American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (4): 630-639, 2015ISSN - PDF document

American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (4): 630-639, 2015ISSN 1818-6769© IDOSI Publications, 2015DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2015.15.4.12603Corresponding Author:ElKamil H. Tola, Precision Agriculture Research Chair, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460 Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia. E-mail: etola@ksu.edu.sa630Development and Evaluation ofJatropha Seeds Shelling Machine for Biofuel ProductionAbdelmutalab F. Kheiralla, El-Kamil H. Tola, Adil N. Korsha and Abas Y. Eltigani1,2 , 46.33% and 48.76%,respectively; while, the shelling efficiency was 100%.Key words: Biofuel Jatropha seeds Shelling machineINTRODUCTIONis from micro algae. In poor countries, an ad-hoc basis isThe world’s population consumes more oil than anybio-fuel to be only made from non-edible vegetable oil [2].other single energy source. Rising prices, concerns aboutJatropha curcas L., commonly called physic nut orenergy security and global warming impacts have sparkedpurging nut, is a draught-resistant plant belonging to the Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015631husksare available after decortications of Jatrophacylinder and transmission system; and it was powered byseeds for oil extraction. Seed contains about 40-42% husk1 kW variable speed electric motor with a feasibility of(hull) and 58-60% kernels; the kernels oil content is aboutmanual operation. The performance evaluation of their50%.If the oil is extracted by solvent method, the oildeveloped machined indicated that a clearance of 6 mmrecovery is more than 95%. But in mechanical expeller, theand a roller speed of 750 rpm showed acceptable qualityoil recovery is about 85%.of shelled kernels. Ibrahimet al. [7] modified a cornThree kilos of seeds can produce about 1 liter of oil.shelling machine for shelling green pea. Their experimentalThe NIIR Board of Consultants and Engineers reportedresults revealed that the modified machine can be usedthatJatropha seeds contain 6.62% moisture, 18.2%successfully for shelling green pea at a drum speed ofprotein, 38% fat, 17.3% carbohydrates, 15.5% fiber, 4.5%between 620 to 710 rpm at grain moisture ranging betweenash; and the oil contains 21% unsaturated fatty acids.66.4 to 69.8% and at a feed rate ranging between 300 toThe Mechanical oil extraction produces press cake360 kg h . Also, the maximum shelling efficiency ofaconstituting6% Nitrogen, 75% Phosphorus and 0.94%groundnut Sheller developed and evaluatedbyPotassium, used like chicken manure as organic fertilizer.Atikuet al. [8] was about 80%.An application of 1 ton press cake is equivalent to 200 kgUtilization of renewable sources of energy availableofmineral fertilizer (NPK 12:24:12). In the light of thein Sudan is a major issue in the future energy strategic asspiraling fuel increases, development of fuel energyalternative to the conventional energy fossil. The Sudanresourcesto supply the needs of industries is needed [5].has a long history in renewable energy utilization likeThe production of soap and candle requires the use ofmany other African Countries and it is distinguished byseed extract as raw material. The leaves and bark on theits fertile land, heavy rains and the availability of waterother hand, become ingredients of other various industrialresources. Although the utilized capacities are lowand pharmaceutical purposes. The roots, flowers and latex(ranging between 20-30%) [9], extraction of biodiesel fromof the plant serve as herbal medicine. A presser-expellerJatropha in Sudan was newly introduced, but it is facingcan easily extract oil from the Jatropha nut. About 25-30%some problems such as the disappearance of theof the Jatropha seed composed the oil, while oil is 50-60%appropriate laboratory equipment. Although, number ofofthe kernel [6].uses ofJatropha curcas oil has been realized, pertinentThere are some problems facing the researchers in theengineering properties data on extraction, equipmentprocessof whole Jatropha seed due difficulty in pressingdesign and process predictions are lacking. Therefore, thehardshell. Mohammed [4] reported that the averageobjective of this study was to develop and evaluateextraction of oil content of the whole seed, kernel andmachine for shelling Jatropha seeds.shell are 35.13, 55.38 and 