Development and evaluation of a multifunctional agricultural waste shredder-mixer machine

Abstract

Efficiently managing the significant amounts of agricultural waste generated by farming activities is essential to prevent environmental issues such as pollution and soil degradation, making developing a processing machine crucial for sustainable practices. There is a need to efficiently manage agricultural waste, enhance resource utilization, provide economic benefits, support sustainable agriculture, and innovate agricultural machinery. This study aims to develop and evaluate a multifunctional agricultural waste shredder-mixing machine made from locally available materials. A two-way factorial design was employed to test the throughput capacity of the shredder-mixer machine, focusing on operation speed (150 rpm, 300 rpm, 450 rpm, and 600 rpm) and time (15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes). Experiments were conducted on dry Guinea corn stalks and Napia Grass. The results showed that the machine's throughput capacity improved with longer operation times and higher speeds. Specifically, it reached a maximum throughput of 20.6 kg/h when operated for 30 minutes and 22.1 kg/h at 600 rpm. When the operation time and speed were adjusted to 30 minutes and 600 rpm, respectively, the throughput capacity peaked at 28.1 kg/h. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed that the operation time, speed, and their interaction significantly influenced the throughput capacity. Additionally, a thorough safety analysis confirmed the machine's structural integrity, with a safety factor greater than 1, and validated the shear stress on the frame. This study will help improve agricultural waste management, enhance soil fertility, provide economic benefits, support environmental sustainability, advance agricultural technology, and aid small farmers.