Evaluation of A Locally Manufactured Maize Thresher in Sunyani West Municipality of Ghana

Authors

  • G. A. Akolgo Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.
  • E. O. Essandoh Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.
  • T. Atta-Darkwa Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.
  • F. Uba Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.
  • F. Kemausuor Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
  • J. Akimsah Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

Keywords:

Maize Threshing, Evaluation, Shelling Efficiency, Grain Damage and Shelling Shaft Speed

Abstract

Processing Maize to improve its quality does not only prolong its useful life but also increases the net profit farmers make and the goodwill derived from consumers. In this study, the emphasis was placed on field evaluation of a locally manufactured motorized maize thresher in Sunyani West Municipality of Ghana. The main objective of the project is to analyze and evaluate a motorized maize thresher for farmers in Sunyani West Municipality of Ghana. The methods used involved the collection and collation of threshing parameters such as threshing speed, maize moisture content for good threshing as well as taking appropriate measures such as reduction of quantitative (Un-threshed Grains and Scatter) and qualitative (mechanical grain damage) losses, and utilizing theories and mechanisms in threshing to determine various threshing parameters. The evaluation of the thresher involved the varying of the shelling shaft speed from 700 rpm to 900 rpm at different maize moisture contents ranging from 13% to 20%. The results showed that the maximum shelling efficiency and throughput capacities were 98.7% and 1737 kg/h respectively at 13% moisture content of maize and a shelling speed of 900 rpm.

Author Biographies

G. A. Akolgo, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

He is a lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

E. O. Essandoh, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

He is a lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

T. Atta-Darkwa, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

He is lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

F. Uba, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

He is lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

F. Kemausuor, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

He is a lecturer at the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

J. Akimsah, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

He is a lecturer at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resource, Sunyani, Ghana.

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Published

2020-04-02

How to Cite

Akolgo, G. A., Essandoh, E. O., Atta-Darkwa, T., Uba, F., Kemausuor, F., & Akimsah, J. (2020). Evaluation of A Locally Manufactured Maize Thresher in Sunyani West Municipality of Ghana. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH, 6(1), 61–75. Retrieved from https://www.ajaronline.com/index.php/AJAR/article/view/343

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2020): African Journal of Applied Research

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