1.

1 INTRODUCTION
Half of the world population lives in the rural areas of the developing countries. Majority of them
are generally involved in field of agriculture and related activities. These include Soil preparation
(tilling), harvesting, irrigation and post harvesting processes. Moreover they are engaged in
animal husbandry, poultry farming, sugar refineries, etc. Almost the entire energy requirements
of these people are met by locally available traditional bio-fuels like firewood, agro-wastes and
dung. Barring kerosene to a limited extent, commercial energy sources like coal, petroleum and
natural gas are not readily accessible to the rural masses even today. The increase in unit costs of
such energy sources has given a spurt to energy conservation measures. The increasing awareness
of the adverse impacts of environmental pollution and its abatement has also gained momentum
parallel. One of the inherent reasons for comparatively higher energy consumption in the rural
sector and their cost is the use of traditional devices. While great advances have been made in the
basic research of non-conventional energy systems, not much have really resulted in practical
terms.
We know that almost 72% of population of India lives in villages and their main occupation is
agriculture. More than 40% of these areas do not get regular electricity supply. So using energy
for agricultural processes incurs various losses in terms of finance. Also the traditionally used
processes have become outdated causing wastage of yield and hence require serious upgrade. It is
estimated that about 10% of food grains produced in India, are lost due to various reasons. Of
which it has been reported that about 9% of food grains is lost due to use of old and outdated
methods of post harvesting processes like drying, winnowing, milling, transportation and
handling, improper and unscientific methods of storage. It has been estimated that total post-
harvest losses of food grains at producer’s level was about 2.71% of total production.
Wind winnowing is an agricultural method developed by ancient cultures for separating grain
from chaff. It is also used to remove other pests from stored grain. Threshing, the loosening of
grain or seeds from the husks and straw is the step in the chaff-removal process that comes before
winnowing. In its simplest form it involves throwing the mixture into the air so that the wind
blows away the lighter chaff, while the
heavier grains fall back down for recovery. Techniques included using a winnowing fan (shaped
basket shaken to raise the chaff) or using a tool (a winnowing fork or shovel) on a pile of

1
harvested grain. Winnowing can also describe the natural removal of fine material from a coarser
sediment by wind or flowing water, analogous to the agricultural separation of wheat from chaff.
Self-proclaiming energy or self generating energy is a mode of reclaiming and storing the kinetic
energy in a reusable manner. Through this method the energy loss in the system can be reduced
completely by building generator of suitable design. In this project, we aim to design and
fabricate a solar powered winnowing machine, which would require solar power supply to
operate and further reuses the same energy.

1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT

I was motivated to do this project because I have seen the traditional method of winnowing from
rural areas which I grew in. I proposed the title, scope, objective and description of this project to
Mechanical Engineering department and the department accepted it. Then after I started it to
develop and design.
So the project deals on development and design of solar powered winnowing machine. This
machine boasts a reasonable design, excellent manufacturing and easy operation method and low
energy requirement. The operation method is by use of solar Pannel.
It is a low cost machine used for efficient winnowing of grain (removal of grains from the chaff)
with reduced labour input and grain loss in crop residue. The winnowing machine is operated by
battery. It completely separates grains from the straw. This capacity of the machine is measured
when it is compared with the traditional method of winnowing.
The feature of this grain winnowing machine is small in size, light in weight, high efficiency,
easy for operation and maintenance. It is widely used in mountainous areas, hilly and inaccessible
areas for harvesters and that has lack of electricity. Users can use it at yard or move it in fields if
it is needed. It has been a great favorite with farmers.

1.3 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Cleaning of grains or winnowing is one of the most important techniques of improving the
quality of primary grades as this will booster the appearance of the grades thus fetching good
money during auctioning. It involves the removal of chaff, fluff and other debris from the grain.
There are quite a number of factors that affect the performance in terms of cleaning of tea during
the operation. Such factors include air velocity, feed rate of grain, plenum angle, grade.

2
A good cleaning machine should remove all chaff and debris with very little grain loss. The long
hours associated with the traditional method results in fatigue, loss of concentration and
consequently, reduction in separation quality. So often the natural wind condition may not be
favourable for the operation and the result is increased time of operation and drudgery. A
winnowing machine which is the major aspect of this study, is made up of some important
components used in achieving the winnowing process, they are alternator, fan, vibrator
(Optional), hopper, electric motor, solar panel, etc.

1.4 HISTORY OF WINNOWING MACHINE

Winnowing can also describe the natural removal of fine material from a coarser sediment by
wind or flowing water, analogous to the agricultural separation of wheat from chaff. The
technique developed by the chinese was not adopted in Europe until the 18th century, when
winnowing machines used sail fan . The rotary winnowing fan was exported to Europe, brought
there by Dutch sailors between 1700 and 1720. Apparently they had obtained them from the
Dutch settlement of Batavia in Java, Dutch East Indies. The Swedes imported some from south
China at about the same time and Jesuits had taken several to France from China by 1720. Until
the beginning of the 18th century, no rotary winnowing fans existed in the West.

Fig 1.1: Wind winnowing by hand

In 1737 Andrew Rodger, a farmer on the estate of Cavers in Roxburghshire, developed a

winnowing machine for corn, called a Fanner;. These were successful and the family sold them
throughout Scotland for many years. Some Scottish Presbyterian ministers saw the fanners as sins

3
against God, for wind was a thing specially made by him and an artificial wind was a daring and
impious attempt to usurp what belonged to God alone. The development of the winnowing barn
allowed rice plantations in South Carolina to increase their yields dramatically.
Winnowing can also describe the natural removal of fine material from a coarser sediment by
wind or flowing water, analogous to the agricultural separation of wheat from chaff. Once a
sediment has been deposited, subsequent changes in the speed or direction of wind or water
flowing over it can agitate the grains in the sediment and allow the preferential removal of the
finer grains. This action can improve the sorting and increase the mean grain size of a sediment
after it has been deposited. In the Old Testament the word winnow is used in several verses in
different books in the New International Version while other versions of the bible translate the
action as fan, throw or the separating tool as pitchfork, shovel, winnowing fan, or winnowing
instrument.

1.5 POST HARVEST TREATMENT FOR STORAGE

 Harvesting :- There is an optimum time for harvesting cereals, depending on the maturity of
the crop and the climatic conditions. This has a significant effect on the quality of the grain
during storage. Harvesting often begins before the grain is ripe and continues until mould and
insect damage are prevalent. Grain not fully ripened contains a higher proportion of moisture
and will deteriorate more quickly than mature grains because the enzyme systems are still
active. If the grain remains in the field after maturing, it may spoil through wetting caused by
morning dew and rain showers. There is also an increased risk of insect damage. Cereals are
traditionally harvested manually. Dried grains are stored in bulk until required for processing.
The grains should be inspected regularly for signs of spoilage and the moisture content tested.
If the grain has picked up moisture it should be re-dried. Grains are often protected with
insecticides and must be stored in rodent- Some of it is more efficient and cost effective than
others. Harvested crops are left in the field for a few days to dry before further processing.

