DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND FABRICATION OF A SOLAR POWERED GRINDING MACHINE FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES

Most community in Nigeria relies heavily on fuel-powered grinding machines for processing various food items, which is environmentally unsustainable and costly due to the increasing price of fuel engines. This project aims to address the need for an affordable and sustainable alternative by developing a solar-powered grinding machine. The primary objective is to design and fabricate a single solar-powered grinding system that caters to the food processing needs of the Choba community, and also design and optimize a Centralized Grinding machine system which reducing dependency on fuel engines. The Single system is designed around a 1 hp DC motor with a 24V setup, integrating a hopper with an 8-liter capacity and a grinding chamber to accommodate various food items. Our primary food items are beans, corn, millet and tomatoes. Design calculations included solar panel sizing, motor specifications, battery, and inverter selection. A techno-economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the system’s efficiency and payback period. The analysis revealed that the solar-powered system meets the grinding demands for an average of 5 hours per day, with significant savings on fuel costs. The payback period indicates long-term cost-effectiveness for the community. This centralized solar-powered grinding system presents a sustainable, economically viable solution for rural food processing needs, offering a replicable model for other communities dependent on fuel-powered machines.