Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of Indigenous Fish Feed Pelletizing Machine for Low Income Farmers in Nigeria

Abstract

The design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a fish feed pelletizing machine for low income farmers was carried out with the view to encourage local technology, as most of the fish feed pelletizing machines available are imported. The fish feed pelletizer is powered by an electric motor and it works by the rotation of a screw auger which propels the feed mix through a die. The screw auger is enclosed in the auger casing and is propelled by an electric motor with the aid of belt and pulleys. This auger is fed through a hopper, which is able to hold a large quantity of the feed mix at a time. The machine was tested using different die diameters of 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm. The test was conducted at different moisture content of 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% and 35% wet basis. The machine test results showed that the pelletizing efficiency increases as moisture content and die diameter increase. The machine throughput also increases with both moisture content and die diameter. Highest efficiency of 98% was obtained when the moisture content was maintained at 25% wet basis and the feed materials were made to pass through 6 mm die diameter. The total cost of the design and construction of this pelletizing machine was one hundred and five thousand naira (N105, 000.00) which is still reasonably affordable by small scale famers.