Twin Roll Decorticator for Sunflower Seeds

Introduction

An lndian institute, engaged in the mechanical engineering R&D since 1958, has developed the technology of twin roll decorticator for sunflower seeds. The machine developed by the institute has a reasonably high capacity of decorticating 6000 kg of seeds per hour. The kernels extracted from the decorticator can be used as a protein rich snack, as well as a source of fat-free oil while the hulls can be used as fuel.

The twin roll decorticator comprises a hopper unit, a feeder unit and a seed guide. The seeds fed to the machine for decorticating are made to pass through a pair of rollers running in opposite direction and at different speeds through different motors. The unit has the provision for separation of seeds from other impurities before the feeding of the batch to the hopper. A seed grader has further been incorporated for improving upon the quality of the final products.

Operating principles

• Rollers rotate at different speeds in opposite directions
  
• Low speed roller pushes the seeds into the decorticating zone
  
• High speed roller halves in proper decorticating of seeds
  
• Hydraulic system controls the pressure applied on the seeds by maintaining a uniform gap between the rollers to efficiently decorticate seeds of all sizes and allow the unwanted hard materials to pass through

Areas of Application: Agricultural processing industry

Advantages

• Suitable especially for high capacity decorticating machine
  
• Can process different varieties of seeds by changing the operating variables
  
• Low processing cost of seeds in comparison to other conventional equipment
  
• Improved quality of oil and protein rich cake
  
• Enhanced life of expeller components
  
• No need of dewaxing

Stage of Development: Prototype

Economic Data

Capacity : 600 kg/hr
Gap between roller : 1 - 12 mm.
%dehulling : 70 (single stage)
%brokens: 5 - 10

Main Application: Machinery/Equipment

Source: Technology Bureau for Small Enterprises
APCTT Building, Qutub Institutional Area
P.O. Box – 4575
New Delhi – 110016, India