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 Fig 1.2: Post Harvest Treatment for Storage

 Threshing:- Threshing is the removal of grains from the rest of the plant. It involves three
different operations: separating the grain from the panicle; sorting the grain from the straw;
winnowing the chaff from the grain. Separation of the grain from the panicle is the most
energy-demanding of the three processes. It is the first process to have been mechanized
Sorting the grain from the straw is relatively easy, but is difficult to mechanise. Winnowing is
relatively easy, both by hand and by machine. Most manual threshing methods use an
implement to separate the grain from the ears and straw. The simplest method is a stick or
hinged flail that is used to beat the crop while it is spread on the floor.
 Winnowing:- Winnowing is the separation of the grains from the chaff or straw. It is
traditionally carried out by lifting and tossing the threshed material so that the lighter chaff
and straw get blown to one side while the heavier seeds fall down vertically. Hand-held
winnowing baskets are used to shake the seeds to separate out the dirt and chaff. They are
very effective, but slow. There is a range of winnowing machines that use a fan to create
artificial wind. This speeds up the winnowing process. Some of these contains sieves and
screens that grade the grains as well.
 Drying:- Prior to storage or further processing, cereal grains need to be dried. The most cost-
effective method is to spread out in the sun to dry. In humid climates it may be necessary to
use an artificial dryer. Simple grain dryers can be made from a large rectangular box or tray
with a perforated base. The grain is spread over the base of the box and hot air is blown up

5
 through a lower chamber by a fan. The fan can be powered by diesel or electricity and the
heat supplied by kerosene, electricity, gas or burning biomass. Cereal grains should be dried
to 10-15% moisture before storage.
 Storage:- Dried grains are stored in bulk until required for processing. The grains should be
inspected regularly for signs of spoilage and the moisture content tested. If the grain has
picked up moisture it should be re-dried. Grains are often protected with insecticides and
must be stored in rodent-
.

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2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

Oyegunwa et al.(2023),[01]
The process of winnowing grains such as SORGHUM has been widely done manually in a lot of
developing countries, such as Nigeria and this comes with a lot of stress and reduced
output/productivity hence the need to develop a machine that will ease such burdens so that there
is a better productivity and a reduced human effort in the winnowing process. As such, an
electric-powered sorghum winnowing machine was designed and fabricated with locally sourced
materials to ensure ease of maintenance and at no compromise to its efficiency and reliability.
The machine component parts include the blower, hopper, feed gate, lever, and the machine
frame. Sorghum sample was tested with the machine for operational effectiveness and the result
shows that the machine has a winnowing capacity of 530kg/hr and a winnowing efficiency of
96%. The fabricated winnowing machine performed well with high winnowing efficiency,
reliability, and durability with an estimated cost of $450. It was also discovered that the cost of
winnowing 1kg sorghum is highly encouraging. The study was carried out in Akure, Ondo State,
Nigeria. A performance evaluation was carried out on the machine and a cleaning efficiency of
96% was achieved.

Jain et al.(2023)[02]
Threshing and winnowing are two different operations if we proceed through traditional method,
which involves a lot of physical effort, cost, drudgery; makes human lives difficult, time
consuming and yields very low level of output etc. In view of all the associated problems the
hybrid thresher was designed and fabricated. In this machine, Threshing and winnowing of paddy
are done simultaneously. This designed machine can be powered by both motor and or pedal.
Power source during operation can be changed by adjustments. Fabrication of this machine was
done at the workshop of “Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering”. While
research work was conducted on the farms of SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.). The threshing capacity
obtained was found to be in the range of 70 - 90 kg/hr. Also, the average threshing efficiency,
cleaning efficiency and threshing losses obtained were 98 %, 94 % and 5% respectively. Hence,
the machine so designed was found to be economical, efficient, time saving, reducing labour
charges with good quality grains and minimum damages etc. The machine was designed keeping

7
in view of human engineering and Ergonomics so as to provide comfortable for any user be it
male or female.

GUO et al.(2022),[03]
They reported that the percentage of kernels damaged by the shelling unit was almost directly
proportional to the moisture content of the kernel. he rate of corn kernel breakage in the grain
combine harvesters is a crucial factor affecting the quality of the grain shelled in the field. The
objective of the present study was to determine the susceptibility of corn kernels to breakage
based on the kernel moisture content in order to determine the moisture content that corresponds
to the lowest rate of breakage. In addition, we evaluated the resistance to breakage of various
corn cultivars. A total of 17 different corn cultivars were planted at two different sowing dates at
the Beibuchang Experiment Station, Beijing and the Xinxiang Experiment Station (Henan
Province) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The corn kernel moisture content
was systematically monitored and recorded over time, and the breakage rate was measured by
using the grinding method.

Shin et al.(2022),[04]
The winnowing machine of chili pepper harvesters was developed to reduce the potential
problem of low pepper stem and fruit separation. The developed winnowing machine was
combined with two impellers and a center bearing to prevent a strain on the drive shaft and to
ensure durability. The terminal velocity of chili pepper was measured, and an aerodynamic
analysis was conducted based on this winnowing machine. A CFD (Computational Fluid
Dynamics, Ansys Fluent 2020 R1) analysis was conducted for three levels of discharge port
guide form (0, 3, and 5 guides) and three levels of rotating speed (1600, 1800, and 2000 RPM) of
a winnowing machine designed utilizing aerodynamic analysis results. A validation test was
conducted by fabricating a winnower test device. As for aerodynamic analysis conducted using
measured values of terminal velocity, chili pepper fruits were collected at an outlet wind speed
lower than 17.5 m/s and chili pepper branches were separated at a speed higher than 12.5 m/s. As
a result of CFD analysis, the wind speed deviation at outlets of the 0-, 3-, and 5-guide depending
on the rotating speed appeared to be 15.8, 1.4, and 1.0 m/s on average, respectively. The result of
the CFD analysis showed values higher than wind speeds of the actual winnower test device by a

8
minimum of 0 and a maximum of 2.4 m/s. Through the CFD analysis and the wind speed
validation test of the winnower test device, optimal conditions to separate foreign materials were
found to be a winnowing machine at a rotating speed of 1800 RPM with a discharge port having
three guides or a winnowing machine at a rotating speed of 2000 RPM with a discharge port
having five guides.

Nguyen et al.(2019),[05]
In the chocolate or cocoa powder processing process, the roasted cocoa beans have to pass to the
breaking and winnowing step to obtain the nibs. The quality of chocolate or cocoa powder
depends strongly on the amount of shell that is not separated and still mixing on the nibs.
Recently, most of the cocoa bean breaking machines are based on the principle of grinding. This
leads to some disadvantages as (1) the shells might be not separated from the cocoa kernel after
the shattering that results in low efficiency of the cleaning process (<96%); and (2) the nibs are
also crushed so much to become smaller so that they are easy to moving out together with the
shell in the winnowing step due to the similar density. As a result, the ratio of nibs loss during the
cleaning process is very high as around 11.3%. Therefore, the shattering and cleaning process has
strongly affected the economic efficiency of cocoa production. One of the new methods for cocoa
breaking and winnowing in order to increase the cleanness level and to reduce the nibsloss rate
has been developed and studied. The cocoa seeds breaking based on the centrifugal mechanism in
combination with the pneumatic cleaning have been conducted to manufacturing breaking and
winnowing machine with a capacity of about 80 kg/hour. The experimental results indicate that
the efficiency of the cleaning process rises to more than 99% and the ratio of nibs loss reduces to
1.6% only which leads to increase the economic efficiency of the cocoa processing process.

Shrestha et al.(2017),[06]
Winnowing called “Dhan Battaune” in Nepali is the process of separation of unwanted matters
from paddy after threshing. In the conventional method; it requires at least four person to produce
strong wind by bamboo basket (“Nanglo” in Nepali) to blow away straw, leaves of grasses and
other unwanted matters; process starting with one of them pouring the sun dried grains from
certain height. To perform MATLAB simulation for designing the screening chamber, a sample
of 20 rice grains out of half kilogram was selected to measure its length, width and thickness. To

9
locate the flow pattern, grains of highest weight 0.0324 mg and mean weight 0.0228 mg were
considered and simulation was performed in MATLAB with drag coefficient 0.4 which indicated
screening chamber as 0.4 m × 0.4 m. The rice-husk movement was also observed in ANSYS
CFX which validate the result obtained from MATLAB as the recommended screening chamber
design clearly separate them owing to their weight differences. Series of modification were done
for better performance of the machine. This resulted in a final product having 0.16 m × 0.10 m
grain outlet and 0.20 m × 0.20 m husk outlet in which 19 kg of rice grain were tested in average
separation time of 70.8 s for five trails. The overall productivity of the machine was calculated to
be 966.10 kg/h which is a promising result for the power consumption of 3.10 units per hour.