1.4%, respectively; that meansthere is about 20.25% loss in oil content between wholeMATERIALS AND METHODSseed and kernel, so that requires the design anddevelopment of the appropriate Jatropha seeds shellingThe fabrication of the shelling machine was carriedmachine for bio-fuel production.out ina local machine shop. The physical properties ofCurrently, there is no specialized mechanical meansJatropha seeds and kernels were carried out inof husking and shelling Jatropha curcas fruit and seeds tolaboratories of the Faculty of Engineering, University ofobtain the seed kernels. In order to acquire a mechanicalBlue Nile. While, evaluation and adjustments of themethod of husking and shelling Jatropha that will bedeveloped machines were carried at laboratories of thefaster and involve less labour, the physical andDepartment of Agricultural Engineering of the Faculty ofmechanical properties of the material to be handled needEngineering, University of Khartoum. to beconsidered. Mechanical means of husking andshelling Jatropha curcas seeds, for the biofuel productionPhysical and Mechanical Properties of Jatropha Seeds sector, are necessary to enhance mass production of theMoisture Content and Sample Selection:Air driedoilat a faster and easier rate with a higher recoveryJatropha seeds were first cleaned manually to remove allpercentage;hence, appropriate husking and shelling needforeign matters. Samples of 100 Jatropha seeds wereto be developed [3].randomly picked and used for the determination ofTinget al. [5] designed and fabricated Jatrophamoisture content by oven drying the samples at 105±1°CSheller consisting of mainframe, rotary cylinder, stationaryfor 24 hours, using Equation (1), [10]. 100=× Dabc Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015632(1)where: M = moisture content (d.b.), %; M = the initialmass of the sample seeds, kg; M = the final mass of thesample seeds after drying, kg.Sizes and Shape: In order to determine the size and shapeof the seeds, a sample of 100 seeds was randomly pickedfrom each level of moisture content. A Vernier, withaccuracy of 0.01 mm, was used to measure the dimensionsFig. 1:3Ddrawing of the proposed Jatropha shellingof seeds (i.e. length, width and thickness). The Jatrophamachinehas an oval shape with a major axis significantly greaterthan the intermediate axis. The size and shape of Jatropha Materialsof adequate strength and stability wereseeds were determined in terms of equivalent diameterused for fabrication (i.e. Mild steel Aluminum for the(D) and sphericity (Ø) using the relationships given bypulley).Mohsenin[11]. Themachine was designed to have a maximummachinecould be affordable for small scale farmers(2)and micro-industries.where: D= Geometric Mean Diameter, mm; a = lengththe fabrication of the components. Consideration was(i.e. dimension of the longest axis), mm; b = widthgivento the cost of items and materials for(dimensionperpendicular to the longest axis), mm; and cfabricationwith the ultimate aim of utilizing the=thickness (dimension perpendicular to both length andcheapestavailable materials, yet satisfying allwidth, mm. The sphericity is given by Equation (3).strength requirement(3)Design of Shelling Machine Components: The developedGeneralDescription of the Shelling Machine: Thetrough through which the Jatropha sheaves are fed intoproposed machine was conceived as a low-cost, easy-to-the shelling machine, (ii) shelling unit which consists of aadjust and easy to develop for removing shells fromdrum and a concave for the shelling operation, (iii) theJatropha seeds. It consists of frame, hopper, shelling unit,cleaning unit which consists of a belt and pulleys toconcave, fan, kernels discharge outlet and shellstransmit the motor power. The shelling machine maindischarge outlet. The conical shaped hopper is mountedframe, on which other parts of the Sheller are mounted, ison the frame and held in place by a hopper support frame.made ofangular mild steel and the drum is made ofThe shelling unit consists of a semi-circular concave andgalvanized metal. The developed machine was poweredrotating blades mounted on a shaft. The discharge outletwith 1 hp electric motor as a prime mover that suppliedis the point where the seeds and shells from thepower to the Sheller through belt drive. The shelling isshelling unit are collected and moved to the cleaning unit.achieved by shelling bars on the drum by both rubbingThe