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Development of a Power Operated Sunflower Thresher (2019-20)

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

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

M S Miah
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

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

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was conducted for solving the problem faced by the farmers in separating the seeds from the sunflower head. Sunflowers are manually threshed by beating the sunflower heads with a stick, rubbing wear heads against a rough metal surface or power tiller treading machine. The aim of the experiment is to design and develop a power operated machine which will separate the seeds from the sunflower head. An orthographic projection was drawn with SolidWorks 2016 Software. The sunflower seed thresher was then fabricated according to drawing in FMPE Divisional workshop as per design with available local materials during 2017–18. The developed sunflower thresher was modified during 2018-19. The improved model was further modified to reduce the overall dimension maintaining same capacity of the machine. The numbers of threshing rollers were reduced from 5 to 4. A threshing fan was incorporated in the improved version to separate the dust part from the grains. The capacity of the power operated sunflower thresher was 115 and 304% higher compared with pedal threshing and manual threshing, respectively. Capacity of the thresher was varied with moisture content. Capacity of the thresher varied from 89 to 125 kg/h within 31 to 62% moisture content (wb). The sunflower thresher was evaluated for threshing at OFRD Patuakhali and Bhola. Due to COVID19, detail performance data could not collected. The farmers suggested to improve the feeding system which will be incorporated in the coming year.

Keywords: Power operated thresher, Sunflower, Efficiebcy

Location: FMPE Workshop, BARI, Gazipur, and OFRD, BARI, Patuakhali and Bhola

Start Date: 00-00-2017

End Date: 00-00-2019

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Thresher, Sunflower

Objectives:

To design and fabricate a power operated sunflower thresher
To test performance of the sunflower thresher

Methodology:

A sunflower seed thresher was designed. Some factors were taken into consideration in order to design the power operated sunflower thresher. The design parameters considered were feed rate, power requirement, shaft speed and hopper capacity etc. The most important parts of the sunflower thresher are: the motor, the pressing roller, the sieve, pulleys and belts and the fan. The space between pressing roller and sieve is an adjustable part which automatically changed due to spring action. The fabrication pressing roller separated grains from the head of the harvested sunflower. Two to three head could feed at a time. An orthographic projection was drawn with SolidWorks 2016 Software. The schematic views of the previous model and improved model of the sunflower thresher are shown. The sunflower seed thresher was then fabricated according to drawing in FMPE Divisional workshop as per design with available local materials during 2017–18. The developed sunflower thresher was modified during 2018-19. The modified sunflower thresher was further modified during 2019-20. The dimensions were reduced to reduce the price maintaining same capacity. The space between the pressing rollers (38 mm to 35 mm) were reduced. A threshing fan was incorporated in the improved version to separate the dust part from the grains. Power transmission: The sunflower thresher was operated with 0.37 kW AC single phase electric motor. Speed of the motor rotation was 1400 rpm. The power was divided into two part; one was for operating threshing roller and other was to operate the fan. Threshing roller was operated in 220 rpm speed for which power was transferred through reducer gearbox to reduce the speed. Fan was operated with belt pulley from the motor shaft and the speed of the fan was found best with 1850 rpm. Capacity Machine: The capacity of the machine was evaluated as the quantity of the sunflower head could be threshed to get seed within a recorded time. In this case, 10 kg of sunflower was feed into the machine while the time for the threshing operation to complete was recorded. Broken seed: The percentage broken seed was determined during the threshing process. The broken seed was separated from the whole seed by hand picking immediately after the threshing process was completed. Winnowing efficiency: The percentage of winnowing during the threshing process was calculated. Economic analysis: Operation cost estimation of sunflower thresher-Economic analysis of the sunflower thresher 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, repair & maintenance. One laboure was required for operating the machine.

Source of Information: AnnualResearch Report 2019-2010, BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The capacity of the commercial model of the power operated sunflower thresher was not reduced due to the reduction of the overall dimension. Capacity of the thresher was varied with moisture content. The sunflower thresher was evaluated at farmers field of Patuakhali and found similar capacity found at laboratory. Farmers expressed their satisfaction but suggested to improve the feeding systems. The feedback will be incorporated and the experiment will be continued in the next year.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings