DESIGN OF A SOLAR-POWERED PADDY AND HUSK SEPARATOR MACHINE

Abstract

This study designed and implemented a prototype paddy-husk separator that integrates a 200 Wp off-grid photovoltaic (PV) power system with vibrating-sieve and pneumatic separation. The mechanical assembly uses a hollow-steel frame, a perforated sieve, an eccentric drive, and a fan, while the electrical subsystem comprises a solar panel, a solar charge controller, a 12 V battery, and a 1000 W inverter. Prototype tests were reported at input loads of 10, 15, and 20 kg. The measured AC load remained at 126-132 W, which is below the inverter power rating. The pulley ratio of a 50 mm motor pulley and a 12-inch driven pulley yields a calculated sieve-shaft speed of 196.85 rpm, compared with a 214 rpm design target. Under the reported test conditions, the highest observed processing capacity was 723 kg/h at a 15 kg input load, whereas the highest reported separation efficiency (86.2%) and the lowest reported loss (1.50%) occurred at 20 kg. These results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating off-grid PV power with dual mechanical-pneumatic separation at prototype scale. However, the study does not document paddy variety, moisture content, replicate-level variability, or the full mass-balance record used to reconstruct separation efficiency and losses; therefore, field reliability, solar autonomy, and broader performance claims require further validation.