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Development of a Low Cost Two Wheel Tractor Mounted Mobile Maize Grain Remover (2017 - 2018)

N Jahan,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

M I Hossain,
Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Power tiller (Two wheel tractor) is a very common tillage tool in Bangladesh. A simple and low cost simple power tiller mounted spike tooth type mobile maize grain remover has been developed in Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division of BARI, Gazipur during 2015–16 and it is evaluated in the farmers’ field during 2016-17 and 2017-18 with a view to easy way grain removing maize in rural areas and eliminating botheration of transportation of traditional maize grain remover from place to place. The main components of the grain remover are hopper, rotating cylinder, concave, grain delivery outlet, grain remover cob delivery outlet, grain remover fixing arrangement, and main pulley with power transmission arrangement. It is an anticlockwise rotating cylinder, axial flow type grain remover and grain separated with a frictional force between spike tooth and concave. The maize grain remover is attached with nuts and bolts in front of the engine base of two wheel tractor (2WT). The operating power of the grain remover comes from the flywheel of the engine of the tractor through ‘V” belt pulley arrangement. The average grain removing capacity of the mobile grain remover is 2 t/h, broken kernel 2.7%, and grain removing efficiency 96%. The average cost of grain removing maize is Tk. 0.22/ka compare to the traditional custom hire rate Tk.1.0/kg. The benefit-cost ratio of the mobile maize grain removerwas 3.48. The service provider of the two wheel tractor can transport the mobile maize grain remover long distance in operator’s seating position as itattached with the 2WT which minimized transportation hazard of maize grain remover. So, it can reduce maize grain remover installation and starting time, and quick return to another farmer.

Keywords: Maize grainremover, Low-cost, Two-wheel tractor

Location:

Start Date: 00-00-2015

End Date: 00-00-2018

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Tractor, Maize

Objectives:

Objectives

To develop a low-cost two-wheel tractor mounted mobile maize grain remover
To test and evaluate the performance of the maize grain remover both on the station and in the farmers’ field
To compare the cost of grain removal with traditional methods

Methodology:

A power tiller mounted spike tooth type mobile maize grain remover was developed in Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division of BARI, Gazipur during 2015–16 and it was evaluated in the farmers’ fields during 2016–17 and 2017–18 with a view to grain removing maize at ease in the farmers’ field of rural areas and eliminating botheration of transportation of traditional maize grain remover from place to place. The main components of the grain remover were hopper, rotating cylinder, concave, grain delivery out let, grain removed cob delivery out let, grain remover fixing arrangement, main pulley with power transmission arrangement. The materials used for the mobile maize grain removerwere M.S sheet, MS angle, steel rod etc. All materials were collected from local market. The grain removing unit of the mobile maize grain remover is to be assembled with the transportation power unit and the service providers freely carry the maize grain remover to the farmers’ home yard in assembled condition. The maize grain remover is hitched at the front of the tractor with engine base through nuts and bolts. There is a flexible stand at the bottom of the base frame which facilitates standing maize grain remover in level position. Before starting grain removing operation, the outer most two “V” belts are released from the fly wheel and another two special “V” belts are introduced connecting fly wheel of the two wheel tractor and the main pulley of the mobile maize grain remover. The cylinder of maize grain removerrotates in anti-clockwise rotation. Maize grains are grain removed by the frictional force between the spike tooth and the concave. grain removed grains pass through the concave openings having diameter, 19 mm, and the grain removed cobs move in axial direction and pass out through the outlet. The followings data were recorded for evaluating the mobile maize grain remover performance (i) Moisture content, %, (ii) removed grain, kg (iii) Broken kernel, kg (iv) unremoved grain, kg (v) Speed of rotating cylinder, rpm, (vi) Time of operation, min, (vii) Cost of operation. Data to be analyzed – grain removingcapacity, kg/h; grain removing efficiency, %; grain removing loss, %.

Technical parameters were calculated based on data available in the performance report of the existing maize grain remover in Bangladesh (Alam and Momin, 2009).

Kernel moisture content

Immediately after grain removing, samples of the kernel were taken to determine the moisture content. After weighing, the samples were put in an electric oven at 105 ºC temperature for 24 hours and weighed. Moisture content was determined

Source of Information: Annual Research Report (2017 - 2018), Farm Machinery and postharvest Processing Engineering Division, BARI, Gazipur

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Based on the results and discussion above, following conclusions are drawn:

The BARI mobile maize grain remover operates successfully when attached with a two wheel tractor and the operator finds it comfortable to move the maize grainremover. It eliminates the frequent fitting and fixing hazards of maize grain remover and transportation problem.
The grain removing performances of the mobile maize grain remover are found better at lower moisture contents. The average grain removing capacity of the mobile grain remover is 2 t/h, broken kernel 2.7%, and grain removing efficiency 96%.
The average cost of grain removing of maize is Tk. 0.22/kg compared to traditional custom hire rate of Tk.1.0/kg.
The manufacturers can make this mobile maize grain remover within a short period of time.
The service providers can use this grain remover with less hazard compared to traditional 2WT driven maize grain remover.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings