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Development of a Mechanical Vegetable Washing Machine (2016 – 2017)

M N Amin
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

M A Hossain
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

M A Rahman
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An on the basis of farmers' demands of selected project areas -Pabna and Jessore, higher capacity root crop washing machine was designed and fabricated at Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Gazipur during July to December 2016. The overall dimension of the machine was 2200 × 910 × 920 mm. It was fabricated with MS sheet, MS flat bar, nylon shaft, brush, MS shaft, FL bearing, chain-sprocket, wheel, motor, gear reducer, magnetic contact, and Off-On switch, etc. The main parts are i) Half circle tank; ii) Nylon brush roller; iii) Power transmission system; and iv) delivery chute. The rollers were rotated by an electric motor of 2.2 kW at 1400 rpm. Per batch 120 kg carrots were washed using the machine and 6-7 minute washing time was required for each batch. The capacity of the machine is 0.90 kg per hour. No injured carrots were observed. The washing efficiency of the machine was found to be 98%. The price of the machine is Tk. 1.8 lac. The weight of the machine is 418 kg. The washing cost was 340 Tk./ton. The machine can save about 500 Tk/ton which was equivalent to 66% saving of washing cost compare to the conventional manual carrot washing method. The Break-even point of the root crop washing machine was 270 h/yr. Therefore, there is a good opportunity for farmers and traders to increase income and generate employment using the machine.

Keywords: Machine, Vegetable washing machine, Economic performance

Location: Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Gazipur

Start Date: 00-00-2016

End Date: 00-00-2017

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Farm machineries

Objectives:

a) To design and fabrication of a vegetable washing machine;

b) To evaluate the technical and economic performance of the machine.

Methodology:

Large size of mechanical root crops washing machine was designed and fabricated at Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Gazipur during July to December 2016. The overall dimension of the machine was 2200 × 910 × 920 mm. It was fabricated with MS sheet, MS flat bar, nylon shaft, brush, MS shaft, FL bearing, chain-sprocket, wheel, motor, gear reducer, magnetic contact, and Off-On switch etc. The main parts of it are i) Half circle tank; ii) Nylon brush roller; iii) Power transmission system; and iv) delivery chute. The rollers were rotated by an electric motor of 2.2 kW at 1400 rpm. A half-circle tank was made of MS sheet and MS angle bar which was welded to a separate frame of MS angle bar. The frame was made of MS angle bar. The tank had conveyor brush rollers, bearing, casing, delivery chute and water spray pipe. Conveyer brush rollers are an important functional part of the root vegetable unit. It includes fibre shaft, MS shaft, nylon brush, FL and PL bearing, chain, sprocket, clamp etc. Conveyer brush roller was made of fibre shaft along with nylon brush. Each end face of the fibre shaft was blinded with a metal plate that was attached with a screw, and MS shaft was inserted through the fibre shaft. The shaft was welded with the metal plate. The sprocket was welded with the MS shaft. The other end of the shaft was inserted into the bearing that fixed with a tank to rotate easily. The conveyer brush rollers were rotated by means of chain sprocket. Power was transmitted to shaft of the roller from motor by chain sprocket. All (Ten) brush rollers were rotated clockwise. It was used to clean mud from the root vegetables and convey the vegetables from one end of the machine to another. The power source was used for the root vegetable unit of the machine. Motor rpm was stepped down from 1450 to 48 by using gear reducer by means of belt-pulley and later stepped up from 48 to 92 rpm by using pinions. Power was transmitted to the shaft of the brush roller from the shaft of gear reducer by chain sprocket. It is one of the essential parts of the machine to supply water for cleaning vegetables through the pipe at a particular period. The pump was used for root vegetable unit of the machine. The perforated pipes were placed horizontally. One pipe was fixed on the longitudinal sides. Water flow was maintained by a regulator valve. Water amount was measured by a water flow meter. A magnetic contact and off-on switch were used. Parallel circuit connection in the electric system was used. At first, the machine is placed on a plane surface and shady place near water and electric source. The water tank is filled with fresh water through a suction pipe or supply pipe from the tap. Then the motor is started to run the conveyer brush and pump is started to supply water through a perforated pipe. Unwashed root vegetables are put inside the plastic crates having a capacity of 20-22 kg. About one to three minute after the operation, water supply is started due to remove mud and skin surface of vegetables by friction among them. They directly feed inside brush roller of the machine. They are rolling slowly among them by 5-7 minutes. Finally, the washed vegetables are collected in a plastic crate through the delivery chute. This process is continued. Finally, the washed vegetables are carried out to the drying place to get their surface dried. When the unit is operated, two labours are required for operating the machine. One labour is the need for input the vegetables in a tray and other labour collect washed vegetables from other end and bringing them to drying place. Harvested matured carrots were purchased from Chourasta, Gazipur used to conduct the performance test of the machine. Root crops washing machine was tested at FMPE workshop, BARI, Gazipur. The fabrication price of the machine was calculated including the cost of materials, labour, overhead, incidental expenses and manufacturing profit. Economic analysis of the root vegetable washing machine was done. Cost analysis included the operating cost of the machine. Operating cost of the machine included the fixed cost and variable cost. Fixed of the machine included capital consumption and shelter. Variable costs included labour, electricity, water, materials, repair &maintenance. The price of the machine is Tk 1.8 lac. only and machine life is 5 years having working duration 150 days per year. Two labours were required for operating the machine. Three to four tons of water per hour was required for washing vegetables. Water Labour wage is 500 Tk/day, water charge is 100 Tk/h and materials cost is 1 Tk/h.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report 2016 – 2017, Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A higher capacity mechanical root crop washing machine was designed and fabricated at Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Gazipur in 2016-17. The overall dimension of the machine was 2200 × 910 × 920 mm. It was fabricated with locally available iron materials. Per batch 120 kg carrots were washed using the machine and 6-7 minute washing time was required for each batch. The capacity of the machine is 0.90 kg per hour. No injured carrots were observed. The washing efficiency of the machine was found to be 98%. The price of the machine is Tk. 180000. The washing cost was 340 Tk./ton. The machine can save about 500 Tk/ton which was equivalent to 66% saving of washing cost compare to the conventional manual carrot washing method. The Break-even point of the root crop washing machine was 270 h/yr.Therefore, there is a good opportunity for farmers and traders to increase income and generate employment using the machine.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings