DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CASSAVA PEELING AND WASHIING MACHINES FOR A GARRI PROCESSING PLANT

This project focuses on the design, construction and performance evaluation of a cassava peeling and washing machine tailored for modern and small scale garri processing plants. Two machines were designed, a rotary-drum cassava peeler and a paddle-type cassava washing machine. The rotary drum uses mechanical abrasion (perforated steel sheet) to efficiently remove the peels from cassava tubers while the paddle washing machine utilizes water and agitation to clean cassava before further processing. Both machines were fabricated using durable materials to withstand the rigors of cassava processing and were tested for performance in terms of efficiency, throughput, and ease of operation. The peeling machine was designed to have a capacity of 30kg per batch, driven by an electric motor with the power rating and speed of 5hp and 1450 rpm respectively. After the integration of the power transmission system, the speed of the drum became approximately 480 rpm. The washing machine was also designed for the same capacity with the peeling machine, ensuring a seamless process and utilized an electric gear motor of 1hp for power supply due to its low speed requirement. The peeling machine achieved an average throughput capacity of 99.67kg/h, an average peeling efficiency of 86% and the average peeling time after 3 trials was 10 minutes. The results showed that the peeling machine significantly improved the processing speed and quality of cassava peeling. This innovation addresses the need for improved mechanization in cassava and garri processing, making it suitable for small to medium scale garri production facilities and contributing to the efficiency and optimization of garri production in local communities.