Development and Performance Evaluation of an Improved Garri Mash Sifter

Sifting of dewatered cassava mash lump into finer particles to remove oversized grain fractions is a key process in the cassava-to-garri production chain. However, to eliminate the problems associated with the traditional method of garri sifting in Nigeria, a motorized garri sifting machine was designed, fabricated, and tested. The machine design employed the fundamental principle of vibratory motion associated with rotor dynamic systems. It consists of the mainframe, hopper, sifting chamber, pulley, belt arrangement and the discharge outlet; and powered by two electric motors of 1-horsepower (0.745 kW) rating with angular speed of 1,725 rpm. The sifting action is achieved by an induced vibratory motion, generated by the rotation of the camshaft in the pulley and belt arrangement. The results of the performance evaluation of the machine showed a throughput capacity of 124 kg/hr, while the sifting capacity was 164 kg/hr, with an average sifting rate of 0.047 kg/s, resulting in an overall sifting efficiency of approximately 76%. The development of this machine has improved the timeliness of the garri sifting process and eliminated the drudgery and hazards associated with the prevalent manual sifting process.