Plantain has become an essential source of food in the Nigerian market today and to this effect, it is fast becoming a sought after fruit, especially for persons diagnosed with diabetics. Being a perishable fruit, plantain is usually processed into flour to extend its shelf life. Hence, there is a need to improve on the quantity and quality of the flour produced from it. This paper presents the conceptual design of a process plant for plantain flour production from green plantain pulp. The process plant consists of washing, slicing, drying, milling and sieving machines. The design analysis of constituent machines and its performance evaluation were carried out using SolidWorks and other appropriate design equations. The designed process plant was simulated to ensure its functionality. The results of its performance were analyzed and estimated cost of production presented.

A cassava chipping machine was designed and constructed, and its performance evaluated. The results showed that motor speed has significant effects on chipping capacity, chipping efficiency, and chips geometry. The higher the motor speed, the higher the chipping capacity and the lower the chipping efficiency of the machine. The machine has a maximum capacity of 245 kgh -1 at 500 rpm, and maximum chipping efficiency of 92.6% at a speed of 300 rpm. The overall best performance of the machine is obtained at a speed of 400 rpm with chipping efficiency of 86.5% and chipping capacity of 240 kgh -1 . OPSOMMINGDie vertoning van 'n prototype spaandermasjien is bepaal na ontwerp en vervaardiging. Die resultate toon dat motorsnelheid 'n betekenisvolle invloed het op spaanderuitset, spaanderrendement en spaandervorm. Hoër snelheid verhoog die spaanderuitset, maar tegelyke tyd verlaag die prosesrendement. Die maksimum prosesuitset is 245 kilogram per uur teen 500 omwentelinge per minuut. In den breede is die beste vertoning by 40 omwentelinge per minuut by 'n rendement van 86.5% en 'n uitset van 240 kilogram per uur.

No abstract

Diabetes, adjudged a risk factor for coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19), can be managed through consumption of plantain and its associated products. Plantain is usually processed into flour and other storable/value-added products due to its very short shelf-life. To process unripe plantain pulps into flour, there is a need for size reduction after drying. This paper presents the development and performance evaluation of a size reduction unit for pulverizing, sieving and conveying material to the next processing stage in a plantain flour process plant. Its model was developed using solidworks application software. After design analysis, the model was simulated to establish its suitability/adequacy for fabrication. The pulverizer was fabricated using locally available materials. Its performance evaluation gave 400kg/h throughput, 96% crushing efficiency and 96% efficiency based on the required particle size. The average particle size of flour obtained was 236μm using 500μm screen. Effect of cyclone control-valve on the pulverizer’s overall efficiency was also investigated by allowing it to operate when the valve was completely closed, partially closed and fully opened. It was observed that the control-valve’s positions significantly influenced the machine’s performance/efficiency. It can thus be inferred that the position of cyclone control-valve has significant effect on a pulverizer’s efficiency/performance. Hence, leaving control-valve fully opened during operation would help a pulverizer perform with optimum efficiency, as the pulverizer was able to convey material, efficiently in that position, to the next processing stage during performance evaluation.

The reconfigurable vibrating screen (RVS) machine is an innovative beneficiation machine designed for screening different mineral particles of varying sizes and volumes required by the customers' through the geometric transformation of its screen structure. The successful RVS machine upkeep requires its continuous, availability, reliability and maintainability. The RVS machine downtime, which could erupt from its breakdown and repair, must also be reduced to the barest minimum. This means, there is a need to design and develop a maintenance system model that could be used to effectively maintain the RVS machine when utilized in surface and underground mines. In view of this, this paper aims to develop a maintenance system model that could be used to effectively maintain the RVS machine when used in surface and underground mines. The maintenance system model unfolds the predictive (i.e. diagnosis and prognosis) algorithms, the e-maintenance strategic tools as well as the dynamic maintenance strategic algorithms required to effectively maintain the RVS machine. Four different case studies were presented in this paper to illustrate the applicability of this maintenance system model in maintaining and managing the RVS machine when utilized in the mining industries.