cleaning unit consist of a fan (28 mm x 30 mm x 60 mmand beating against a stationary concave plate. The cleanwith 4plates) to separate seeds and shells. The frame iskernels are obtained by the blower action which blows ofthe mounting support for all the components of thethe shells and other debris. Figure 2 illustrate themachine.The three dimensional (3D) drawing of thedeveloped Sheller.proposed machine is depicted in Fig. 1.Design Considerations: The mechanics of JatrophaTo calculate the minimum energy required for a givenshelling seeds include compression, shearing and impact.reduction process, the utilized theory depends upon theThedeveloped machine utilizes the principle of shearingbasic assumption that the energy required to produceaforce. The following factors were considered in the designchange dL in a particle of a typical size dimension L is aof the Jatropha shelling machine.simple power function of L [12]:capacityof 150 kg h of Jatropha seeds, so that the Thematerials that are available locally were used inmachine has the following main component: (i) the feedDetermination of Energy Needed to Shell Jatropha Seeds: n dEKLdL 1 KfL 12( /) kcLogLLHmKf EfficiencyAm-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015633Fig. 2:Elevation and side view of the proposed Jatrophais H = 0.298 kW (0.4 hp).shelling machine1: Concave, 2: Fan, 3: Motor, 4: Sheller unit, 5: Hopper andDetermination of Power Required for Driving the Fan:6: Shells dischrage.The power imparted by the fan impeller (H) is given by(4)where: dE = differential energy required; dL = change in atypical dimension; L = the magnitude of a typical length;where: P = the rise in total pressure across the fan, kPa;K and n = constants. Q = the volume flow, ms Basedon Kick’s Law, the energy required to reduceIn the absence of frictional or shock losses:a material size was directly proportional to the sizereduction ratio dL/L. This implies that n in Equation (4) isP = (uC – uC)(10)equal to -1.IfK = Kf; where: is Kick's constant and f is thevelocity at outlet and inlet, m s ; C and C = peripheralcrushing strength of the material, then:component of fluid velocity, m s (5)theoretical fan pressure and is known as Euler's equation.This, on integration gives:centrifugal impeller, i.e. C = 0; giving:E = K f (L / L)(6)P = (11)kcLoge12where: E = energy required to shell a seed; K = Kick’sEuler's equation can be re-expressed in a manner thatconstant; f = crushing strength of Jatropha (kg m );is more susceptible to physical interpretation. From theL= average length of unshelled Jatropha seed; and L=outlet vector diagram:average length of shelled Jatropha seeds.The value obtained by Equation (6) is E =5.712 k J.PowerRequired for Shelling Jatropha Seeds: Therequired power for shelling Jatropha seeds is given by=(13)Equation (7).(7)where: = capacity ratio.(14)Power required to shell Jatropha according toKick’s law for the shelling machine, where = capacityratio= 150 kg h (assumed), is the value obtained bycalculations using Equation (7) is H = 0.238 kW.Considering the transmission efficiency, the requiredmotor power () is given as:(8)H = Motor power. Assuming that the power transmissionefficiency is 80%, the value obtained using Equation (8)Equation (9) [12].H = P × QFftft2u21u1where: = is air density, kg m ; u and u = tangentialu1u2Thisrelationship in Equation (10) gives the totalThe inlet flow is often assumed to be radial for an idealftu2u2W2 = (12)222222222i.e.2 + (2 + 2222222 22222221222uuWWCC −−−=−+ 22212ftuuP VelocityRatio== 9550tmkWMN Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015634where: C = radial component of fluid velocity, m s ;+ H = 0.393 + 0.133 = 0.526 hp; hence the selected motorW = fluid velocity relative to vane, m s ; C andwas 1.0 hp at1400 rpm.C = absolute fluid velocity, m s Similarly for the inlet:Machine: According to the velocity ratio of the diameter1 + (15)111222Then:(16)D = effective diameter of the drive pulley; N = drumi.e. P = Centrifugal effect - effect of relative velocitygiven where D = Effective diameter of larger pulley = 300+ change in kinetic energymm, D = Effective diameter of smaller pulley = 80 mm,= Gain in static pressure + Gain in velocity pressureof 3.75, from Equation (20), N = shelling speed = 373.33For radial fan, C = C; and W2 = W1, then:rpm.