Shi et al.(2017),[07]
Plastic film mulching technique has been used widely in China because of its notable benefits
such as raising soil temperature, inhibiting weed growth, promoting crop maturity and increasing
production, especially in the field of cotton cultivation, almost all of them used plastic film
mulching technique in XinJiang. Recycled waste plastic film and cotton straw, stubble and other
trash were difficult to separate, this problem caused difficulty in reutilization of waste plastic
film. A large number of recycled waste plastic films were buried or burned randomly in field
which lead to secondary environment pollution. In order to separate the waste plastic film from
cotton straw, stubble and other trash, realize recycling of waste plastic film and solve the problem
of environment pollution results from waste plastic film at source. The movement state and
trajectory of cotton straw, stubble and plastic film were simulated through building of wind field
device, and suspension velocity of cotton straw, stubble and plastic film were measured in wind
field. The mathematical model of separation conditions was established through analysis of stress
condition of different materials in wind field and law of settling of different materials in air
medium. High speed dynamic camera was used to observe the movement of the material in the
wind field, the feasibility of the principle was verified. Based on results of researches above, a
type of roller sieve waste plastic film and trash winnowing machine was designed. In this paper,
the overall structure and working principle of the machine were introduced, the structure and size
parameters of the key components of rotating sieve cylinder and the helix in rotating sieve
cylinder were determined.

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Chen et al.(2017),[08]
In this paper, 27 kinds of common movements and functions of winnowing pan are analyzed
based on the perspective of processing technology and Human factors engineering. As a farming
tool, the winnowing pan has two important characteristics, one is that its history is long, the
second is the widespread use in agriculture. The processing technology and shape design of
winnowing pan are all carried out according to its various functions and actions, which fully
demonstrate the craftsmanship and rich semantic expression of winnowing pan. The strong
survival ability of winnowing pan be derived from its own.

Adejumo et al.(2017),[09]
This research presents the development and assessment of a multi-grain winnower designed to
clean various grains simultaneously. Through meticulous design and fabrication, the machine's
efficiency in grain separation is evaluated, considering factors like throughput and energy
consumption. The study underscores the importance of versatile machinery in agricultural
processing, offering insights into enhancing grain cleaning operations for improved productivity
and quality.

Ayodele et al.(2017),[10]
Focused on millet processing, this study details the development and testing of a specialized
winnowing machine tailored for efficient millet grain separation. Through rigorous testing and
evaluation, the machine's performance in removing chaff from millet grains is assessed. The
research highlights the significance of custom machinery in optimizing grain processing
operations, particularly in regions where millet is a staple crop.

T. Elliott et al.(2017),[11]
Aflatoxin, a human liver carcinogen, frequently contaminates groundnuts, maize, rice, and other
grains, especially in Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an
educational intervention that involved training rural Gambian women on how to identify and
remove moldy groundnuts to reduce aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination. In total, 25 women,
recruited from the West Kiang region of The Gambia, were trained on how to recognize and
remove moldy groundnuts. Market-purchased groundnuts were hand sorted by the women.

11
Groundnuts were sampled at baseline (n =5), after hand sorting (“clean,” n =25 and “moldy,” n
=25), and after roasting (n =5). All samples were analyzed for AFB1 by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay. A reduction of 42.9% was achieved based on the median AFB1 levels at
baseline and after hand sorting (clean groundnuts), whereas an alternative estimate, based on the
total AFB1 in moldy and clean groundnuts, indicated a reduction of 96.7%, with a loss of only
2% of the groundnuts. By roasting the already clean sorted groundnuts, the AFB1 reduction
achieved (based on median levels) was 39.3%. This educational intervention on how to identify
and remove moldy groundnuts was simple and effective in reducing AFB1 contamination.

Azouma et al.(2017),[12]
Threshing is an integral part of postharvest activities for cereal and legume crops. In many
developing countries, threshing is carried out manually by farmers that lead to low quality of
paddy rice and grain loss. When the rice production increases, consequently the manual threshing
becomes arduous. In order to mechanize this process, a throw-in type thresher JEP based on a
prototype of a thresher made by IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) was designed and
tested. The wind board was modified after testing to enhance threshing quality. Also, in place of
welding the whole machine is joined by bolts, nuts and rivets for easy assembling and
disassembling. Output capacity from the performance test on the machine was 316 kg/hr at a
moisture content of 21%wb (wet base) for IR28 rice variety. This could attain 350-400 kg/hr
when both, the speed and the feeding speed increase. The overall results are impressive and it
will help improve drudgery and threshing challenges with small scale farmers. The results of the
research work are impressive. In order to achieve the extension of the thresher JEP in West
Africa, a participatory research project is undertaken.

Gerald K. Ahorbo (2017),[13]

To help make threshers available to majority of smallholder rice farmers, this research aimed at
designing an appropriate mechanically-powered rice thresher that could be manufactured locally
by artisans for small-holder rice farmers. Even though there are several of such small
mechanically-powered threshers on the Ghanaian market, those found are the small engine
operated types with designs based on mechanisms that have a rotating drum fitted with either
peg-teeth or rasp bars or wire loops for threshing. Common amongst them are threshers with the

12
peg-teeth threshing mechanism which are found with most designs including designs of the
popular International Rice Research Institute’s (IRRI’s) axial flow threshers. These threshers
have peg-teeth cylinder and concave arrangements that generate mostly impact effects to thresh
although some stripping effects are associated. Usually, the separation of rice grains from the
panicle occurs as a result of rubbing, impact and stripping action. A compact motorized throw-in
axial flow rice thresher that uses combined peg and screw threshing mechanism was designed
and successfully constructed. The prototype threshed up to 1,282mm length of whole harvested
rice crops of 19.6% moisture content grain and 64% moisture content straw at threshing drum
speed of 650rpm and feed rates from 198 to 402kg/hr inclusive with maximum threshing power
of 1.4PS (1.03kW) and also threshed 812mm length of crop with maximum threshing power for
feed rates from 205 to 429kg/hr. The evaluated power requirement of the thresher validated the
Japan national standard which states that the average power requirement should be less than
3.5PS (2.6kW) for 1.2kg bundle of feeds.

Umeh et al.(2016),[14]
This paper presents the design, fabrication, and testing of a motorized winnower specifically
tailored for rice processing. Through meticulous engineering and testing, the machine's
performance in cleaning rice grains is evaluated, showcasing its potential to streamline rice
processing operations and improve productivity. The study highlights the importance of
mechanized solutions in addressing processing challenges and enhancing agricultural efficiency.

Akinyele et al.(2015),[15]
Focused on maize processing, this research details the development of a winnowing machine
optimized for efficient maize grain separation. By employing innovative design and fabrication
techniques, the machine's performance in cleaning maize grains is evaluated, emphasizing its
potential to enhance processing efficiency and quality. The study underscores the importance of
tailored machinery in optimizing grain processing operations for improved productivity and
sustainability.

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Guzella and Caminhas (2009),[16]
In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of recent developments in the application of
machine learning algorithms to Spam filtering, focusing on both textual- and image-based
approaches. Instead of considering Spam filtering as a standard classification problem, we
highlight the importance of considering specific characteristics of the problem, especially concept
drift, in designing new filters. Two particularly important aspects not widely recognized in the
literature are discussed: the difficulties in updating a classifier based on the bag-of-words
representation and a major difference between two early naive Bayes models. Overall, we
conclude that while important advancements have been made in the last years, several aspects
remain to be explored, especially under more realistic evaluation settings.

John Durkin (2002),[17]

Over the last two decades, the knowledge engineer's toolbox has continued to develop and today,
it constitutes a powerful set of tools for building expert systems to manage real-world problems
across a wide range of application areas. Each tool offers unique features that make it well suited
for certain types of problems. This chapter explores and reviews the most popular expert system
development tools. It provides the history of the development of each tool. This is important
because, it demonstrates how the artificial intelligence (AI) community responded to problems
beyond the reach of existing methods. This chapter also deals with the working of these tools to
provide a general sense of its operation. It considers the relevance of the tool by considering its
strengths and weaknesses, and by looking at applications where it is typically employed. It
provides valuable references that allow further probing of the tool's theory and applications to
design a successful expert system.

Edward W Constant II (2002),[18]

Evolution, like history, is ordinarily thought to be about change in time. Yet a surprising variety
of “evolutionary” models across multiple domains are at least as much about stability, or at least
secular stasis, as they are about change. Our narrative forms, as well as our likely evolutionarily
produced disposition to attend to difference rather than to stasis, reflexively bias our perception
of evolution itself. A sample technological narrative, and a constructed anti-narrative, together
with an examination of the structure of engineering design processes (derived from Walter

14
Vincenti), and some insights from actor-network theory, point to the complex causal
interconnections between stable and innovative elements in technological change.

Bao and Sun (2002),[19]

In an effort to identify genes related to the cell line chemosensitivity and to evaluate the
functional relationships between genes and anticancer drugs acting by the same mechanism, a
supervised machine learning approach called support vector machine was used to label genes into
any of the five predefined anticancer drug mechanistic categories. Among dozens of
unequivocally categorized genes, many were known to be causally related to the drug
mechanisms. For example, a few genes were found to be involved in the biological process
triggered by the drugs (e.g. DNA polymerase epsilon was the direct target for the drugs from
DNA antimetabolites category). DNA repair-related genes were found to be enriched for about
eight-fold in the resulting gene set relative to the entire gene set. Some uncharacterized
transcripts might be of interest in future studies. This method of correlating the drugs and genes
provides a strategy for finding novel biologically significant relationships for molecular
pharmacology.

Taiwo et al.(2000),[20]
The potential economic returns from the oil palm are high if processed with efficient
technologies. This study was undertaken to evaluate the technologies in use for the production of
palm oil from a gender perspective. A survey was conducted in Osun and Ondo States of Nigeria
using a structured questionnaire and the participatory learning approach. A total of 28 palm fruit
processing centres were surveyed. The various technologies available in the field for each unit
operation were evaluated using certain criteria.

15
3.1 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
The cost of production of rice increasing due to several factors. Small and effective machines are
to be developed by which manual labour can be replaced effectively. Also the time required for
processing reduces. Production cost can be controlled and reduced by use of machines. Since
only 2 persons can work at time which makes slow work progress. 100% effective output result
cannot be obtained. Continuous electricity supply is needed.

16
4.1 DESIGN METHODOLOGY
The farmer winnowing machine needs are vital in identifying the performance of the winnowing
machines currently available in the market. Majority of the farmers in the site under study
lamented on the high costs charged by local business men and women who offer winnowing
machine services normally for hire. Such winnowers are usually powered by tractor and require
more than eight people for its effective operation.
The farmers are therefore forced to dig deep into their pockets to facilitate payment of such
casual workers alongside the payment of machine service. Considering the low harvest capacity
of individual farmers from the sizes of their farms as stated earlier in this paper, such a move
would cost them a lot and cut a great deal on their returns. On the other hand the farmers termed
such techniques as those of winnowing by hand and use of natural wind to perform winnowing so
as to winnow as stone age techniques that are a waste of time and energy and which would only
be adopted as a fall back plan if all means to winnow their produce fail.
The use of small rotary winnower such as the antique winnower presented a further challenge
since they had to set up a working bench on which they could mount the machine. Additionally,
the farmers also complained of the slow rate at which such equipment remove kernels from the
cobs and most of them were reluctant to use them frequently.
They suggested that if a cheaper solution would be availed to them to solve their grain
winnowing problem, with minimal breakage of the grain then such a technique would be warmly
welcome and embraced by individual farmers or a group of such rural farmers. On the field
determination of farmer winnowing capacity is vital.

4.2 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

There are many different facts that must be considered in the design process, as shown below:-
 The winnowing system should fulfill the basic task of cleaning the grains and removing husk,
twigs, chaff etc.
 It should be economical and the running cost should be at its minimum level.
 The grain and unwanted material should be distinguishingly separated i.e. there should not be
a requirement to repeat the process.
 The device should be portable and robust such that it can be transported to the field easily.

17
 The attachment should employ low-cost materials and manufacturing methods, standard spare
parts like sprockets, gears, pulleys, chains, belts, should be used for easy and local
availability.
 The weight of the system should be minimal to reduce the human effort in transport.
 The system may employ other attachments to integrate the post harvesting and related
activities.
 The fabrication of system should be suitable for local capabilities i.e. use of simple tools in
machine shop such as hack saw, files, medium duty welder, drill press, lathe and milling
machine.

4.3 TAXONOMY OF THE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Fig 4.1:- Taxonomy of Design Considerations

4.3.1 Ethical Consideration

Design norms are helpful guidelines that assist in design selection. For this project, cultural
appropriateness, caring, and stewardship are chosen as the most important design norms.
Food is a necessity of life, yet there are many places around the world that lack this resource.
Designing a machine that improves the quality of tea grades at a low cost demonstrates caring for
the company. As a method of caring for the men and women operating the machine, safety will
be taken into consideration when choosing a final design.

18
Stewardship is another applicable design norm. This project will provide an excellent opportunity
to use a few resources available to produce a vital product for the company.

4.3.2 Physical Considerations

An additional set of design considerations are the materials to be used, the power sources, ease of
use, and reparability.

4.3.3 Materials to be used

Among the physical considerations for the design is choosing the materials from which the
machine will be constructed. The most important material consideration is the availability of the
materials in villages. The machine will be designed so that most of the parts can be manufactured
from local workshop, thus using materials that are cheap &amp;readily available is an important
consideration. The durability of the machine is another important physical design consideration.
The operating environment this is to say, the sorting and packing sections in the factory have the
potential to be harsh, with extreme heat and humidity. These conditions necessitate choosing
materials that are corrosion resistant. Additionally, the machine will be used for many years by
many different operators, so the materials of machine must withstand prolonged heavy use. The
weight of the final product is another design consideration directly influenced by the chosen
materials.
 Ease of Use:Ease of use is another essential physical consideration. The machine will be
designed so as to be used easily by various types of operators that include men and women.
 Repairability:The design will enable an easy repair and maintenance of the machine. This
issue is closely linked with the cultural appropriateness consideration addressed in the ethics
section.

4.4 MACHINE DESCRIPTION

The machine will consist of a number of parts that include: the main frame which will support the
rest of machine components, the bearings that will support the fan shaft at both ends, the hopper
that will guide the grain to pass near the fan, the stainless sieve that will separate chaff and dust
from grain, electric motor which rotates the fan, fan for blowing chaff and dust, alternator which
generates the current and recharges the battery. Portable winnowing machine consist of a hopper

19
with a provision of adjustable flow rate. Vibrator is placed below the sieve to vibrate it. Solar
panel is used to charge the battery.

4.5 WORKING PRINCIPLE

Fig 4.2:- Illustration of the working principle

The fan separates the grain and the chaff by taking advantage of the mass and drag differences of
the grain and chaff. The grain and chaff fall down a sloped path while a fan produces a constant
stream of air flowing up the path. The larger mass of the grain allows it to continue its descent to
the bottom of the slope, while the chaff and dust is picked up by the stream of air and blown
away by the machine.
Solar panel is used to absorb the sun rays coming from the sun and to recharge the battery. The
battery is used to run the electric motor. Fan is coupled on the shaft of electric motor. As the
electric motor rotates, the fan also rotates at high speed. Due to the stream of air, chaff and dust is
blown away and then clean grain is collected. The generator is run by electric motors, which is
coupled by belt drives. The generator produces electric current which charges the battery and
then battery runs the motors and this process repeats.

20
4.6 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWERED
WINNOWING MACHINE
Advantages:-
 Ease of installation
 Easy to mount
 Prevents grain from scattering
 Simple to maintain
 Saves time
 Easy to transport machine and inexpensive to transport
 High technology is not necessary
 Low running cost
 Electricity can be produced at a lower cost after installation.

Disadvantages
 If the heavy stones are of same size that of grain then becomes difficult to separate.
 If grain are lighter then it may be blown away along with chaff.
 It cannot be used for mass production.
 In cloudy day, sun ray won’t be received by solar panel, so it will be difficult to charge the
battery.

4.7 Power Transmission Flowchart

At first, battery is charged by the use of solar energy and generator. Then the charged battery is
used to run the electric motor. As the electric motor runs then the shaft starts rotating, the fan is
coupled on the same shaft of motor. So, the fan rotates at high speed and high velocity stream of
air is produced. The stream of air blows away the chaff and dust from grain and the clean grain is
collected in the sack. The generator is run by the motor, which is coupled with the use of belt
drives. As the generator rotates then electric current is produced which is used to charge the
battery. The vibrator is used to vibrate the sieve containing perforated holes. The vibrator is run
by battery.

21
 Fig 4.3:- Power Transmission Flowchart

4.8 COMPONENTS OF WINNOWING MACHINE

4.8.1 The Main Frame
The main frame will support the entire weight of the machine. The total weights that will be
carried by the main frame include: weight of the hopper, the fan, belt, Sieve, vibrator, electric
motor, generator, battery. The two design factors that will be considered in determining the
material required for the frame are weight and strength. Assuming the weight of bolts and nuts to
be negligible.
The first major dimension that needed to be ascertained was the grain drop height between the
bottom of the fan’s air stream and the sieve system. This distance has to be large enough to allow
for sufficient exposure between the paddy mixture and the lighter debris that are separated out by
the blowing air from the fan. If the drop height is not large enough for the lighter debris to clear
the sieve system, then re-contamination of the paddy with this debris will occur when they
contact the sieve. While a significant drop height would need to be incorporated into the design
for this reason, this must be balanced with the goal of trying to keep this machine as compact as
possible.

22
4.8.2 The Hopper

Fig 4.4:- Hooping of winnowing machine

The hopper will be designed to be fed in a vertical position only and to accommodate the
allowable volume of grains to be cleaned. The hopper will have the shape of a frustum of a
pyramid truncated at the top. Its base will be a square funnel slighting at an obtained angle of
repose to discharge the grains in the draught chamber by gravity. The material that will be used
for the construction is 1mm thick tin which is readily available in the market and relatively
affordable.

4.8.3 Design of the fan

The fan will provide a wind stream to clean the grains.

Fig 4.5:- Fan of winnowing machine or Optimal Fan Wind Speed

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 Optimal Fan Wind Speed and Corresponding required rpm
The first order of business will be to figure out what the optimal wind speed would be for
the fan to blow at. The sought after wind speed should be strong enough to blow away the
lighter, less dense debris out of the grain, while not indiscriminately blowing the clean
grain away as well. In order to achieve this wind velocity, a specific rotational speed
would be required of the shaft of the centrifugal fan. This will be calculated using the fan
affinity law:

 Fan Power Requirement

To find the power requirements of the fan, total pressure of the airflow in the fan and the
cubic flow rate of the air leaving the fan will be required.

4.8.4 Solar Panel

Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun&#39;s rays as a source of energy for
generating electricity or heating. A photovoltaic (in short PV) module is a packaged, connected
assembly of typically 6×10 solar cells . Solar Photovoltaic panels constitute the solar array of a
photovoltaic system that generates and supplies solar electricity in commercial and residential
applications. Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions, and
typically ranges from 100 to 365 watts. The efficiency of a module determines the area of a
module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230 watt module will have twice the area
of a 16% efficient 230 watt module. There are a few solar panels available that are exceeding
19% efficiency. A single solar module can produce only a limited amount of power; most
installations contain multiple modules. A photovoltaic system typically includes a panel or an
array of solar modules, a solar inverter, and sometimes a battery and/or solar tracker and
interconnection wiring. The price of solar power, together with batteries for storage, has
continued to fall so that in many countries it is cheaper than ordinary fossil fuel electricity from
the grid.

24
 Fig 4.6:- Solar Panel and Solar Cell

Solar modules use light energy (photons) from the sun to generate electricity through the
photovoltaic effect. The majority of modules use wafer -based crystalline silicon cells or thin-
film cells based on cadmium telluride or silicon. The structural (load carrying) member of a
module can either be the top layer or the back layer. Cells must also be protected from
mechanical damage and moisture. Most solar modules are rigid, but semi- flexible ones are
available, based on thin-film cells. Electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired
output voltage and/or in parallel to provide a desired current capability. The conducting wires that
take the current off the modules may contain silver, copper or other non-magnetic conductive
[transition metals]. The cells must be connected electrically to one another and to the rest of the
system. Externally, popular terrestrial usage photovoltaic modules use MC3 (older) or MC4
connectors to facilitate easy weatherproof connections to the rest of the system.
Bypass diodes may be incorporated or used externally, in case of partial module shading, to
maximize the output of module sections still illuminated. Some recent solar module designs
include concentrators in which light is focused by lenses or mirrors onto an array of smaller cells.

25
This enables the use of cells with a high cost per unit area (such as gallium arsenide) in a cost-
effective way.

4.8.5 Sieve system

Fig 4.7:- Sieve with perforated holes

This sieve has larger perforations and is intended to filter the debris that is larger than the rice
paddy and too heavy to be blown away by the wind stream. The lower sieve has perforations that
are too small for the grains to fall through. This sieve is intended to catch the rice paddy and
redirect it toward a catchment vessel, while the impurities that are smaller than the rice paddy,
but too heavy to be blown away in the wind stream, fall through the sieve into their respective
collection vessel. The sieves are connected on at two points along their length by arms of flat bar.

4.8.6 The Prime Movers

The source of power that will be used to drive the machine will be DC motor. NR-DC-ECO is
high quality low cost DC motor. It contains Brass gears and steel pinions to ensure longer life and
better wear and tear properties. The gears are fixed on hardened steel spindles polished to a
mirror finish. These spindles rotate between bronze plates which ensures silent running. The
output shaft rotates in a sintered bushing. The whole assembly is covered with a plastic ring. All

26
the bearings are permanently lubricated and therefore require no maintenance. The motor is
screwed to the gear box from inside.

