Development and performance evaluation of integrated milling-sieving-dewatering machine for grain slurry starch production

Abstract

This study involves development and integration of a rotary vacuum drum filter to an existing milling and sieving machine to enable full mechanized/continuous milling, sieving, dewatering and water recycling operation in slurry starch production from cereal grains. The resulting milling-sieving-dewatering machine consists of a water dispenser, burr mill, screw press-sieve, rotary drum, 0.5hp 65 kPa vacuum pump and 4.5 HP electric motor as major components that were sequentially assembled to enable flow of material by gravity. This integrated machine operates with an average throughput and extraction efficiency of 70.44 kg/hr and 98.48% respectively while 31.52% constitutes the average moisture content of slurry starch cake processed with it. The innovation induced over 5.39 hours saving and 10% reduction in moisture content of the slurry starch while retaining less than 2% food loss associated with its seed machine. Thereby improving the shelf life/storage potential and mobility of the processed grain slurry starch cake. Water consumption during grain slurry starch production was drastically reduced with this machine because it recycles the water drained after dewatering back to its dispenser for milling and sieving. It also reduced drudgery and improved hygiene through elimination of human contact involved in loading/discharging of intermediate processed grain among the three most strenuous and time consuming unit operations in grain slurry starch processing. Therefore, the recommendation of this novel milling-sieving-dewatering machine for effective grain slurry starch production.