Background:
Cashew nuts are currently manually separated from cashew apples, with factors such as bruising, nut type, and depth of embedding affecting the difficulty of nut removal. The firmness of fresher apples makes nut removal easier compared to heavily bruised apples with soft flesh. Removing nuts from overripe or bruised apples may be more challenging than from fresh ones, but it is achievable with the right method, albeit labor-intensive and time-consuming. Labor costs can be significant, especially in high-wage regions, making efficient separation crucial for maintaining product quality and market value. Delays or inefficiencies in the separation process can impact the overall profitability of cashew production, underscoring the importance of effective separation methods. To address these issues, efforts were made to develop a 3 in 1 cashew nut separator, pulp extractor and fibrous material separating machine. This machine aims to reduce the time and labour requirements, and improve separation efficiency:
Technology Details:
ICAR-CIAE-DCR developed a 3 in 1 cashew nut separator, pulp extractor and fibrous material separating machine. This machine aims to reduce the time and labour requirements, and improve separation efficiency. The developed 3 in 1 cashew nut separator, pulp extractor and fibrous material separating machine consists of Transport wheel; Axle; Main frame; Supporting leg for main frame; Handle; Nut outlet; Side covers; Spur roller; Helical roller; Juice and Pulp outlet; Safety guard; Engine; power transmission system; Engine foundation frame; Feed Hopper; Top cover; Baffle plate for feed hopper; Rotary module covering side plates; Main shaft; Rotary module; Square pegs; Balata belt; Perforated concave; Pedestal bearing for main shaft and Feed hopper inlet. The overall length, width, and height of the 3 in 1 nut separator, pulp extractor and fibrous material separating machine were 1325, 860 and 1330 mm, respectively with a ground clearance of 160 mm. The average separation capacity, separation efficiency, and percentage of nut damage were found to be 307 kg h-1 (RCN), 99.32%, and 0.57%, respectively. Overall, 3 in 1 nut separator, pulp extractor and fibrous material separating machine offer numerous advantages over manual methods, including increased efficiency, labour savings, cost savings and provides safety