Comparative Evaluation of Performance of Traditional Method and Commercially Available Pedal Operated Paddy Thresher with the Developed Machine

Abstract

Traditional method of threshing of the Paddy crop  is categorized as very laborious, low output, high damage per cent, costly etc. The present study was conducted to design and develop a power operated paddy drum thresher cum winnower to increase the mechanization in paddy crop threshing process, reduce drudgery, and increase production and to make it cost effective etc.  Different components of the power operated paddy drum thresher cum winnower were designed and developed at Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, SVCAET and RS, FAE, IGKV RAIPUR. It consisted of threshing drum, blower, reciprocating sieve, lower sieve and upper sieve etc.The data were analyzed and optimized by Response Surface Method (RSM) using Design Expert 13.0 software. The optimum values of the independent variables of threshingunit viz., feed rate  275kg/h, peripheral speed  11 m/s and moisture 14.5% (db) the corresponding values of dependent parameters of threshing unit viz.,  threshing efficiency 98.7%, threshing capacity 210 kg/h, cleaning efficiency 90.1%and total grain loss percent1.96 were recorded. The total cost of operation was observed to be Rs. 1.04 per kg with breakeven point and payback period of 124.13hours per year and 2 years respectively.