Performance Evaluation of a Portable Ginger Slicing Machine

The study aimed at evaluating the functional performance of a developed portable ginger rhizomes slicing machine. The study was conducted at various levels of impeller speed, impeller gang and slicing compartment in the Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria between April 2018 and June 2018. A factorial experiment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used. The indices for the performance evaluation were the Slicing Efficiency and Throughput Capacity. The machine was powered by one horse power petrol engine and ginger moisture content of 77.44%. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test the significance level of the experimental factors and their interactions; and those found significant were further subjected to Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) for mean separations at (P = .05), respectively. The results showed that, the ANOVA for all the factors evaluated and their interactions on Slicing Efficiency were highly significant at (P ≤ .01). However, the ANOVA for the factors evaluated on Throughput capacity were highly significant but interaction between type of compartment and speed of impeller was not significant at (P =.05). The mean Slicing Efficiencies for the cushion and spring compartments were: 63.5 and 50% while the mean Throughput Capacities were: 58.32 and 6.32 kg/h, respectively.