Modification of a watermelon seed extracting machine

Abstract

This study was carried out at a private farm in Kfer Singabe District, Dikhlia governorate Egypt during 2015 summer season. The overall objective of the present investigation was to modify and evaluate the performance of a local manufactured machine for extracting seeds from watermelon seeds. Point three to develop machine: off the machine attached to tractor to propelled machine, used incline circle level instead of screw conveyor to decrease the energy required and increased the volume of feed rate by increasing the crushing drum length from of 850 mm to 1050 mm. the machine by determined the driving stability of machine (longitudinal, lateral and turn stability factor) and study the machine slip percentage. The developed equipment has been tested and evaluated considering different feeding rates of 80, 100, 120 and 140 kg/min with crushing drum speed 0.40, 0.82, 1.2 and 1.6 m/s, The effect of previous considered parameters on the performance of fabricated equipment were evaluated in terms of visible seed damage, the separation capacity, seed losses, cleaning efficiency, energy and cost requirements. The results of the developed machine illustrated that: 1) The angle of longitudinal stability factor should be less than 35 degree, the angle of lateral stability factor should be less than 8 degree and the suitable forward speed for developing machine were 1 to 4 m/s with turning radius 0.5 to 2 m By increasing feed rate from 80 to 140 kg/min, the visible seed damage was decreased by average 0.95% and the seed losses increased by average 2.43%. By increasing drum speed from 0.40 to 1.60 m/s the visible seed damage was increased by average of 0.80 and seed losses increased by average 1.60% and 4%. By using the developed machine the power consumed was decreased by average 52.48% and saved the cost by average 31%.