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Improvement of Chilli Seed Separator (2019-20)

T N Barna
Farm Machinery & Postharvest Process Engineering Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh

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

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Chilli is one of the most important cash crops grown in Bangladesh. Various food, chemical and pharmacy industries need either seed or flakes separately or may be both. Hence in such situations, it is important to separate chilli seeds out of pulp. A power operated chilli seed separator was developed at the workshop of the Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process Engineering Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydebpur, Gazipur during the period of 2018–2019. One limitation of the machine was that it needed to be stopped in about every four minutes to take the flakes out of the cylinder and resume operation. To solve the problem, the machine was redesigned and a new model was fabricated. The machine has a provision for continuous feeding and separate ways for outflow of seeds and chilli flakes. The separator was tested with dry chilli at 9–12.4% varying moisture content. Results of the preliminary test during 2019–2020 at 9.0–12.4% moisture content (dwb) of chilli showed that throughput capacity of the machine was 30.9 kg h-1, seed separation capacity 8.10 kg h-1 and efficiency 73.8%, respectively. No seed injury was observed as well as no significant effect was found in germination or seedling emergence. The experiment will be continued to the next year for improvement of its performance.

Keywords: Chilli seed seperator, Power operated, Machine seperator, Performance evaluation

Location: Workshop of the FMPE Division, BARI Gazipur

Start Date: 00-00-2018

End Date: 00-00-2020

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Separator, Chilli

Objectives:

To improve the power operated chilli seed separator
Testing and performance evaluation of the chilli seed separator

Methodology:

A chilli seed separator was designed and fabricated at FMPE division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur during 2018-19. The machine was redesigned during 2019-2020. Construction materials and major components of chilli seed separator is given. The redesigned parts are presented. The functional parts of the separator are described as follows: (1) Power source: A single phase AC motor of 0.37kW, 1450 rpm, 50 Hz, 220V; (2) Hopper: A rectangular feeding hopper sliding to the stationary drum is placed at the top of the machine and provide chilli into the cylinder; (3) Cylinder: Below the hopper, the stationary cylinder is placed that contains the chilli berries while cutting. To avoid jamming, continuous feeding at a low rate, is better; (4) Cutter blades: Three sets of total 34 blades is used for cutting purpose. Blades are welded on the seed separating shaft. The set arrangements are 120? apart from each other. Two successive blades in a row has a distance of 2.54 mm; (5) Sieve: A stationary sieve is placed at the end of blade arrangement that separates the seeds from flakes and the seeds are poured in the sliding part that drawn it in seed outlet; and (6) Seed outlet and flakes outlet: The seeds fall in sliding stationary drum through the perforated sieve and drawn away over seed outlet by gravitational force. Meanwhile, the flakes are stored on the sieve and when the flakes outlet cover is removed, the flakes are out by the centrifugal force. Power transmission system: The system includes motor, V-belt, pulley and bevel. The electric motor (1450 rpm) is attached with pulley through a V-belt (specification: B-45). Through the v-belt, the electric motor rotates the fixed pulley. The pulley and bevel are residing on the same shaft. Where the axes of the two shafts intersect, the horizontal tooth-bearing facing the vertical gear rotates the blades. In this way, the pulley swirl the bevel and the bevel wheel changes the rotation of the chuck to a horizontal rotation. The bevel rotates the central shaft containing the cutter blades. Thus power is transmitted from electric motor to the cutter bar and gear reduces to 750-790 rpm from 1450 rpm. The final rpm of the cutter bar is suitable for chopping chilli and separation of seeds. The power transmission system is shown. Working principle: Through the power transmission system, the motor begins to turn the blades. Chilli fed in the hopper slide under gravity to the cylinder. The circular whirring motion cuts the berries. The vortex causes a vacuum at the center of the cylinder, which pulls the chillis toward the middle. This action resulted in application of bending, twisting, cutter forces and their combination on a chilli berry. After the berries are cut, the point load acting on each berries separate the seeds from berries. The seeds accelerated downwards by gravity forces and the sieve separate the seeds from the flakes. The centrifugal force pushes the seeds and flakes out of the cylinder by their respective opening. The seeds and flakes are collected from their outlet. The Photographs of chilli seed seperator and its operation are shown. Testing and performance evaluation: The performance of the separator was evaluated with chilies of different moisture content (9-12.4% wb). The average chilli size from 5 cm to 11.5 cm with peduncle and 1.5 cm to 3 cm without peduncle was considered. Average weight of a thousand dry chilli was 396 g. The physical parameters of the dry chilli is presented. The pictorial views of the laboratory experimentation are shown. After each experiment, the seeds and flakespeel were carefully collected from the outlets and surroundings and were subsequently weighed. Percentages of hulled and dehulled chillies, seed damage, separating efficiency, machine capacity and throughput capacity were calculated. Flesh-seed ratio (FSr): A number of chilli with peduncle were weighted. Based on moisture content, it was done thrice. After separating seeds manually, the seeds were weighted. The flesh-sed ratio is calculated. Throughput capacity (C_t): It is the measure of quantity of chilli processed by the machine per unit time. Seed separation capacity (C_s): It is the measure of quantity of chilli seeds processed by the machine per unit time. Friction loss (C_l): After seed separation, the seeds not found in seed outlet but anywhere is friction loss. Seed separation efficiency (Se): Separation efficiency defines the ratio of the amount of material separated in the system to the amount of material to be separated entering the system.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report,2019-2020, BARI, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A cost effective power operated chilli seed separator was designed and fabricated for both the farmers and stakeholders. This machine can reduce drudgery and generate rural employment in our country. The average throughput capacity was found 30.92 kg/h and average seed separating capacity was 8.10 kg/h. It can save time around 15 times comparing to manual method. Average seed separating efficiency was 73.83%. No notable effect was found in germination percentage or seedling emergence due to machine extraction. The economic analysis and further study will be done in the next year.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings