Performance Evaluation of a Multipurpose Wet Sieving Machine

This study evaluated the performance of a multipurpose wet sieving machine developed for processing maize slurry, cassava, and coconut milk. Wet sieving, a critical operation in food and agricultural industries, enables separating materials based on particle size. The machine was tested at operational speeds of ۴.۷۵ m/s and ۵.۷۶ m/s to assess throughput capacity, sieving efficiency, and overall performance. Results showed that increasing speed significantly improved throughput and efficiency, with cassava slurry exhibiting the most pronounced relative gain. At higher speeds, the machine achieved efficiencies of ۹۸% for maize, ۹۳% for cassava, and ۹۴% for coconut. Mechanical wet sieving also reduced operator strain compared to manual methods. However, challenges such as higher energy demand and occasional sieve clogging were identified, emphasizing the need for design refinements and optimized operating parameters. The findings demonstrate the machine’s potential to enhance agricultural processing by reducing manual labor, minimizing product losses, and improving product quality. Future work should focus on the effects of sieve size, slurry concentration, and speed control to establish optimal conditions and facilitate large-scale applications in food processing industries.

کلیدواژه ها:

wet sieving ، throughput capacity ، sieving efficiency