Development of a User-friendly Tool for Pulp Separation from Palmyrah Palm Fruit

K. S. Fathima; M. R. Misha; E. Keerthana; W. U. Shimi; K. Shahama; M. G. Anjaly

doi:10.23910/1.2023.3279a

Authors

K. S. Fathima Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India
M. R. Misha Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India
E. Keerthana Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India
W. U. Shimi Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India
K. Shahama Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India
M. G. Anjaly Dept. of Processing and Food Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Kerala Agricultural University, Tavanur (679 573), India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3328-5906

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23910/1.2023.3279a

Keywords:

Cutting blade, palm fruit, pulp and seed separating tool

Abstract

The study was conducted to develop a user-friendly tool for the separation of pulp from toddy palm fruit under the Department of Processing and Food Engineering, KCAET Tavanur during 2019–20. Manual separation of pulp using traditional method is very time consuming, tedious, labour intensive and cause drudgery to the operator. Hence, a skilled person can only separate the pulp from palm fruit perfectly. Therefore, a simple hand operated tool for separating pulp effectively which is easy to operate, portable, gender friendly and economical was designed and fabricated. Based on engineering properties, a cutting tool and U-shaped cutting blade were developed. The palm was removed from the bunch and crown was removed using a knife. Then the fruit was placed horizontally on “M” shaped holding unit. Using the cutting knife, the bottom portion of palm was cut up to 5cm thickness and top portion up to 2.5 cm. Then the fruit was placed vertically on the rectangular platform and the “U” shaped blade was inserted into the fruit on the outer periphery. Blade is then pushed side ways to remove the husk of the palm fruit. The performance evaluation of the developed tool was conducted. The performance evaluation of the developed tool was done in terms of capacity and material loss. The average capacity of the tool was found to be 9.01 kg h^-1 which accounts pulp of 45–50 fruits h^-1. The material loss during the operation was estimated to be 2.4%.