Performance and Ergonomical Study of a Power Operated Coconut Dehusker

The performance and ergonomical study of a power operated coconut dehusker was carried out at College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, OUAT, Bhubaneswar for its suitability among the farmers on the basis of dehusking efficiency and ergonomical considerations like heart rate, oxygen consumption rate etc. during operation. Dehusking of coconut is a very tedious job and many of the labourers show reluctance for this work as it causes injury to them by following traditional method. Development of a suitable coconut dehusker is, therefore, very much important in the state Odisha where there is a great potential for coconut cultivation and marketing of commercial products from coconut husk. Hence, the aim of the study was to develop a power operated dehusker which would become safe to operate, easy to operate, easy to fabricate, commercially feasible and economically viable. It was observed that the dehusker developed could dehusk 300 numbers of nuts per hour with a dehusking efficiency of about 92 per cent. The cost of use of the machine was calculated to be Rs. 0.10 per nut.