Design and development of cocoa pod breaking and beans extraction machine

  • Authors

    • Dzudie Fonsso Josué Department of Mechanical Engineering, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences,University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
    • Ftatsi Mbetmi Guy-De-Patience Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Institute of Technology,University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
    • Kenmeugne Bienvenu Mechanical and Material Laboratory, University of Buea, Cameroon
    • Djeumako Bonaventure Department of Mechanical Engineering, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences,University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
    2019-09-20
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v8i3.29548
  • Design, Development, Cocoa Pods, Extraction, Beans, Machine.

  • The cocoa bean damage is one of the main problems of pod breaking process. Beans damage, separation of beans from mixtures and scrap shells are the main problems related to cocoa pod breaking. The objective of this work is to determine the physical and mechanical properties of cocoa pods required for the design of the equipment, dimension of the different parts constituting the equipment and put in place a geometric representation of the equipment that can rise the quality of cocoa products. Some physical and mechanical properties of the pod where obtained through experimental study. Different varieties of cocoa were initially subjected to compressive forces along the lateral axis. After that, they were set on a test bench to break the pods one after the other with a mass of steel at different heights. Thus, the average breaking strength and the moisture contents of each variety of cocoa pods were determined. This fracture resistance of the cocoa pod was measured in terms of average force, deformation and toughness at the cocoa shell fracture, and cocoa pod stiffness (rigidity). The modulus of rigidity of the pod was obtained from measurements of force and deformation. From the physical and mechanical properties of the pod, we modelled a suitable machine. This designed machine severs the poles and ruptures the pods facilitating extraction of the beans on the hulls. It can be assembled and disassembled easily, reliably and without any risk for the user. Consequently, it might be used by all cocoa producers in other to optimize the process of cocoa pod breaking.

     

     

    Author Biography

    • Dzudie Fonsso Josué, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences,University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
      Department of Mechanical Engineering,

  • References

    1. [1] Opeke, L. K. (1987). Tropical Tree Crops. John and Sons, Clichester, pp: 108-119.

      [2] Audu I., Oloso A. O. and Umar B. (2004). Development of a concentric cylinder locust dehuller.CIGR-Ejournal PM 04 003 Vol. 6.

      [3] Vejesit, A. and V. Salokhe. (2004). Studies on machine-crop parameters of an axial flow thresher for threshing soy bean. CIGR-Ejournal Vol. 6.

      [4] Adewumi B. A. and Fatusin A. B. (2006). Design, Fabrication and Testing of an Impact-Type Hand Operated Cocoa Pod Breaker. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Ejournal. Manuscript PM 06 022 Vol. 8.

      [5] Ademosun O. C., (1993). Performance evaluation of a medium scale dehulling and winnowingmachine. AMA-Agr. Mech. Asia Af, 24(2): 57-60.

      [6] Adewumi B. A. and Ayodele O .R, (1997). Design and construction of a device for the determination of static and dynamic angle of repose of granular agricultural materials. Nigerian J. Tech. Edu., 24(1): 101-106.

      [7] Jabagun J.A. (1965). A mechanised cocoa p od sheller. Nigeria Aqua. J., 2(1): 44-45.

      [8] Are L. A. And Gwynne J.D.P.G. (1974). Cocoa in West African Oxford University Press, London, pp: 102-103.

      [9] Faborode M.O. and Oladosun G.A. (1991). Development of a cocoa pod processing, machine. Nigerian Eng., 26(4): 26-31.

      [10] Adeyanju, S. A., Oguntuga, D. B. A., Ilori, J. O. and Adegbola A.A. (1975). Cocoa husk in maintenance rations for sheep and goats in the tropic. Nutrition Report International II, p 351 – 357.

      [11] Adewumi B.A., 1997a. Cocoa bean processing and drying equip men t for small and medium scale industries. A paper presented at a conference titled ‘The Role of Science and Technology in the Development of Small/Medium Scale Industries in Nigeria’. Organized by the Centre for Research and Develop men t, Ondo State University, Ad o-Ek iti, pp: 17.

      [12] Adewumi B.A., 1997b. Relationship between the angle of repose an d related parameters for granulated agriculture materials. Appl. Trop. Ag ric., 2(2): 114-119.

      [13] Adewumi B .A., 1998. Status of cocoa processing industry in Nigeria. Proceeding of the 20th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Nigerian Society of Agricultural Engineers, Lagos Nigeria, 20: 175-187.

      [14] Craig Lemin, Yan Diczbalis, Nick Richards and Chris Wicks (2012). Producing Cocoa in Northern Australia. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Publication No 09/092, 306 pages.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Fonsso Josué, D., Mbetmi Guy-De-Patience, F., Bienvenu, K., & Bonaventure, D. (2019). Design and development of cocoa pod breaking and beans extraction machine. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 8(3), 357-366. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v8i3.29548