A Performance Evaluation of an Improved Palm Kernel Cracker from Locally Sourced Materials

Abstract

This paper presents the design and fabrication of an improved palm kernel cracker using available local materials and evaluate its performance. In designing and selecting of materials for the machine, consideration was given to the techno-economic status of micro and small-scale palm kernel processors who would be the intended users of the machine. The convectional palm kernel cracker which uses long rotating hammer for cracking nuts were discovered to be less efficient since it misses any nut that are not in line of action or axis of rotation. Also, by virtue of its design, cracked shell continually hint the drum (cracking house) that would lead to wear of the drum.  Hence, this paper modified palm kernel cracker with a cracking equi-angularly space of three hammers welded to the rotor and housed in steel rods constructed into a cylindrical cage that has a gap between successive steel rods such that the whole kernel cannot passed through it. But only allowed cracked shell and kernel itself to pass and as such capable of making contact with every nut and thus cracking nearly all the nuts with an efficiency of74.2%,a throughput capacity of 75.6Kg/hr has been successfully and economically designed and fabricated using locally available sourced materials.