Fig 4.8:- DC Brushless Motor Fig 4.9:- 12v 1200 rpm DC Motor

The reverse of this would be the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy and is
done by an electric generator. In normal motoring mode, most electric motors operate through the
interaction between an electric motor&#39;s magnetic field and winding currents to generate
force within the motor. In certain applications, such as in the transportation industry with traction
motors, electric motors can operate in both motoring and generating or braking modes to also
produce electrical energy from mechanical energy. Found in applications as diverse as industrial
fans, blowers and pumps, machine tools, household appliances, power tools, and disk drives,
electric motors can be powered by direct current (DC) sources, such as from batteries, motor
vehicles or rectifiers, or by alternating current (AC) sources, such as from the power grid,
inverters or generators. Small motors may be found in electric watches. General-purpose motors
with highly standardized dimensions and characteristics provide convenient mechanical power
for industrial use. The largest of electric motors are used for ship propulsion, pipeline
compression and pumped-storage applications with ratings reaching 100 megawatts. Electric
motors may be classified by electric power source type, internal construction, application, type of
motion output, and so on. Electric motors are used to produce linear or rotary force (torque), and
should be distinguished from devices such as magnetic solenoids and loudspeakers that convert
electricity into motion but do not generate usable mechanical powers, which are respectively
referred to as actuators and transducers.

27
4.8.7 Vibrator
A vibrator is a mechanical device to generate vibrations. The vibration is often generated by an
electric motor with an unbalanced mass on its driveshaft. There are many different types of
vibrator. Some are components of larger products such as components and as individual pieces of
equipment. Vibratory feeders and vibrating hoppers are used extensively in the food,
pharmaceutical, and chemical industries to move and position bulk material or small component
parts. The application of vibration working with the force of gravity can often move materials
through a process more effectively than other methods. Vibration is often used to position small
components so that they can be gripped mechanically by automated equipment as required for
assembly etc.

Fig 4.10:- Vibrator used in winnowing machine

Vibrating screens are used to separate bulk materials in a mixture of different sized particles. For
example sand, gravel, river rock and crushed rock, and other aggregates are often separated by
size using vibrating screens. Vibrating compactors are used for soil compaction especially in
foundations for roads, railways, and buildings. Concrete vibrators consolidate freshly poured
concrete so that trapped air and excess water are released and the concrete settles firmly in place
in the formwork. Improper consolidation of concrete can cause product defects, compromise the
concrete strength, and produce surface blemishes such as bug holes and honeycombing. An

28
internal concrete vibrator is a steel cylinder about the size of the handle of a baseball bat, with a
hose or electrical cord attached to one end. The vibrator head is immersed in the wet concrete.
External concrete vibrators attach, via a bracket or clamp system, to the concrete forms. There are
a wide variety of external concrete vibrators available and some vibrator manufacturers have
bracket or clamp systems designed to fit the major brands of concrete forms. External concrete
vibrators are available in hydraulic, pneumatic or electric power.
Vibrating tables or shake tables are sometimes used to test products to determine or demonstrate
their ability to withstand vibration. Testing of this type is commonly done in the automotive,
aerospace, and defense industries. These machines are capable of producing three different types
of vibration profile sine sweep, random vibration, and synthesized shock. In all three of these
applications, the part under test will typically be instrumented with one or more accelerometers to
measure component response to the vibration input. A sine sweep vibration profile typically starts
vibrating at low frequency and increases in frequency at a set rate (measured in hertz per second
or hertz per minute). The vibratory amplitude as measured in gs may increase or decrease as well.
A sine sweep will find resonant frequencies in the part. A random vibration profile will excite
different frequencies along a spectrum at different times. Significant calculation goes into making
sure that all frequencies get excited to within an acceptable tolerance band. A random vibration
test suite may range anywhere from 30 seconds up to several hours. It is intended to synthesize
the effect of, for example, a car driving over rough terrain or a rocket taking off. A synthesized
shock pulse is a short duration high level vibration calculated as a sum of many half-sine waves
covering a range of frequencies. It is intended to simulate the effects of an impact or explosion. A
shock pulse test typically lasts less than a second. Vibrating tables can also be used in the
packaging process in material handling industries to shake or settle a container so it can hold
more products.

4.8.8 DC Generator
It is a generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating
current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field with a
stationary armature. Occasionally, a linear alternator or a rotating armature with a stationary
magnetic field is used. In principle, any AC electrical generator can be called an alternator, but
usually the term refers to small rotating machines driven by automotive and other internal

29
combustion engines. An alternator that uses a permanent magnet for its magnetic field is called a
magneto. Alternators in power stations driven by steam turbines are called turbo- alternators.
Large 50 or 60 Hz three phase alternators in power plants generate most of the world’s; electric
power, which is distributed by electric power grids.
A conductor moving relative to a magnetic field develops an electromotive force (EMF) in it.
This emf reverses its polarity when it moves under magnetic poles of opposite polarity.
Typically, a rotating magnet, called the rotor turns within a stationary set of conductors wound in
coils on an iron core, called the stator. The field cuts across the conductors, generating an induced
EMF, as the mechanical input causes the rotor to turn.

Fig 4.11:- Generator

The rotating magnetic field induces an AC voltage in the stator windings. Since
the currents in the stator windings vary in step with the position of the rotor, an alternator is a
synchronous generator. The rotor magnetic field may be produced by permanent magnets, or by a
field coil electromagnet. Automotive alternators use a rotor winding which allows control of the
alternator generated voltage by varying the current in the rotor field winding. Permanent magnet
machines avoid the loss due to magnetizing current in the rotor, but are restricted in size, due to
the cost of the magnet material. Since the permanent magnet field is constant, the terminal
voltage varies directly with the speed of the generator. Brushless AC generators are usually larger
than those used in automotive applications. An automatic voltage control device controls the field
current to keep output voltage constant. If the output voltage from the stationary armature coils

30
drops due to an increase in demand, more current is fed into the rotating field coils through the
voltage regulator (VR). This increases the magnetic field around the field coils which induces a
greater voltage in the armature coils. Thus, the output voltage is brought back up to its original
value. Alternators used in central power stations also control the field current to regulate reactive
power and to help stabilize the power system against the effects of momentary faults. Often there
are three sets of stator windings, physically offset so that the rotating magnetic field produces a
three phase current, displaced by one- third of a period with respect to each other.

4.8.9 Storage Devices: Battery

A storage rechargeable battery is a type of electrical battery which can be charged, discharged
into a load, and recharged many times, while a non-rechargeable or primary battery is supplied
fully charged, and discarded once discharged. It is composed of one or more electrochemical
cells. The term accumulator is used as it accumulates and stores energy through a reversible
electrochemical reaction. Rechargeable batteries are produced in many different shapes and sizes,
ranging from button cells to megawatt system connected to stabilize an electrical distribution
network.
Several different combinations of electrode materials and electrolytes are used, including lead–
acid , nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion (Li-ion), and lithium ion
polymer (Li-ion polymer). Rechargeable batteries initially cost more than disposable batteries ,
but have a much lower total cost of ownership and environmental impact , as they can be
recharged inexpensively many times before they need replacing. Some rechargeable battery types
are available in the same sizes and voltages as disposable types, and can be used interchangeably
with them.
Performance of any LM317 system depends largely on performance of batteries connected to it.
As such selection of right type and rating of battery for your LM317 is very critical. Regular
maintenance of installed batteries also should be given due importance.
 Battery Specifications and Charging: Batteries are accumulators of electrical energy.
Battery stores electrical energy in chemical form. Battery specification consists of their
voltage and ampere-hour (AH) capacity. Thus 12v – 100AH battery means one can draw 10
Amperes for about 10 hours. This relationship is actually non-liner. In

31
other words you cannot draw 100 amperes from 100 AH battery for one hour. Typically battery
manufacturers give discharge curves as per their design specification for each rating. A 12V
battery typically consists of 6 cells of 2 volts each connected in series and mounted in hard rubber
or PP container. Charging methods for these batteries are also specified by manufacturers and one
has to follow them strictly to get maximum life out of these batteries. LM317 systems provide
sophisticated electronic battery charger to ensure proper charging of batteries. Charging current
restrictions decide recharging time for batteries. (This specification becomes critical when you
have regular long load shading periods during the day).
One has to understand that battery is a consumable item and has definite life, which is much less
than life of the LM317. A normal life span for well-designed lead acid battery is about 2-3 years
and depends upon selection of proper ampere-hour (AH) capacity for given discharge current.
Long life (5 to 6 years) batteries are available but at extra cost. In developing countries, longer
backup period is required for LM317 systems. As such, the investment in batteries is at times
almost equal to (or even more than) the LM317.

