Development And Performance Evaluation Of Rice Destoning Machine

Nigerian rice has been identified as one of the major quality problems. The small Engleberg rice processing mill used by majority of rice processors in Nigeria, which includes a dehusking element and a polisher do not come with de-stoners. De-stoners are found only in a few high-tonnage integrated mills or are sold as separate equipment.
It was in the above context that the DFID-sponsored Promoting Pro-Poor Opportunities in Commodity and Service Markets (PrOpCom, 2012) engaged the services of M & A’s Greenery Ltd to conduct a survey of improved drying and de-stoning techniques and technologies in Nigeria.
1.2    The aim and objectives of the project
The aim of the projectis to de-stone rice in other to have clean rice for human consumption.
 The specific objectives are to:
i.    develop a rice de-stoning machine
ii.    evaluate the rice de-stoning machine in terms of impurity level after separation, tray loss, rice separation efficiency and stone separation efficiency.
1.3    Justification of the project
    This project leads to the followings, to improve the quality of rice, to increase production, to minimize time and reduce human labour, to reduce losses in de-stoning of rice compare to the local method, to reduce import of rice to the country and to produce job opportunity for the youths in the country.
1.4     Scope of the project
 The project work is limited to rice which are abundantly cultivated in Nigeria for human consumption. The project work of the machine is limited to some selected factors such as rice separation efficiency and stone separation efficiency.