Performance Evaluation of Maize Roasting Machine

Abstract

 The performance evaluation of a maize roasting machine was carried out in the research with the aim of achieving efficient roasting of maize kernel. The performance evaluation of the machine was carried out using maize purchased at Ejigbo market in Osun State as a sample. The machine was tested with 1000 g of peeled and unpeeled maize with three different temperature modes of 200°C, 300°C and 350°C and four different speed modes of 6.6 rpm, 15 rpm and 19 rpm. The machine optimum functional efficiency was recorded for peeled and unpeeled maize at a temperature of 200°C and the speed of 6.6rpm which were 76% and 80.9% respectively. Also the machine optimum conveyance efficiency recorded for both peeled and unpeeled maize were 76.84% and 81.4% respectively at a temperature of 200°C and the speed of 6.6 rpm. Hence, the two evaluation parameters: speed and temperature - have significant effect on the performance of the machine. The experiment shows that as the temperature increases, the conveyance efficiency decreases due to linear expansively of the metal. The temperature of 200°C with the speed of 6.6 rpm shows the optimum performance of the machine.