 Types of Batteries
Three basic types of batteries are available in the market:

1. Automotive Lead acid batteries (Wet):-

A typical wet battery is made of positive and negative plates, made of lead and lead oxide. These
plates are arranged in hard rubber or PVC container. These plates are immersed in dilute
sulphuric acid serving as liquid electrolyte. The performance of these batteries greatly depends on
purity of lead used in battery plates and quality of sulphuric acid used. Hence, we find that
branded batteries in this category perform much better than local makes. Automotive batteries are
mainly produced by manufacturers for use in automobiles, where the main function of the battery
is to start the engine. This requires battery to deliver very high current to starter motor for short
duration, while starting the automobile. In running condition these batteries are floated on
alternator rectifier connected to engine, which charges the battery. As such it does not undergo
high current discharge for longer time. Manufacturers use battery plates with less cross sectional
area to serve this purpose and reduce the cost. The electrolyte evaporates during charging and
discharging changing its specific gravity. We have to add distilled water at regular intervals to

32
ensure proper performance of these batteries. Generally these batteries are not recommended for
serious LM317 installations. However if the cost constraints are stringent one can use these
batteries with LM317 of lower ratings. The capacity should be so selected that that the discharge
current is not more than 1/100 of battery rating.

2. Stationary Tubular Lead acid batteries (Wet):-

Tubular batteries are similar to automotive batteries but with some significant differences in their
construction. These batteries have larger cross sectional area for plates and larger volume to
accommodate more electrolytes. In case of LM317 large current discharge is required for longer
durations to support the loads. This naturally demands more cross sectional area for battery plates
to give longer battery life. Tubular batteries provide this type of construction and thus are better
suited for LM317 applications. Provision of more electrolyte avoids frequent topping up. These
batteries are available in 2V or 12V models with ampere-hour capacities ranging from 40AH -
200 AH. As the volumes getting sold are increasing, local reliable sources from unorganized
sector are developing in many areas for these type of batteries. A variant called “Thick plate” or
“Pasted Plate” battery is also available in the market. Quality and cost wise it falls between
automotive and tubular batteries. User can choose the battery after ensuring the reputation and
track record of the manufacturer.

3.Sealed Maintenance free (SMF) batteries (Dry–Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries):-
These batteries use plates similar to wet batteries, but the electrolyte used is generally in gel
form. The battery is sealed and does not require any electrolyte filling throughout its lifespan.
These batteries have predicted life of fixed number of discharge cycles, typically 300 discharge
cycles at 250c ambient. One discharge cycle is typically discharging battery up to 60% and
charging it again at recommended charging current. In tropical countries like India, this
temperature restriction cannot be achieved unless batteries are used in air-conditioned
atmosphere. As such we get average life of about 200 discharge cycles. Any repairs during the
life span are not possible in SMF batteries. Thus within the life span but after the guarantee
period, if any battery is found faulty then it needs total replacement. These batteries are available
in the capacities ranging from 7 AH to 100 AH. Few manufacturers provide factory assembled, 2
Volt stacks of these batteries (at almost double the cost) with special constructional difference to

33
give 5 – 7 years life. With the constraints as explained above these batteries are recommended for
backup requirements of about 20-30 minutes. Sophisticated electronic chargers are must for these
batteries to avoid bursting or bulging due to overcharging. These batteries should not be kept in
discharged condition for longer duration. Various manufacturers for different ratings of LM317
keeping this trend in mind, user should always specify LM317 rating and backup time
requirement and leave the selection of DC voltage to the LM317 manufacturer. One can further
compare costs and ratings of batteries quoted by various vendors for same backup.

4. Few Do’s and Don’ts for LM317 batteries :-

 Batteries should be kept as near to LM317 as possible.

 It is always recommended that required number of batteries should be connected in series. As
far as possible series parallel combination should be avoided (Series parallel combination
may not ensure proper charging and equal discharging, thus could reduce life of the batteries.)
 As far as possible do not mix old batteries with new batteries or batteries of unequal rating,
while connecting in series to avoid unequal charging.
 For easy maintenance and from the point of view of safety batteries should be kept in steel or
wooden racks duly designed to suite the site. Such racks should be kept away from heat and
any other chemical fumes or chemical storage.
 DC voltages higher than 24V may prove to be fatal for unauthorized handling. As such the
battery racks should have safety covers with lock.
 Battery rooms should be accessible to authorized persons only. These rooms should be well
ventilated with provision for dry type fire extinguisher. Periodic visual checking for bulging,
fuming, loose connections is recommended.
 Batteries should be connected to LM317 through a manual isolating switch so that in case of
emergency battery bank can be quickly disconnected from LM317.
 In case of wet batteries the racks should be designed to provide enough height above batteries
to facilitate regular gravity checking and filling of distilled water.
 A periodic record in the following form if maintained helps in assessing battery performance.

34
4.8.10 Belt Drives
Round belts are a circular cross section belt designed to run in a pulley with a 60 degree V-
groove. Round grooves are only suitable for idler pulleys that guide the belt, or when (soft) O-
ring type belts are used. The V-groove transmits torque through a wedging action, thus increasing
friction. Nevertheless, round belts are for use in relatively low torque situations only and may be
purchased in various lengths or cut to length and joined, either by a staple, a metallic connector
(in the case of hollow plastic), gluing or welding (in the case of polyurethane).

Fig 4.12:- Round Belt Drive

Early sewing machines utilized a leather belt, joined either by a metal staple or glued, to great
effect. Round belt transmission advantages include:
 Less expensive than roller chain drives.
 Easy maintenance, with no lubrication required.
 Protects from overload.
 Quiet operation with vibration dampening.
 Invulnerable to oils/petroleum.
 Can be easily disengaged; can serve as a clutch.
 Very little wear on pulleys.
Disadvantages do exist. Drive belts easily stretch and slip, so idler pulleys or a new belt must be
implemented. Also, pulley drives are the weakest form of power transmission; in any
configuration where the belt does not wrap 180° around the pulley significant power loss occurs.

35
Belt drives are limited to moderate speeds (35 m/s) and by power transmission (500 hp
maximum). Finally, operating temperatures are often restricted to - 31°F to 185°F.

4.8.11 Voltage Regulator Circuit LM317 Adjustable Regulator

The LM117 series of adjustable 3-terminal positive voltage regulators is capable of supplying in
excess of 1.5A over a 1.2V to 37V output range. They are exceptionally easy to use and require
only two external resistors to set the output voltage. Further, both line and load regulations are
better than standard fixed regulators. Also, the LM317 is packaged in standard transistor
packages which are easily mounted and handled.
In addition to higher performance than fixed regulators, the LM317 series offers full overload
protection available only in IC Included on the chip are current limit, thermal overload protection
and safe area protection. All overload protection circuitry remains fully functional even if the
adjustment terminal is disconnected.
Normally, no capacitors are needed unless the device is situated more than 6 inches from the
input filter capacitors in which case an input bypass is needed. An optional output capacitor can
be added to improve transient response.
Besides replacing fixed regulators, the LM317 is useful in a wide variety of other applications.
Since the regulator is ``floating”; and sees only the input-to-output differential voltage, supplies
of several hundred volts can be regulated as long as the maximum input to output differential is
not exceeded, i.e., avoid short-circuiting the output.

