DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A MELON SHELLER

Melon seed is an important oil seed crop that serves numerous food purposes. Shelling of this crop is vital prior to its vast applications. To address the challenges associated with shelling melon, a melon sheller was designed and constructed. Parameters evaluated include shelling efficiency, percentage seed shelled and damaged, throughput and machine capacity. The machine was constructed using locally available materials and consists of a hopper, frame, shelling and cleaning unit, chutes and prime mover. Shelling operation was carried out using melon seeds of three different moisture contents (6.99, 11.90 and 18.32%) and at different shelling speeds of 2,500 and 1,500 rpm, while performance was evaluated. Results obtained showed that shelling speed of 1,500 rpm and moisture content of 18.32% have the best shelling efficiency of 76.30% and least percentage seed damage of 22.60%, compared with shelling speed of 2,500 rpm and seed moisture content of 6.99%, which had a shelling efficiency of 70.0% and percentage seed damage of 68.10%. Shelling speed of the machine and seed moisture content of melon affect the rate, efficiency and percentage seed damage. The machine and throughput capacity of the equipment are 7.95 and 9.56 kg/h, respectively. This design and set of conditions selected were the most preferred because of its rapid operation, lesser seed damage and minimal human energy expenditure. The developed machine do not require skilled labor, and this melon sheller can effectively address the problems associated with the traditional method of shelling melon among the rural dwellers in Nigeria. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The constructed sheller is practically applicable to melon seed shelling and subsequent cleaning of its chaff. This will address the prevalent challenge associated with processing of melon seeds, which limit its further use.