Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Development and Performance Evaluation of a

Combined Maize Shelling and Cleaning Machine
1
Oladimeji Azeez Olaposi, 2Fawohunre Ademola Jerome
Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract:- The construction, assembly and machine vital supply of carbohydrate, protein, iron, vitamin B and
evaluation of the combined maize shelling was done in minerals. In Africa, maize is fed on as a starchy base in huge
the department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental form of porridges and pastes. Green maize (fresh on the cob)
Engineering Technology, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, is eaten parched, baked, roasted or boiled which play an
Ondo State, Nigeria. The evaluation of the machine was essential role in filling the massive gap after dry season
performed using NIS standard which involve the use of (IITA, 1996). In rural communities, the dwellers use maize
three different speeds of 400rpm, 500rpm and 600rpm at in manufacturing of porridge (fura) and “Tuwo” (Aremu et
moisture content of maize cobs at 11%, 12% and 13% al., 2015).
respectively. The results showed that shelling efficiency
and machine capacity in kg/hr were at highest value at In Nigeria, maize has turn out to be a staple meals crop
12% moisture content of maize and at 500rpm shelling that is recognized even to the poorest family. Many
speed. Thus shelling of maize at 12% moisture content Nigerians earn direct income through production of maize
dry basis using 500rpm shelling speed resulted into the but the production is incomplete without shelling and
highest efficiency and machine capacity when compare cleaning operations. It is used in numerous forms to
to other moisture content levels and machine speeds alleviate stavation, and such forms include pap, maize flour
and so forth. The most important steps involved in the
Keywords:- Design, Fabrication, Performance Evaluation, processing of maize are harvesting, drying, de-husking,
Maize Shelling Machine storing, shelling, cleaning and grinding. The processing of
maize into quality forms not only extend the useful life of
I. INTRODUCTION the crop, but also increases the net profit of the farmers
(Aylor, 2002). One of the most critical processing
Maize (Zeamas) is an annual legume crop. It has a operations done to carry out the quality of maize is shelling
distinct growth form, with the lower leaves being like broad and cleansing. These shelling and cleansing have been and
flags, generally 50 – 100 centimeters long and 5 – 10 remain a serious problem to local dwellers in their
centimeters wide, usually the stems are upright (Joshua and communities (Wenham, 1995). For the rural farmers to
Mendoza, 2007). The varieties of this crop follow same maximize profit from their maize, appropriate technology
trend of growth, although specific time and interval between that suites their needs must be used.
phases and total number of leaves produced may vary
between different cross-breeds, season, time of planting and The conventional shelling and cleaning techniques do
location (Ugwu and Omoruyi, 2016). Maize afford vitamins not assist large – scale processing of maize, in particular for
for human and animals and serving as a fundamental industrial functions. There are unique styles of shelling
uncooked fabric for starch, oil, alcoholic beverages, food machines which include the hand held sheller, small rotary
sweeteners and more recently fuel (Hoeft, Natziger, Johnson hand sheller, free standing manually operated sheller and
and Aldrich, 2000). It is an important source of motorized sheller. The electric motor technology involves
carbohydrate, protein, iron, vitamin B and minerals the use of mechanical assistance in shelling and cleaning of
(Amudalat, 2015). Over 30 % of the caloric consumption of maize (Nkakini, 2007). The physical and mechanical
human beings in sub – Saharan Africa comes from maize. properties of maize are extensive understanding that may be
All parts of the crop can be used for meal and non – meal utilized in maize farming, harvesting and storage or in
products. processing inclusive of shelling, cleaning, drying, freezing
and others. This information is vital in the designing and
Maize accounts for 30 – 50 % of low – earnings family construction of maize shelling and cleaning machines and
expenditures in Africa (IITA, 2019). Maize production in additionally in preparation of processing chain from grain to
Africa became about 75 million tons in 2018, representing food. Accurate design of machines and processes in the food
7.5 % of global maize manufacturing and the largest African chain from harvest to table requires an understanding of
producer is Nigeria with over 33 million tons, followed by physical properties of staple materials. (Ahlgrimm, 1997).
South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia. In industrialized nations,
maize is essentially used as farm animal feeds and as raw
material for industrial products, while in low-profit nations,
it is far specially used for human consumption (Ndirika,
1995). In Sub-Saharan Africa, maize is a staple meal for an
envisioned 50 % of the populace (IITA, 1996). Maize is a

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Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
II. SHELLING OF MAIZE Where:

Shelling is the act of removing seed or grain from their α = Angle of inclination.
various cobs after dehusking for both domestic and µ = Coefficient of friction (0.3-0.7)
commercial purposes. Shelling is best done when the
moisture content is as little as 13% (ASHRAE, 1998). In the  Belt Design.
stone ages, primitive approach of shelling consist of beating The determination of type of belt was based on the
with stick, crushing with mortar and pestle, manual shelling amount of power to be transmitted, this is based on the
consequently consume much human power and time Indian standard (I S Code No. 2494- 1974) for belt (Sadhu,
demanding (Sunghal and Thierstein, 1987). 2004).

