Development of a Dual Stripping and Screening Machine for Separating Oil Palm Fruit Bunch

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design, fabricate, and evaluate a dual stripping and screening machine for oil palm fruits in Nigeria, with the aim of improving efficiency, reducing damage to the fruits, and minimizing injuries to processors. The study involved the design and fabrication of a machine that could easily handle palm fruit bunches (PFB), separate the fruits from the chaff, and minimize damage to the fruits. The evaluation was conducted using a 3×3×3 factorial experiment, with three levels of PFB sizes, three levels of operating speed, and three replications. The evaluation results showed that the optimal operating speed for the machine was 1000 rpm. At this speed, the machine achieved a stripping efficiency of 98.6% for small PFB sizes, 89.93% for medium PFB sizes, and 85.68% for large PFB sizes. The screening efficiency was 98.62%, 96.23%, and 95.68% for small, medium, and large PFB sizes, respectively. The percentage of damage to the fruits was 2.25%, 2.11%, and 2.55% for small, medium, and large PFB sizes, respectively. The output capacity of the machine was 131.25 kg, 139.30 kg, and 165.36 kg for small, medium, and large PFB sizes, respectively. This study presents a novel dual stripping and screening machine for oil palm fruits, addressing the time-consuming and labor-intensive manual post-harvest operations associated with the local method. The machine's design and evaluation provide valuable insights for improving efficiency and reducing damage in oil palm industries in Nigeria.