FACTORS AFFECTING THE DESIGN OF A GRADING MACHINE FOR EGYPTIAN-LIME FRUITS

El-Raie, A.E.S; Yehia, I.; Atallah, M. M.; Khalil, K. S.

doi:10.21608/mjae.2012.102272

FACTORS AFFECTING THE DESIGN OF A GRADING MACHINE FOR EGYPTIAN-LIME FRUITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Chief Res., Ag. Eng. Res. Inst., Egypt.

² Res., Ag. Eng. Res. Inst. , Egypt.

10.21608/mjae.2012.102272

Abstract

The aim of this research is to design a grading machine according to the physical and mechanical properties of lemon fruits.
The main results in this study can be summarized in the following points:
The maximum fruit damage of 4.7, 4.1and 8.9 % for fruit sizes 35, 40 mm and total count, respectively were obtained with grading speed of 8 rpm (0.08 m/s) and fruit batch of 20 kg. Meanwhile, the minimum fruit-damage of zero % for all fruit sizes was obtained with grading speed of 11 - 14 rpm (0.12 - 0.15 m/s) and fruit batch of 5 kg. The maximum range of grading-machine productivity for lemon fruits of 220.7 – 760.9 kg/h was obtained with grading speed range of 5 - 14 rpm (0.05 – 0.15 m/s) and fruit batch of 20 kg. Meanwhile, the minimum range of grading-machine productivity for lemon fruits of 142.8 – 492.3 kg/h was obtained with grading speed range of 5 - 14 rpm (0.05 – 0.15 m/s) and fruit batch of 5 kg.
The operation and production costs were 7.37 L.E./h and 64.84, 19.8 L.E./ton at optimum conditions (grading speed of 11 rpm or 0.12 m/s and fruit batch of 10 kg).

Main Subjects

Agricultural Power and Machinery Engineering

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