Performance of Cassava Peeling Machines in Nigeria: a Review of Literature

Abstract

A review is done on the indigenous cassava peeling machines made in Nigeria. Cassava is a very important cash crop that can be processed into more than a thousand products. One of the most important unit operations in cassava processing is peeling and its importance can never be overemphasized. Some of the other unit operations in cassava processing have already been successfully mechanized. To all engineers who have been involved in equipment design of cassava globally, cassava peeler has remained a serious problem to them. This study presents the functionalities, prospects, performance assessments and limitations in some of the indigenous cassava peeling machine. Some of the machines that have been made are the knife edge type peeler, double and single gang peeler, automated peeler, etc. Evaluated in this paper are there unique advantages and functional parameters, such as the speed of the machine, output size, efficiency of peeling and tuber loss. The machines have an operational speed ranging from 40 to 700rpm, output capacity ranging from 10.4 to 725kg/h, peeling efficiency ranging from 48.8 to 92.0% and tuber loss ranging from 2.5 to 42%. Peeling efficiency decreases as the speed of all the machines evaluated increase. There was also an increase in the loss of tuber and output capacity as the speed of the machines increases. With an improved cassava peeling process, there is a possibility that cassava cultivation will be encouraged and other uses of cassava will be harnessed. Part of what will be affected are better product quality as there will be minimum loss in tubers and an increased processing time.