Abstract
A survey carried out on conventional or traditional method of sieving wet grains showed that the method consumes time, energy, has low output and efficiency and is also hazardous to health due to low level of hygiene involved. A motorized grain gruel machine was developed at the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin Nigeria. The machine consists of four major units which are hopper, seiver, separator and the discharge unit. The machine’s performance was evaluated at different water volumes (16.5, 18.5 and 20.5 liters) and at three different operating speeds namely 65.3 rpm, 115.0 rpm and 126.0 rpm. The parameters evaluated are; sieving efficiency, through put and output capacity. The data were analyzed using the New Duncan multiple range test (Post Hoc Test) method and linear regression model was used to establish the relationship between the independent variables with the dependent variable, which was optimized using pulp in python version 2.9 frame work. Results show that the machine performed higher at 20.5litres and 126 rpm to a maximum sieving efficiency of 85.08% and 86.48% respectively, but was optimized to the range of 88.35-92.5% in sieving efficiency and 19.42-23.42kg/hr in output capacity. Also the analysis showed that water volume used had more significant effect on the efficiency and other variables such as the throughput and the output capacity respectively, than the operation speed. It was concluded from the results that the machine saved time and energy, reduced material wastage and hazards and therefore is more efficient than the conventional method. It is recommended that further evaluations should be carried out on the machine using a wider variety and species of grains samples.
Highlights
Grains gruel are legumes and cereals crops family, which are vital source vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats, oils, and protein
The objective of this study is to developed a modified grain gruel motorized sieving machine which will include a filter in order to reduce stress, by which the operator undertake when extracting milk from the wet grain gruel, having an enclosed sieving mechanism limiting human and atmospheric contamination, using low cost and available material and still having high sieving capacity and efficiency rate for small and medium scale processing of wet agricultural crops
The significant difference observed at the through put was even, but at the output capacity it was discovered that the difference was more at 16.26 (18.5litres), while it was observed that was a shoot-up in the efficiency difference at 20.5 liters (85.08%) compare to the others
Summary
Grains gruel are legumes and cereals crops family, which are vital source vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats, oils, and protein. Soya bean which is the most economically and nutritionally significant among the lots and its popularly consumed as a bean has several uses, which includes soy milk, soya cheese (Beske), soy sauce, soy oil etc. It is a highly refreshing milk drink which is rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals that help in optimal bone health, improved blood cholesterol, protection against cardiovascular diseases, soybean a suppressant for prostate and breast cancer reduces blood pressure and body weight regulation which makes it one of the natural beverage consumed in Nigeria [3, 4]. When processing the soya milk, asides the strenuous process taken to produce the milk and The processing operations involved in the production of soya milk include; Cleaning, steeping, wet milling, wet sieving, mixing, cooking
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