THE HAND PEDAL TYPE WITH RECIPROCATING SHELLER PLATE TO SHELL CORN

Abstract

The aim of present paper is to construct, design and evaluate corn sheller to achieve shelled kernels with highest efficiency and lowest damage in proper time. Those, the reciprocating shelling plate is investigated to reduce the kernel movement in varies direction inside the prototype consequentially decrease the kernels damage. The experimental prototype consists of the main frame consists of three similar cub units (holding device), shelling plate and the inversion of slider crank chain mechanism regulated with four different crank radii (4.5; 6.5; 8.5; 10.5 cm). The un-depended variables were different levels of reciprocating cycles, three levels for each of shelling teeth number, clearance and reciprocating shelling plate times at different crank radii. The shelling plate speed (m/s) was recorded relative to the angular speed of connecting shelling plate with the end point of crank radius. All experiments were carried out under constant kernel and cob ear moisture content MC of 10.8% and 10.32 wb respectively. The study gives the indicator to judge and deduce that the best factors which gives the highest shelling efficiency (98.8%) and the highest productivity (78.392 kg/h) were 100 number of shelling teeth, 25mm clearance, 105cm crank radius and 65.4cycle/min shelling plate reciprocating. On the other hand, the external and internal cracks of the shelled corn are low percentage.