DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A DRIED GRAIN COLLECTING MACHINE

Abstract

A study was conducted to design a grain collecting machine for different grains. The grains considered in this study were rice, millet and guinea corn and the total tome duration for collecting each grain was 40 minutes. The grain collecting machine was carefully designed based on economic consideration which is the basis of any design. The materials used were carefully selected so that it can serve the specific purpose for which it is meant, while at the same time maintaining economy. The machine was tested by subjecting about 40kg of different grains which includes rice grain, millet grain and guinea corn grain at different time interval. The Average weight value , average collecting capacity , average suction loss value and average collection efficiency computed was 18.89 kg, 0.89kg/h, 4.75kg and 81% respectively for rice grain. Also, the Average weight value , average collecting capacity , average suction loss value and average collection efficiency computed was 9.88 kg, 0.42kg/h, 2.34kg and 79.38% respectively for millet grain while the Average weight value , average collecting capacity , average suction loss value and average collection efficiency computed was 18.84 kg, 0.85kg/h, 3.09kg and 86.35% respectively for guinea-corn grain.