MODELLING THE PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED STATIONARY GRAIN THRESHERS
MODELLING THE PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED STATIONARY GRAIN THRESHERS
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Date
1997-03
Authors
NDIRIKA, VICTOR IFEANYI OBIORA
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Abstract
Simulation can be achieved by setting up a model, of a real
situation (system) and then performing experiments on the model.
It is widely used as a research and management tool in Engineering
analysis, design and industry because of the complexity of
agricultural systems.
In this thesis, simulation models for stationary grain
threshers were developed for predicting threshing performance,
through careful selection of various threshing parameters and
operating conditions in selected stationary grain threshers with a
throw-in feedrate system.
The formulated models were verified and validated with
established experimental data from stationary mechanical sorghum
and millet threshers. All the models were found to correlate and
fit well with the experimental data with R-square values greater
than 0.91 at 0.001 level of significance. A higher correlation was
also achieved with the overall threshing efficiency model with Rsquare
value of 0.99 at 0.001 level of significance when compared
with the existing models.
A computer simulation programme was also developed and used at
three factor interaction of the process variables to obtain
variables for optimum (minimum) grain loss for millet- and sorghum
threshers. The utility of this programme is demonstrated in
selecting least or minimum grain loss for various combination of
process variables. The result obtained from the simulation
revealed that a minimum grain loss of 0.09% was obtained for the
millet thresher and 0.35% for the sorghum thresher at 9% grain
moisture content, cylinder speed of 5 m/s and feedrate of 0.03
kg/s. These compare favourably with a minimum grain loss of 0.10%
and 0.46% respectively, for millet and sorghum obtained from actual
measurements at the same values of the parameters.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D) IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING,
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
March, 1997
Keywords
MODELLING,, PERFORMANCE,, SELECTED STATIONARY, GRAIN THRESHERS