(17)Determinationof Torque Developed by Sheller: Thewhere: u = relation:For: N = 862 rpm = 1.2, the value of the totalpressure across the fan (kPa) obtained using Equation(21)(17); is P = 0.078 kPa. × impeller width × u(18)rpm, the value of the Tensional moment obtained usingwhere: Q = the area of flow at impeller outlet; d = diameterofthe impeller (fan outlet diameter); and u = tangentialThe driven pulley load is given by:velocity at the outlet, m s .1u = (19)For: N = 862 rpm, = angular velocity = 90.3 (radians s ),(m) = 0.08 m, the value obtained using Equation (22) wasr and r = fan outlet and inlet radii. The value obtainedT = 63.625 N.by calculations using Equation (19) is u = 7.22 m s andThevertical and horizontal components of beltd = fan outlet diameter = 0.16 m, impeller width = 0.28 m.tension are:Thevalue obtained by calculated using Equation (18) isQ = 1.015 m s Tsin60(23)The mechanical power transmitted from theimpeller to the air calculated from 8 and 12 using equationwhere: T = vertical belt tension.7 is H = 0.079 kW.The required power for driving the Fan, assuming theTcos60(24)power transmission efficiency is 80%, was obtained as 0.099 kW = 0.133 hp.where: T = horizontal belt tension. Selection Motor Required for Shelling Machine:obtained by Equation (23) and (24) were: T = 55.1 N andAccording to the total shelling machine power (hp) = HT = 31.81 N. Determination of Diameter and Drum Speedfor Shellingand drum speed is given as:(20)where: D = effective diameter of the driven pulley;speed; N = motor speed.Thevelocity ratio of the driven and driving pulley is Motor speed = 1400 rpm; by using the velocity rationTorque Developed by Sheller Shaft is obtained from thewhere: M = Tensional moment, N = motor speed = 1400Equation (21) was M = 5.09 N.m.(22)where T = pulley load; D = diameter of the driven pulleyThevertical and horizontal belt tension values 60dNV 21.57()LcDd=+− tHnH 21/2[[()()]bbttMKMK 100ClearindEfficiency=×Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015635Fig. 3:Sheller drum shaft bending moment diagram in thevertical planeFig. 4:Sheller drum shaft bending moment diagram in thehorizontal planeThe motor pulley circumferential speed is given as:(25)where: V the motor pulley circumferential speed.The calculated motor pulley circumferential speed was5.86 m s Belt Selection for the Motor of the Shelling Machine:Therequired belt length is obtained from followingrelation:(26)where: C = distance between driving and driven pulley;D =diameter of the driven pulley; d = diameter of thedrivingpulley. The value obtained using Equation (26)was L = 1.929 m (i.e. L = 2 m).Number of belts is obtained using Equation (27).(27)where: H = power required for shelling Jatropha seed(pod); H = power transmitted by a section of belt. Thenumber of belts obtained using Equation (27) was n = 1.Determination of Shelling Drums and Fans Shaft Loadsand Reactions: Reactions, loadings and bending momentswere calculated using horizontal and vertical diagrams(Figs. 3 and 4).Determination of the Diameter of the Drum and FanShafts: The diameter of the shaft is determined usingEquation (28).(28)where:d = diameter of the shaft, m; M = resultantbending moment, N.m; M = tensional moment, N.m;K= dimensionless combined and fatigue factor applied tobendingmoment;K = dimensionless combined andfatigue factor applied to tensional moment; S = allowableshear stress of the shaft, MN m Mwas calculated as 8.76 N.m. Using drums weight(steel) of 7.5 kg, pulleys weight (aluminum) of 5.7 kg, steeldensity = 8750 kg m , aluminum density = 2700 kg m P = 746 W and N = 1400 rpm; M was calculated as 6.8N.m. The values of K and K were taken as 1.5 and 1.0,respectively,for the gradually applied load on the rotatingshaftand the allowable shear stress of the shaft S35.0 MN m based on ASME code. The diameter valuesof the drum and fan shafts were 12.0 and 10.3 mm,respectively. Using a factor of safety of 0.5, the selecteddrum and fan shaft diameters were 25 and 20 mm,respectively.Determination of the Shelling Machine EvaluationParameters: For the evaluation of the machineperformance, 5 kg sample of Jartopha seeds washand fed in the shelling machine through its hopper.Thetime taken to shell the sample was recorded. Theshelled seeds and chaff were collected and weighed.The procedure was then repeated six times. Thefollowingindicator parameters were determined forevaluating the machine following Mohammed and Hassan[13].Cleaning Efficiency:(29)where:Q = weight of shelled seeds (i.e. output kernels),kg; Q = total weight of the initial sample, kg. ShellingEfficiency=× ShellingCapacitykgh %100Shells=× %100WholeKernel=×Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015636Shelling Efficiency:(30)where: = weight of unshelled seeds in output, kg.Shelling Capacity:(31)where: t = total effective time. Shelling PercentageplaneShells Percentage:(32)where: Q = weight of output shells, kg.Whole Kernel Percentage:(33)where: Q = weight of output whole kernels, kg. