Performance Analysis of a Modified Laboratory Hammer Mill: Field Test Results from Different Tropical Crops
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Performance Analysis of a Modified Laboratory Hammer Mill: Field Test Results from Different Tropical Crops O. C. Chukwuezie 1 & N. R. Nwakuba 2
&
S. N. Asoegwu 2
Received: 4 March 2020 / Revised: 6 July 2020 / Accepted: 28 September 2020 # Escola Politécnica - Universidade de São Paulo 2020
Abstract The modification in design of the hammer mill focused on the hammer pattern and arrangement; whereas the performance analysis was conducted based on the average particle of bambara nut, cassava, and maize samples. The average particle sizes of the samples were compared to those produced with standard hammer mill and burr mill. The result shows that although the three grinders had no course (C), few medium (M) and mostly fine (F) particle size particles. The least average particle sizes the modified hammer mill produced were 0.0098μmm, 0.0106 μmm, and 0.0088μmm compared to 0.019 μmm, 0.017 μmm and 0.03 μmm and 0.0066 μmm, 0.002 μmm and 0.002 μmm with the standard hammer mill and standard burr mill (control) for bambara nut, maize, and cassava respectively. Tests of significant mean difference undertaken using Tukey’s method (P < 0.001) indicated that average particle sizes of bamabara nut and cassava using modified hammer mill and standard burr mill were not significantly different but significantly different with maize, whereas average particle sizes of all the samples produced with the standard hammer mill were significantly different. In conclusion, the use of the modified hammer mill drastically reduced the non-uniformed particle size associated with most hammer mills as well as eliminates the use of burr mill by farmers in the study area as alternative to produce fine grind. Recommendations for further works were stated. Keywords Hammer mill . Burr mill . Fineness modulus . Particle size . Crop material
1 Introduction Size reduction is the process of reducing large unit masses into small unit masses, coarse or fine particles (Sushat and Archna 2013). Hammer mill is a size reduction machine that consists of high speed swinging hammers mounted on rotor which impacts on the materials fed into it and get them disintegrated to finer particles such that it could pass through screen holes. According to Saensukjaroenphon et al. (2017) hammer mill is so designed that particle sizes larger than the screen holes and the clearance between hammer and breaker plate are recycled and crushed; the action also enhances comminution. One of the factors that affect efficiency of hammer mills is the hammer design and arrangement. Kim (2002) opined that design and placement of hammers is
* N. R. Nwakuba [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Nigeria
2
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
determined by operating parameters such as rotor speed, motor horsepower, and open area in the screen because optimal hammer design and placement will provide maximum co
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