Department of Farm Machinery and Power, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, O.U.A.T., Bhubaneswar, Orissa
The effect of machine and crop parameters like concave clearance, number of oscillation per minute, moisture content and feed rate were studied on capacity, unshelled pod and broken kernel percentage with a hand operated oscillating type groundnut decorticator. ICGS-44 variety of groundnut was used in the experiment. Each independent parameter was studied keeping the other parameters constant as far as possible. It was observed that 20mm concave clearance and 55 cycle/min were suitable for groundnut decortication to lower the broken kernel and unshelled pod percentage. Higher concave clearance reduced capacity. Groundnut should not be decorticated at higher moisture content. Moisture content of 9.00 per cent (w.b.) was found suitable. Increase In feed rate reduced capacity after certain level and induced fatigue in the operator. Optimum feed rate was found to be 52 kg/h.
