Design and Development of a Crab Shell Granulating Machine
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Abstract
This study investigated the performance of a developed crab shell granulating machine for organic fertilizer production. Various parameters were tested in terms of operating conditions of the machine and its actual performance in terms of granulating rate and efficiency. The dried blue crab shells were used as the raw materials for performance testing. The properties of the final product output were tested to determine its properties. Results revealed that the operating speed of the machine was 1200 rpm, with an operating capacity of 750 g, and granulating time of 89 seconds. The average granulating rate and efficiency were 8.07 g/s and 96%, respectively. Laboratory analyses showed that the nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium contents of the product output were 4.05%, 1.13%, and 0%, respectively. The obtained nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium values were comparable to their theoretical values and can be considered as potential organic fertilizer. The moisture content of 7.45% and pH level of 8.85 (standard range of 6.6 to 9.5) were also acceptable for application. Further study may be conducted focusing on the application of the product output to various vegetable crops to determine the effectiveness of the crab meal fertilizer.
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