg/min; whereas the minimum splitting capacity of 343.72 kg/min was observed when the drum speed was 500.00 rpm and feed rate 6.00 kg/min. The maximum splitting efficiency of 86.39% was recorded with a drum speed of 500.00 rpm and a feed rate of 8.00 kg/min; whereas the minimum splitting efficiency of 79.04% was observed when the drum speed was 700.00 rpm and a feed rate was 10.00 kg/min. The minimum percent of grain damage, 3.05%, was recorded at a drum speed of 500.00 rpm, and feed rate of 6.00 kg/min. Maximum percent grain damage of 11.16% was recorded at a drum speed of 700.00 rpm, and feed rate of 10.00 kg/min. The mean maximum fuel consumption of the prototype pea milling machine was 14.16 ml/kg, at a drum speed of 700.00 rpm and feeding rate of 10.00 kg/min, and the minimum fuel consumption of 4.37 ml/kg was observed at a drum speed of 500.00 rpm and feeding rate of 6.00 kg/min.