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONFig. 6:Fanshaft bending moment diagram in theDetermination of Engineering Properties ofJatrophacarcassFruits: Summary of the descriptive statisticresults of engineering properties of Jatropha seeds ispresented in Table 1. Themean values of length, width and thickness ofJatropha were observed to be 18.56, 11.37 and 8.68 mm,respectively. While, the mean length, width and thicknessof Jatropha kernel were found to be 15.23, 8.85 and7.11 mm, respectively.Development of Jatropha Seeds Shelling Machine:Jatropha seeds shelling machine for bio-fuel productionin rural areas have been successfully developed andevaluated. The developed machine comprises thefollowing main component: (i) a feed trough throughwhich the Jatropha sheaves are fed into the shellingmachine, (ii) a shelling unit which consists of a drum anda concave and (iii) a cleaning unit which consists of a fan,a belt and pulleys to transmit the motor power to the fan.The shelling machine main frame, on which other parts ofthe Sheller were mounted, is made of angular mild steel;while, the Sheller housing is made of galvanized metal;and the hopper is constructed using sheet metals.Fig.5:Fanshaft bending moment diagram in the verticalhorizontal planeFig. 7: The developed Jatropha shelling machine.The power is supplied to the Sheller by belt drive througha 1.0 hp AC motor as a prime mover. The shelling processis achieved by shelling bars on the drum by both rubbingand beating against a stationary plate (a concave).Cleankernels are obtained by the blower action whichblowsthe chaff and other debris. Fig. 7 depicted thedeveloped machine which is powered with a 1.0 hp andhas overall dimensions of 1100 mm in length, 1150 mm inheight and a width of 450 mm. Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015637Table 1: Physical and mechanical properties of Jatropha fruit, seed and kernelPropertiesFruitSeedKernel*Oil content (%)20.12 ± 2.1138.32 ± 4.6145.03 ± 7.86Moisture content (% d.b.)7.79 ± 0.565.856.35 ± 0.04Length (mm)26.49 ± 2.6918.56 ±0.8315.23 ± 0.78Width (mm)21.08 ± 1.6411.37± 0.408.85 ± 1.25Thickens (mm)10019.28 ± 1.608.68±0.467.11 ± 0.60Geometric mean diameter (mm)21.80112.238.41 ± 1.25Sphericity (%)84.29%65.79%0.59 ± 0.061000 unit mass (g)202280.35 ± 13.26761.50 ± 3.25476.17± 0.254Seed friction (%)71.68 ± 7.35(a)Kernel friction (%)44.73 ± 5.3663.02 ± 5.78(a)Husk/Shell friction (%)28.32 ± 7.3537.13 ± 4.11(a)Surface area (mm)1834.40 ± 77.73486.94 ± 15.67221.91± 12.63(a)2Bulk density (kg m 278 ± 1.01476.00 ±1.97588.29 ± 3.84(a)True density (kg m 20546 ± 5.47711.00 ± 7.97865.87 ± 9.23(a)Porosity (%)49.80 ± 0.833.05 ± 0.1132.06 ± 2.67(a)Loading positionHorizontalHorizontalRupture force (N)79.0 (25.08)113.99 ± 19.24Deformation Rupture point (mm)----2.05 ± 1.10Hardness (N. mm)-----67.75 ± 7.02Source: Pradhan et al. [14] and Source: Bamgboye and Adebayo [15].(a)(b)Table 2: Technical specifications of the developed shelling machineItemSpecificationMachine overall dimensions1100 mm x 450 mm x 1150 mmDiameter of larger pulley 300 mmDiameter of small pulley 80 mmMotor Power / Speed 1.0 hp / 1400 rpm Shelling speed 373.33 rpm Motor pulley circumferential speed 5.86 m s Number of beltsDiameter of the drum shaft25 mm Fan outlet diameter28 mm Fan outlet tangential velocity12.64 m s Total production cost2000 SDG (Sudanese Pound) Shelling Machine Components The Hopper: This structure is the unit in which material tobe shelled is directed and channeled into the shellingchamber. In the developed Sheller, the hopper was madeof metal sheet with dimensions of 250 mm x 499 mm and ittippers towards the shelling mechanism for easy flow ofthe materials by gravity.The Frame: It supports the entire machine and was madeby joining 700 mm x 700 mm x 450 mm steel into shape bywelding. It carries the prime mover, the shelling unit, thehopper and the fan.The Shelling Unit: This unit is made up of the beatersmounted on a shaft