Fig 4.13:- Adjustable Regulator

36
4.8.12 Boost Converter
The dc-dc boost converters are used to convert the unregulated dc input to a controlled dc output
at a desired voltage level. They generally perform the conversion by applying a dc voltage across
an inductor or transformer for a period of time (usually in the 20 kHz to 5 MHz range) which
causes current to flow through it and store energy magnetically, then switching this voltage off
and causing the stored energy to be transferred to the voltage output in a controlled manner. The
output voltage is regulated by adjusting the ratio of on/off time. This is achieved using switched-
mode, or chopper, circuits whose elements dissipate negligible power. Pulse-width modulation
(PWM) allows control and regulation of the total output voltage. It is considered as the heart of
the power supply, thus it will affect the overall performance of the power supply system. The
ideal converter exhibits 100% efficiency; in practice, efficiencies of 70% to 95% are typically
obtained.

Fig 4.14:- Schematic of Boost Converter

Renewable energy sources play an important role in electricity generation. People are finding the
benefits of having their own renewable energy system more attractive than they ever had before.
Specially, energy from the sun is the best option for electricity generation as it is available

37
everywhere and is free to harness. The merits of solar PV system are cleanness, relative lack of
noise or movement, as well as their ease of installation and integration when compared to others.
On an average the sunshine hour in India is about 6hrs annually also the sun shine shines in India
for about 9 months in a year. Electricity from the sun can be generated through the solar
photovoltaic modules (SPV). The SPV comes in various power output to meet the load.
However, the output power of a PV panel is largely determined by the solar irradiation and the
temperature of the panel. To maximize the power output of the PV system, a high efficiency,
low-cost DC/DC converter with a voltage feedback signal is commonly employed to control the
terminal voltage of the PV system at optimal values in various solar radiation conditions.

4.9 MODELING AND FABRICATION OF WINNOWING MACHINE

4.9.1 The Winnowing Machine Frame
The main frame supports the entire weight of the machine. The total weights carried by the
main frame are:
 Weight of the hopper and sieve;
 Weight of the electric motor, Alternator and fan.

Fig 4.15:- Fabricated Frame

Specification: Total Height: 4ft, Length: 4ft, Width=1ft

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Material: Mild Steel
Dimension of hollow square rod frame: 2cm × 2cm × 1mm
The two design factors considered for determining the material required for the frame were
weight and strength.

4.9.2 Hopper

Fig 4.16:- Fabricated Hopper

Specification: Top Rectangle dimension = 12inch × 9 inch

Bottom rectangle Dimension = 12inch × 6inch
Base Rectangle Dimension = 15inch × 12 inch
Thickness= 1mm
Material: Aluminium

The hopper is designed to be fed in a vertical position only. The material to be used for the
construction is tin, which is readily available in the market at affordable costs. The hopper will
have the shape of a frustum of a pyramid truncated at the top. The material that will be used for
the construction is 1mm thick tin which is readily available in the market and relatively
affordable.

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4.9.3 Fan

Fig 4.17:- Fabricated Fan

The fan will provide a wind stream to clean the grains. It is made of plastics and it has 5 blades
with total diameter of 11 inch. Winnowing fan, often simply called a winnowing fan or
winnower, is an agricultural tool used in the processing of harvested rice or other grains, such as
wheat or barley. Its primary purpose is to separate the valuable grain (paddy rice, in this case)
from unwanted materials like chaff, straw, and dust.

4.9.4 Electric Motor

Fig 4.18:- Electric Motor

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Motor is a device which converts electric energy into mechanical energy. DC motor is used as a
prime mover to run the fan.
Specification: 12v, 500 milli amps, 1000rpm, 800 winding, 8mm output shaft
An electric motor used in a winnowing machine typically needs to provide sufficient power to
drive the machine's fan or blower efficiently. The motor's specifications depend on various
factors such as the size of the winnowing machine, the type and weight of material being
separated, and the desired speed and airflow.
It's essential to consult with a knowledgeable engineer or supplier to select the most suitable
electric motor for your specific winnowing machine application, considering all relevant factors
and requirements.

4.9.5 Generator

Fig 4.19:- Generator

Generator is a device which converts mechanical energy into electric energy. The shaft of
generator is coupled with shaft of motor.
Specification: 8-10v, 1 amp, 600 rpm, 1000 winding, 8mm output shaft.

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4.9.6 Sieve

Fig 4.20:- Fabricated Sieve

Sieve is used to filter the heavy dust, stones and other impurities, which cannot be blown away by
air. It contains number of holes.
Specification: 21 inch * 22 inch and Hole Diameter= 2mm

4.9.7 Belt Drives

Fig 4.21:- Fabricated Belt

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Belt is used to transmit motion from one shaft to another shaft with help of pulley
preferable if the centre distance is long. It is round in cross section.
Specification: Diameter =3mm, Length = 25mm, High tension Belt.

4.9.8 Battery

Fig 4.22:- Battery

A Battery stores the current and supplies the current to motor. Motor is run with the help of
battery.
Specification: Type: lead Acid Battery (Dry cell).
Operating Voltage and Current: 12V, 7.5 Ah.

4.9.9 Vibrator
Vibrator is used to vibrate the sieve containing perforated holes.

Fig 4.23:- Fabricated Vibrator

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Specification: Operating Voltage: 5V DC.
Frequency Range: 0.5HZ ~ 20HZ
Operating Temperature Range: -10 ˚C ~ 50˚C
Speed: 350rpm

4.9.10 Assembled View of Winnowing Machine

Fig 4.24:- Fabricated Winnowing Machine

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5.1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Table 1: Result Analysis of Purity of Grains

Trial No. Feed rate Total weight of Total weight of % Purity =
(kg/hr) impure grain cleaned grain Wc/Wt*100%
(WT) in kg (Wc)
in kg

1. 300 5 4.7 94%

2. 400 5 4.4 88%

3. 480 5 4.0 80%

 It was found that by increasing feed rate from 300 to 480 kg/h, purity decreased from 94% to
80 % respectively. It was found that purity was affected by feed rate.
 It was found that purity increased as the vibration frequency increased. It means Vibration
frequency also affect the purity of grains.
 The total cost of fabrication of the design’s is affordable to a group of rural farmers or even
individual farmers compared to the cumulative costs of service hiring or purchase of
industrial winnowing machine.

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6.1 CONCLUSION
This project incorporates conventional winnowing fan with portability using solar energy. Whole
system is successfully configured to mount on frame. Parts detachability allows easy system
demounting. Our system would bridge the gap between the conventional and modern techniques.
It is faster than conventional and cheaper than modern methods. The grain was winnowed quickly
and the quality of the grain mixture was improved notably. Though the prototype shows promise,
there are numerous areas of improvement for further development of the winnowing machine. In
sum, this project has demonstrated that modern winnowing technology can be incorporated into a
cheap and accessible machine which has the potential to improve the lives of farmer.
Various features like adjustable hopper, fan, motor and detachability allow advancement over
limitations of conventional winnowing processes. So we can conclude that farmer, being and end
user would have cost effective, simple, efficient, fast and portable winnowing machine.

6.2 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

In the developing world, powered grain cleaning machine exist, but they are impractical in rural
areas because of electricity are expensive or unavailability. Machine has to be developed which is
reliable, easy to operate with using less electricity, so that manufactured and designed using
available resources. So, self proclaiming winnowing machine will be too much helpful for village
farmers and hilly and mountain region farmer, where there is lack of electricity.

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