Removal of maize from cobs if completed by hand is a The following equations were used for belt design
great task in post harvest handling operation of maize. The
prevailing maize shelling machine are sophisticated and  Equation (iv) was suggested by
required excessive power input to function as a result, they Khumi and Gupta (2006) for calculating the length of
are low in efficiency (Wagami, 1997). belt as:

Broken seeds are liable to insect and moulds attack

thereby increasing the formation of aflatoxin contamination.
As a results of all these short comings, the development of a
combined maize shelling and cleaning machine with higher
efficiency, better product quality and powered with low Where:
powered engine became a necessity.
L is length of belt in millimeter (mm).
A. Design Considerations and Analysis d is diameter of driver (smaller pulley) in mm
A motorized maize shelling – cum – cleaning machine D is diameter of driven (bigger pulley) in mm
was developed with local materials. The following factors C is distance between center of the two pulley in mm
were considered in the fabricating process of the machine;
availability, minimum power requirement, simplicity,
rigidity, stability, durability, portability, suitability and
economic consideration.
 Determination of the belt tension was suggested by
B. Design Analysis Khumi and Gupta (2006) as:

 Power Requirement for the Machine.

The power required to turn the shafts of the machine
on the maximum applicable load and speed for effective
shelling and cleaning is given by Hall, Holowenko and T1 = S x A (vi)
Laughlen (1982) as:

P = 𝜔2 x r (i)
M=AxExL (viii)

W = MV2 (ix)

Where: A = 1/2 (W1+ W2) T (x)

𝜔 = speed in radian Where:

r = radius of shelling spike
P = power required T1 is the Tension in the Tight Side of the Belt, N.
N = maximum rpm T2 is the Tension in the Slack Side of the Belt, N.
S is the Maximum per Permissible Belt Stress, MNm -2
 Determination of Hopper Capacity M is mass per unit Length of Belt, Kg
The angle that was used for Hopper Inclination (Hi) in V is linear Velocity of Belt, ms-1
the design is α=tan -1 µ as given by Bucklin, Thomson, Ross A is area of Belt, m2.
and Biggs (2003) as:  is groove Angle of V-belt, 400

Hi(α)=tan-1 µ (iii)  Shaft Design

The following equations were also used for the shaft
design:

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Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
 Shaft Diameter A. Machine Description and Component Parts
The mathematical expression for calculating shaft The combined maize shelling and cleaning machine
diameter was suggested by Khumi and Gupta (2006) as: consist of these components; the supporting frame, the feed
hopper, the shelling chamber, the chaff removing chamber,
cob outlet, clean grain outlet and the power source unit. The
frame act as the support for the entire machine. It was
produced from a 50 mm by 50 mm angle iron. The feed
Where, hopper is produced from a galvanize metal sheet with a
cuboid shape to enhance easy handling of maize during
d is diameter of shaft (mm), shelling. The shelling unit consists of the upper trough,
𝜋 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 (3.142) lower trough, arrangement of beaters and screen. The
CBM is combine Bending Moment shelling of the maize takes place in this unit of the machine.
CTM is combine Torsional Moment Immediately after the screen of the shelling unit is the
Ss is 8000psi for Shaft without Keyway cleaning unit which separates the shelled maize into cleaned
n is factor of Safety maize and chaff by a pneumatic mechanism which consists
Kb is combine Shock and fatigue factor applied to Bending of a blower through which the blast of air removes chaff and
Moment for Rotating Shaft with sudden applied load other light unwanted materials from shelled maize as it falls
Kt is combine Shock and Fatigue factor applied to Torsional from the shelling unit to the outlet. The cleaned maize outlet
Moment for Rotating Shaft with sudden applied load is located below the cleaning chamber and cleaned shelled
maize is collected at this unit. The cob outlet is located at
 Speed of Shaft. one side of the lower trough just after the hopper and the
To determine the shaft speed, the rotors pulley cob are received through it after shelling. The power source
diameter was selected using the equation for speed rotation, of the machine consists of a 3-horse power motor, 3-pullies
according to Matthew, Hoseney and Faubion (1999) and 2-belts.

