Development and Performance Evaluation of a Double Barrel Cassava Grating Machine

In this study, a double barrel cassava grating machine with double discharge outlet has been developed and its performance evaluated and optimized. The machine was designed to ensure very high throughput, easy decoupling and coupling and reduction in grating time. The performance evaluation of the grating machine was carried out using Design Expert Software. A central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted in determining the optimum operating condition of the machine. The optimum operating condition obtained from the machine shows an optimum abrasive surface hole size of 6mm, feed rate of 11.8kg/min and an optimum feed rate of 20.16 kg/min; a through put capacity of 730.8kg/hr. The average mass loss, partially grated and completely grated were found to be 1.43kg, 1.48kg and 22.09kg, respectively for 25kg sample; which indicates effective grating and waste was drastically reduced with an average grating efficiency of 86.23%.