Design and Fabrication of Groundnut Shelling and Separation Machine

Abstract

The majority of land in India is used for agriculture, which generates commodities or semi-finished products. Additionally, peanuts are an agricultural semi-finished product. The process of groundnut shelling is characterised by its labour-intensive nature and the considerable amount of time it requires, frequently necessitating human intervention. This phenomenon has the potential to result in decreased productivity and provide a risk of harm to employees. Groundnut is grown on small-scale farmers in developing countries, such as India. The average kernel price is approximately twice the price of pod. Lack of groundnut processing machines, especially groundnut Sheller, is a major problem in groundnut production, particularly in India.  In order to tackle these issues, a groundnut shelling and separation machine was conceptualised and constructed. The machine is comprised of many components, including a hopper, shelling chamber, separation chamber, and blower unit. The groundnuts are introduced into the hopper and then transported to the shelling chamber by a screw auger mechanism. The shelling chamber is comprised of a drum that rotates and has shelling ribs, as well as a stationary drum that features perforated holes. The process involves the use of shelling ribs to effectively remove the shells from the groundnuts by a rubbing action. The shelled groundnuts thereafter descend through the perforated apertures into the separating chamber.  This work focused on the design and fabrication of a groundnut shelling and separating machine electrically powered by a ½ hp motor. The machine is capable of processing 400 kilograms of ground peanuts per day with shelling and separation efficiencies of 95.25 percent and 91.65 percent, respectively. This paper describes on the design of various components of the groundnut shell and separation machine. During the process of testing, it was observed that majority of the groundnut pods that came out unshelled or partially shelled were the ones with one seed per pod and those with two small seeds in their pods. The use of a groundnut shelling and separation machine has the potential to enhance the efficacy and security of groundnut processing operations. Additionally, it has the potential to reduce the expenses associated with groundnut goods.

Cite as

Sagar K. G. (2023). Design and Fabrication of Groundnut Shelling and Separation Machine. Research and Development in Machine Design, 6(3), 32–37. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10212710