B. Machine Operation
The combined maize shelling and cleaning machine is
operated through the cranking of the prime mover which
Where: operate the shelling unit and drive the fan. An amount of
maize cobs are fed into the machine through the hopper and
N1 is revolution of smaller pulley, rpm a feed gate in the hopper regulates the flow of the maize into
N2 is revolution of larger pulley, rpm the machine (Feed Rate). As the maize get to the shelling
D2 is diameter of bigger pulley, mm chamber where beaters rotate, the maize cobs are shelled
D2 is diameter of smaller pulley, mm with the action of the beaters that beat the maize cob
repeatedly. The shelled maize pass through the screen of the
III. SELECTION OF BEARING shelling unit and falls across an air stream of the cleaning
unit and cleaned maize seeds are collected at the cleaned
The selection was based on the types of load the maize outlet. The chaffs and other foreign materials that are
bearing will support when at rest and during operation and lighter than the grains are blown out of the machine through
also based on the diameter of shaft. chaff outlet. The exploded view and picture of the machine
are shown in figures 1 and 2.

Fig 1 The Exploded Drawing of the Machine.

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Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165

Fig 2 The Combined Shelling and Winnowing machine

C. Machine Performance Test IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The evaluation of the combined maize shelling and
cleaning machine was carried out at the workshop of The result of the test carried out on the machine to
Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering determine its performance discussed based on the following:
Technology Department of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, A. Capacity of the Machine
Ondo State, Nigeria. Based on the literature, the machine Figure 3 gives the implication of machine speed for
was evaluated at varying speed of 400, 500, and 600 rpm maize cobs at various moisture content on machine capacity.
and moisture content of 11 %, 12 % and 13 % wet basis. From the graph, shows that, for all the maize cobs at
The moisture content of each sample was determined using different moisture content, as the machine speed increases
the method described by ASABE (2006). The machine machine capacity also increases, thus, at 400rpm, 500rpm
capacity and efficiency were calculated using the following and 600rpm for 11%, 12% and 13% moisture levels, we
equations; have machine capacity of 215kg/h 242kg/h 263kg/h,
205kg/h 232kg/h 253kg/h and 198kg/h 219kg/h 234kg/h
respectively

B. Efficiency of the Machine

Figure 4 gives the implication of machine speed for
maize cobs at various moisture level on the efficiency of the
machine. From the graph, it shows that that increase in
machine speed result to increase in machine efficiency. At
Where: Ws is weight of cleaned grains (kg) and Wi is 11% moisture content, more maize were shelled per time but
initial weight of grains (kg) more damage (breakage) were also done to the maize
because of low moisture content level, also at 13% moisture
content, the machine recorded least efficiency because of
high moisture content. The machine performed optimally at
12% moisture content and at 500rpm, thereby recording
88% efficiency.

Table 1 Machine Speed (RPM) Versus Capacity of Machine (Kg/hr)

Machine Speed (rpm) Machine Capacity (Kg/hr) at Various Moisture Contents
13 % 12 % 11 %
400 198 205 215
500 219 232 255
600 234 253 263

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Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Table 2 Machine Speed (RPM) Versus Efficiency (%)
Machine Speed (rpm) Efficiency (%) at Various Moisture Contents
13 % 12 % 11 %
400 79 83 78
500 77 88 77
600 75 84 76

Fig 3 Effects of Machine Speed on Machine Capacity at Different Moisture Level

Fig 4 Effect of Machine Speed Efficiency of the Machine at Different Moisture Level

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION B. Recommendation

The machine “combined maize shelling and cleaning
A. Conclusions machine” is operator’s friendly as it can be operated by even
The combined maize shelling and cleaning machine a layman, the machine is a dual purpose one as it can shell
was developed in Agricultural and Bio-Environmental and clean in one single operation. it has economic
Engineering Technology Department. Three different advantages over other existing shelling machines as it can be
moisture level (11%, 12%, and 13%) of maize cobs were used to shell and clean maize at the same time and it also
used to evaluate the machine at different speed of 400rpm, produced from local materials. The adoption of this machine
500rpm and 600rpm respectively. The outcome of the by our peasant and medium scale maize farmers is advised
machine indicate that as speed increases, the machine as it will reduced the patronage of imported shelling
capacity and efficiency also increase, and time of operation machine of high cost
reduces. But at 600rpm, the maize breaks. The machine
recorded highest efficiency of 88% at 500rpm and at 12%
moisture content. Therefore, the machine performed
optimally at 500rpm and at 12% moisture content.

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Volume 8, Issue 7, July – 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
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