A motorized device for cracking pre-treated dika nuts

Authors

  • Olufemi Emmanuel Ogundahunsi Department of Agricultural Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Nigeria
  • Babatunde Sunday Ogunsina Department of Agricultural Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Nigeria
  • Raheem O. Ibrahim Department of Agricultural Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Nigeria

Keywords:

motorized, machine, dika nut, cracking

Abstract

Cracking of dika nut has presented serious challenges to local processors considering the arduous task it constitutes during processing.  A motorized machine that is capable of multiple cracking of dika nuts was designed, fabricated and tested. The major components of the machine include a sliding hammer, a gear unit, a chain conveyor and cracking trays.  The experimental machine was evaluated on the basis of cracking efficiency and throughput considering three types of pre-treated nuts (sun-dried, oven-dried and roasted) and two nut sizes (small and big).  The cracking efficiency and throughput were: 65% and 8.84kg/h, 63% and 7.75kg/h, 45% and 5.67 kg/h for roasted, oven-dried and sun-dried small nuts; while the corresponding values for big nuts were: 72% and 12.86kg/h, 70% and 12.58kg/h, 67% and 12.41 kg/h, respectively.  Big dika nuts indicated a higher cracking efficiency and throughput than small nuts. The highest cracking efficiency and throughput values (72% and 12.86 kg/h, respectively) were obtained for big roasted nuts.  The method of pre-treatment and dika nut sizes were found to affect the cracking efficiency and throughput of the motorized dika nut cracking machine.  With a throughput of 10 kg/h and the possibility of cracking twenty nuts at a time, this machine is an improvement over existing designs.  A machine of this nature will be suitable for small and medium scale applications in the processing of dika nut.

Author Biography

Babatunde Sunday Ogunsina, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Nigeria

Department of Agricultural & Environmental Engineering

Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Nigeria

Rank: Senior Lecturer

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Published

2016-07-04

Issue

Section

VI-Postharvest Technology and Process Engineering