Development and Performance Evaluation of a Screw-Blade Type Dehusking Machine for Dry Areca Nuts

This study aims to develop and test the performance of a screw-blade-type dehusking machine for dry areca nuts. This machine was developed using a screw-blade as a rotator and a concave as a stator, which remove the husk from dried areca nuts. The experimental machine performance was evaluated based on the machine capacity and percentage of fully husked areca nuts. The machine was tested with dried areca nuts having average major diameters of 59.21±3.35 mm and seeds of 26.08±2.27 mm. The optimal rotational speed was found to be 1100 rpm, achieving a maximum capacity of 41.65±2.16 kg/h, with 80% of the nuts fully husked. Future work should focus on optimizing the machine for higher efficiency and broader applicability, exploring different materials and designs for the screw-blade, and integrating sensors for real-time adjustments to improve the dehusking efficiency and reduce the percentage of unhusked nuts. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis is recommended to assess the economic viability of the machine for both small-scale farmers and large-scale operations.