Development of a Portable Pulveriser to Improve Brown Sugar Quality and Efficiency
Pramoth Kumar S *
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Sri Shanmugha College of Engineering and Technology, Sankari, Salem, India.
K Muthulakshmi
Department of Agriculture, Kalasalingam School of Agriculture and Horticulture, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnan Koil, Virudhunagar, India.
Harini A
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Sri Shanmugha College of Engineering and Technology, Sankari, Salem, India.
Sapthagiri S
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Sri Shanmugha College of Engineering and Technology, Sankari, Salem, India.
Dharmaraj V
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Sri Shanmugha College of Engineering and Technology, Sankari, Salem, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In India, the manufacture of brown sugar is a significant agro-based industry, especially in Tamil Nadu, where more than half of small-scale production facilities are situated. The development of hard clods during cooling and storage due to external factors and residual moisture is one of the ongoing problems producers encounter. These clods lower the shelf life of brown sugar, decrease handling efficiency, and jeopardise product homogeneity. These clods are difficult to break by hand, unsanitary, and frequently inconsistent. A small pulveriser with a 24V DC motor and rechargeable battery was created in order to solve this problem. The machine breaks down hardened sugar lumps into small granules using powerful rubber auger blades that are coupled by a chain-sprocket mechanism.
According to performance evaluation, the pulveriser was able to pulverise 1 kg of hardened brown sugar in 1.5–2 minutes, with clod-breaking effectiveness above 85%. The machine maintained structural stability under moderate to high load circumstances, and the system recorded about 45% motor efficiency and 63% blade efficiency. According to the study's findings, the created pulveriser enhances product quality, hygiene, and operating efficiency, making it a good fit for small-scale brown sugar companies.
Keywords: Clod-breaking effectiveness, brown sugar, hygiene, sugar lumps