Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a solar powered cassava grater

Abstract

This study evaluated some performance indicators of a solar powered cassava grating machine. The designing and fabrication of a prototype solar cassava grating machine was carried out using components that included food grade metal sheet metal bar, wooden roller/ grater encasing, pulley, belt, bolts, nuts. The fabricated grater was then connected via a pulley, roller, belt connection to a 1 horsepower rated Ac motor connected to a solar powering system. The solar powering system comprised of components such as 4units of solar panels (235wats), 1unit of charge controller (50 amp), 1unit of inverter (3.5Kva), and 2units of 200Amh rated batteries in series connection. Also, a mass of cassava weighing 100kg was grated in batches using the solar powered cassava grater and the grating time was determined to be 14.90mins (0.25hr). The value was significantly lower than that obtained from grating the same quantity of cassava roots on the combustion engine powered cassava grater (conventional grater) of similar specification which recorded a grating time of 17.60mins. (0.27hr). Values, obtained for some performance indicators, showed a grating efficiency and rate of 96.16% and 0.0025hr/kg respectively. Also, the throughput capacity was determined to be 400.00kg/hr. while power consideration yielded 0.0019kwh/kg for each kg of cassava roots grated. The result showed an overall improvement in all performance indices evaluated which is indicative of improvement in the efficiency.