that transmit power for the shellingprocess, two vertically rotating discs and a concave.The pods are drawn against stationary concave by thebeaterwhich causing the impact, thereby shellingJatropha seeds.The Cleaning Unit: The cleaning unit facilitates cleaningof materials passing through the shelling unit. Air blownfrom the fan passes across the falling material andseparates the chaff from the shelled seeds (kernels). Thefanblades are curved backward and made of steel sheetand mounted on a shaft. The whole assembly is enclosedin a metal housing termed the fan housing. The Kernel Discharge: This structure delivers anddischarges the cleaned shelled seeds (kernels) intoatrough at the base of the machine. It is made of a metalsheet tapering slightly towards the base to ensure smoothdelivery of Jatropha shelled seeds.The Shell Discharge: This unit delivers and dischargesshells, dirt and unshelled pods out of the machine.The discharge process is achieved by the air blown by thefan. It is made of metal sheets and it is rectangular inshape.TechnicalSpecifications of the Developed ShellingMachine:The technical specifications of the developedshelling machine are presented in Table 2. The machineoverall dimensions were: 1100 mm × 450 mm × 1150 mm;and it was powered by a 1.0 hp AC motor operating at1400 rpm. Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 15 (3): 630-639, 2015638Table 3: Performance evaluation results of the shelling machineTestNumberCleaningEfficiency %Shelling Efficiency %Shelling Capacity kg h Shells Percentage %Kernel Percentage %Loss Weight Percentage %197.81138.4648.603.60297.46150.0045.205.8396.80137.4050.206.8497.40142.8644.605.4596.60146.6345.403.6696.20135.3444.004.14Average97.05 ± 0.609141.78 ± 5.72646.33 ± 2.47848.77 ± 3.161Fig. 8:Outputclean Jatropha kernels (A) and outputshellingcapacity, shells percentage and whole seedshells (B)percentagewere 97.05%, 141.78 kg h , 46.33% andPerformance Evaluation of the Developed Shellingwas 100%.Machine:The developed shelling machine wassuccessfully developed and its performance in shellingACKNOWLEDGEMENTSJatropha seeds was evaluated. Fig. 8 shows example oftheclean output kernels and the output shells. TheThisstudy was financially supported by King Saudaverage values of the cleaning efficiency, shellingUniversity, Vice Deanship of Research Chairs. Theefficiency, shelling capacity, shells percentage and wholeauthors are very grateful to the Faculty of Engineering,kernel percentage are presented in Table 3. The meanUniversity of Blue Nile and the Department ofvalues of the cleaning efficiency, shelling capacity, shellsAgricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,percentage and whole kernel percentage were recorded atUniversity of Khartoum, for using their workshops and97.05%, 100%, 141.78 kg h , 46.33% and 48.77%,Lab facilities. respectively.CONCLUSIONSThefollowing conclusion could be drawn from theA.Brent, 2009. Analysis opportunities for bio- fuelobtain results:productionin sub- Saharan Africa. Environment Asmall scale Jatropha seeds shelling machine for2015,from: http://www.cifor.org/publications/bio-fuelproduction in rural areas have beenpdf_files/EnviBrief/04-EnviBrief.pdf.successfully developed and tested. 2.Dragone, G., B. Fernandes, A.A. Vicente and Engineeringproperties for both Jatropha seed andJ.A.Teixeira, 2010. Third generation biofuels fromkernelhave been successfully studied. The Jatrophamicroalgae.In Current Research, Technology andseedshad average geometric mean diameter,EducationTopics in Applied Microbiology andsphericity,crushing force, length, width andMicrobial Biotechnology, A. Mendez-Vilas (Ed.),thickness were 12.23 mm, 65.79%, 113.99 N.m, 18.59pp: 1355-1366. mm,11.36 mm and 8.67 mm, respectively. WhileJatrophakernel had average length, width andthicknessof 8.59 mm, 11.36 mm and 8.67 mm,respectively. Thedeveloped machine consisted of hopper, frame,drum,fan, kernels and shells delivery. The machinewaspowered with a 1.0 hp motor and had overalldimensions of 1100 mm length, 1150 mm height and awidth of 450 mm. Resultsof the shelling machine performance showedthatthe mean values of the cleaning efficiency,48.76%,respectively; while, the shelling efficiencyREFERENCES1.Von Maltitz, G., L. Haywood., M. Mapako andBrief,CIFOR-CGIAR. Accessed on February 25, Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. 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