Evaluation of a reciprocating peanut sheller

The present study was carried out to evaluate the performance efficiency of a reciprocating peanut sheller at various shelling box speeds of 1, 1.4, 1.7 and 2 m/s, feed rates of 60, 80, 100 and 120 kg/h, air velocities of 4.43, 6.25, 8.37 and 10.11 m/s and peanut moisture contents of 11.6, 17.12 and 23.52%. The shelling efficiency, mechanical damage and unshelled seeds (total losses), sheller productivity, unit energy consumption, seed recovery and degree of cleanliness were estimated. The results showed that these indices were 95.44%, 5.55%, 4.56%, 70 × 10-3 Mg/h, 3.36 kW.h/Mg, 99.67% and 96.1%, respectively, at shelling box speed of 1.4 m/s, feed rate of 80 kg/h, air velocity of 8.37 m/s and peanut moisture content of 17.12% (d.b.) as an optimum condition of the peanut sheller. The lowest cost to produce one megagram of shelled peanut seeds was 64 L.E.** at the same operating conditions. The shelling efficiency of the reciprocating sheller increased by 3.45% comparing to drum-sheller at the same operating conditions approximately.